Science Communication Minor

The Science Communication Minor offers an undergraduate focus on the issues, skills and scholarship growing around the science of science communication. It offers majors across campus a way to explore the field and apply the research and tools of communicators in a variety of contexts, exploring original research and story development and production. It will also be a connector between students and careers that rely on science communication.

Effective Fall 2024, all minor courses, including the courses from outside of the “J” or “JCOM” subject code must be taken graded and passed with a “C-” grade or higher. Courses used for this minor may not be taken pass/no pass. Prior to Fall 2024, the minimum passing grade was a “C.”

This minor is open to all UO students with a 2.00 or higher cumulative UO GPA.

  • SOJC students under the Fall 2022 curriculum may not use this minor for their “non-SOJC minor” requirement. If they opt to pursue this minor, they will also still need another minor outside of the SOJC.
  • SOJC students under the Fall 2024 curriculum may use this minor for their UO minor requirement. However, only one course may be used for both the major and minor requirements.

Required courses (12 credits/3 courses):

  • Any two courses used to fulfill UO’s Science (“>3” or “>4”) core education requirement.
    • These science courses must be graded and passed with a C- or better (C or better before Fall 2024).
    • We recommend completing this before taking JCOM 385 (formerly J377).
  • JCOM 385 Science of Science Communication
    • Previously offered as J377 Science of Science Communication. If you have successfully completed the course under this number, you do not need to take JCOM 385.
    • Offered in fall term and winter terms.

Elective courses (12 credits/3 courses. You are not required to have one from each course number): 

  • UO Science Course: One of our three elective courses can be a pre-approved 300- or 400-level course from a UO science subject.
  • JCOM 485 Sci Comm and Decision Making
  • JCOM 486 Environmental Comm Strategies
  • JCOM 487 Eco and Social Justice Communication
  • JCOM 488 Science Communication [Topic]
    • JCOM 485-488 were previously offered as J477 Topics in Science of Science Communication [Topic] **
  • JCOM 438 Science Story
    • Previously offered as J410 Science Story
  • JCOM 489 Science Communication Production [Topic]
    • Previously offered as J478 Topics in Science Story [Topic] **

[Topic] ** = Course titles offered within each “topic” will vary. These courses numbers are repeatable when the topics have different titles, for a total of 12 credits.

Pre-approved substitutions: The course/credits below may be used toward the elective section of this minor:

    • Fall 2024: JCOM 410 Living in our Valley: Email Prof. Hollie Smith for instructor consent.
    • Spring 2024: J480 Sustainability PR – Prof. Attila Schillinger
    • Fall 2023: J410 Living in our Valley – Prof. Torsten Kjellstrand
    • Fall 2023: J460 Communication for Environmental and Social Justice – Prof. Alex Cohen
    • Spring 2023: J480 Enviro Comm Strat – Prof. Hollie Smith
    • Spring 2023: J399 Civic Science – Prof. Melanie Brown
    • Spring 2023: J399 XR for Social Change – Prof. Danny Pimentel
    • Winter 2022: J480 Enviro Comm Strat – Prof. Hollie Smith
    • 2022 Science & Memory Fellows Program: Students in the program must complete J408 Science & Memory Fellows for one credit in Winter 2022, one credit in Spring 2022 and two credits in Fall 2022. These combined four credits will substitute one J478 course. The substitution will be noted after the program is complete.