MA DEGREE in SCIENCE
AND THE PUBLIC
through the Center for Inquiry and the State University of New York at Buffalo
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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
Enroll now! Summer classes with Chris Mooney and Michael Dowd
Earn your Masters Degree in Education with emphasis
on Science and the Public. Explore the methods and outlook of science as they
intersect with public culture and public policy. Understand the essentials of
scientific literacy, communicating about science to the public, and making a
difference to the national dialogue about science. Earn the new master’s degree
in general education (Ed.M.) with an emphasis in Science and the Public, a
cooperative initiative of the University at Buffalo Graduate School of
Education and the Center for Inquiry.
This unique two-year degree, offered entirely
online, is ideal for students preparing for careers in research, science
education, public policy, and science journalism, as well as further study in
sociology, history and philosophy of science, science communication, education,
or public administration. Some of the courses required to complete this 33
credit hour master of education degree program include Scientific Writing; Science
Curricula; Communicating Science to the Public; Science and Religion; Critical
Thinking; History and Philosophy of Science; Science, Technology and Human
Values; Research Ethics. Students interested in receiving a Certificate in
Science and the Public, issued by the Center for Inquiry, need only complete
the last four courses.
MA in Science
and the Public website: http://gse.buffalo.edu/online/science
ENROLL NOW FOR ONLINE SUMMER CLASSES
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-Science and Religion. May 23 to July 2, 2011. Lecturers John Shook
and Michael Dowd
This
course examines selected relationships between science and religion that have
the greatest impact for understanding the process of communicating science to
the public. Core issues and questions addressed in the course include the
following: (1) What are the reasons people typically give for preferring
religion over the scientific worldview? (2) Why is scientific explanation often
perceived as a threat to religion and religious values? (3) Where exactly must
science contradict religion? (4) Where science need not contradict religion,
are compromises or alliances possible and productive? (5) What are effective techniques
for gaining a public audience for science education?
-Communicating Science to the Public. July 5 to August
12, 2011. Lecturers John Shook and Chris Mooney
This
course examines selected strategies for achieving these aims that have been
researched and implemented both by the scientific community itself and by
journalists, educators, communication theorists, and social scientists. We will
especially focus on core questions such as: (1) In what ways do scientists fail
to effectively communicate scientific ideas and theories to the adult
population? (2) What particular obstacles confront science communication, and
what are the dangers of inadequate public acquaintance with science? (3) How
can techniques such as simplification, framing, rhetoric, and accommodation
open up the public to better reception of science?
Instructor for both classes:
John Shook, CFI director of education, author of The God Debates
John R. Shook is Visiting Assistant
Professor of Science Education, and Research Associate in Philosophy, at the
University of Buffalo. Shook is also Director of Education and Senior Research
Fellow, and Coordinator for the MA in Science and the Public program for the
Center for Inquiry in Amherst, New York. His new book is The God Debates, and
he blogs for CFI at http://www.centerforinquiry.net/blogs/jshook
Visiting lecturer for Science and Religion:
Michael
Dowd,
lecturer and author of Thank God for
Evolution
Reverend Michael Dowd, an outspoken
religious naturalist, is America’s evolutionary evangelist. His book, Thank
God for Evolution, was endorsed by 6 Nobel Prize-winning scientists,
noted skeptics, and by religious leaders across the spectrum. He and his
wife, Connie Barlow, an acclaimed science writer, have traveled North
America since 2002 and have spoken to more than 1,500 groups, sharing an
inspiring view of cosmic, biological, and human evolution. They are also
the creators of a leading website in the big history / epic of evolution movement at TheGreatStory.org
Visiting lecturer for Communicating Science to the
Public:
Chris Mooney, journalist and best-selling
author
Chris Mooney is a science and political
journalist and commentator and the author of three books, including the New
York Times bestselling The Republican War on Science – dubbed “a
landmark in contemporary political reporting” by Salon.com and a
“well-researched, closely argued and amply referenced indictment of the right
wing’s assault on science and scientists” by Scientific American, and Unscientific
America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens Our Future, co-authored by
Sheril Kirshenbaum. They also write “The Intersection” blog together for
Discover blogs at http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/
In addition, Chris is a host of the Point of Inquiry podcast.
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For more information about the
courses in this program, contact John Shook, CFI Director of Education, at
jshook@centerforinquiry.net. Questions
relating to the program and tuition costs may be directed to Dr. Xiufeng Liu at
xliu5@buffalo.edu. Questions relating to applications may be directed to the
Office of Graduate Admissions and Student Services at gseinfo@buffalo.edu or
(716) 645-2110.
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Explore our
other educational opportunities at the CFI Education page