Health Communication (BA Degree)
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Health Communication at Salem College provides students with a comprehensive understanding of healthcare data analysis and industry-specific communication strategies and frameworks. As part of their courses, students engage in data collection, learn statistics, and create communication materials, such as infographics, public service campaigns, and journalistic reporting.
By integrating communication courses and data analytics experiences into this major, students build in-demand skills that serve them well in their communications careers. The major intentionally engages students in data analytics, problem-solving approaches, and ethical decision making.
After developing their skills in the full process of gathering, evaluating, and presenting complex data, students are asked to forge solutions that are grounded in data. With this data-driven education, students are equipped to understand, evaluate, and enhance the health of persons, communities, and the environment as future health leaders.
Salem’s Bachelor of Arts in Health Communication degree prepares students to enter careers that include public health research, medical writing, healthcare marketing, technical writing in the field, and health journalism. These health communications courses are part of Salem College’s initiative to support more women to pursue Health Leadership careers.
Excited to explore the varied world of communication and health care, Salem students build an interdisciplinary understanding of health, science, communication, and statistics that equip them to make a positive impact in their communities.
Combining the expertise of multiple academic disciplines, the faculty provide students with a well-rounded perspective on health communications. Under their guidance, students develop career-ready skills in communications and data analytics.
As part of this unique major, students study data analytics and effective communication in healthcare as well as build their design skills. This dynamic combination specifically prepares students for a variety of roles in the healthcare field and offers practical transferable skills that could be utilized in nearly any career path.
Health Communication will develop students’ interdisciplinary understanding of health, science, communication, and statistics, as well as develop their skills in the full process of gathering, evaluating, and presenting complex data to audiences. The Bachelor of Arts in Health Communication will offer students a foundation of STEM, Social Science, Humanities, and Arts courses, as well as the opportunity to specialize by selecting interdisciplinary electives.
Students in this program will engage in data collection, learn statistics, and create communication materials, such as infographics, public service campaigns, and journalistic reporting. Thus, this program seeks to prepare students to understand, evaluate, and enhance the health of persons, communities, and the environment by equipping them to use data-informed processes to identify and evaluate health issues or health-based practices and inform a broader community about their conclusions. Furthermore, a focus on data analytics and effective communication of data will require students to engage in problem-solving approaches and ethical decision making. Students will be asked to forge complex solutions that are grounded in data so that they may become well-respected and effective leaders and change-makers in their professions and communities.
Scientific Inquiry & Knowledge (4 courses, 13-14 hrs)
PSYC 102. Research Methods in Psychology (4 hrs)
SCIE 050. Medical Terminology (1 hr)
Choose one:
BIOL 010. Principles of Biology (4 hrs)
BIOL 100. Cell and Molecular Biology (4 hrs)
Choose one:
CHEM 050. Modern Chemistry & Society (4 hrs)
CHEM 110. General Chemistry (5 hrs)
Data Analytics (3 courses, 10-11 hrs)
CPSC 100. Introduction to Programming (3 hrs)
CPSC 101. Intermediate Programming (4 hrs)
Choose one:
MATH 107. Statistics with R (4 hrs)
PSYC 201. Statistics with SPSS (3 hrs)
BIOL 205. Biometry (4 hrs)
Design Fundamentals (1 course, 4 hrs)
Choose one:
ARTD 040. Graphic Design and Communication (4 hrs)
ARTD 180. Visual Representation (4 hrs)
ARTD 209. Digital Design (4 hrs)
Communication Principles and Practices (3 courses, 9 hrs)
COMM 107. Digital Storytelling (3 hrs)
COMM 275. Health Communication (3 hrs)
COMM 322. Strategic Communication & Marketing (3 hrs)
Capstone Project (1 course, 3 hrs)
COMM 350. Capstone Health Publication/Production (3 hrs)
Electives (2 courses, 4-9 hrs)
ARTD 210. Web Design and Development (4 hrs)
ARTD 261. Digital Imaging and Graphic Design (4 hrs)
BIOL 070. Issues in Biology for Women (3 hrs)
BIOL 210. Ecology (4 hrs)
BIOL 218. Anatomy and Physiology I (5 hrs)
ENGL 235. Embodied Rhetorics (3 hrs)
ENGL 255. The Rhetoric of Health and Medicine (3 hrs)
ENGL 250. Introduction to Professional Writing (3 hrs)
ENVS 100. Introductory Environmental Studies (3 hrs)
EXER 210. Nutrition (3 hrs)
MATH 242. Nonparametric Statistical Methods (3 hrs)
HIST/POLI 224. History of U.S. Health Policy (3 hrs)
POLI 105. Introduction to Public Policy (3 hrs)
PSYC 010. Introduction to Psychological Science (4 hrs)
PSYC 100. Developmental Psychology (3 hrs)
PSYC 130. Social Psychology (3 hrs)
PSYC 140. Abnormal Psychology (3 hrs)
PSYC 160. Human Sexuality (3 hrs)
SCIE 040. Spreadsheets for Science/Math (2 hrs)
SCIE 110. Scientific Writing with LaTex (2 hrs)
SCIE 150. Introduction to Public Health (3 hrs)
SPAN 207. Translation I: Introduction to Translation (3 hrs)
SPAN 208. Translation II: Translation in the Health Professions (3 hrs)
SPAN 211. Medical Spanish (3 hrs)
Additional electives as approved by the department chair.
The minor consists of five courses in communication:
COMM 107. Digital Storytelling (3 hrs)
COMM 170. Intercultural Communication (3 hrs)
Choose three additional communication electives:
COMM 200. Independent Study in Communication and Media Studies (1-4 hrs)
COMM 220. Special Topics in Communication and Media Studies (1-4 hrs)
COMM 223. Race, Gender, and Class in Media (3 hrs)
COMM 250. Internship in Communication and Media Studies (1-4 hrs)
COMM 290. Honors Independent Study in Communication and Media Studies (1-4 hrs)
COMM 321. Community Journalism (3 hrs)
COMM 323. Research Methods in Communication (3 hrs)
COMM 325. Popular and Celebrity Culture (3 hrs)
Students must take at least three of the five courses in the minor at Salem College.
COMM 275. Health Communication (3 hrs) This course is a survey of scholarship related to health communication in interpersonal, media, and organizational health contexts. Students will gain knowledge of media representations of health, wellness, and science, while developing critical media literacy skills that enable them to identify misinformation. Students will engage in project-based community service in partnership with a local health-oriented organization.
ARTD 209. Digital Design (4 hrs) This course explores the basics of Macintosh computer operations and fundamental techniques of raster and vector-based graphics. Additionally, it introduces Web designs, 3D modeling and animation. Software: Illustrator®, PhotoShop®, Sketch Up®.
MATH 107. Statistical Methods with R (4 hrs) This course presents statistical inference with a focus on statistical computing in the R environment. Topics include: graphical representations of data; measures of central tendency and dispersion; binomial, normal, Student’s t, chi2- and F-distributions as they apply to inferential statistics; sampling methods; linear and multilinear regression, correlation; hypothesis testing; analysis of variance. Three lectures and a two-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Core curriculum Requirement in Mathematics.
PSYC 102. Research Methods in Psychology (4 hrs) An introduction to methodology in psychology. Design, execution, analysis and critical evaluation of psychological research. Applications include laboratory and descriptive research. Includes lecture and laboratory periods. Required for the major.
COMM 350. Capstone Health Publication/Production (3 hrs)
In this course, students will propose and complete a significant group project that synthesizes the knowledge and skills developed during the degree program. Drawing inspiration from the annual Salem College Health Leadership theme, students will conduct research, complete analyses, and create a multimedia publication or production that informs the community about an aspect of the theme. For example, the class might produce a podcast series, a series of infographics, or a dashboard informing students about maternal mortality rates in the NC Piedmont. Permission of the instructor required.
Salem’s Bachelor of Arts in Health Communication degree prepares students to enter careers that include public health research, medical writing, healthcare marketing, technical writing in the field, and health journalism. These health communications courses are part of Salem College’s initiative to support more women to pursue Health Leadership careers.
Excited to explore the varied world of communication and health care, Salem students build an interdisciplinary understanding of health, science, communication, and statistics that equip them to make a positive impact in their communities.
Combining the expertise of multiple academic disciplines, the faculty provide students with a well-rounded perspective on health communications. Under their guidance, students develop career-ready skills in communications and data analytics.
As part of this unique major, students study data analytics and effective communication in healthcare as well as build their design skills. This dynamic combination specifically prepares students for a variety of roles in the healthcare field and offers practical transferable skills that could be utilized in nearly any career path.
Health Communication will develop students’ interdisciplinary understanding of health, science, communication, and statistics, as well as develop their skills in the full process of gathering, evaluating, and presenting complex data to audiences. The Bachelor of Arts in Health Communication will offer students a foundation of STEM, Social Science, Humanities, and Arts courses, as well as the opportunity to specialize by selecting interdisciplinary electives.
Students in this program will engage in data collection, learn statistics, and create communication materials, such as infographics, public service campaigns, and journalistic reporting. Thus, this program seeks to prepare students to understand, evaluate, and enhance the health of persons, communities, and the environment by equipping them to use data-informed processes to identify and evaluate health issues or health-based practices and inform a broader community about their conclusions. Furthermore, a focus on data analytics and effective communication of data will require students to engage in problem-solving approaches and ethical decision making. Students will be asked to forge complex solutions that are grounded in data so that they may become well-respected and effective leaders and change-makers in their professions and communities.
Scientific Inquiry & Knowledge (4 courses, 13-14 hrs)
PSYC 102. Research Methods in Psychology (4 hrs)
SCIE 050. Medical Terminology (1 hr)
Choose one:
BIOL 010. Principles of Biology (4 hrs)
BIOL 100. Cell and Molecular Biology (4 hrs)
Choose one:
CHEM 050. Modern Chemistry & Society (4 hrs)
CHEM 110. General Chemistry (5 hrs)
Data Analytics (3 courses, 10-11 hrs)
CPSC 100. Introduction to Programming (3 hrs)
CPSC 101. Intermediate Programming (4 hrs)
Choose one:
MATH 107. Statistics with R (4 hrs)
PSYC 201. Statistics with SPSS (3 hrs)
BIOL 205. Biometry (4 hrs)
Design Fundamentals (1 course, 4 hrs)
Choose one:
ARTD 040. Graphic Design and Communication (4 hrs)
ARTD 180. Visual Representation (4 hrs)
ARTD 209. Digital Design (4 hrs)
Communication Principles and Practices (3 courses, 9 hrs)
COMM 107. Digital Storytelling (3 hrs)
COMM 275. Health Communication (3 hrs)
COMM 322. Strategic Communication & Marketing (3 hrs)
Capstone Project (1 course, 3 hrs)
COMM 350. Capstone Health Publication/Production (3 hrs)
Electives (2 courses, 4-9 hrs)
ARTD 210. Web Design and Development (4 hrs)
ARTD 261. Digital Imaging and Graphic Design (4 hrs)
BIOL 070. Issues in Biology for Women (3 hrs)
BIOL 210. Ecology (4 hrs)
BIOL 218. Anatomy and Physiology I (5 hrs)
ENGL 235. Embodied Rhetorics (3 hrs)
ENGL 255. The Rhetoric of Health and Medicine (3 hrs)
ENGL 250. Introduction to Professional Writing (3 hrs)
ENVS 100. Introductory Environmental Studies (3 hrs)
EXER 210. Nutrition (3 hrs)
MATH 242. Nonparametric Statistical Methods (3 hrs)
HIST/POLI 224. History of U.S. Health Policy (3 hrs)
POLI 105. Introduction to Public Policy (3 hrs)
PSYC 010. Introduction to Psychological Science (4 hrs)
PSYC 100. Developmental Psychology (3 hrs)
PSYC 130. Social Psychology (3 hrs)
PSYC 140. Abnormal Psychology (3 hrs)
PSYC 160. Human Sexuality (3 hrs)
SCIE 040. Spreadsheets for Science/Math (2 hrs)
SCIE 110. Scientific Writing with LaTex (2 hrs)
SCIE 150. Introduction to Public Health (3 hrs)
SPAN 207. Translation I: Introduction to Translation (3 hrs)
SPAN 208. Translation II: Translation in the Health Professions (3 hrs)
SPAN 211. Medical Spanish (3 hrs)
Additional electives as approved by the department chair.
The minor consists of five courses in communication:
COMM 107. Digital Storytelling (3 hrs)
COMM 170. Intercultural Communication (3 hrs)
Choose three additional communication electives:
COMM 200. Independent Study in Communication and Media Studies (1-4 hrs)
COMM 220. Special Topics in Communication and Media Studies (1-4 hrs)
COMM 223. Race, Gender, and Class in Media (3 hrs)
COMM 250. Internship in Communication and Media Studies (1-4 hrs)
COMM 290. Honors Independent Study in Communication and Media Studies (1-4 hrs)
COMM 321. Community Journalism (3 hrs)
COMM 323. Research Methods in Communication (3 hrs)
COMM 325. Popular and Celebrity Culture (3 hrs)
Students must take at least three of the five courses in the minor at Salem College.
COMM 275. Health Communication (3 hrs) This course is a survey of scholarship related to health communication in interpersonal, media, and organizational health contexts. Students will gain knowledge of media representations of health, wellness, and science, while developing critical media literacy skills that enable them to identify misinformation. Students will engage in project-based community service in partnership with a local health-oriented organization.
ARTD 209. Digital Design (4 hrs) This course explores the basics of Macintosh computer operations and fundamental techniques of raster and vector-based graphics. Additionally, it introduces Web designs, 3D modeling and animation. Software: Illustrator®, PhotoShop®, Sketch Up®.
MATH 107. Statistical Methods with R (4 hrs) This course presents statistical inference with a focus on statistical computing in the R environment. Topics include: graphical representations of data; measures of central tendency and dispersion; binomial, normal, Student’s t, chi2- and F-distributions as they apply to inferential statistics; sampling methods; linear and multilinear regression, correlation; hypothesis testing; analysis of variance. Three lectures and a two-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Core curriculum Requirement in Mathematics.
PSYC 102. Research Methods in Psychology (4 hrs) An introduction to methodology in psychology. Design, execution, analysis and critical evaluation of psychological research. Applications include laboratory and descriptive research. Includes lecture and laboratory periods. Required for the major.
COMM 350. Capstone Health Publication/Production (3 hrs)
In this course, students will propose and complete a significant group project that synthesizes the knowledge and skills developed during the degree program. Drawing inspiration from the annual Salem College Health Leadership theme, students will conduct research, complete analyses, and create a multimedia publication or production that informs the community about an aspect of the theme. For example, the class might produce a podcast series, a series of infographics, or a dashboard informing students about maternal mortality rates in the NC Piedmont. Permission of the instructor required.
See our Academic Catalog for all of our course offerings.
Salem College offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Health Communication providing students with a career-focused education. Developing multiple skill sets in data analytics and communications, the courses expose students to a variety of perspectives on healthcare that prepare them for a future in Health Leadership.
Request information to learn more.