Language and Communication in Healthcare

Faculty of English

Level of studies: second-cycle studies

Type of studies: full-time (weekdays)

Duration: 2 years

Language of instruction: English

Professional title: master (magister)

Educational profile: general academic

Tuition fee: the semester tuition fee is: PLN 3 000,00 (the fee can be paid in 4 installments of PLN 750,00 each).

About the programme

Programme description

Supporting healthcare urgently needed!

“According to Eurostat data, Poland has the lowest number of practising doctors per 1 000 population (2.4) in the EU, and the number of nurses (5.1 per 1 000 population) is also among the lowest.” (from OECD report: State of Health in the EU. Poland: Country Health Profile 2021)

In this context, the efforts of medical professionals should urgently be supported by experts in healthcare communication and health promotion. Moreover, healthcare systems inadvertently need the support of experts in the efficient communication of information about health and healthcare: health promotors, interpreters, medical journalists, patient advocates, administrators of patient portals and people engaged in applying for grants to finance the development of healthcare systems.

Language and communication in healthcare is an interdisciplinary two-year English-language MA programme in medical humanities. It focuses on effective and empathetic communication for health and quality of life. The programme is co-taught by healthcare experts (academics and practitioners) and is suited to BA/BSc and MA/MSc graduates with a good command of English (B2 CEFR level).

You will learn:

why language-based communication is important in care provision
how to effectively communicate in healthcare – how to talk and how to listen
how to make specialist language accessible to non-experts
how to heal with the help of art
how to promote good health practices
how to support communication with vulnerable adults
how to facilitate communication with the patient from a different culture

The programme includes:

workshops in applying modern technologies in healthcare contexts, audio description and drama techniques for medical training
internships in healthcare institutions

MA in Language and Communication in Healthcare is a possible first step towards:

specialised translation studies
BA and MA studies in Biology and health at AMU’s Faculty of Biology
postgraduate studies at AMU or PUMS
doctoral studies at AMU or other universities in Poland and abroad

Example of courses

Medicine and healthcare in popular culture and literature
Healthcare communication across cultures
Medical anthropology in global perspective
Language and communication in psychotherapy
Introduction to medical translation
Audio description for persons with sight loss
Theatre for standardised/simulated-patient medical training
Modern technologies for healthcare

Graduate competencies

an excellent command of English (in speaking and writing)
the skill to talk about health using accessible language
the ability to communicate empathetically and effectively
“soft skills”: creativity, communicative efficiency and critical thinking
the ability to offer support in crisis situations
a sensitive and open attitude to vulnerable individuals and groups

Career prospects

interpreter accompanying the patient
medical journalist
health educator
art therapist
patient's assistant
communication expert supporting people with disabilities

Additional information

Faculty website of the programme

Admission to the programme - II nabór

Admission schedule

Enrollment start date:

2023-07-17

Enrollment end date:

2023-09-20

Enrollment fee payment deadline:

2023-09-20

Deadline for attaching documents obtained abroad:

2023-09-20

Dates for document submission:

from 2023-09-01
to 2023-09-22

Entrance exams dates:

from 2023-09-26
to 2023-09-26

Results announcement date:

2023-09-27

Maximum number of admitted candidates:

Admission for this programme has been cancelled.
This programme will not open.

Current stats

Number of all enrollments:

Number of paid enrollments:

Contact details for admission subcommittee

Phone number

+48 61 829 3506

Working hours

10:00-13:00

Admission to the programme - I nabór

Admission schedule

Enrollment start date:

2023-06-01

Enrollment end date:

2023-07-05

Enrollment fee payment deadline:

2023-07-05

Deadline for attaching documents obtained abroad:

2023-07-05

Dates for document submission:

from 2023-06-26
to 2023-07-07

Entrance exams dates:

from 2023-07-11
to 2023-07-11

Results announcement date:

2023-07-12

Maximum number of admitted candidates:

Admission for this programme has been cancelled.
This programme will not open.

Current stats

Number of all enrollments:

Number of paid enrollments:

Contact details for admission subcommittee

Phone number

+48 61 829 3506

Working hours

9:00-14:00

Detailed admission rules

Formal requirements

All candidates must know English at B2 level

Selection procedure

for graduates of first-cycle studies who are fluent in English at the B2 level.

Elements of selection procedure	Max points	Weight of element	Max result
1) grade on the higher education diploma	5	1	5
2) interview	15	1	15
Maximum number of points to be scored during the selection procedure			20

Ad 2. Additional information:

An interview in English with the professor conducting the master seminar and concerning the thematic scope of the seminar, the candidate's interests and motivation

Selection procedure steps

1. Creating an account

The candidate creates an individual account in the Online Admissions System by providing the necessary personal data. Subsequent admission-related operations can only be made after logging in to the created account. All steps taken by the candidate after logging into the system are saved and archived. The candidate is obliged to keep the password to access the account secret.

2. Enrolling in the programme

The candidate chooses a programme/major and type of studies. It is recommended that the candidate thoroughly read the admission requirements for a given programme as well as the admission schedule.

3. Paying the enrollment fee

The candidate pays an admission procedure fee in the selected programmes/majors. Failure to pay the fee for a given programme means the candidate is not included in the selection procedure in this programme. The enrollment fee is PLN 85.

4. Attachment of documents obtained abroad

The candidate with the documents obtained abroad attaches scans of these documents for the purpose of their verification.

5. Complement of information about the diploma

The candidate enters information about the diploma: final grade on the diploma, diploma issuance date and diploma number.

6. Uploading a photo

The candidate uploads a high-resolution photo which will be used when generating the personal questionnaire. The photo of the admitted candidate will also be used in the student identification card.

Notice: if you do not upload a photo, system will not be able to generating the questionnaire!

7. Lodgment of all required documents by electronic means

Upon enrolling into the programme and paying the enrollment fee, the candidate is obliged to lodge of all required documents by electronic means within the specified time limit.

8. Taking the entrance examination

The candidate will revceive a message via the Online Admissions System about the date, place and time of the entrance exam.

Failure to take the exam means the candidate is not admitted to the programme.

9. Final results of the selection procedure

The results of the selection procedure will be provided via the Online Admissions System. Upon logging into his/her account, the candidate will see information on admission or denial of admission.

List of documents

Set of documents

photo file which will be used when generating the personal questionnaire
a scan of university diploma

Preparation of the documents

During the recruitment process, candidates do not submit any paper documents.

Each of the required documents should be scanned to a separate file in PDF format. A document (e.g. certificate or diploma) that has more than one page should be scanned into one multi-page PDF file.

Scanning documents can be carried out on its own with the use of a scanner or with the use of dedicated applications for devices with Android or iOS. The document scanning service is also available at most copy shops.

Attestation of documents

Document attestation is a process in which an employee of the University confirms the compliance of the attached scans of documents with their original (paper) version. Attestation of the document by AMU consists in submitting (for inspection) the original document at the Student Office at the Faculty at the beginning of the academic year.

Documents obtained abroad

Candidates with documents obtained abroad also provide:

a scan of a foreign document, which is legalized or accompanied by an apostille, entitling the candidate to take up higher education studies in the country where the document was issued
a scan of translation of the document into the language of the studies undertaken by the candidate, performed by a sworn translator entered into the list of sworn translators maintained by the Polish Minister of Justice, or certified by a Polish consul in the country where the document was issued
a certificate of recognition of a foreign certificate as equivalent to Polish Matura certificate issued by a competent Board of Education – if the foreign certificate is not recognized, by virtue of law or under international agreements, as a document entitling to commence higher education studies in Poland
a scan of a document confirming the entitlement to study tuition-free – in the case of the foreigners concerned