Health Communication and Public Relations, Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Health Communication and Public Relations is offered as a collaboration of the departments of Mass Communication, Population Health and Sociology. This certificate will provide specialized training in a rapidly expanding field where employment projections are extremely promising.

Health communication is the intersection of multiple disciplines in which the goal is to promote public health and improve quality of life. Today’s health communicators must be able to effectively use new technologies and media, social marketing, and culturally sensitive tactics. Health communication specialists must articulate technical information clearly and concisely. They need to be skilled researchers, fact-checkers, problem solvers, strategists, and decision-makers who can write and edit in a variety of media such as print, online, and broadcast to reach diverse audiences.

The outlook for job growth in health communication is very strong, boosted by the aging baby-boomer population’s growing demand for medical services, the evolving healthcare payer landscape, and changing laws.

This certificate program is aimed primarily at post-baccalaureate students interested in developing expertise in health-related communication as it applies in both academic and non-academic settings.

The certificate program is designed specifically for:

• Students completing undergraduate degrees in mass communication (especially the public relations/advertising track) or in public health, who wish to build specialized skills in health communication.
• Communication practitioners who want to update their skills with new techniques and technologies specifically directed toward health communication.
• National and international students who need the access and flexibility offered by online coursework and a virtual internship.

The SHSU certificate program offers all of these groups specialized and up-to-date communication skills to enhance their expertise and help them advance within their fields.

The program is structured so it can be taken fully online, though some courses may be also offered face-to-face. The certificate can be completed on a part-time basis in one year.

Program Breakdown