Academic Resources

Explore our health communication academic resources, designed to support your academic aspirations.
Curriculum Guide

Communications Department

CLAS Advising Center

What Can I Do With This Major?

Career Resources

Unlock career potential in Health Communication! Discover resources to maximize your professional trajectory.

Career Assessment - PathwayU

Jobs via Handshake

Career Communities

Sample Health Communications Internship Sites

Internships provide a way for you to get hands-on, supervised experience in the world of work. You are able to apply the concepts you are learning in the classroom to a work environment.

• Pinnacle
• Mary Free Bed
• Sophia’s House
• Muskegon Family Care
• Eaton Rapids Medical Center
• Make-A-Wish Foundation
• American Cancer Society
• Metro Health Marketing Department
• Stryker
• Munson Medical

  Health Communication Internships

   General Information on Internship

Join A Student Organization

Get involved with a student organization related to your major. Student orgs are a great way to get connected and explore career options!

• Camp Kesem
• ChemoCare
• Stars for Make-A-Wish Foundation

Student Organizations

Relevant Courses and Certificates for Building Skills

Developing the relevant skills that employers seek is an essential component of a student's education. GVSU students should consider strategic elective courses and certificates to pair with their major in order to gain additional skills.

• Intercultural Competence Undergraduate Badge
• Nonprofit Leadership Graduate Certificate
• Grant Writing
• Research
• Public speaking

Electives to Consider

Community Service Opportunities

Seek volunteer opportunities related to the field you're exploring as a way of testing out future careers.

The Civic Engagement Center keeps a list of current volunteer opportunities updated on their website. There are ongoing opportunities on a continuous basis, as well as on-campus and off-campus opportunities posted as they become available.
 

Civic Engagement Center

Health Communication Study Abroad Options

Through study abroad you’ll also set yourself apart from other job-seekers and graduate-school applicants in an increasingly competitive market.

Borders are virtually meaningless in this early 21st century global economy. As a future graduate with a Health Communications major or minor degree, you will be confronting global issues and will work in internationally-operated companies. "Wake up and face the earth!" T. Friedman advised us in his bestseller ‘The World is Flat’.

Health Communication Study Abroad

Explore Internships Abroad

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Pursuing academic, creative, and research experiences and projects outside the classroom is an excellent way to learn new skills and build a body of work in your field.

Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship

Getting Started

Fellowship Opportunities

Fellowships are high-impact, potentially life-changing opportunities for students and alumni, opening doors to careers in public service, advanced academic study, foreign service, international teaching, and other career and service pathways into meaningful and fulfilling lives.

Frederik Meijer Office of Fellowships

Finding a Fellowship

Where Alumni Have Landed

• Medical Device Sales Representative – Zimmer Biomet
• Financial Aid Officer – Ferris State University
• Recruiter – True Health New Mexico
• Purchasing Agent – U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• Copywriter – Innereactive
• Senior Program Administrator – Mercy Health
• Special Projects Coordinator– St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea
• Account Manager – Smart ID Works
• Campaign Assistant – Greater Ottawa County United Way
• Project Manager – bswift
• Nutrition in Action Educator – YMCA
• Client Support Specialist – Alliant Healthcare Products
• Real Time Analyst – Booking.com
• Development Coordinator – Bluebird Cancer Retreats
• Assistant Director of Greek Life and Student Organizations – Albion College
• Business Development Coordinator – Newago County Health Department
• Senior Account Manager – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
• Digital Marketing Specialist – Merrell
• Patient Services Representative – Spectrum
• Data Analyst – Trinity Health

You’ve built a strong foundation in communication and health-related topics, and now you’re ready to bridge the gap between science and the public. Graduate school in health communication equips you with the skills to shape how people understand health issues, make informed decisions, and change behaviors.

• Master of Arts (MA) in Health Communication: This program focuses on crafting clear, effective messaging in healthcare, public health, and wellness. You'll learn to develop campaigns, improve patient-provider communication, and use media to influence health outcomes.
• Master of Public Health (MPH) with a focus in Communication: Ideal if you're interested in combining communication strategy with public health practice. You'll study topics like health literacy, risk communication, and behavioral change, preparing you for roles in government, nonprofits, or global health organizations.
• Interdisciplinary Programs: Some graduate options combine health communication with digital media, social marketing, or policy. These programs are great for students who want to use their skills to promote health equity, counter misinformation, or improve community outreach on a larger scale.