Communication studies major
Communication studies major
This course discussed health communication theories and appropriate communication strategies in healthcare settings. Highlights included acting out patient-provider interactions to practice effective communication techniques, applying communication theories to the study of healthcare communication, and identifying scenarios where medical mistakes were caused by communication errors.
Groups of students worked on a community health intiative of choice by partnering with a representative from PartnerShip 4 Health, a local public health organization. In my group, I attended tobacco prevention meetings, learned about the tobacco industry's efforts to target certain vulnerable populations, and wrote a letter to a local representative to support bill HF 3032 which largely focuses on prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products.
Group dynamics were studied in this course through completing group projects and analyzing communication effectiveness between students. Students learned the roles individuals take on in group settings, how verbal and nonverbal listening techniques can be applied to improve group communication, and active listening skills that can be utilized to build rapport in an interpersonal context. Groups conducted a content analysis to utilize qualitative research methods learned in the class.
I took this course while studying abroad in Italy. Body language patterns were examined to understand how proxemics, gestures, eye contact, body position, and facial expressions convey meaning in different contexts. Students learned the different interpretations of silence, and specific cultural differences in comfortability with silence.
This course provided an understanding of how gender affects communication, and the fulfillment or resistance of traditionally accepted gender roles in different contexts. Students presented posters at the Gender Matters expo on a topic of interest, and submitted a final paper critiquing a piece of media that contained gendered rhetoric.
Different types of interviews were discussed in this class including job interviews, counseling interviews, and interviews conducted by healthcare professionals. Interviewing strategies were studied from the perspective of the interviewer and the interviewee. With three other classmates, I interviewed a registered nurse to gain insight on the health care interview process from a provider's perspective.
Persuasive communication techniques were analyzed in a variety of settings including interpersonal communication, group communication, and in different types of media. Students conducted persuasive analyses on television advertisements and on real life sales situations. Ethical dilemmas in persuasion were studied.
Students learned foundational principles of conducting original research, analyzing, and interpreting statistical data. I conducted a research study on the effect of technology use on patience and listening skills by distributing a qualtrics survey based on a previously validated questionnaire.
This course offered an introduction to current public health topics, the determinants of health, and epidemiology. The primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of public health interventions were studied and applied to current public health issues.
Students investigated ethical dilemmas in healthcare settings, and the legal consequences that follow medical errors and the unethical treatment of patients.
This course discussed religious practices of Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, and applied traditional religious concepts and ideas to modern practices. Though the primary goal of this course was to study religious teachings, it also provided insight on cultural beliefs related to life, death, and health.