Students with a communication studies major can focus their upper-level courses around a particular theme by declaring an emphasis area. COMM offers three emphasis areas for students to choose from. In this article, we will focus on Communication, Health, and Well-Being. The health and well-being emphasis area focuses on the role of communication in understanding and explaining individual and relational health, promoting healthy behaviors, and helping persons navigate health challenges.
You can choose from courses such as:
• COMM 354 Health Communication
• COMM 364 Communication, Medicine, and Health Equity
• COMM 370 Family Communication
• COMM 465 Communication and Social Identity
• COMM 471 The Dark Side of Interpersonal Communication
Academic Advisor Sarah Feit spoke with College of Arts and Sciences Career Coach Meagan Savage about career pathways connected with the Communication, Health, and Well-Being emphasis. Their interview is below:
Sarah: What are some career options in the healthcare field, outside of becoming a doctor or nurse?
Meagan: There are a lot of options outside of the clinical field that students with a health comm major may want to explore including:
o Public health
o Medical records manager
o Social worker
o Healthcare administrator
o Patient advocate
o Health educator
o Healthcare writer
Sarah: How do you recommend someone start exploring career fields that intersect healthcare and communication studies?
Meagan: Try to get connected to people doing the work that interests you. Using LinkedIn is a great place to start. Use it to research alumni from UNL, and professionals in a wide variety of fields. Ask them to connect and set up a time for an informational interview and/or job shadow so you can learn more about their job.
Sarah: What experiential opportunities are available for students interested in health and communication studies?
Meagan: Focus on opportunities with organizations that work heavily in public health—for instance the Department of Health and Human Services, Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, or non-profit agencies that help support the overall health and wellbeing of different populations. Health is very broad, so think broadly. Body, mind, natural environment, occupational—even financial. All of these areas and more contribute to someone’s overall health and wellbeing. Consider which area(s) are most interesting to you, and find organizations doing that work. Find avenues to support those organizations through volunteering or internships. Consider getting connected to research happening on campus examining those areas. Go abroad to study the health of different parts of the world. If you’re not sure where to start, connect with a CAS Career Coach.
Sarah: Thanks Meagan. I know several of the Communication Studies faculty also have their own research labs on campus that explore topics related to health communication. Narrative Nebraska with Dr. Koenig Kellas and the Health Communication Lab with Dr. Palmer-Wackerly are two examples. Students can see more about faculty research here: https://comm.unl.edu/research-labs-and-collaborations.
Please reach out to Sarah Feit at sfeit2@unl.edu if you would like to learn more about Communication Studies.
More details at: https://catalog.unl.edu/undergraduate/arts-sciences/communication-studies/#majortext