Science and Natural History Filmmaking

Entry requirements

Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Sciences), on the advice of the Director of the Centre for Science Communication.

Every applicant must either

• be a graduate, or
• have equivalent qualifications or experience acceptable to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sciences).

In considering an applicant’s qualifications, regard will be had to the detail of the course of study followed to gain the qualification, as well as the applicant’s performance in the programme.

If your first language is not English you need to meet our English language requirements as follows: IELTS score of 6.5 in the academic module (with no individual band below 6.0); we also accept a number of other English language tests. Due to COVID-19, we currently accept Duolingo English Test (DET), IELTS Indicator Test, and TOEFL iBT Special home Edition.

Don’t meet the English language requirements? The University of Otago Language Centre English for Otago programme offers a pathway for Undergraduate and Postgraduate students to meet the English language requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate study.

Months of entry

February

Course content

Dunedin is a UNESCO City of Literature, supports an International Science Festival, and is the wildlife capital of New Zealand, with colonies of seals, albatross and penguins in the city's boundaries. It is perhaps no accident, therefore, that it has also become a hub for natural history filmmaking. The outstanding natural environment and dynamic cultural environment provide an excellent setting for the University of Otago’s Centre for Science Communication, the home of story-telling and science. Students of this MSciComm produce a thesis comprising a creative component (e.g. film, book, exhibition etc.) and original research.

Papers

• SCOM 402 The Craft of Storytelling
• SCOM 405 Business of Filmmaking
• SCOM 409 Introduction to Science Communication
• SCOM 411 The Techniques of Natural History and Science Filmmaking 1
• SCOM 412 The Techniques of Natural History and Science Filmmaking 2
• SCOM 413 Digital Production for Science Communication

(One other paper at 400-level may be substituted for one of the prescribed papers, with approval from the Director of the Centre for Science Communication.)

Thesis: SCOM 5A (60 points) and SCOM 5B (60 points) (including production of a film).

Structure of the Programme

• A candidate may be exempted from some or all of the prescribed papers on the basis of previous study.
• A candidate shall, before commencing the investigation to be described in the thesis, secure the approval of the Director of the Centre for Science Communication for the topic, the supervisor(s), and the proposed course of the investigation.
• A candidate may not present a thesis or other material which has previously been accepted for another degree.
• For the thesis, the research should be of a kind that a diligent and competent student should complete within one year of full-time study.

Information for international students

Otago offers students an unrivalled campus experience and a vibrant, social student culture. The majority of Otago’s 21,000 students live, work and play in Dunedin - New Zealand’s only true university city. Otago is home to over 3,000 students, from over 100 countries.

Fees and funding

New Zealand is a relatively affordable country to live in. Dunedin, being a student-focused city, has living and entertainment options for all budgets.

Students are eligible for the Otago International Excellence Scholarship.