HEALTH COMMUNICATION (MA)

Make a difference for patients and providers

With a master’s in Health Communication, you’ll bring clarity and understanding to complex, critical health care issues for consumers, providers and organizations. You’ll apply communication theory, research and practice to the specific needs of the health care industry.

A master’s in Health Communication will prepare you for a career in

health care administration
communications and media relations
mid-level management
patient and consumer affairs advocacy

The program is typically completed in two years. Most classes are offered weekday evenings on the Loop or Lincoln Park Campuses. Some classes are offered online.?

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Leverage our location in the heart of Chicago

Build your professional portfolio with projects that stem from our strong connections to health care organizations in Chicago. Our students and graduates have interned for Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, CommunityHealth and Rush University Medical Center, as well as numerous hospitals and medical centers across the country.

Application Deadlines

Applications are reviewed on a continuous basis. Priority deadlines for scholarships are as follows:

Fall quarter: June 1
Winter quarter: November 2
Spring quarter: February 15

Admission Requirements

Submit an online application, official transcripts, essay questions, writing sample, letters of recommendation, and résumé or curriculum vitae.

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Required Courses

You’ll take three core courses, one methods course and eight electives. Complete your degree with a comprehensive exam.

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90%

of Health Communication graduates were employed, continuing their education or pursuing other goals within six months of graduation.

Learn from Health Communication thought leaders

In the Health Communication program, you’ll take classes with award-winning author Jay Baglia. In his own words, his published research “looks to make a difference in the lives of human beings” by examining gender communication, performance theory and health. He is currently working on a book that explores the rhetoric of toxicity in politics, gender performance and masculinity.

“I manage a rare disease health narrative program at a biopharmaceutical company. Having an empathetic understanding of the real healthcare challenges and issues families face when living with rare diseases has been invaluable. My colleagues know that my planning and recommendations are grounded in communication theory, and my diversity of thought helps bring new discussion items to each meeting. I also take a more holistic view of communication challenges that patients and their families face because of my background in health communication.”

Michelle (MA ’15)

Manager, Rare Disease Communications and Social Media, Horizon Therapeutics

Alumni Network

Graduates of the master’s in Healthcare Communication work in a range of positions in health-related institutions both nationally and internationally, including American Academy of Pediatrics, Swedish Covenant Hospital, Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center, Georgetown University Hospital and Lifespan Health System.

Scholarships

The College of Communication offers a tuition award and scholarship opportunities. Learn more about the opportunities available to you.

Health Communication MA Admission Requirements

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Application Materials

To be admitted to the Graduate Certificate in Health Communication or the Master of Arts in Health Communication, applicants must demonstrate a capacity for achievement through past academic or professional work. The College of Communication looks at each application as a unique presentation of a candidate's profile and will consider a variety of information sources. Admission decisions will be based on the following:

Completed online application and $40 application fee.
Official undergraduate transcript showing the completion of a bachelor's degree (minimum grade point average preferred is 3.0 on a 4-point scale).
Four essay questions (Essay questions should be saved as .doc or .pdf and uploaded into online application or e-mailed to gradcom@depaul.edu):
- What factors contribute to your decision to enter graduate school now?
- How do studies in health communication relate to your personal and professional goals? (In your response, identify how this program suits your specific needs, goals, interests, etc. and how health communication studies connect with your future objectives.)
- What demonstrates your suitability for graduate study in this program? Build an argument for your admission.
- What understandings should admission reviewers bring to a reading of your application? (What additional information or explanations seem important?)
Writing sample (research paper that demonstrates the applicant's ability to synthesize and criticize scholarly work)
Two letters of recommendation written by work supervisors and/or faculty members familiar with the applicant's academic and/or professional achievements.
Résumé or curriculum vitae.
GRE scores are not required, but may be submitted to strengthen an application.

International Students

An English language examination is required for applicants who have completed their undergraduate education outside the USA. The College of Communication requires the following English language proficiency scores for admission to any of its graduate programs:

Test Type	Minimum Score for Full Admission	Minimum Score for Conditional Admission
TOEFL Internet-based version	96 (each section at least 22)	79 (each section at least 17)
TOEFL computer-based version	243	213
TOEFL paper version	590	550
Duolingo	130	110
IELTS	7.5	6.5

Students who accept conditional admission are required to take coursework in DePaul's English Language Academy until their English language proficiency reaches the level required for full admission.

International students (those who were educated outside of the U.S. and/or require an F1 visa) must take additional steps to be considered for admission. Please review International Student Admission for exact information.

Tuition Award Available for the 2022-23 Academic Year

DePaul is offering a tuition award to new students starting a College of Communication Master of Arts graduate program in Autumn, Winter or Spring quarters. The tuition award is for $525 toward each four-credit hour course – up to two courses per term. The award amounts to a total of $6,300 towards a twelve-course graduate program and $6,825 towards a thirteen-course graduate program.

For details including eligibility requirements, please contact the Office of Graduate Admission at (773) 325-4405 or gradcom@depaul.edu.

Submitting Materials

Application materials including the statement of purpose, writing sample, and resume, can be uploaded directly into the online application. Applicants also have the option of submitting the application without these items and emailing them separately to gradcom@depaul.edu. Students may request recommendations through the online application and track whether they have been submitted.

Transcripts (and letters of recommendation not submitted through the online application) should be mailed to:

Office of Graduate Admission
College of Communication
DePaul University
1 E. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604-2287

Application credentials (including official electronic transcripts) also can be emailed to the Office of Graduate Admission at gradcom@depaul.edu. Please make sure your name is on all documents.

Application Deadlines

Admission decisions for College of Communication graduate programs are made on a rolling basis. However, the college establishes regular application deadlines for each program so that applicants can be fully considered for admission and financial aid. The preferred deadlines for each term are listed below.

Applicants will be considered for an admission scholarship at the time of review. Admission scholarships are based on merit. A minimum 3.7 GPA is required to be considered for an admission scholarship.

Fall Quarter
We review applications for Fall quarter on a continuous basis. To be considered for fall admission, applicants should submit an application by August 15.

Winter Quarter
We review applications for Winter quarter on a continuous basis. To be considered for winter admission, applicants should submit an application by December 1.

Spring Quarter
We review applications for Spring quarter on a continuous basis. To be considered for spring admission, applicants should submit an application by March 1.

Information Sessions

Learn more about the Health Communication graduate programs and meet with program faculty at an upcoming information session.

Learn more about Graduate Admission.

Degree Requirements

Course Requirements

The Master of Arts in Health Communication requires 12 courses (48-credit hours) — three core courses, one methods course, five Health Communication electives, and three graduate electives inside or outside the program.

Core Courses

Students are required to take all of the following:?

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
CMNS 500	FOUNDATIONS IN GRADUATE COMMUNICATION STUDIES	4
HTHC 515	INTRO TO HEALTH COMMUNICATION	4
HTHC 517	COMMUNICATION, HEALTH DISPARITIES, AND CULTURE	4

Methods Requirement

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
HTHC 516	RESEARCH METHODS FOR HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS	4

Elective Courses

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
Select eight courses from the following list: 1		32
HTHC 519	ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATORS
HTHC 521	HEALTH AND FAMILY COMMUNICATION
HTHC 523	TOPICS IN HEALTH COMMUNICATION
HTHC 524	HEALTH CARE TEAMS & LEADERSHIP
HTHC 525	NARRATIVES IN HEALTH CARE
HTHC 526	SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF HEALTH AND ILLNESS
PRAD 515	WRITING FOR A COMMUNICATION CAREER
PRAD 536	ADVERTISING AND HEALTH CAMPAIGNS
PRAD 540	CRISIS COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
PRAD 594	COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGNS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
CMN 591	INTERNSHIP
CMN 592	INDEPENDENT STUDY
CMN 593	RESEARCH PRACTICUM
CMN 598	STUDY ABROAD
CMNS 590	COMMUNICATION WORKSHOP (VARIABLE TOPICS)

With approval of the graduate program director, students can take up to three ??relevant elective courses from other College of Communication graduate programs or relevant elective courses from other graduate departments/programs outside of the College of Communication.?

Comprehensive Final Examination

Students in the Master of Arts in Health Communication complete their degree requirements by passing a comprehensive final examination.

Optional Latino Media & Communication Concentration

The graduate concentration in Latino Media & Communication is comprised of at least three graduate courses drawn from the areas of advertising, journalism, media and cinema studies, multicultural communication, organizational communication and public relations. Graduate students in any of the College of Communication Master of Arts programs can elect to complete the Latino Media & Communication concentration. Students may need to use outside electives to complete this concentration.

Students who complete the concentration will:

Develop an understanding of the heterogeneous and rapidly changing Latino communities locally, nationally and globally
Ground their knowledge of intercultural studies within a more extensive and concrete knowledge of a particular (even though diverse), rapidly growing, and increasingly important population within the U.S.
Increase their cross-cultural competence (understanding and ability to dialogue across difference, develop cultural sensitivity and awareness) with Latino communities
Enhance their capacity to communicate with and learn from Latino populations in the workplace, in community situations and other sites of engagement
Recognize the impact of the movement of Latinos across the globe and develop the skills to critically consume and produce media, public relations and advertisement representations that communicate to and about Latino communities
Develop field-specific knowledge of Latino media and communication along with an understanding of how Latino studies shapes other fields of communication

Students are required to take three courses (12 credits) from the following list:

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
CMNS 509	SPECIAL TOPICS IN MULTICULTURAL COMMUNICATION 1
CMNS 542	MULTICULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE
JOUR 515	SPECIAL TOPICS IN JOURNALISM 1
MCS 521	TOPICS IN CINEMA STUDIES 1
MCS 533	LATIN AMERICAN CINEMA/MEDIA
PRAD 511	CONSUMER INSIGHTS
PRAD 512	ENGAGING LATINX COMMUNITIES
PRAD 514	CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING 1
PRAD 595	SPECIAL TOPICS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS & ADVERTISING 1
CMN 591	INTERNSHIP 1
CMN 598	STUDY ABROAD 1

Topic must be related to Latino Media and Communication.

Grade Requirements

All students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.000 in their coursework. If a student's cumulative GPA falls below 3.000, the student will be allowed to complete an additional 16 credits or 3 quarters (whichever comes first) to attain the 3.000 minimum GPA. If the cumulative GPA remains below a 3.000 at the conclusion of this time period, the student may be dismissed from the program. The student's cumulative and term GPAs along with overall academic performance will be factored into the dismissal decision.

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