Health Communication

WELCOME TO HEALTH COMMUNICATION

Welcome to the Health Communication concentration in the Department of Communication Studies! In Health Communication, you can study a wide assortment of health-related topics including patient-provider communication, family communication, healthcare organizations, construction of health and wellness in the media, healthcare narratives, end-of-life communication, health promotion, healthcare team communication, rhetoric surrounding illness, health campaigns, and technologically-mediated health communication. Health communication students also learn about health in a variety of contexts such as chronic illness, disability, environmental health, family planning, infectious diseases, mental health, nutrition, occupational safety, physical activity, and public health infrastructure and access, among a variety of others.

Health Communication majors are equipped to pursue a variety of careers. They may work as communication specialists in healthcare organizations, patient advocates, community liaisons, pharmaceutical sales representatives, health educators, health writers, or in roles at health-related non-profit organizations.

Students in the Health Communication concentration are required to take the following three courses:

  1. COMM 3115 Health Communication should be taken as soon as possible after declaring the health communication track within the major. This course is an introduction to the role of communication in the healthcare context.

  2. COMM 3051 Topics in Health Communication should follow successful completion of COMM 3115. This course explores health communication in the context of a particular topic such as media, gender, or end-of-life communication.

  3. COMM 4115 Seminar in Health Communication should be taken by students who have senior standing and have completed COMM 3115. This course provides an in-depth examination of a major area of health communication.

Note: The required COMM 4410 Professional Internship can be taken as soon as you complete COMM 3115 and any time prior to graduation.

There are other courses that make up the Health Communication concentration and general major requirements, such as electives, micro and macro requirements, and more. Follow your track worksheet and make choices with your Academic Advisor. To find your Advisor within the Department of Communication Studies, go to Banner and click to load your advising transcript. Then, check the new name listed under “Advisor(s)..

Again, welcome to the Health Communication concentration!