Founded in 1994 the Master of Science in Health Communication is offered by Tufts University Medical School in collaboration with Emerson College, a close academic neighbor in downtown Boston. Tufts has a distinguished history of training public health and medical professionals, while Emerson has a distinguished history of training communication and journalism professionals in all areas of media.
The Health Communication Program provides students with a solid foundation in the science, theory, and practice of effective health communication in a population-based environment, as well as the basic elements of medicine, epidemiology and public health practice. Students learn to develop, deliver, and evaluate effective health promotion and disease prevention programs and campaigns; to disseminate health information; and to develop, formulate, implement and advocate for health policy initiatives. Graduates receive the skills and knowledge to assume a range of roles in diverse settings: biotech firms, federal agencies, foundations, health departments, hospitals, non profits and publishing companies. The program places a heavy emphasis on "hands-on" applied learning, with each student expected to complete an advanced level applied learning project in order to graduate. While health communication ranges from one-on-one, such as patient-provider dialogue, to mass communication and the program addresses the full continuum, a public health approach to communication is emphasized.
