Twin Cities campus

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Twin Cities Campus

Health Communication M.A.

School of Journalism & Mass Communication
College of Liberal Arts
Link to a list of faculty for this program.
Contact Information
111 Murphy Hall 206 Church Street Minneapolis, MN 55455 612/625-0120
Email: sjmchc@umn.edu
Website: http://sjmc.umn.edu/grad
  • Program Type: Master's
  • Requirements for this program are current for Fall 2020
  • Length of program in credits: 30
  • This program requires summer semesters for timely completion.
  • Degree: Master of Arts
Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the General Information section of this website for requirements that apply to all major fields.
The Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication's (HSJMC) MA health communication (integrated BA/MA track) program prepares students for healthcare careers that rely on the strategic use of health information to communicate with patient and nonpatient publics, care providers, administrators and other public health stakeholders. The program is designed around a curriculum of academic and professional skills courses from strategic communication, public health and other relevant disciplines. The curriculum includes a summer practicum experience in a health media or health care organization. The program's balance of conceptual prowess and practical skills prepares its graduates to be expert health communication professionals in a variety of health care positions. Students who complete this program will have a combination of specific message strategy/content development skills and the subject knowledge demanded by the healthcare workplace. Every workplace now requires professionals who can communicate clearly and strategically about their subject matter with multiple audiences and using a variety of communication channels. This is especially true in the arena of health care. This program provides an Integrated BA/MA option for eligible University of Minnesota journalism/strategic communication track BA students also interested in completing the school's health communication MA degree. The integrated BA journalism/MA health communication sub-plan enables students to complete both degrees in five years. The combination of skills and context courses at the undergraduate level, and the sophisticated academic and practice-based courses at the graduate level will ensure that graduates of this program are fully prepared to contribute to their workplaces from day one. Students who complete this program will have a combination of specific message strategy/content development skills and the subject knowledge demanded by the healthcare workplace. Every workplace now requires professionals who can communicate clearly and strategically about their subject matter with multiple audiences and using a variety of communication channels. This is especially true in the arena of health care. The combination of skills and context courses at the undergraduate level, and the sophisticated academic and practice-based courses at the graduate level will ensure that graduates of this program are fully prepared to contribute to their workplaces from day one.
Program Delivery
  • via classroom (the majority of instruction is face-to-face)
Prerequisites for Admission
The preferred undergraduate GPA for admittance to the program is 3.50.
Other requirements to be completed before admission:
Students must be enrolled in the BA in journalism/strategic communication track to apply for Integrated BA journalism/MA health communication sub-plan admission. Admission is considered for summer term only; the application deadline is February 15.
Special Application Requirements:
Applicants must submit a department application; a statement of objectives articulating interest and readiness for the program; a complete set of transcripts; an academic and professional work sample; a resume or curriculum vita; and scores from the General Test of the GRE.
Applicants must submit their test score(s) from the following:
  • GRE
    • General Test - Verbal Reasoning: 155
    • General Test - Analytical Writing: 4.5
Key to test abbreviations (GRE).
For an online application or for more information about graduate education admissions, see the General Information section of this website.
Program Requirements
Plan B: Plan B requires 30 major credits and up to credits outside the major. The final exam is written. A capstone project is required.
Capstone Project:JOUR 8193, Health Communication Capstone, allows you to focus on different aspects of health communication relevant to your interests. Students will prepare a final project—a publishable article, a multimedia projection, an original research paper or other options—aimed at a particular audience. This project is completed during the second semester of the MA program.
This program may not be completed with a minor.
Use of 4xxx courses toward program requirements is permitted under certain conditions with adviser approval.
A minimum GPA of 3.00 is required for students to remain in good standing.
At least 0 semesters must be completed before filing a Degree Program Form.
Core Courses
JOUR 5541 - Mass Communication and Public Health (3.0 cr)
JOUR 5542 - Theory-based Health Message Design (3.0 cr)
JOUR 5543 - Programs for Social Good: Design and Evaluation (3.0 cr)
PUBH 6320 - Fundamentals of Epidemiology (3.0 cr)
Electives
Take 12 or more credit(s) from the following:
· JOUR 5501 - Communication, Public Opinion, and Social Media (3.0 cr)
· JOUR 8650 - Seminar: Psychology of Media Effects (3.0 cr)
· JOUR 8720 - Health Communication Theory and Research (3.0 cr)
· PUBH 6025 {Inactive} (2.0 cr)
· PUBH 6055 - Social Inequalities in Health (2.0 cr)
· PUBH 6085 {Inactive} (2.0 cr)
· PUBH 7214 - Principles of Risk Communication (1.0 cr)
· PUBH 7226 {Inactive} (1.0 cr)
· PSY 5205 - Applied Social Psychology (3.0 cr)
· WRIT 4501 - Usability and Human Factors in Technical Communication (3.0 cr)
· WRIT 5112 - Information Design: Theory and Practice (3.0 cr)
· WRIT 8520 - Seminar in Scientific and Technical Communication (3.0 cr)
· WRIT 8550 - Seminar in Technology, Culture, and Communication (3.0 cr)
· WRIT 5561 - Editing and Style for Technical Communicators (3.0 cr)
Capstone
JOUR 8193 - Health Communication Capstone (3.0 cr)
Practicum
JOUR 8194 - Health Commuinication Practicum (3.0 cr)
Program Sub-plans
A sub-plan is not required for this program.
Students may not complete the program with more than one sub-plan.
Integrated BA Journalism/ MA Health Communication
This sub-plan is limited to students completing the program under Plan B.
The SJMC offers an early-admission opportunity for eligible University of Minnesota journalism/strategic communication BA students also interested in completing the health communication MA degree. The integrated BA journalism/MA health communication sub-plan enables journalism/strategic communication majors to take 9 credits during their senior (fourth) year, and to complete the MA after a fifth year of full-time graduate study plus one summer. Interested journalism/strategic communication undergraduates should contact the SJMC advisor for more information. The integrated BA journalism/MA health communication sub-plan application deadline is February 15 of the student's junior year, and admission to the sub-plan is contingent on a formal admissions process. Students admitted to the sub-plan must maintain timely degree progress to ensure all undergraduate degree requirements are completed by the end of their fourth year. The sub-plan is open to journalism/strategic communication track undergraduates only. Double majors may apply, but only if they choose to complete the senior project requirement in journalism.
  
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JOUR 5541 - Mass Communication and Public Health
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Jour 5541/PubH 6074
Typically offered: Every Fall
This course provides an overview of theory and research that lies at the intersection of mass communication and public health. We examine the potential for media exposure to influence public health outcomes, both as a product of people's everyday interactions with media and the strategic use of media messages to accomplish public health goals. To this end, we will explore large-scale public health campaigns in the context of tobacco, obesity, and cancer screening. We also will explore news media coverage of controversial health issues, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, and health information in entertainment media, such as smoking in movies. This course seeks to understand whether media messages have had intended and/or unintended effects on public attitudes and behavior. Although our focus is on mass media, interpersonal, medical, and digital media sources will be considered as well. prereq: JOUR 3005 or JOUR 3757 or Mass Communication grad
JOUR 5542 - Theory-based Health Message Design
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Spring
This course is designed to provide an overview of theory and research relevant for the design of health messages, and specifically focuses on how such theory and research informs message design. It builds on social and behavioral science approaches to public health communication and media effects with the primary objective to better understand issues and strategies related to the design of media health messages. prereq: Jour 3005 or Jour 3757 or Jour 5541 or PubH 6074
JOUR 5543 - Programs for Social Good: Design and Evaluation
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
Despite the amount of money spent on (and the faith placed in) campaigns and other programs for social good, we often cannot answer basic questions about how these programs worked and the impact they had. There are methodological, programmatic, practical, and political reasons for this?all of which we will address in this course. In so doing, we will identify the key components of program design and evaluation, drawing on examples from domains including the environment, public health, and social justice. The overarching goal of this course is to give students the skills they need to understand and assess the effectiveness of campaigns and other programs for social good, whether as consumers or producers of such content. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3201, any 32xx skills course, Strat Comm major
PUBH 6320 - Fundamentals of Epidemiology
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
This course provides an understanding of basic methods and tools used by epidemiologists to study the health of populations.
JOUR 5501 - Communication, Public Opinion, and Social Media
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall
Sharpen your understanding of public opinion and its role in political and civic life: What does it mean? Where does it come from? How is it measured? What impact does it have? How are the public's preferences shaped by the larger communications environment and the strategic messages of politicians, interest groups, and other actors in society? What are polls really measuring, and why do they seem so unreliable sometimes? How are social media technologies giving voice to new segments and dimensions of public opinion? But how are they vulnerable to manipulation from bots and other efforts designed to alter perceptions of collective opinions? Examine the theories of communication, psychology, political science, and sociology that underlie these dynamic questions. We?ll consider cutting edge approaches used by market researchers, political analysts, and data scientists to harness new forms of data about what the public thinks. We investigate theories that explain how people form their opinions, deliberate with others, change their minds, and reveal their preferences, and we apply these frameworks to understand contemporary public opinion issues and campaigns.
JOUR 8650 - Seminar: Psychology of Media Effects
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
In-depth study of psychological concepts/theories concerning individual cognitive processing of content of both traditional/new electronic media. Critically evaluate latest empirical research concerning how individuals respond to the content of both traditional mass media/newest electronic digital media. prereq: Grad students enrolled in Mass Communication MA or PhD program or instr consent
JOUR 8720 - Health Communication Theory and Research
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Theories, methods, research that characterize field of health communication. Mass media influence on health, including use of mass media to promote health behaviors. Theoretical frameworks that inform health communication scholarship, as well as methodological approaches to studying health communication issues. prereq: Grad students enrolled in Mass Communication MA or PhD program or instr consent
PUBH 6055 - Social Inequalities in Health
Credits: 2.0 [max 2.0]
Typically offered: Every Spring
Extent and causes of social inequalities in health. Degree to which understanding of these inequalities is hampered by methodological limitations in health research. Focuses on individual, community, and policy approaches to reducing social inequalities in health.
PUBH 7214 - Principles of Risk Communication
Credits: 1.0 [max 1.0]
Grading Basis: OPT No Aud
Typically offered: Every Summer
Key concepts of risk communication theory and their practical application to collection/sharing of information in support of individual and community decision-making about public health issues. Application of risk communication principles to routine, ongoing public health issues and those that arise out of emergency/crisis.
PSY 5205 - Applied Social Psychology
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Spring Odd Year
Applications of social psychology research/theory to domains such as physical/mental health, education, the media, desegregation, the legal system, energy conservation, public policy. prereq: 3201 or grad student or instr consent
WRIT 4501 - Usability and Human Factors in Technical Communication
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Writ 4501/Writ 5501
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Usability is concerned with how people interact with design and technology; usability is commonly known as the "ease of use" of products and technologies by a range of users. This course emphasizes usability and user research and will explore the intersection of usability and technical communication. We will investigate definitions of usability and user-centered design principles, and we will explore a variety of usability research methods including heuristic evaluation, personas, and usability testing. The course will focus heavily on usability testing of web sites, a common technical communication task that involves observation and interviews of human participants interacting with a web site.
WRIT 5112 - Information Design: Theory and Practice
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
This course examines how verbal, visual, and multimedia content can be designed and combined to create meaning, improve comprehension, and make information more usable. Emphasis is placed on the rhetorical roles of visual elements in print and digital communications, and how technical communicators can use visual means to reach audiences, convey information, and achieve rhetorical goals. Students read and discuss theory, practice information design skills, and apply both to real communications projects suitable for inclusion in a professional portfolio. Projects focus on print and web content design and development; the information design process (plan, design, develop, layout, testing); project planning toward deliverables (web sites, signage, wayfinding); and universal design (color, symbols, etc.)
WRIT 8520 - Seminar in Scientific and Technical Communication
Credits: 3.0 [max 12.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Topics may include theories, landmark studies, history, gender, ethics. Topics vary. See the Class Schedule.
WRIT 8550 - Seminar in Technology, Culture, and Communication
Credits: 3.0 [max 12.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Topics may include computer-mediated communication, democracy/technology, controversies over digital communication, privacy/ethical issues, feminist theory and interactions of gender with science and technology, communication in legal or medical settings. Topics vary. See the Class Schedule.
WRIT 5561 - Editing and Style for Technical Communicators
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Summer
In this course, students learn strategies for editing and revising writing for technical and non-technical audiences. Students practice three levels of editing skills: proofreading, copyediting, and comprehensive editing. Strategies include advanced grammar and style, editing tools, quantitative data, global documents, and various style guides. Students also examine an editor?s role with authors, in organizations, in global contexts, and in ethical situations. Editing projects focus on the three levels of editing, using proficient methods, collaborating between authors and editors, identifying audience and contexts, editing documents according to style guides, and using rhetorical principles to analyze and edit final documents.
JOUR 8193 - Health Communication Capstone
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Focus on different aspects of a health issue, audience, context, and message mix that is central to the Health Communication M.A. program. Develop a final project focusing on a health communication topic of interest. Projects would be a publishable article, research paper, multimedia production, or any other format relevant for the chosen topic. Project is accompanied by a reflection paper.
JOUR 8194 - Health Commuinication Practicum
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Summer
Field-based practicum for students enrolled in the Health Communication M.A. program. Work with a local non-profit or for profit organization in the health care domain. Participatory observation study: work with organization staff on a strategic communication project and use experiences to analyze how message, audience, and context design processes take place in professional health communication settings.