PROGRAM OF EMPHASIS

Department: Communication

Title: Health Communication
Health Communication is the study of communication as it relates to health professionals and health education.  It includes the study of provider-client interaction as well as the diffusion of health information through public health campaigns. 


Course Number

Title

Credits

Prerequisites

Dist.

Skills

BI 111

Biology I

3

 

N

 

IT 110

Principles of Information Technology

3

 

N

 

CM 132

Message Analysis

3

 

H

 CS

CM 133

Mass Media and Society

3

 

H

CW, CS

HS 211

The Social History of Medicine

3

 

HI

CW

CM 200

The Art of Public Speaking

3

 

H

CW, CS

CM 220

Group Communication

3

CM 200

H

CW, CS

CM 230

Interpersonal Communication

3

CM 130

H

CW, CS

CM 340

Intercultural Communication

3

CM 230

HI

CW

CM 365

Organizational Communication*

3

CM 130, CM 220 & CM 230

HS

 

or

 

 

 

 

 

CM 400

CP: Health Communication*

3

CM 130 &CM 230

H

 CS

EN 306

Essay Writing

3

EN 110

H

CW

or

 

 

 

 

 

EN 311

Professional News & Feature Writing

3

EN 110

H

CW

EN 315

Technical Writing

3

EN 110

H

CW

ESS 270

Infectious Disease & Society

3

 

NS, CA, CAII

 

PL 235

The Ethics of Health Care

3

 

H

CW

PY 101

Introduction to Psychology

3

 

S

 

PY 321

Health Psychology

3

PY 101

CW

 

SO 101

Introduction to Sociology

3

 

S

 

or

 

 

 

 

 

AN 151

Introduction to Anthropology

3

 

SI

 

SO 400

Sociology of Medicine

3

SO 101 or AN 151

S

CW

CM 490/495

Communication Internship

15

Junior/Senior status

H

CW - 495

 

Or Study Abroad with relevant courses OR Additional course work

 

 

 

 

*offered every other year
Total credit hours = 66 or 67
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED COURSES:
These strongly recommended courses can be added into your POE and can be included as “additional course work” as noted above

CH 105

Organic Chemistry Concepts I

3

 

N

 

CH 106

Organic Chemistry Concepts II

3

CH 105, minimum grade C

N

 

BI 305

Biostatistics

3

BI 222 or ESS 200

N

QS

or

 

 

 

 

 

ND.SS 214

Statistics for Social Science

4

 

S

QS

CM 130

Intro to Human Communication

3

 

H

CS

** Choose courses in consultation with your advisors that will strengthen your professional interests in such areas as Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Business and Economics, Sociology/Social Work, Peace and Conflict Studies, Political Science, Psychology, and /or Philosophy. Make sure to include any prerequisites as part of the POE.

Additional Notes:
All students with this POE must choose an advisor from the Communication Department.  Professors Grace Fala is recommended.

Graduate assistants in this field require a 3.3 or higher GPA and GRE scores of at least 500 in each subcategory to be competitive for assistantships.


POSSIBLE COURSE PROGRESSION:

 

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

Freshman

College Writing Seminar

Essay Writing

 

Information Access

Principles of IT  

 

Biology I

Intro. to Psychology

 

Intro. to Human Communication

Mass Media & Society OR Message Analysis

 

Intro. To Sociology OR Anthropology

Public Speaking

Sophomore

Cultural Analysis I

Ethics of Health Care

 

Interpersonal Communication

Intercultural Communication

 

Liberal Arts Distribution

Professional News & Feature Writing

 

 

Group Communication

 

 

Liberal Arts Distribution

Junior

*SC:  Health Communication

*SC: Organizational Communication

 

Infectious Disease & Society

Technical Writing

 

Liberal Arts Distribution

Sociology of Health & Illness (if available)

 

 

Liberal Arts Distribution

Senior

Available for internships, study abroad, or additional coursework (15 credits ) in student’s area of interest.

*These courses are offered every other year.

Additional Courses Necessary for Liberal Arts Distribution:
2 Fine Arts Courses
1 International Course
Upper Level Distribution in one FISHN area outside Humanities and Social Sciences
1 QM course (also a QS if neither statistics course is taken)

RELATED INTERNSHIPS AND CAREERS

Internship examples from former Juniata Students:

  • Healing Hands Physical Therapy, Pisataway, NJ
  • JC Blair Memorial Hospital, Huntingdon, PA
  • Morrison’s Cove, Martinsburg, PA
  • Rehabilitation Hospital, Altoona, PA
  • Tyrone Hospital, Tyrone, PA
  • WIC Program, Mount Union, PA

Careers in Health Communication:

       
·         Health Educator

·         School Health Care Administrator

·         Medical Grants Writer

·         Hospital Director of Communication

·         Clinic Public Relations Director

·         Health Communication Analyst

·         Research Analyst

·         Medical Training Supervisor

·         Communication Manager for Federal Health Agencies

·         Health Personnel Educator

·         Medical Center Publications Editor

·         Hospice Manager

·         Drug Rehabilitationist

·         Health Care Counselor

·         Activities Director

·         Marketing Director

·         Health Facility Fund Raiser

Related subjects in Communication:

·         Interpersonal Communication

·         Family Communication

·         Interviewing

·         Business and Professional Communication

·         Public Speaking

·         Research Methods

·         Group Communication

·         Conflict Resolution

·         Public Relations

·         Listening

·         Nonverbal Communication

·         Persuasion

·         Communication Ethics

Updated 7-06
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