Health Communication Certificate

We seek, create, share, and analyze health information (Kreps & Thornton, 1992) on a daily basis. The health communication certificate prepares you to effectively and appropriately engage with these processes across a range of channels and adapted to diverse audience needs. Supported by theory and honed through practice, our applied certificate equips you for success in emerging communication opportunities at work and across a range of careers.

Graduates of this certificate should:

• Engage with diverse definitions and conceptions of health
• Understand how roles, social and cultural issues, and resources impact heatlh communication.
• Examine health communication processes at interpersonal, organizational, and community levels.
• Apply theory to create health communication messages tailored for specific channels and unique audience needs.

Introductory courses (9 credits)

Pick three from this list, adding up to the credit requirements. COM 205 or COM 218Z must be taken as the first course.

• BIO 200 Medical Terminology
• COM 111Z Public Speaking
• COM 205 Intercultural Communication
• COM 218Z Interpersonal Communication
• SOC 205 Current Health Issues
• SOC 225 Medical Sociology

Advanced courses (6 credits)

Pick two from this list.

• BUS 313 Health Care Systems and Policy
• COM 320 Advanced Intercultural Studies in Communication
• COM 345 Organizational Communication
• PSY 347 Organizational Behavior
• PWR 306 Writing for the Health Professions
• SPE 321 Small Group and Team Communication

Capstone (3 credits)

• COM 346 Health Communication

The certificate is 18 credits. An Honors certificate is available to those who complete 21 credits with an additional course from the Advanced Courses list. 3.30 GPA or higher required for Honors.

Full admission to Oregon Tech is not required. Financial aid is not offered to non-degree seeking students but a payment plan is available. Follow the steps below to get started:

1. Submit the Non-Degree Seeking Application. Select the online Health Communication Certificate as your major.
2. Watch for an email from the Admissions Office about registration.
3. Register yourself for classes when registration opens.

Students using Veteran Affairs benefits should apply to Oregon Tech using the Online First-Year or Online Transfer application instead of the Non-Degree Seeking application.

Non-degree seeking students do not pay application fees since they are not attending a degree program and are limited to 8 credits per term.

Once registered you are responsible for the tuition and fees. The payment and refund schedule, along with the payment plan application, is located on the Cashier’s Office website. The Academic Calendar details important registration dates and withdraw deadlines.

Oregon Tech awards formal certificates upon completion of all requirements. The Registrar's Office advises soon-to-be graduates to submit the Application for Degree two terms before completing the certificate. A certificate cannot be awarded without the application found in TechWeb.