BSc minor Communication, Health and Society (WUCHS)

Nowadays, it is widely acknowledged that health results from a combination of individual and collective actions and is influenced by a wide range of social and bio-physical factors such as culture, socio-economic structure and social cohesion but also air and water quality, climate and the state of the natural environment.

Continue to an overview of the courses in this minor

This BSc minor provides students with an in-depth understanding of multiple social and bio-physical environmental determinants of health, and their interaction at the individual, local and global level. The BSc minor combines expertise from health psychology, social psychology, health promotion, epidemiology and communication. Overall, the BSc minor aims to give students insight into the multiple causes of and solutions for health issues, to understand the interdependence of the causes and teach them how to address problems through health promotion actions, strategic communication and policy.

Students are challenged to analyse and contribute to developing research and action for emerging health issues at the local, national and global level. For this, diverse scientific methods will be used, such as interviewing, observation, qualitative and quantitative data analysis and analysis of current health issues, policies and lifestyle programs.

Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of this minor students are expected to be able to:

  • distinguish different perspectives on promoting health and describe how the use of a certain perspective influences the formulation and research of and solutions to health issues;
  • remember the most important concepts and theories of strategic communication for change and innovation in health development and apply them in analysing practical situations and designing communication activities;
  • reproduce and apply basic concepts and theories to understand (and change) health and illness behaviour;
  • interpret research and action programs targeting the improvement of health;
  • judge programs, policies and communication strategies on health determinants and health outcomes;
  • apply scientific information from different disciplines such as communication, health psychology and social psychology in the context of local, national and global health issues.

Target group

This minor is interesting for WU-students of the BSc programmes:

  • BBI Biology
  • BBC Management and Consumer Studies
  • BDW Animal Sciences
  • BIL International Land and Water Management
  • BLP Landscape Architecture and Planning
  • BMW Environmental Sciences
  • (BVG Nutrition and Health)

Overlapping courses or content with

BGM Health and Society, BCW Communication Sciences and BVG Nutrition and Health.

Language

Part Dutch and part English

Semester

First semester (period 1, 2 and 3)

Programme or thematic

Programme minor