Health communication Courses

Courses

Delivery of this program is 100% online: no campus visits are required. Successful completion of the program requires 18 credit hours of course work.

To earn the certificate, students will need to complete 18 hours of core classes. All students must earn a C or better in all courses applied to the certificate program.

Although the major and/or minor in communication works well with the certificate program, any undergraduate student at UMSL who meets the admission requirements may earn the health communication certificate regardless of their major/minor and anyone outside of the UMSL student body can pursue the certificate as a nondegree-seeking student.

Internship requirement

This program requires an internship, COMM 4360: Applied Health Communication. There are two options for our students who are working full time. First, students who are working full time in a position that is not relevant to health communication may contact the certificate coordinator for information regarding sites with flexible hours and projects that can be combined with other work. Second, students who have significant relevant experience in a health organization may request that the internship requirement be replaced by three credit hours of other relevant course work. To request that the internship be replaced students must submit a written request outlining the student's professional experience and how it relates to the overall health communication program with appropriate documentation. The program coordinators must approve any request to replace the internship requirement. 

All students completing the internship will be required to work at their internship site for 100 hours over the course of a semester. Online course work will represent the additional 50 hours for a 3-credit hour internship.