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LSC-30106 - Module Specification
School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2026/27 Last Updated: 16 September 2026

LSC-30106 - Employability and Communication Skills in Bioscience
Coordinator: David Hulse Room: HUX204B Tel: +44 1782 7 33640
Lecture Time:
Level: Level 6
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 734414

Programme/Approved Electives for 2026/27

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2026/27

Whatever your interests or future career, communication is vital. This module helps to develop skillsets needed to communicate effectively to diverse audiences. We explore a range of communication methods to present and disseminate findings to inform and enthuse both a scientific and lay audience. We aim to develop a suite of valuable transferrable skills for the employment market and ensure those who truly understand scientific issues are heard.

Aims
To explore a range of essential employability and communication skills that are applicable to a range of graduate careers both within and outside the biosciences.
To develop skills (appropriate to level 6) in the general area of acquisition, analysis and communication of scientific information, including advanced use of computer databases.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Communicate a complex scientific topic via a range of media that are appropriate to a range of target audiences: 1
Analyse and critically evaluate the context, methodology and results of primary scientific literature: 2
Identify a range of employability skills developed over their programme and apply them to a graduate career scenario: 1

Study hours

16 hrs in-situ workshops and tutorials
2 hour workshop- mock exam
6 x 6 hrs preparation for workshops and tutorials (including research paper exam preparation/mock)
5 x 4 hrs engagement with asynchronous delivery sessions (including consumption, note taking and wider reading)
24 hours portfolio preparation
2 hours examination
50 hours independent study, including engagement with wider reading and revision resources

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Portfolio weighted 50%
Portfolio of Communication Media
Students will produce a portfolio which communicates a complex scientific topic, (such as the research undertaken for their final year project), to a range of different public audiences. A range of communication methods to choose from will be given, including educational sessions, professional documents, social media platforms and career progression documents. The portfolio will also include a skills audit where students recall and reflect on their programmes of study and the professional and employability skills gained therein. The word count for the portfolio will be roughly equivalent to 2000 words

2: Exam weighted 50%
Paper comprehension unseen exam (1 hour)
A selection of recent research journal articles will be released before the Easter break, students choose one of these for their paper-comprehension exam. During the time between the journal article release and the exam, students can read and annotate their chosen journal article and their annotated paper copy can be taken into the examination room. The exam paper will comprise 9 short answer questions and one longer answer (approx. 200 words) question on the context, methodology and interpretation of the journal article chosen. Students must answer all questions and should pay careful attention to the number of points that each question is worth. The exam is a one hour examination to be taken in a two-hour assessment window. A mock version of this exam will run in the semester one exam period, students will self-assess during a mock exam marking workshop.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 16 September 2026