
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
Programme Structure
Courses include:
- Communication Design in Society
- Dialogue for Health
- Medical and Health Care Interactions
- The Power of Metaphor
- Text and Image in News and Advertising
- Usability Testing van Corporate Websites
Key information
Duration
- Full-time
- 12 months
Start dates & application deadlines
- Starting
- Apply before , International
- Apply before , EEA/EU
- Apply before , National
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Language
Credits
Delivered
Disciplines
Communication Studies Public Health Health Sciences View 85 other Masters in Health Sciences in NetherlandsAcademic requirements
We are not aware of any academic requirements for this programme.
English requirements
Other requirements
General requirements
- Admission is based on a selection procedure. The Faculty’s Admission Board will decide upon your admission after having evaluated your complete online application. In order to gain admission to one of our Master’s programmes, you will need to have at least a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited research university including at least three full years of academic study amounting to a minimum of 180 ECTS or equivalent.
- Students for this track come from diverse backgrounds. You may, for example, have an undergraduate degree in Communications, Interactional Linguistics, Conversation Analysis, Sociology, Psychology, or in Health Sciences.
Tuition Fee
-
International
16830 EUR/yearTuition FeeBased on the tuition of 16830 EUR per year during 12 months. -
EU/EEA
2209 EUR/yearTuition FeeBased on the tuition of 2209 EUR per year during 12 months.
Living costs for Amsterdam
The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.
Funding
Studyportals Tip: Students can search online for independent or external scholarships that can help fund their studies. Check the scholarships to see whether you are eligible to apply. Many scholarships are either merit-based or needs-based.