Health Communication is an emerging specialty in the field of communication. This graduate program is designed to provide a broad introduction to human communication in a health-care context. Career opportunities in this area include public health leaders, practitioners, and researchers who design, evaluate, and disseminate health communication messages for private and governmental organizations, advertising, public relations and marketing agencies, and journalists. Students will explore the roles of patients and caregivers, social and cultural issues, communication in health organizations, and the role of mass media. Two programs are offered.

The thesis track program emphasizes the student's development of research skills under faculty supervision (30 credits). The non-thesis track program emphasizes a theoretical foundation based on application of communication courses (36 credits).