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Graduate Certificate in Interdisciplinary Health Communication (CIHC)

Health Behavior, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Gillings School of Global Public Health

Provides current degree-seeking residential UNC graduate students with specialized training in health communication. Courses are designed to build expertise for applied practice, academic, and research settings. IHC faculty represent 6 disciplines and conduct research on e-health, message tailoring, risk communication, health decision-making, dissemination, media effects, usability of electronic medical information, and health marketing. Residential certificate programs are available to students currently enrolled in a residential graduate degree program at UNC Gillings.

General Information

Minimum Credit Hours

12 Not a stand-alone certificate. Students may earn the certificate in the context of a dedicated degree program.

Expected Duration

>1 yr

Learning Environment

Residential

Application Cycle

Fall See application details page for more info.

Applicant Information

Enrolled Student Demographics

  • Total Enrollment 1620
  • Female 72%, Male 28%
  • Underrepresented Minority Students 16.3%
  • International 11%

Program Costs & Funding

Admissions Information

Prior Degree Required

None

Required Prerequisites

None

Standardized Test(s) Accepted

None required

Standardized Test Scores

School-wide: On average, incoming students had 77th percentile verbal and 65th percentile quantitative. Standardized test scores are one of many factors we consider in making admissions decisions. If you have concerns about your scores, please talk with us.

Undergrad G.P.A.

School-wide: Incoming students had a mean undergraduate GPA of 3.5

Letters of Recommendation Required

Not required

Faculty-Student Match Required

Not required

Interviews Required

Not required

Work Experience Required

None required

Visit Opportunities

Learn about opportunities to come to UNC Gillings to meet faculty, staff, and current students. If you are unable to come to campus – don’t worry – our representatives attend a variety of recruitment events around the United States as well as host virtual fairs and webinars.

During the Program

Required Courses

  • HBEH 825 Seminar in Interdisciplinary Health Communication | Syllabus: https://sph.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/112/2019/01/HB_sy_hbeh825_fall18.pdf
  • HBEH 826 Interdisciplinary Health Communication Colloquium | Syllabus: https://sph.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/112/2016/09/HB_sy_hbeh826_fall2016.pdf

Comprehensive Exam Type(s)

No comprehensive exams

Capstone, Thesis or Dissertation

None required

Practicum, Internships & Fieldwork

Not required

Global Options Available

The UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health strives to integrate global content and approaches across the School’s courses, programs and degrees. We believe that every student should emerge from our School with an understanding of global health issues. Some courses are focused largely on global issues, others are designed so that global and local issues are intertwined and some still are evolving. Learn more about these options.

NOTE: Certificate students don’t have opportunity for global study outside courses comprising program.

After the Program

Employment Opportunities

N/A

Example Job Responsibilities

N/A

Additional Career Information

Career paths, job titles, employers, and destinations of our graduates.

  1. Complete online application
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    1. Enter names of recommenders. UNC will then send them an email with instructions for submitting a letter on your behalf. We encourage references from professors or teachers (or teaching assistants) or work/research supervisors who have worked directly and closely with you and who can speak about you with specificity.

        • Not required
  2. Complete an application form
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    1. Get your advisor's approval prior to application.

    2. Graduate Certificate in Interdisciplinary Health Communication form

      • Obtain a signature from your Degree Program Advisor. This is your academic advisor in your home department.
        • Send the form in campus mail to your assigned IHC Certificate Advisor.
        • Your IHC Certificate Advisor will obtain the signature from the appropriate Director of Graduate Studies and file the form.

    3. Have your master's thesis or doctoral dissertation topic approved by the IHC Certificate Committee.

    4. Complete the fulfillment form (available in IHC Certificate fulfillment form_10-30-12 format).

  3. FYI: application review process
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    1. SPH application review:

      • Interview
        • No interview required.
      • You will be notified via email regarding program decision.

The Gillings Program Search is a tool for exploring academic programs at the School. It is a prospectus for the current year to be used in consultation with an academic adviser and does not constitute the complete degree or program requirements for graduation or program completion.

Department:
Health Behavior, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Gillings School of Global Public Health
Credit Hours:
12
Department Information
Questions?