LSC offers a number of online summer courses that can be taken by undergraduate and graduate students in any discipline at UW-Madison. Courses can be taken individually or as part of LSC’s Undergraduate Major, Professional and Thesis M.S., Graduate Certificate in Science Communication, Ph.D. Minor in Science Communication, and Ph.D. in Science Communication. Additionally, our summer courses are open to professionals seeking to improve their science communication skills. Enroll in our summer classes by following this link.
Information on how to enroll in a summer course at UW-Madison can be found through the Summer Term’s webpage.
LSC Online Summer Course Offerings:
LSC 251: Science, Media and Society
Duration: 8 weeks
Dates: June 16 – August 10 (Asynchronous)
Credits: 3
This course explores how we all make personal and political decisions at the intersection of science, media, and society. How do we form opinions about emerging technologies we know little about? Why are societies sometimes so divided in their interpretations of scientific facts and phenomena? Why are there pronounced differences in how consumers and policy makers in Europe, the U.S. other parts of the world react to new technologies? How can we better communicate and debate science and health in a global marketplace? What role do rapidly changing online news environments play in changing how we communicate about science and technologies worldwide? And how can we correct misperceptions during pandemics like COVID-19 with science that is still emerging and changing over time?
LSC 251 is an eight-week online asynchronous course. This course fulfills UW-Madison’s humanities or social science requirement, the L&S credit requirement (intermediate), and the CALS International Studies requirement.
Counts toward the LSC major, undergraduate science communication certificate, Global Health major, and other certificates in Business Management in Ag & Life Sciences, and Health Policy.
Enroll now by following this link
LSC 332: Digital and Print Media Design
Duration: 5 weeks
Dates: July 14 – August 10 (Asynchronous)
Credits: 3
No matter your field—whether you’re a scientist, writer, or communications professional—understanding engaging design is a game-changer. Good design isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about making information clear, compelling, and easy to understand, helping individuals and organizations achieve their goals more effectively.
LSC 332 is a hands-on course that empowers students to research, plan, design, and produce impactful print and digital communication pieces. By applying insights from communication, neuroscience, and visual processing research, students tackle real-world projects that sharpen their skills and build their professional portfolios, preparing them for success in today’s visual-driven world.
LSC 332 is an five-week online asynchronous course.
Counts toward the LSC major, undergraduate science communication certificate, and certificates in Digital Studies.
Enroll now by following this link
LSC 340: Misinformation, Fake News, and Correcting False Beliefs about Science
Duration: 5 weeks
Dates: July 7 – August 3 (Asynchronous)
Credits: 3
Interested in exploring the spread of misinformation and its effect on science communication? LSC 340 covers why people believe misinformation, the role social media plays in propagating fake news and the societal impacts of misinformation. Students will gain a strong understanding of science communication theory, as well as how to apply theoretical ideas to make evidence based recommendations for correcting examples of misinformation in science, media and industry.
LSC 340 is a five-week, online, asynchronous course.
This course fulfills UW-Madison’s social science requirement and L&S credit requirement (intermediate) for undergraduates and has the 50% graduate attribute.
Counts toward the LSC major, undergraduate science communication certificate, graduate certificate, Ph.D. minor, and graduate programs.
Enroll now by following this link.
LSC 350: Visualizing Science and Technology
Duration: 5 weeks
Dates: July 7 – August 3 (Asynchronous)
Credits: 3
This course introduces the theoretical and practical principles of visual communication pertaining to science, environment, and agriculture. Throughout the summer, students will (1) identify and analyze visual representations of interested topics, (2) understand and explain their effectiveness in terms of illustrating, informing, and persuading, (3) offer and justify recommendations for visual design practices. Students will also learn to discern unethical manipulations of visuals, such as deepfakes, distorted data graphs, and fake photos.
LSC 350 is a five-week online asynchronous course. This course fulfills UW-Madison’s humanities or social science requirement and L&S credit requirement (intermediate) for undergraduates and has the 50% graduate attribute.
Counts toward the LSC major, undergraduate science communication certificate, graduate certificate, Ph.D. minor, and graduate programs. Also counts toward certificates in Digital Studies, Entrepreneurship, Technical Communication, and ISSuES.
Enroll now by following this link.
LSC 360: Science Podcasting & Radio
Duration: 5 weeks
Dates: July 14 – August 10 (Asynchronous)
Credits: 3
Podcasting has exploded in popularity in the past decade, and offers a unique opportunity for science communications. In this course, students will learn how to write, edit, and produce their own podcast or radio show using digital recording and editing equipment. By the end of this class, students will be able to write, produce and voice newscasts, advertisements, public service announcements, guest interviews, special features and more.
LSC 360 is a five-week online asynchronous course. This course fulfills UW-Madison’s Communication B requirement.
Counts toward the LSC major, undergraduate science communication certificate, graduate certificate, Ph.D. minor, and graduate programs. Also counts toward certificates in Digital Studies.
Enroll now by following this link.
LSC 432: Social Media for the Life Sciences
Duration: 5 weeks
Dates: May 27 – June 29 (Asynchronous)
Credits: 3
Working in the social media field is challenging. The tools and technologies change at unprecedented speed. Because of this, LSC believes in emphasizing overarching principles versus specific tactics because tactics change but principles do not. It’s easy to learn specific tactics by doing simple web searches and following industry thought leaders. However, few courses or sites focus on core communication principles.
LSC 432 is a survey course exploring the communication and community impacts of social media, current social media tools, and the principles of how the different social media tools are used and how they work. We will explore social media from strategic, applied and tactical perspectives.
LSC 432 is a five-week online asynchronous course.
Counts toward the LSC major, undergraduate science communication certificate, graduate certificate, Ph.D. minor, and graduate programs. Also counts toward certificates in Business Management for Ag & Life Sciences, Digital Studies, Entrepreneurship, and the MS in Clinical Nutrition.
Enroll now by following this link.
LSC 450: Documentary Photography for the Sciences
Duration: 5 weeks
Dates: June 2 – June 29 (Asynchronous)
Credits: 3
Documentary photography is an important tool in the science communicator’s toolkit. Photography’s ability to translate complex knowledge and tell engaging stories makes it an important aspect of science communication, whether you’re a writer, communications professional or scientist.
LSC 450 trains students in visual storytelling and how to think photographically for communicating science, health and the environment. Students will study major contributors to social documentary photography while cultivating their own portfolio. The class culminates in a final team project that tasks students with creating an effective still-image video story for the public.
LSC 450 is a five-week online asynchronous course.
Counts toward the LSC major, undergraduate science communication certificate, graduate certificate, Ph.D. minor, and graduate programs. Also counts toward certificates in Digital Studies.
Enroll now by following this link.