Major Requirements

Following are the requirements for the major in health communication; 48 credit hours

Science and Health Foundation; 3 credits; prerequisite for CAS 311

One of the following:

  • BIO 111 General Biology
  • NSC 137 Basic Human Biology
  • NUTR 250 Nutrition*
  • BIOL 152 Human Anatomy and Physiology*
Ethics; 3 credits

One of the following:

  • PHIL 242 Introduction to Biomedical Ethics*
  • THEO 368 Biomedical and Healthcare Ethics*
Communication Core; 12 credits
  • CAS 204 Introduction to Communication Theory and Practice
  • CAS 262 Communication Research Methods or CAS 256 News Media Writing
  • CAS 435 Communication Capstone

One of the following:

  • ENGL 335 Writing as a Social Action
  • ENGL 336 Writing at Work
  • NUTR 420 Introduction to Writing about Nutrition and Health
Health Communication Core; 9–12 credits
  • CAS 311 Healthcare Communication
  • CAS 344 Health Literacy and Communication
  • CAS 455 Internship

Students are encouraged to take one of the following, if appropriate for a second major or minor:

  • BIO 120 Medical Terminology
  • SPAN 209 Spanish for Health Professionals
Health Risk and Crisis Communication; 3 credits

One of the following:

  • CAS 269 Advance Public Relations (with health communication project)
  • CAS 274 Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communication (with health communication project)
  • CAS 312 Health Communication Messaging and Campaigns
  • CAS 350 Persuasion (with health communication project)
Global and Local Perspectives: Culture, Community and Health; 6 credits

Two of the following:

  • CAS 218 Family and Health Communication
  • CAS 321 Intercultural Communication
  • NURS 313 Health Assessment and Promotion**
  • NUTR 280 Multicultural Food Patterns
  • NUTR 409 Community Nutrition
  • PHL 140 Critical Thinking and Culture
  • PSYC 212 Lifespan Development*
  • SOC 268 Cultural Anthropology
  • THEO 263 Health and Healing
Health Humanities; 3 credits

One of the following:

  • CAS 308 Rhetorical History and Criticism (with project in Rhetoric of Health and Science)
  • ENGL 235 Literature and Medicine
Media and Health Communication; 3 credits
  • CAS 352 Convergent Media (with health communication project)
Patient Provider Health Communication; 3 credits
  • CAS 250 Interpersonal Communication (with health communication project)
Health Care Administration, Management and Leadership; 3 credits

One of the following:

  • CAS 246 Art of Leadership (with health communication project)
  • CAS 309 or 320 Organizational Communication (with health communication project)
  • INF 190 Project Management
  • INF 210 Health Informatics
  • MGMT 460 Leadership and Negotiation (with health communication project)
  • NUTR 346 Food and Nutrition Service Administration

Bilingual students and/or those with a double major or minor language are encouraged to take one of the following:

  • FREN 319 Professional French
  • ITAL 345 Business Italian
Special Topics
  • CAS 364 Special Topics in Health Communication

* Courses also required for nursing majors

**Courses only available for nursing students