CERTIFICATES
Earn a certificate in 12 credit hours
If a Masters’ degree is not the right track for you right now, but you want to build skills and expertise in Health Communication, we offer four 12-credit certificate options to meet your continuing education goals. Each certificate takes, on average, one year to complete; you can choose your own courses from the HCOM curriculum and design a schedule that works for you. The tuition rate is the same per credit hour as HCOM ($740 USD per credit hour), and you receive the same quality experience in the same classes as the HCOM program, just with fewer credit hours to complete. All certificate credits can also be transferred to the HCOM program if you decide at any time that you’d like to pursue a Masters’ degree. Learn more about each of our certificates and find the perfect fit for you!
Will I find value in a certificate program?
Will I find value in a
certificate program?
I was skeptical at first of learning from a program that was 100% online, but my learning experience was incredible and far more engaging than I ever imagined. The instructors are incredible and this program afforded me skills that I was able to apply instantly to my current field of work.
Mary NiswongerHCOM alum
I chose this program because it complements my nursing career and my desire to move away from clinical nursing and back to public health. I loved the idea of learning more about how to educate and communicate with the public about health promotion and prevention.
Charlotte VarneyHCOM alum
Be prepared to be amazed by this very engaging program! You will meet so many wonderful people while learning about every facet of health communication. From self-reflection, interpersonal relationships, work relationships, to the broader world of health care- you will experience it all!
Katherine MooreHCOM alum
I have enjoyed so many aspects of this program! The diverse backgrounds of my classmates enhanced the learning environment, and I enjoyed having my points of view expanded by my peers. I was also thrilled this program was manageable while working full-time.
Anne WawrzyniakHCOM alum
I absolutely strengthened my skills as a writer and grew tremendously in my confidence as a student. I loved getting to know my professors—they were so accessible—and working with other students from all over the country.
Emily GeocarisHCOM alum
Click here to read more questions & answers.
Click here to read more questions & answers.
General Health Communication (CHC)—now enrolling students
The CHC is the most customizable, flexible version of our certificate program. You can choose from any course in the HCOM curriculum (with two exceptions: Research Methods and the Capstone), customize your own schedule, and diversify your skill and expertise in Health Communication. This certificate is ideal for students who want to learn more about the Health Communication field as a whole or who would like to try HCOM as a non-degree seeking student before switching to the Masters’ degree. Choose any combination of 12 credits from the following recommended courses >
| Course | Credits | Term Offered |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Health Communication | 4 | Fall 2023 |
| Provider-Patient Communication | 4 | Spring 2024 |
| Health Organizations Professions & Policy | 4 | Fall 2023 |
| Health Marketing | 4 | Spring 2024 |
| Stigma in Healthcare | 2 | Fall 2024 |
| Cultural Considerations in Healthcare | 2 | Fall 2023 |
| Health Disparities | 2 | Fall 2023 |
| Impact of Health Information Technology | 2 | Fall 2024 |
| E-health | 2 | Spring 2024 |
| Picturing Health | 2 | Spring 2025 |
| Conflict Management in Health | 2 | Spring 2024 |
| Mass Media and Health | 2 | Spring 2023 |
| Family Communication | 2 or 4 | Summer 2023 |
Patient Care Communication (CPC)—available for enrollment Fall 2023
The CPC is an ideal choice for students who are looking for more expertise in the interpersonal aspects of healthcare. Providers with direct patient contact, at-home caregivers, social workers, pharmacists, or any other professionals who provide one-on-one care to others: this is the ideal certificate track for you. The courses offered in this track will teach you how to overcome common challenges in the provider-patient relationship, manage conflict, hone your approach to be mindful of cultural considerations and stigma, and navigate the complexities of one-on-one care to others. Choose any combination of 12 credits from the following recommended courses >
| Course | Credits | Term Offered |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Health Comm | 4 | Fall 2023 |
| Stigma in Healthcare | 2 | Fall 2024 |
| Cultural Considerations in Healthcare | 2 | Fall 2023 |
| Health Disparities | 2 | Fall 2023 |
| Provider Patient Communication | 4 | Spring 2024 |
| Conflict Management in Health | 2 | Spring 2024 |
| Health and Family Communication | 2 or 4 | Summer 2023 |
Communication and Health Promotion (CHP)—available for enrollment Fall 2023
The CHP is an ideal choice for students with marketing and PR, public health, crisis communication, and health campaign experience (or for those who would like more experience in this arena). The courses offered in this track will teach you to tailor your messages to specific audiences, being mindful of different channels of media and the benefits and pitfalls of each. You will also learn how to optimize your messages to better influence health-related behaviors in both large and small-scale promotion efforts. Choose any combination of 12 credits from the following recommended courses >
| Course | Credits | Term Offered |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Health Comm | 4 | Fall 2023 |
| Stigma in Healthcare | 2 | Fall 2024 |
| Health Disparities | 2 | Fall 2023 |
| Health Marketing | 4 | Spring 2024 |
| eHealth | 2 | Spring 2024 |
| Picturing Health | 2 | Spring 2023 |
| Mass Media and Health | 2 | Spring 2023 |
Communication and Health Management (CHM)—available for enrollment Fall 2023
The CHM is an ideal choice for students in administrative or managerial roles in health care. The courses offered in this track will help you better understand optimization of organizational systems, how to recognize and repair organizational communication at every level of the healthcare field: between coworkers, within teams, and throughout entire systems. Integration of health information technology, skills for effective management and skills for navigating an increasingly complex network of professions are the hallmarks of this certificate track. Choose any combination of 12 credits from the following recommended courses >
| Course | Credits | Term Offered |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Health Comm | 4 | Fall 2023 |
| Healthcare Orgs, Profs, Policy | 4 | Fall 2023 |
| Health Disparities | 2 | Fall 2023 |
| Impact of HIT | 2 | Fall 2024 |
| eHealth | 2 | Spring 2024 |
| Picturing Health | 2 | Spring 2023 |
| Conflict Management | 2 | Spring 2024 |
How to Apply
Rolling admissions to the certificate program are offered with no application deadline. To apply, please email hcom@illinois.edu and include:
- A current resume
- A brief personal statement explaining your interest in the certificate and the track(s) that you intend to pursue. Please also indicate the specific courses that interest you the most.
- A scanned copy of the transcript with your highest degree awarded
Admission decisions for the certificate occur within 2 weeks. You may inquire about the certificate program or about your application at any time by emailing or calling Lauren Weiner (224-484-0425; lgrill@illinois.edu).