(NAPSI)—If you or someone you know is exploring careers that make a
difference, consider the fast-growing field of professional health
communication.
As the health care industry continues to dominate the U.S. economy, the
market demand for health communicators has grown quickly. Those with
master’s degrees constitute the core of this increasingly popular
profession. As the World Health Organization (WHO) put it, “Health
communicators have a unique opportunity to provide meaningful input in
improving and saving lives.”
The Problem:
Not many people know that they can get a degree in professional health
communication studies or how to go about it.
An Answer:
To make it easier for working professionals to earn advanced credentials
in the health communication field, Boston University Metropolitan College
offers a fully online Master of Science in Health Communication (MSHC)
program.
Admission to the program, which has received global and national
recognition for outstanding work, is handled on a rolling basis throughout
the year.
Expert’s Opinion
“Health care is personal and it touches everyone,” said Leigh Curtin-Wilding,
Program Director for Boston University’s Online Health Communication
Graduate Program. “Considering today’s pace of technological
advances, scientific breakthroughs, the needs of an aging population and
other trends up ahead, how can consumers and patients be assured
they’re making the best choices for their health? Who will advocate for
the unmet needs of at-risk populations? The chances are high that a
professional health communicator will be involved in this work.”
Health Care Is Big
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for all
health care occupations is expected to grow 18 percent through 2026 and add
more jobs than any other occupational group. Professional health
communication opportunities are found at federal, state and local agencies,
public relations and marketing agencies, hospitals and commercial
organizations, consulting firms, health insurance companies and many other
areas.
Added Curtin-Wilding: “There was a time when a public health degree
was the gold standard for this discipline. But we live in a connected world
now. The scope of modern health communication spans research, community
engagement, advocacy and the use of multimedia communication, including
digital tools and social marketing. Our graduates are prepared to lead the
way with skills in these areas, as well as up-to-the-minute knowledge in
health care policy, biology of disease, epidemiology, marketing, public and
media relations, writing and health literacy.”
The Boston University MSHC was the first program of its kind taught
entirely online. It offers rolling, year-round enrollment for the 10-course
master’s program, which can be completed in 18 months, on average.
In 2016, BU introduced a new graduate certificate in Visual and Digital
Health Communication. Usually completed in less than a year, the four-course
certificate program features online studies in Social Media Strategies &
Tactics that includes membership in the Mayo Clinic Social Media Network.
Students also study Visual Communication in the Digital Health Age, an online
course blending design theory with hands-on know-how needed to produce visual
assets such as logos, infographics and health care−specific explainer
videos.
Purposeful Career with Many
Different Paths
Joseph Krause, of Summit, N.J., earned his Master of Science in Health
Communication from Boston University’s online program in 2012. His
degree helped him co-found AchieveIt, a business specializing in strategy
execution for organizations primarily focused in health care.
“When I attended my Boston graduation, I met many of the classmates
I’d previously formed relationships with during my online studies. We
talked about how we planned to use our newfound degrees—I had no idea
how many different directions this program could take you in,
professionally,” said Krause.
Learn More
For further facts, visit www.bu.edu/online/programs/graduate-programs/health-communication/.
Find BU on Facebook
@BUHealthCommunication
“According to the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics, employment for all health care occupations is expected to
grow 18 percent through 2026 and add more jobs than any other occupational
group. http://bit.ly/2IrFAhG”
On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)