The Culture, Communication, and Health Certificate is an interdisciplinary program in which students examine the rich interplay among culture, communication, and the health care context. A comprehensive understanding of contemporary health care requires an appreciation of the multiple ways that culture and societal institutions influence the communication (and miscommunication) of health information within an administrative or service delivery context. The complex intersections among culture, communication and health cannot be understood in isolation; rather they are most effectively appreciated when studied in a multi-disciplinary context. In this program, students can gain a fundamental understanding of the subtle, dynamic role that culture plays in the practice and communication of health information. A critical component of contemporary health care is cultural competence, and completing the requirements of this certificate offers students the academic and practical skills needed to implement a culturally competent approach to health care.
Students who complete this certificate are expected to understand the value of diversity; to have the capacity for cultural self-reflection, including diverse health beliefs, values, and practices; to be aware of the dynamics inherent when cultures interact, with an emphasis on health communication and health issues and contexts; to recognize the importance of effective health communication in a diverse community; and to develop the skills necessary to make adaptations to health communication within an administrative or service delivery context reflecting an understanding of diversity between and within cultures.
The academic units participating in this certificate program are the Departments of Anthropology, Health Sciences, Psychology, and Sociology, and the School of Communication.
Admission and Completion: For admission to this certificate program, a student must earn at least a B- in one of the prerequisite courses (ANT 100 or SOC 201 ). To receive the certificate, a GPA of at least 2.8 must be achieved for the coursework completed for the certificate. A student must also complete an Intent to Complete the Certificate in Culture, Communication, and Health Form which can be obtained from the academic adviser in the Department of Health Sciences.
About Required Courses: The certificate requires 20-21semester hours. These include 7 hours of core courses in health sciences and communication, 11-12 hours of electives, and a 2-3 credit internship/cooperative education experience requiring a culture, communication, and health focus.
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