Ph.D. Minor
The Life Sciences Communication Doctoral Minor is being renamed Science Communication Doctoral Minor. Students will be able to earn a Life Sciences Communication Doctoral Minor through the end of Summer 2027. Beginning in Fall 2027, the program awarded will be the Doctoral Minor in Science Communication.
The Ph.D. minor in Life Sciences Communication allows students enrolled in Ph.D. programs from the biological and physical sciences, as well as interested students from other social science and humanities departments, to supplement their existing Ph.D. course work with a transcriptable minor in Life Sciences Communication.
A Ph.D. minor in Life Sciences Communication is particularly valuable for graduate students in the natural and physical sciences who are interested in the ethical, legal, and social implications of emerging technologies, or who want to build an intellectual foundation for a future career in policy or various mission agencies (e.g., American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) policy fellowships) dealing with public understanding and communication of science. Many students from these fields routinely take classes in our department, and a Ph.D. minor allows them to get formal recognition for their doctoral-level work in this area.
Curriculum
The coursework for the LSC Ph.D. Minor requires 10 graduate credits:
- LSC 700: Colloquium in Life Sciences Communication (1 cr, spring only)
- LSC 720: Introduction to Communication Theory and Research (3 cr) (fall)
or LSC 902: Public Opinion of Life Science Issues (3 cr) (spring)
or LSC 625: Risk Communication (3 cr) (fall and spring)
or LSC 823: Science and Environment Communication (3 cr)
- LSC 340: Misinformation, Fake News, and Correcting False Beliefs about Science (spring)
- LSC 350: Visualizing Science and Technology (fall and summer)
- LSC 430: Communicating Science with Narrative
- LSC 432: Social Media for the Life Sciences (fall and summer)
- LSC 435: Brand Strategy for the Sciences (spring)
- LSC 440: Digital Media and Science Communication (spring)
- LSC 450: Documentary Photography for the Sciences (fall and spring)
- LSC 460: Social Media Analytics (spring)
- LSC 480: Culturally Responsive Science Communication (spring)
- LSC 532: Web Design for the Sciences (fall and spring)
- LSC 560: Scientific Writing (fall)
- LSC 561: Writing Science for the Public (spring)
- LSC/COM ARTS/JOURN 617: Health Communication in the Information Age (*when taught by LSC faculty) (fall)
- LSC 625: Risk Communication (fall and spring)
- LSC 660: Data Analysis – Communication Research (fall)
- LSC/JOURN 811: Conceptualization and Design of Mass Communication Research (*when taught by LSC faculty)
- LSC 823: Science and Environment Communication
- LSC 835: Strategic Science Communication
- LSC 850: Visual Science Communication
- LSC 875: Special Topics
- LSC 902: Public Opinion of Life Science Issues (spring)
- LSC 912: Public Understanding of Politicized Science
Administrative Information
You can declare your intention to complete the Ph.D. minor in MyGradPortal and we encourage you to do so as soon as you decide you would like to pursue it to help us track minor students and best support you along the way . Declaring the minor will note it on your academic record and you will obtain a signature from LSC on your preliminary exam warrant to officially award you the minor once you have completed all of your coursework.
Steps to declare the Ph.D. minor:
- Go to MyUW (my.wisc.edu)
- Search for “graduate” in the search bar
- Select “Graduate Student Portal”
- “Add” to your Home page using the button on the far right
- Click the “Launch” button to enter the portal
- Choose the “Add/Change Programs” button
- Click the “Add certificate” or “add minor” button on the far-right side of the programs page
- Select the Ph.D. minor in Life Sciences Communication and complete the rest of the sections
- Submit your request
Please note that students can only earn the graduate certificate in science communication or the Ph.D. minor in science communication, not both.
Is there a minimum GPA required for the Ph.D. minor?
A minimum cumulative GPA of a 3.5 in LSC Doctoral Minor coursework is required.
What if I’ve already taken my preliminary exam? Can I still pursue the Ph.D. minor?
Yes, it is possible to complete the minor after you have completed your preliminary exams. If you have already passed your preliminary exams, you will need to request that your dissertator status be removed while you are taking courses for the Ph.D. minor. You should discuss this with your graduate program coordinator and likely your advisor to ensure you are aware of the process to request dissertator status be removed and what impact it could have if any on a change in your segregated fees.
If you have additional questions about the Ph.D. minor, course selection, declaration process, etc. please contact the LSC Academic Advising Manager, Lynn Bartholomew at lbartholome2@wisc.edu or the Director of Graduate Studies, Nan Li at nli8@wisc.edu.
GRADUATES ARE LISTED IN REVERSE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF GRADUATION DATE
Sarah Alexander, 2021
Graduate Program: Civil & Environmental Engineering
First Job: Congressional Science & Technology Policy Fellow, American Geophysical Union and American Association for the Advancement of Science
Julie Davis, 2021
Graduate Program: Astronomy
First Job: John Bahcall Public Policy Fellow, American Astronomical Society
Christina Hansen, 2021
Graduate Program: Genetics Training Program
First Job: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Charlene Rivera Bonet, 2021
Graduate Program: Neuroscience Training Program
First Job: Mass Media Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Jennifer Gilbert, 2020
Graduate Program: Genetics Training Program
First Job: Scientist 1, Foundation Medicine
Jaqueline Goldstein, 2020
Graduate Program: Astronomy
First Job: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Solveig Hanson, 2020
Graduate Program: Plant Breeding & Plant Genetics
First Job: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia Centre for Sustainable Food Systems
Caitlin Murphy, 2020
Graduate Program: Physiology Training Program
First Job: Postdoctoral Fellow, Washington University in St. Louis
Emily Howell, 2019
Graduate Program: Environment & Resources
First Job: Postdoctoral Fellow, Rita Allen Foundation
Julia Nepper, 2017
Graduate Program: Biophysics
First Job: Science Writer, Promega Corporation
Karl Haro Von Mogel, 2014
Graduate Program: Plant Breeding & Plant Genetics
First Job: Research Geneticist, USDA and Science & Media Director at Biology Fortified