Master\u2019s Degree in Health Communications \u2013 Two Year Duration\nMaster\u2019s programs in health communications explore the breadth of issues at the heart of healthcare-related careers and examine best practices for communication in the healthcare industry. At this level, the curriculum immerses students in topics related to healthcare, visual branding and storytelling, marketing, mass media strategies, health literacy, public relations, healthcare policy, biology, epidemiology, and research methods. \n
Many schools allow students to choose an area of focus, following completion of a set of core courses. Below are examples of core master\u2019s level courses as well as sample courses for two possible concentrations.
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Core Courses
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\n- US Healthcare System
\n- Health Communications Principles and Strategies
\n- Research Methods for Health Communications
\n- Writing for Health
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Healthcare Promotion, Media, and Marketing Concentration
\nThis concentration focuses on designing integrated public relations, media, and marketing plans to help achieve the goals of health-related organizations. It teaches students how to frame points of view and craft powerful messages using print, broadcast, social, community, and organizational media to educate and influence diverse audiences.
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Courses specific to this area of focus may include:
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\n- Healthcare Public Relations
\n- Digital Marketing for Healthcare
\n- Media Relations for Healthcare
\n- Epidemiology for Health Communication
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Visual and Digital Health Communication Concentration
\nThe visual and digital health communication concentration examines the impact of evolving communications technology on the field of health marketing and communications and teaches students how to harness this technology. It focuses on the design and application of tools such as infographics, data visualization graphics, videos, website, mobile apps, and branded content; as well as on how to effectively use social media in healthcare.
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Courses specific to this area of focus may include:
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\n- Visual Communication in the Digital Health Age
\n- Digital Marketing for Healthcare
\n- Social Media Strategies and Tactics for Healthcare
\n- Biology of Disease
\n- Healthcare Marketing Strategies
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Doctoral Degree in Health Communications \u2013 Three to Five Year Duration
\nThe health communications doctoral degree is designed for students who want to become university professors, researchers, and/or senior-level practitioners in the field. Doctoral candidates complete a common set of required core courses, followed by specialized courses relevant to their dissertation research and career goals.
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Here is a sample doctoral course of study in health communications:
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\n- Communications Inquiry and Research
\n- Health Communications in Organizations
\n- Communications Issues in Healthcare Organizations
\n- Relational Issues in Health Communications
\n- Health Communication and Society
\n- Health Communication Campaigns
\n- Health Communication and Culture
\n- Persuasion and Social Influence
\n- Health Communications Uncertainty and Risk
\n- Public Understanding of Health and Healing
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", "display_order": 2, "created_at": "2019-10-01T11:36:05.363188-07:00", "updated_at": "2021-12-06T13:00:18.950399-08:00"}, {"degree_id": 585, "page": 1, "title": "Degrees Similar to Health Communications", "summary_markdown": "**[Healthcare Administration](/degrees/healthcare-administration-degree/)** \r\nThis degree field is focused on administration of healthcare policy, services, and facilities. Students learn about healthcare law; healthcare ethics; healthcare economics, finance, and human resources; and long-term care and aging. \r\n\r\n**[Journalism](/degrees/journalism-degree/)** \r\nJournalism degree programs teach students how to report, write, and edit articles for broadcast or publication. They include classes in broadcast news writing, copyediting and design, reporting, and media law and ethics. \r\n\r\n**[Mass Communication and Media Studies](/degrees/mass-communication-and-media-studies-degree/)** \r\nDegree programs in mass communication and media studies are concerned with the critical study of communication and media. The typical curriculum explores topics like communication infrastructure, as well as issues in communication from all of these perspectives: social, cultural, historical, political, economic, technological, and legal. \r\n\r\n**[Public Administration](/degrees/public-administration-degree/)** \r\nPublic administration degree programs teach students how to make and direct policy at various levels of government. These policies can involve a wide spectrum of public concerns, from healthcare to social programs to the environment. Typical courses for public administration students include community analysis, economic development, grant writing, local politics and administration, organization theory, public budgeting and financial administration, public policy, structure of government, volunteerism and the non-profit sector.", "content_markdown": "**[Public Health](/degrees/public-health-degree/)** \r\nStudents who enter degree programs in public health look at how access and lack of access to healthcare, health education, and funding affect the spread, treatment, and prevention of disease. Epidemiology \u2013 the science concerned with the spread and control of diseases and viruses \u2013 is the science at the heart of public health. \r\n\r\n**[Public Relations](/degrees/public-relations-degree/)** \r\nDegree programs in public relations (PR) teach students how to deliver information from a business, organization, government body, or individual public figure to a target audience. The curriculum differs from that of other communication sciences. In advertising and marketing programs, students learn how to design and develop communication pieces that clients seek out and pay for. Public relations courses focus on how to achieve image management, generate publicity, and earn positive media attention through press releases, press conferences, blogs, and a social media presence. \r\n\r\n**[Speech Communication and Rhetoric](/degrees/speech-communication-and-rhetoric-degree/)** \r\nDegree programs in speech communication and rhetoric focus on the study of human communication. Students of the discipline examine how we communicate one on one, within organizations, and in the larger contexts of politics, cultures, and societies. Coursework includes public speaking, speech writing, and analysis and criticism of examples of persuasive speaking or writing.", "content_html": "
Public Health
\nStudents who enter degree programs in public health look at how access and lack of access to healthcare, health education, and funding affect the spread, treatment, and prevention of disease. Epidemiology \u2013 the science concerned with the spread and control of diseases and viruses \u2013 is the science at the heart of public health.
\n
Public Relations
\nDegree programs in public relations (PR) teach students how to deliver information from a business, organization, government body, or individual public figure to a target audience. The curriculum differs from that of other communication sciences. In advertising and marketing programs, students learn how to design and develop communication pieces that clients seek out and pay for. Public relations courses focus on how to achieve image management, generate publicity, and earn positive media attention through press releases, press conferences, blogs, and a social media presence.
\n
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
\nDegree programs in speech communication and rhetoric focus on the study of human communication. Students of the discipline examine how we communicate one on one, within organizations, and in the larger contexts of politics, cultures, and societies. Coursework includes public speaking, speech writing, and analysis and criticism of examples of persuasive speaking or writing.
", "display_order": 3, "created_at": "2019-10-01T11:36:05.364240-07:00", "updated_at": "2021-12-06T13:01:38.171495-08:00"}, {"degree_id": 585, "page": 1, "title": "Skills You’ll Learn", "summary_markdown": "Communication is at the heart of human existence. Therefore, it is not exaggeration to say that the knowledge gained by students who earn a degree in health communications is transferable to \u2013 and welcome in \u2013 most every industry. Consider these useful skills that graduates take from this course of study: \r\n\r\n- Ability to absorb and summarize new information quickly \r\n- Ability to analyze and integrate data \r\n- Ability to disseminate information accurately \r\n- Ability to learn on the job \r\n- Ability to speak and write in clear and simple language \r\n- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team \r\n- Attention to detail \r\n- Digital literacy \r\n- Document design \r\n- Editing \r\n- Ethics \r\n- Interpersonal skills \r\n- Marketing and branding \r\n- Media / social media and marketing savvy \r\n- Objectivity and logical reasoning \r\n- Organization \r\n- Problem-solving \r\n- Public relations skills / press release writing \r\n- Public speaking \r\n- Social and cultural awareness \r\n- Research methods", "content_markdown": "", "content_html": "", "display_order": 4, "created_at": "2019-10-01T11:36:05.365330-07:00", "updated_at": "2021-11-30T11:36:45.006522-08:00"}, {"degree_id": 585, "page": 1, "title": "What Can You Do with a Health Communications Degree?", "summary_markdown": "Whether they specialize in direct patient communication, creating products and campaigns, or using information technology, health communication specialists put their knowledge and skills to use in a wide variety of employment sectors, including: \r\n\r\n- Biotechnology companies \r\n- Charitable foundations \r\n- Educational institutions \r\n- Government departments, including local, state, and federal \r\n- Health insurance companies \r\n- Health journalism and media \r\n- Health-related advertising, public relations, marketing, and consulting firms \r\n- Hospitals, medical practices, wellness centers, and senior living organizations \r\n- Large employers with an internal health and wellness program \r\n- Medical device manufacturers \r\n- Non-profit advocacy organizations \r\n- Pharmaceutical manufacturers \r\n- Public health and regulatory agencies, including state, national, and international \r\n- Publishing companies \r\n- Research institutes", "content_markdown": "The following sampling of job titles in health communications conveys the scope of roles that exist in the field: \r\n\r\n- Communications Manager / Trainer \r\n- Community Relations Specialist \r\n- Digital Content Strategist \r\n- Director of Health Communications \r\n- Director of Health Education and Communications \r\n- Environmental Health and Pandemic Specialist \r\n- Health Communications Marketing Expert \r\n- Health Insurance Specialist \r\n- Health Literacy Educator \r\n- Health Organization Communications Professional \r\n- Health Organization Supervisor, Manager, or Director \r\n- Health Organization Unit or Practice Leader \r\n- Healthcare Advocate \r\n- Healthcare Researcher \r\n- Hospital Communications Specialist \r\n- Knowledge Center Manager \r\n- Medical [Editor](//www.chevelle-parts.com/careers/editor/) \r\n- Nutrition Communications Specialist \r\n- Outreach Coordinator \r\n- Patient Engagement Specialist \r\n- Patient Liaison \r\n- Patient Safety Leader \r\n- Preparedness and Catastrophic Response Coordinator \r\n- Prevention Coordinator \r\n- Quality Manager \r\n- Risk Manager \r\n- Senior Health [Writer](//www.chevelle-parts.com/careers/author/) \r\n- Social Media Manager for Healthcare Organizations \r\n- User Experience Designer", "content_html": "
The following sampling of job titles in health communications conveys the scope of roles that exist in the field:
\n
\n- Communications Manager / Trainer
\n- Community Relations Specialist
\n- Digital Content Strategist
\n- Director of Health Communications
\n- Director of Health Education and Communications
\n- Environmental Health and Pandemic Specialist
\n- Health Communications Marketing Expert
\n- Health Insurance Specialist
\n- Health Literacy Educator
\n- Health Organization Communications Professional
\n- Health Organization Supervisor, Manager, or Director
\n- Health Organization Unit or Practice Leader
\n- Healthcare Advocate
\n- Healthcare Researcher
\n- Hospital Communications Specialist
\n- Knowledge Center Manager
\n- Medical Editor
\n- Nutrition Communications Specialist
\n- Outreach Coordinator
\n- Patient Engagement Specialist
\n- Patient Liaison
\n- Patient Safety Leader
\n- Preparedness and Catastrophic Response Coordinator
\n- Prevention Coordinator
\n- Quality Manager
\n- Risk Manager
\n- Senior Health Writer
\n- Social Media Manager for Healthcare Organizations
\n- User Experience Designer
\n
", "display_order": 5, "created_at": "2019-10-01T11:36:05.366402-07:00", "updated_at": "2021-12-06T13:02:44.952520-08:00"}], "degree_specializations": []}">
