Created in conjunction with the Department of Communication, the School of Public Health, and the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion for undergraduate students, the certificate is designed to give students an enhanced education in communication skills critical to

health-related professions, beyond what would normally be received from the UK Core. Upon completion of the certificate students will be able to determine how communication impacts the major contributors for disease prevention and control as well as how to identify and analyze communication strategies that are most effective for health promotion and wellness. Students also gain advanced knowledge and insight into how communication can affect patient and client outcomes and the ability to apply these skills toward the betterment of their careers in the health professions. Students can declare a health communication certificate by contacting an academic advisor in their home college.

The Health Communication Certificate requires 15 credit hours to be completed with a minimum of 2.0 GPA in all completed certificate courses. Additional requirements: A minimum of 12 credits of coursework must be taken for a letter grade (i.e., one class may be taken pass/fail).

No more than nine credits taken for a certificate can be used to satisfy the requirements for the student’s bachelor’s degree, a minor, or another certificate, exclusive of free or unrestricted electives.

Certificates will only be awarded to students who successfully complete a degree, or have completed a four-year degree.

Communication Core 

(6 credit hours, both courses required)
COM 311 Taking Control of Your Health: Patient-Provider Communication
COM 471 Introduction to Health Communication

Public Health Core 

(3 credit hours, choose one of the following)
CPH 201 Introduction to Public Health
UKC 130/CPH 202 Public Health Through Popular Film
CPH 440-001 Foundations of Health Behavior

Electives 

(6 credit hours, choose two from the following)
COM 287 Persuasive Speaking
COM 482 Studies in Persuasion
COM 525 Advanced Issues in Organizational Communication
COM 535 Risk and Crisis Communication
COM 571 Interpersonal Communication in Health Contexts
COM 572 Health Communication Campaigns and Communities
LIS/CJT 539 Introduction to Medical Informatics
CPH 202 Public Health Through Popular Film
CPH 365/CPH 310 Disease Detectives: Epidemiology in Action
CPH 440-001 Foundations of Health Behavior
KHP 230 Human Health and Wellness
KHP 590 Advanced Health Concepts