Certificate Programs

The Health Communication certificate program is designed for undergraduate students interested in pursuing post-baccalaureate careers or graduate education in health-related sectors and will provide an official designation of academic training in the area of health communication. The Health Communication certificate program provides a comprehensive education on all aspects of health communication, including a focus on health message design, media campaign planning, and interpersonal communication in healthcare settings. Courses in the certificate program will equip students with theoretical and practical knowledge, which will enable them to effectively communicate to promote health and provide high quality healthcare.

Upon completion of the Health Communication certificate, students will be prepared to:

1. Identify and apply health communication theories and concepts to the design and execution of health communication messages for diverse audiences.
2. Evaluate health communication messages and interventions through the integration of communication knowledge and practice.
3. Demonstrate interpersonal communication competency across varying modalities and healthcare settings.

The Health Communication Certificate Program requires the completion of at least four courses for 12 credits, including two foundational courses. To declare the certificate program, students should meet with their assigned academic advisor or any advisor in the School of Communication. Any variation from the program described below needs the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students may request approval of a certificate variation by filing a petition through the School of Communication Advising Office. 

Required foundation courses (6 credit hours):

• Comm 4736: Health Communication in Interpersonal Contexts
• Comm 4737: Health Communication in Mass Mediated Contexts

Choose at least two courses from these electives (6 credit hours):

• Comm 2596: Intro to Health, Environment, Risk & Science Communication
• Comm 2704: Language Culture and Communication in Latino Health
• Comm 2511: Visual Communication Design
• Comm 3331: Communication and Decision-Making
• Comm 3332: Risk Communication
• Comm 3333: Crisis Communication
• Comm 3620: Interpersonal Communication
• Comm 3624: Communication in Personal Relationships
• Comm 3628: Contemporary Persuasion Theory
• Comm 4511: User-Centered Communication Design
• Comm 4738: Health Communication and New Media
• Nursing 2102: Evidence-based Strategies to Optimize Personal Health, Happiness and Well-being
• Nursing 2460: Introduction to Therapeutic Communication for Health Professionals
• Nursing 3240: Population Health Local to Global
• Nursing 3260: Nursing Care of Children and their Families
• Nursing 3271: Nursing Care of Adults and Older Adults
• Nursing 4241: Synthesis of Determinants of Health to Address Population Health Outcomes
• Nursing 3430: Cultural Competence in Health Care: US and Global Contexts
• HW 2210: Dimensions of Wellness & Resilience
• HW 3220: Health Promotion Strategies for People with Chronic Conditions
• HW 3230: Coaching for Health Improvement
• HW 3430: Cultural Competence in Health Care: US and Global Contexts Nursing Advancement
• HTHRSC 2500: Medical Terminology for the Health Professions
• HTHRSC 3400: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
• HTHRHSC 4900a: Evidence-based Research in Health Sciences
• HTHRHSC 4400b: Individual Differences in Patient/Client Populations
• HTHRHSC 4570: The Role of Integrative Medicine
• Sociol 5629: Health Disparities in Social Context
• Sociol 3630: Medical Sociology
• PUBHLTH 2010: Introduction to Global Public Health
• PUBHHBP 3510: The Role of Behavior in Public Health
• ENG 3361: Narrative and Medicine
• COMPSTD 3645: Cultures of Medicine
• HUMNNTR 3704: Public Health and Nutrition
• HUMNNTR 4504: Nutrition Education and Behavior Change
• KNHES 5651: Health Program Planning
• KNHES 5703: Health Behavior Theory
• KNHES 5704: Health Promotion Evaluation
• MEDCOLL 4660Hc: Primary Care across Countries
• MEDCOLL 4126: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Health
• BIOMSCI 4200H9d: Concepts in Healthcare I: Humanistic and Social Issues in Medicine & Biomedical Science
• History 2703: History of Public Health, Medicine and Disease
• History 2705: History of Medicine in Western Society
• History 3115: History of Medicine and Public Health in Latin America
• History 3701: History of American Medicine
• PHR 2367.01; 2367.02: Drug Use in American Culture
• PHR 3420: Generation Rx: America's Drug-Taking Culture
• PHR 5410: Understanding and Changing Vaccine Hesitancy Perspectives 

Approved Elective in Student’s Major: To maximize flexibility, students may also petition to have one relevant course fulfill one of the elective requirements for the certificate program. At the determination of the School of Communication, the content of the course must meet at least two of the learning objectives for the HCC. The petition would be reviewed by the administering unit (School of Communication).

The Science and Environmental Communication certificate program educates students on the theory and practice of communicating about scientific, environmental, and/or sustainability topics and issues. It aims to provide an opportunity for developing lifelong professional communication skills and highlights the interdisciplinary social-behavioral, educational, and psychological dimensions of science and environmental communication. The certificate program is designed to meet the needs of undergraduate students within STEM, environmental science, and sustainability fields of study for the communication knowledge and skills necessary to be successful professionals and leaders. 

Upon completion of the Science and Environmental Communication certificate, students will be prepared to:

1. Identify and apply communication theories to the design, execution, and evaluation of effective communication about science, environmental, and sustainability topics to organizational stakeholders and the general public.
2. Demonstrate the ability to engage in clear, persuasive, and professional strategic communication about science, the environment, and sustainability across a range of modalities (i.e. written, spoken, online, etc.,) and team, organizational, and public settings.
3. Enhance the ability to solve problems within science, environment, and sustainability fields through the interdisciplinary integration of communication knowledge and practice.

The Science and Environmental Certificate Program requires the completion of at least four courses for 12 credits, including two foundation courses. To declare the certificate program, students should meet with their assigned academic advisor or any advisor in the School of Communication. Any variation from the program described below needs the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students may request approval of a certificate variation by filing a petition through the School of Communication Advising Office. 

Required foundation courses (6 credit hours):

• Comm 2596: An Introduction to Health, Environment, Risk & Science Communication
• One of the following two courses:
  • Comm 4240: Science Communication
  • Comm 3340: Principles of Enviornmental Campaigns

Choose at least two courses from these electives (6 credit hours):

• Comm 2131: Business and Professional Speaking
• Comm 2511: Visual Communication Design
• Comm 3325: Intro to Organizational Communication
• Comm 3330: Communication and Conflict Management
• Comm 3332: Risk Communication
• Comm 3333: Crisis Communication
• Comm 3340: Principles of Environmental Campaigns (if not used above)
• Comm 3628: Contemporary Persuasion Theory
• Comm 4240: Science Communication (if not used above)
• ENR 2367: Communicating Environmental and Natural Resources Information
• ENR 3400: Psychology of Environmental Problems
• ENR 3611: Foundations for Environmental Communications, Education and Interpretation
• ENR 4611: Environmental Interpretation and Visitor Services
• ENR 5400: Interventions to Promote Pro-environmental Behavior
• AGCOMM 2130: Visual Media in Agriculture and Natural Resources
• AGCOMM 4130: Publication Design and Production
• AGCOMM 4530: Communicating Agricultural Issues
• AGCOMM 5535: Data Visualization and Scientific Storytelling
• COMPSTD 2104: Literature, Science, and Technology
• COMPSTD 2340: Introduction to Cultures of Science and Technology
• COMPSTD 2341 Technology, Science and Society
• COMPSTD 3646: Cultures, Natures, Technologies
• AEDECON 3102: Principles of Agribusiness Marketing
• PHR 3410: Science Communication & Engagement
• PHR 5410: Understanding and Changing Vaccine Hesitancy Perspectives
• CRPLAN 3550: Environmental Planning and Policy for a Sustainable Future
• EEOB 5610: Translating Evolution
• PHR 3410: Science Communication & Engagement
• PUBAFRS / ENVENG 5600: Science, Engineering and Public Policy
• PUBAFRS 5770: Risk & Decision Analysis in Public Affairs
• BIOETHC 5881: Sustainable Health Care in the Current Climate Crisis 

Approved Elective in Student’s Major: To maximize flexibility and recognize the wide-range of relevant science and sustainability focused coursework at Ohio State University, students may petition to have one course from within their major count toward fulfilling the elective coursework for the certificate program. Course content must meet one or more of the certificate ELOs as determined by the School of Communication. The petition would be reviewed by the administering unit (School of Communication). 

The Sports Communication certificate program provides a comprehensive education in sports communication by providing theories and knowledge about the role media plays in sports and society, and developing the skillset used in sports media relations to become an effective communication professional.

Upon completion of the Sports Communication certificate, students will be prepared to:

1. Understand and apply social-scientific theories to design, execute, and evaluate sports communication messages, campaigns, and experiences.
2. Identify and evaluate how societal issues impact the way we understand sports, race, and the world around us.
3. Demonstrate the ability to engage in clear, persuasive, and professional written and oral communication skills across various areas related to sports communication.

The Sports Communication Certificate Program requires the completion of at least four courses for 12 credits, including two foundational courses. Students should apply to the certificate program after their sophomore year. Below is the link to the online application. Admission requires a 2.5 cumulative OSU GPA. Any variation from the program described below needs the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students may request approval of a certificate variation by filing a petition through the School of Communication Advising Office.* 

Application to School of Communication Sports Communication Certificate program

Certificate Curriculum

Required foundation courses (6 credit hours):

• Comm 3415: Sports, Mass Media and Society
• One of the following two courses:
  • Comm 3403: Sports Writing and Editing
  • Comm 3415: Sports Media Relations

Choose at least two courses from these electives (6 credit hours):

• AfAmAASt 2275: Blackness and the Politics of Sports
• Comm 2131: Business and Professional Speaking
• KNSISM 3208: The Sport Industry
• KNSISM 4245: Leadership and Programming in the Sport Industry
• Philos 2456: Philosophy of Sport
• Psych 2420: Psychology Applied to Sport
• Slavic 2365.xx: Sports, Socialists, and Society in Russia & Eastern Europe
• Sociol 4655: Sociology of Sport (3) 

Approved Elective in Student’s Major: To maximize flexibility, students may also petition to have one relevant course fulfill one of the elective requirements for the certificate program. At the determination of the School of Communication, the content of the course must meet at least two of the learning objectives for the SPC. The petition would be reviewed by the administering unit (School of Communication).