Health Communication & Promotion
Advance Your Credentials
Washington State University’s online master’s degree in Health Communication and Promotion is designed for those who work in communication fields and health sciences and are seeking to refresh and update their skills or specialize in health communication. Students learn health behavior change theories relevant for prevention messaging, message creation and design for effective information distribution, and techniques for effectively communicating health information with specialized populations.
Program of Study
The degree requires 30 credits. All courses are available online.
Professional Core Courses (12 credits)
All courses are slated to be offered in fall, spring, and summer semesters
COM 561 – Multimedia Content Creation
Exploration and application of strategies to communicate ideas clearly, concisely, and effectively through multimedia content. Sample syllabus
COM 562 – Crisis Communication in Global Contexts
Prepare, plan, and execute crisis communication and management to protect the continuity of an organization’s image and mission. Sample syllabus
COM 563 – Ethics for Professionals
The understanding, discussion, and application of key theories of individual and institutional ethics; the articulation and defense of ethical reasoning. Sample syllabus
COM 564 – Research Methods for Professionals
Understanding the role of research in media and related organizations and its application to organizational decision-making through quantitative and qualitative research methods including research design, questionnaire construction, sampling, data collection techniques, and variable measurement. Sample syllabus
Health Communication and Promotion Core Courses (15 credits)
COMHLTH 570 – Health Communication and Behavior Change
Application of behavior change theories to construction and evaluation of health communication campaigns. Sample syllabus
COMHLTH 571 – Communicating Health in Practice
Health communication and promotion across a variety of settings and mediums, from interpersonal to promotional campaigns. Sample syllabus
COMHLTH 572 – Communicating Health to Specialized Populations
Literature and theory of cross-cultural communication and cultural aspects of health. Sample syllabus
COMHLTH 573 – Communicating Health in a Digital Landscape
Development and implementation of health-related content through a variety of digital platforms. Sample syllabus
COMHLTH 574 – Health Message Design and Effectiveness
This course provides an overview of basic behavior change theories as they relate to health communication message design and evaluation. Sample syllabus
Capstone Courses (3 credits)
COMSTRAT 701 – Master’s Capstone (offered fall, spring, summer semesters)
A culminating course where students demonstrate core competencies with the response to 4-5 prompts, completion of an online portfolio, and other creative and engagement activities. Sample syllabus
Program Objectives
There are two primary objectives for the Online MA Health Communication and Promotion program.
These include:
- Producing quality students who possess the theoretical foundation and practical knowledge to succeed in their chosen fields and;
- Training individuals who will perform at the highest level of both professional and ethical standards.
According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, “a health communication background is a necessity and advantage to one’s career within the continually evolving field of public health.” Health communication professionals possess the following core competencies (Harvard School of Public Health, n.d.)
- Independent research and scholarly contribution in the advancement of health communication science
- Design of effective behavior change communication strategies
- Public health communication with service to state and federal agencies through the design, delivery and measurement of public health campaigns
- Risk communication expertise
- Crisis communication expertise
- Professional communication for nonprofit health agencies
- Skills in advertising, digital communications, community relations, and health marketing
- Media relations with emphasis in public health matters
Student Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge of health communication and promotion theories and practices that will guide program development, message design, and education to communicate health to diverse audiences.
- Ability to gather and assess health-related information using analyses and research.
- Evidence of professional skills to develop health communication and promotion campaign materials and implementation of campaigns through administration and management, planning, leadership, teamwork, and patient/population relations.
- Demonstrate the ability to ethically communicate health information to diverse audiences
Professional Master’s Degree
The Online MA Health Communication and Promotion program is a professional degree program. It is structured to provide opportunities for those interested in career transition or advancement in professional communication positions. The program is non-thesis, involves limited theory, does not include a classroom teaching component or active research assignment.
Student Pathways
- All courses are 100% online and include weekly online instructor office hours, frequent student self-assessment tools & ongoing interaction with other students.
- Most students take 2-3 classes each semester across the 10-course curriculum.
- Students work closely with both industry professionals and PhD faculty scholars.
- Students complete the program on a timeline that best aligns with their personal and professional commitments but it is recommended they take no less than four semesters to complete the program in order to achieve the best work-home-school balance.