Health communication, the study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual decisions that enhance health, means having a wide variety of strategies at your disposal. In today's digital environment, those strategies often involve text, visuals, and technologies.
The curriculum emphasizes the theory and practice of communication processes, paying particular attention to audience and purpose to ensure that communication can be used and acted upon. The innovative approach of merging professional writing with communication ensures that students will develop cross-genre skills in media rich technologies (such as web content development and design and usability testing), while also working at honing their writing, communication, and research skills.
The program is designed for full and part-time students, including
- recent graduates of BA or BS programs in English, communication, graphics, the sciences, and other fields
- working professionals turning to part-time graduate study to enhance their careers, improve their chances for promotion, or become credentialed in a different field. (Students have included recent college graduates to recent retirees.)
With the health communication certificate, students will have the practical skills and theoretical knowledge to work in a number of communication related positions in most health care organizations.