UnitLevel 2Undergraduate

ATS2324 Climate change communication

Faculty of Arts

ATS2324 Climate change communication is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Caulfield. It has no prerequisites.

Credit points
6
Offered in 2026
Semester 1
Caulfield
Assessment
No exam
4 tasks
Workload
144 hours
per semester

This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.

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Requisites

Before ATS2324

No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.

After ATS2324

No unit lists ATS2324 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.

Enrolment rules

Prerequisite: Twelve credit points of first-year Arts units.

Overview

In this unit, you will examine the intersection of science, politics and media relating to climate change, using the Australian context as a case study. You will consider six barriers to the successful communication of climate change: the nature of climate change itself; the nature of scientific cultures; the denialist industry around the world; the characteristics of social media, mass media, and generative AI; audience attitudes, behaviours and issues of justice; and the roles of imagery and imagination. You will develop the skills to effectively communicate about climate change  for diverse audiences using appropriate tools and strategies.

Offerings in 2026

Teaching periodCampusMode
First semesterCaulfieldOn campus

Assessment

  • Online quizQuiz / Test
    15%
  • Oral presentationPresentation
    20%
  • Design project planWritten
    25%
  • Digital contentArtefact
    40%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Learning outcomes

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

  1. 1

    discuss the climate change communication problem and the roles of diverse media in both the problem and solutions;

  2. 2

    explain the challenges faced by scientists and other communicators when presenting climate science and solutions;

  3. 3

    critically analyse aspects of human beliefs and behaviour associated with climate change and how they relate to climate change communication;

  4. 4

    critically evaluate the political context of climate change in Australia and internationally (including issues of justice) and their impact on climate change communication and action;

  5. 5

    responsibly communicate climate change and related issues to a broad range of audiences using appropriate tools and strategies.

Workload and teaching

  • Lectures12 hours
  • Tutorials24 hours
  • Teaching approachActive learning

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Where it fits

ATS2324 is part of 10 areas of study in the 2026 handbook.

Contacts

Chief Examiners
Dr Lucy Richardson
Unit Coordinators
Dr Lucy Richardson

Common questions

What are the prerequisites for ATS2324?

ATS2324 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.

When is ATS2324 offered?

In 2026, ATS2324 runs in Semester 1 at Caulfield.

How much work is ATS2324?

The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.

Does ATS2324 have an exam?

No. ATS2324 has 4 assessment tasks and no exam.

Which majors and minors include ATS2324?

ATS2324 is part of Communications and media studies; Human geography; Journalism; Leadership for sustainable development; and Media, and 1 other area of study.

More details

Credit points
6
Level
2
Study level
Undergraduate
Faculty
Faculty of Arts
Organisational unit
Media
Type
Coursework
EFTSL
0.125
Student contribution
SCA Band 4
Study abroad
Available