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Certificate of Graduate Study in Health Communication
The gaps between what experts know about healthy behaviors and disease prevention, what gets effectively communicated to the public, and individual behavior is expanding. The Certificate of Graduate Study in Health Communication will help reduce this gap by providing academic researchers and practitioners with an emerging body of interdisciplinary health communication knowledge and skills. The Certificate is designed to meet the needs of two groups. For practitioners, the certificate will enhance professional or clinical skills. For academics and researchers, the certificate will provide improved capacity to design and evaluate health communication interventions through the effective use of theory and methods.
The Program
The Certificate of Graduate Study in Health Communication is an interdisciplinary certificate administered jointly by the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, and the School of Library and Information Science. This is an 18-hour post-bachelor's program which provides students with opportunities to strengthen their knowledge in health communication content, research methods, and application. Students will select Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior; Journalism and Mass Communications; or Library and Information Science as an interest area.
An applicant for admission to the Certificate of Graduate Study in
Health Communication will be evaluated on a combination of factors:
undergraduate grades; performance on the GRE; resume describing previous
professional experience, especially if that experience is in health
communication-related positions; three letters of recommendation; and a
written statement of intent, in which the applicant outlines reasons for
seeking a graduate-level Certificate in Health Communication. Qualified
individuals who are not currently enrolled in a graduate degree can also
take the certificate as a stand-alone program.
The Curriculum
The program consists of 18 graduate credit hours (a total of six three credit-hour courses). To earn the certificate, students must complete:
1. The certificate core (9 hours). which includes:
HPEB 711 Applied Health Communication
SLIS 749 Health Sciences Library Services
JOUR 702 Communication Theory
or JOUR 803 Seminar in Mass Communication Theory and Theory
Construction
2. Six (6) directed elective hours from an approved list, depending on the student's interests as approved by the student's faculty advisor. Some potential courses include: Concepts and Methods in Health Promotion (HPEB 700), Theoretical Foundations of Health Promotion (HPEB 701), Planning Health Promotion Programs (HPEB 702), Seminar in Health, Science, and the Media (JOUR 772), Risk Communication (JOUR 773), Health Information Retrieval in Electronic Environments (SLIS 743), and Consumer Health Resources and Information Services (SLIS 758).
3. A 3 credit-hour practicum or project in the student’s home department.
Examples of practica/internships include appointments with local agencies involved with health communication, or work on an active research project. Faculty members work closely with students to help them secure the practicum.
How to Apply
All students must apply through the University of South Carolina
Graduate School, including students already enrolled at the University
in a separate course of study.
Applications should list “Graduate Certificate Program in Health
Communication” on the application form under degree pursued. This
certificate program accepts applications on a rolling basis (students
may begin the program in Fall, Spring, or Summer semesters).
University of South Carolina Graduate School Application Web Site:
https://web.csd.sc.edu/cgi-bin/app/grad/index.cgi?degreestatus=d&name=intro.html
For Additional Information:
Dr. Daniela Friedman
Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior
Arnold School of Public Health
University of South Carolina
Phone: (803) 777-9933
E-mail: dbfriedman@sc.edu
Dr. John C. Besley
School of Journalism and Mass Communications
College of Mass Communications and Information Studies
University of South Carolina
Phone: (803) 777-4105
E-mail: jbesley@sc.edu
Dr. Feili Tu
School of Library and Information Science
College of Mass Communications and Information Studies
University of South Carolina
Phone: (803) 777-3858
E-mail: tuf@mailbox.sc.edu