Communication and Information Studies - Dialogue, Health and Society Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Overview

The Communication and Information Studies - Dialogue, Health and Society programme at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam focuses on the theoretical and practical role of language in health communication and medical care. In a world where uncertainty reigns, conspiracy theories are eagerly shared, and citizens and patients grow stronger, dialogue has become indispensable. 

You will acquire advanced theoretical knowledge on how language is used in real-life contexts, varying from doctor-patient interaction to online debates on vaccination against Covid-19. You will also apply these insights and learn to design, monitor and evaluate dialogue practices during your internship. And last but not least, you will learn to understand and critically reflect on how the social context enables or limits dialogue practices and when, for example, debate should take place rather than dialogue.

Entering the job market

After you obtained your master's degree in Communication and Information Studies: Dialogue, Health and Society, you can work at health institutes such as the Dutch RIVM, Ministries of Health, pharmaceutical industry, hospitals, hospices, addiction care, heart or cancer foundations, patient organisations, international NGOs and the WHO. There is a great demand for academically trained dialogue or conversation specialists in the health area, in their role of:

• consultant

• researcher

• facilitator

• policy maker

• mediation expert

• patient educator

• social media editor

• webcare manager

• lecturer in higher professional education