HCC students Responsibilities and Requirements.

Students are responsible for fulfilling the degree requirements of their respective departments, in addition to the requirements of HCC. The students in HCC are required to take at least 10 credits from the following with one required foundation class and, at least, one course each from applied settings and advanced topics groups.

  *Note that requirements for completion of the concentration have changed over the past few years.  The information provided here applies to students who entered in Fall 2008 or later.  Students who entered HSPH before Fall 2008 can use earlier versions of requirements if they so wish.  Please contact the HCC Coordinator if you have questions.

Download the summary sheet.

What recognition does the student receive upon completion of the concentration?

Upon graduation, the degree will be issued from the home department and the student receives a letter from the HCC steering committee attesting to completion of the HCC concentration requirements.

Health Communication Concentration Core Courses

Information about HCC courses.

Group 1: Conceptual Foundations Course (2.5 credits)

• SHH 211: Health Promotion through Mass Media (Spring 1)

Group 2: Health Communications Practice in Applied Settings (5 credits)

• ID284: Media & Health Communication: Practical Skills (Spring 2)
• SH213: Developing Radio Communications (Spring)
• SHH229: Future of Health Communication: New Media and Emerging Technologies (not offered 2008-2009)
• SHH279: Managing a Media Campaign (not offered 2008-2009)
• ID 285: Environmental Health Risk: Concepts and Cases (Winter Session)

Group 3: Advanced Topics in Health Communication (2.5 credits)

• SHH203: Communication in Health Care Settings (not offered 2008-2009)
• SHH 221: Psychosocial Theories of Health Behavior (not offered 2008-2009)
• SHH 273: Innovative Strategies in Health Education (not offered 2008-2009)
• SHH275: Health Literacy (not offered 2008-2009)
• HPM 297: Public Opinion, Polling and Public Policy (Spring)
• HPM 233: Strategic Marketing Management (Spring 2)
• HPM 223: Public Speaking for Managers (Fall 2 or Spring 2)

Other courses of interest at HSPH (some can be applied to Group 3 credits)

• ID 242: Politics and Strategies for Change in Health Policy
• ID 278: Bioterrorism: Public Health Preparedness and Response
• ID 517: Public Health Response to Emergencies
• HPM 247: Political Analysis and Strategy for U.S. Health Policy
• HPM 278: Skills and Methods of Health Care Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
• NUT 301: Nutrition/Health Promotion in Mass Media
• SHH 235: Qualitative Research Methods for Public Health
• SHH 265: Program Planning and Evaluation

Cross Registration

The following is a partial list of communication-related courses at other Harvard schools. Please note that across the University, course offerings change yearly. Not all of these courses include public health content, and may vary in the extent to which they touch upon health communication topics. The cross registration guide website, http://www.crossreg.harvard.edu allows students to connect with other Schools’ Registrar’s Offices and to view course offerings. The website also provides guidelines for converting credits betweens Schools and lists cross-registration deadlines.

Harvard School of Graduate Education (GSE)

• GSE HT-500: Growing Up in a Media World
• GSE T-530: Designing and Producing Media for Education
• GSE HT-123: Informal Learning for Children
• GSE T-502: Learning Media that Bridge Distance and Time
• GSE T-503: Formative Evaluation
• GSE T-506: Evaluation for Informed Decision Making (formerly Evaluation of Technology Based Programs)
• GSE T-550: New Media, Power and Global Diversity
• GSE T-561: Emerging Educational Technologies
• GSE T-581: Advanced Design Studio

John F. Kennedy School of Government (KSG)

• KSG PAL-111 M1: Mobilizing for Political Action: Communications and Advocacy
• KSG PAL-117A: The Arts of Communication
• KSG PAL-141: Persuasion: The Science and Art of Effective Influence
• KSG PAL-150: Politics and Advocay
• KSG PPP-100: Press, Politics and Public Policy
• KSG PPP-358: Writing About Public Policy
• KSG STM-131M: Marketing for Non-profits & Public Agencies
• KSG STM-221: Introduction to Negotiation Analysis
• KSG STM-230: Advanced Workshop in Mulitparty Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
• KSG STP-100: Science Technology and Public Policy
• KSG STP-309: Information Society: Policies and Politics

Harvard Business School (HBS)

While most of these classes may be focused on the marketing of new products, many of the fundamental concepts that are taught to aspiring entrepreneurs can be readily applied to health communications, such as behavioral analysis and the similar marketing of social goods.

• HBS 1932: Entrepreneurial Marketing
• HBS 1940: Consumer Marketing
• HBS 1960: Marketing and Innovations
• HBS 1975: Social Marketing