Health Communication Graduate Certificate

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Graduate Certificate

This certificate is designed for professionals in healthcare or graduate students in communication, healthcare, or related disciplines. The health communication certificate program equips students with the foundational concepts and theories associated with communication in a wide variety of healthcare contexts, including patient/provider interactions, public health, health systems, and health advocacy. This series of courses will provide students with the knowledge and skills to navigate communication in a challenging healthcare environment, as well as prepare them for further graduate work if they desire.

Admission Requirements:

Students must have a bachelor’s degree with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 and then apply for admission to the Graduate School with the classification of “Graduate Certificate.” Students do not need to be currently enrolled at the University of Memphis to apply for this graduate certificate. All admission procedures will follow the MA program deadlines and start in the Fall semester only.

To apply students must submit:

Students currently admitted to a graduate program at the University of Memphis or other university, as well as students already holding a graduate degree, may also apply for admission to the Graduate Certificate Program in Health Communication
Students with a graduate degree or those enrolled in the graduate program must have a graduate GPA of 3.0.
Students must apply to both the certificate program and the Graduate School. On top of regular Graduate School application, students must submit:
- Transcripts of undergraduate degree program and any prior graduate study to Graduate Admissions.
- One-page letter describing their intent to pursue the certificate and its relevance to their career goals.
- If you are an international student,please review the university’s additional requirements.

NOTE: Acceptance into the certificate program is not an implied acceptance into any master’s degree program. If you want to continue your graduate work after completion of the certificate program, you must apply for admission to the Department of Communication and Film’s Master’s Program. Should you be admitted, the courses taken in the certificate program will count toward your master’s degree in communication.

Program Requirements:

The certificate requires 12 hours of course work, drawn from one required course and three additional courses chosen with the advice of a health communication faculty advisor.

Required Course:

COMM 7012 - Seminar Health Comm ** Credit Hours: (3)

Three courses from the following:

NOTE: Other courses maybe substituted with the approval of a health communication faculty advisor depending on the applicant schedule and interests and the department’s course rotation.

COMM 6016 - Public Health Campaigns Credit Hours: (3)
COMM 6340 - Listening Credit Hours: (3)
COMM 6341 - Interprsnl Communicatn Credit Hours: (3)
COMM 6375 - Intercultrl Communicatn Credit Hours: (3)
COMM 7014 - Public Health Communication Credit Hours: (3)
COMM 7322 - Persuasion & Influence Credit Hours: (3)
COMM 7345 - Health Literacy Credit Hours: (3)
COMM 7354 - Topics in Rhetoric of Health, Medicine and Science Credit Hours: 3

Graduation Requirements:

Completion of 12 credit hours taking a combination of the courses listed with a minimum 3.0 GPA across 12 credit hours.

Retention Requirements:

Students must complete the certificate within 4 years.