Develop Effective Health Communication Skills
To prepare students for 21st-century roles in healthcare marketing, public and media relations, digital and integrated health communication, education, promotion, and advocacy, Boston University’s Metropolitan College and College of Communication offer the Master of Science in Health Communication (MSHC)—now with two new concentration options:
Healthcare issues affect people worldwide and can range from health system reform to environmental crises, to public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. United States Census Bureau data shows that one in five Americans will be 65 or older by 2034, while a report by Technavio shows that the value of the global health and wellness market is poised to grow by $1,299.8 billion through 2024. The impact of digital technology in healthcare will continue to reverberate, with venture funding for health tech innovators at $14 billion in 2020 and expected to increase, according to Deloitte. In fact, healthcare industries will be among those growing the fastest through 2029, according to The Economics Daily (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, September 2020). Whether driven by growth or disruption, healthcare organizations and the many affiliated health and wellness businesses will all need professional health communicators.
BU’s Health Communication master’s provides the essential skills, strategic insights, and up-to-the-minute industry knowledge required to navigate and interpret evolving information about healthcare, enabling you to provide informed messaging that cuts through the conflicting data, misinformation, and jargon that confuse the public. In order to prepare you to execute an effective and responsible communication strategy, BU’s program will help you develop a holistic understanding of biosystems and disease, the social and cultural determinants of public health, the American healthcare system, and epidemiology—ensuring that you have the critical ability to communicate information in a way both the media and the public can understand.
Program at a Glance
- Online
- 32 Credits
- 16–18 Months to Completion
- 13 Faculty
- No Capstone Required
- Tuition & Fees—Part-Time Study*: $24,640
*Based on 2024–2025 Boston University tuition and fees. Merit scholarship may reduce cost.
Advance Your Career as a Professional Health Communicator
Open to students of any major but geared toward professionals with a background in healthcare, public relations, journalism, marketing communication, or public health education, Boston University’s MS in Health Communication provides a comprehensive health education that prepares you for professional communication roles that make a difference and have the potential to save lives. Learn how to develop effective communication campaigns, tackle tough healthcare issues, improve health literacy, and provide valuable information to the media, the public, and other critical stakeholders. The Health Communication master’s program ensures that you develop leadership skills in the emerging fields of healthcare marketing, public relations, health literacy, crisis management, and social marketing—paving the way to careers within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and health insurance industries; consumer- and business-facing corporations; government agencies; healthcare organizations, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers; marketing and PR firms; nonprofit organizations; and with other employers seeking to advocate for, educate, and influence diverse audiences in the context of health and wellness.
BU’s Health Communication program is unique, offered 100% online with asynchronous learning while integrating communication and healthcare content in each course.
Awards & Accreditations
The elective course Visual Communication in the Digital Health Age (MET HC 762) received the 2017 Blackboard Catalyst Award for Teaching & Learning—a global honor recognizing excellence in delivering students a flexible, innovative online learning experience.
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“The Master of Science in Health Communication (MSHC) program offered exactly what I was looking for: an immersive, online platform that allowed me to really dive deeply into digital learning. It also inadvertently enriched my education when the COVID-19 crisis gave us proof that remote learning is not only possible but vital for the healthcare sector.”—Andrew M. Korda (MET’21), Graduate Assistant for Children’s Programming and Figure Skating, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Department (PERD), Boston University
Why Earn Your Master’s in Health Communication at Boston University?
- Active Learning Environment: BU MET’s Health Communication program provides practical, hands-on education that you can apply on the job.
- Career Counseling: MET’s Career Development office and BU’s Center for Career Development offer a variety of job-hunting resources, including one-on-one career counseling by appointment for both online and on-campus students.
- Engaged Faculty: In BU MET’s Health Communication program, you benefit from working closely with experienced health professionals and faculty experts from across Boston University, including the College of Communication, School of Public Health, and Metropolitan College.
- Extensive Network: Study principles of healthcare and communication alongside peers with industry experience, learn from faculty who have valuable contacts in the field, and benefit from an alumni community with strong professional connections.
- 15:1 Class Ratio: Enjoy an exceptional student-to-instructor ratio, ensuring close interaction with faculty and access to support.
- Valuable Resources: Make use of Boston University’s extensive resources, including the Center for Career Development, Educational Resource Center, Fitness & Recreation Center, IT Help Centers, Mugar Memorial Library, Center for Antiracist Research, Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, George Sherman Union, Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering, and many others.
- 100% Online: Study at the pace that works for you, fully online. Online courses have two starts per term.
- Merit Scholarships: US citizens and permanent residents are automatically considered during the application process and nominated based on eligibility. Learn more.
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Healthcare Communication
The Master of Science in Health Communication (MSHC)—developed in 2008 by Boston University’s Metropolitan College and College of Communication—was the first degree of its type to be offered fully online. The MSHC is part of BU’s Health Communication program, which also includes the Graduate Certificate in Foundations of Health Communication, the Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Promotion, Media & Marketing, and the Graduate Certificate in Visual & Digital Health Communication.
Designed for professional health communicators and those looking to transition into the field, BU’s Health Communication program offers a multidisciplinary curriculum that focuses on the intersection of healthcare, marketing, health literacy, public relations, and digital media in order to prepare students for the breadth of issues they will encounter as health communicators—from medical breakthroughs and the development of new products to government policies and public health challenges, and many others.
Taught by full-time university professors and leading professionals practicing in the field, coursework is practical and immediately applicable on the job. The program faculty create a dynamic learning environment by blending theory, practice, and scholarship in every course. The program curriculum, offered fully online, is designed to broaden and deepen students’ understanding of communications, PR, marketing, health sciences, and public health, as well as issues of privacy, regulation, ethics, health equity, and cultural humility.
Health Communication Concentration Options
BU MET’s MS in Health Communication degree program offers concentrations in:
Graduate with Expertise in Healthcare Communication
Metropolitan College’s Health Communication master’s degree will equip you to:
- Employ communication strategy, methods, and technology to communicate information, influence audiences, or affect change on health-related topics and issues.
- Evaluate the value and significance of traditional, social, and digital media practice in the health communication field.
- Demonstrate competence in communicating about healthcare, including how to develop purpose-driven, audience-specific materials.
- Understand and apply ethical and socially responsible health communication practices and strategies that consider privacy, regulatory, and legal issues specific to the healthcare industry.
- Interpret and apply basic communication research fundamentals to the field of health communication.
- Analyze, synthesize, interpret, and present health and scientific information using clear and concise messaging for public, media, and/or stakeholder consumption.
Certificate-to-Degree Pathway
BU MET graduate certificate programs can serve as building blocks to a master’s degree. Each certificate shares specific courses with the master’s in Health Communication program and its concentrations, giving you the option to take one or two certificates on your path to a master’s degree. Students currently enrolled in a graduate certificate who are interested in transitioning into a master’s degree should contact their academic advisor to declare their interest in this pathway. A new master’s degree application is not required. Connect with a graduate admissions advisor at metmshc@bu.edu to learn more about this option.
The following online graduate certificate programs can be applied to the master’s degree: Foundations of Health Communication; Healthcare Promotion, Media & Marketing; and Visual & Digital Health Communication. You can pair the Foundations of Health Communication certificate with either the Healthcare Promotion, Media & Marketing certificate or the Visual & Digital Health Communication certificate to earn the MSHC with the corresponding master’s concentration.
Master’s in Health Communication Curriculum
Boston University’s online Master of Science in Health Communication consists of eight required online courses (32 credits).
Core Courses
(Four courses/16 credits)
MET HC 550 US Healthcare System
Summer ‘24
This course provides students with basic knowledge of how the health care system in the U.S. is structured, and the policies, stakeholders and complexities impacting access to care, costs, quality and equity among various populations. Drawing on multiple views and opinions, students build on their perspectives as they critically analyze pros and cons of health system fundamentals. Students then apply their knowledge to a series of practical written assignments that help build a strategic plan for improving the health outcomes of an underserved population in their home state. An emphasis is placed on written and oral delivery of final project campaigns.
Please note: This 4-credit course meets over a 7-week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
MET HC 559 Health Communication Principles and Strategies
Summer ‘24
This foundational course examines and bridges the theory and practice of interpersonal, organizational, mass communication, and digital media relevant to the professional communicator and health practitioner alike. It reviews strategies of persuasion, the relationship between attitudes and health behavior through the lifespan, and the changing nature of health, illness and health delivery in local and global arenas. Students consider how the Social Determinants of Health (where we live, learn, work and play) impact health behaviors and outcomes for diverse populations. Starting with the history of health communication, students gain insight into the evolution of this emerging discipline, from public health education to its broader place in the marketing mix through recent decades. Guided by case studies, research and analysis, students explore the health communication cycle and strategic planning process using frames, channels and tools best suited for reaching behavioral, social, and organizational objectives. The course shifts from theoretical to practical, giving students hands-on experience developing a strategic health communication campaign that considers culture, age, gender and health literacy, to effectively -- and measurably -- influence health outcomes for its intended audience.
Please note: This 4-credit course meets over a 7-week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
MET HC 560 Research Methods for Health Communication
There is a growing demand for professionals with the skills to collect, analyze and interpret data. This course prepares students with essential knowledge of primary research methods, and how to apply them -- accurately and ethically -- to the practice of health communication. Beginning with the basics of research design and evaluation, the course progresses through qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods, survey design, descriptive statistics, focus groups and other approaches, with the goal of helping health communication professionals create meaningful, data- driven strategies, stories and content. Students will practice analyzing, interpreting and writing about various health studies presented throughout the course. Also emphasized is the application of research to advertising messaging and public relations strategies.
Please note: This 4-credit course meets over a 7-week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
MET HC 561 Writing for Health
Effectively communicating knowledge, methods, language and terminology from the complex fields of health, science and medicine- and writing about them plainly- requires an advanced command of language, and proficient use of health literacy principles. If writing does not come naturally to you, this course will introduce you to those health literacy principles, as well as formats and processes for developing materials with confidence. If you're a more experienced writer, get ready to hone your skills using best practices for creating various kinds of health content. Throughout the course you'll analyze different audience needs and refine writing strategies, style, voice, and vocabulary to accommodate each audience. You'll also practice essential writing qualities, including clarity and brevity, alongside advanced grammar, sentence structure and writing mechanics. Assignments include writing, revising, and editing clear, accurate, audience-appropriate content for a journalistic news report; a patient education print brochure; narrative feature storytelling; a health-related blog; scriptwriting for a visual public service announcement, and social media writing to promote your content
Please note: This 4-credit course meets over a 7- week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
Required Courses
(Four courses/16 credits)
Students who are not choosing a concentration must select four courses from the following lists, as indicated.
Choose one of the following:
MET HC 651 Epidemiology for Health Communication
This course is recommended for students who are not Epidemiology concentrators. The purpose of this course is to introduce the basic principles and methods of epidemiology and demonstrate their applicability in the field of public health. A further objective is to provide an introduction to the basic skills needed to critically interpret the epidemiologic literature relevant to public health professionals.
Please note: This 4-credit course meets over a 7-week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
MET HC 652 Biology of Disease
Summer ‘24
This course, designed for students who have little or no background in the biological sciences, provides a foundation in the biological mechanisms and principles underlying major health problems. Selected health problems are explored from a biological perspective in order to provide fundamental information about infectious and non-infectious agents of disease, disease transmission, biological defense mechanisms, co-evolution of man and microbes, the effects of nutritional deficiency and excess, effects of respiratory exposures, the biology of cancer, aging, and other topics. Each student completing this course should be able to knowledgeably participate in a discussion of related health problems with a basic understanding of the terminology, and the underlying biological mechanisms.
Please note: This 4- credit course meets over a 7-week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
And choose three of the following:
MET HC 651 Epidemiology for Health Communication
This course is recommended for students who are not Epidemiology concentrators. The purpose of this course is to introduce the basic principles and methods of epidemiology and demonstrate their applicability in the field of public health. A further objective is to provide an introduction to the basic skills needed to critically interpret the epidemiologic literature relevant to public health professionals.
Please note: This 4-credit course meets over a 7-week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
MET HC 652 Biology of Disease
Summer ‘24
This course, designed for students who have little or no background in the biological sciences, provides a foundation in the biological mechanisms and principles underlying major health problems. Selected health problems are explored from a biological perspective in order to provide fundamental information about infectious and non-infectious agents of disease, disease transmission, biological defense mechanisms, co-evolution of man and microbes, the effects of nutritional deficiency and excess, effects of respiratory exposures, the biology of cancer, aging, and other topics. Each student completing this course should be able to knowledgeably participate in a discussion of related health problems with a basic understanding of the terminology, and the underlying biological mechanisms.
Please note: This 4- credit course meets over a 7-week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
MET HC 655 Healthcare Marketing Strategies
This course provides an in-depth understanding of the essential concepts of marketing and their application to health care. Students gain a working knowledge of marketing tools (such as pricing, promotion, channels, consumer behavior, brand equity, and segmentation) and how to use them. Students build practical applied skills in analyzing marketing problems and developing marketing programs and strategies, with particular attention to health care and its organizational structures, financing, technologies, market demands, laws, and regulations. Students also expand their understanding of the differences and similarities between marketing in for- profit and not-for-profit health care organizations, and they increase their appreciation of the role of data collection, analysis, interpretation, and management in marketing decisions.
Please note: This 4-credit course meets over a 7-week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
MET HC 656 Healthcare Public Relations
Summer ‘24
Provides an overview of the professional principles and practices in public relations for corporate, governmental, agency and nonprofit organizations. Includes history, organization, and scope of the field; its roots in social science; types of campaigns and programs; and professional ethics. Theories, strategies, and tactics in current practice emphasized and applied to health communication. Explores opportunities and requirements for work in the field. Students will learn to apply the basic public relations campaign planning model and examine public relations specialty practice areas including media relations, community relations, government relations, crisis communication, investor relations and employee communication.
Please note: This 4-credit course meets over a 7-week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
MET HC 657 Digital Marketing for Healthcare
An overview of the theories, practices, and techniques in the dynamic field of interactive marketing communications (IAMC). Students gain an understanding of the strategy and tactics of IAMC and its place in the more comprehensive field of marketing communications. In addition, students review IAMC's relationship to and its effects on society, culture, and the economic system. The course will explore almost all the ways interactive marketing can be practiced via the Internet: historical introduction, dotcom era, basic principles, database marketing, etail, email, search (SEO & SEM/PPC), display advertising, social networking, gaming, mobile, et al.
Please note: This 4-credit course meets over a 7-week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
MET HC 658 Media Relations for Healthcare
Summer ‘24
Students learn publicity techniques used in mass media communication, including working with daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, radio, television, film and online media. The course will examine the principles and practices of working with mass media ""gatekeepers"" to accomplish campaign objectives as well as strategies and tactics for communicating directly with audiences through new media. Students will develop knowledge and skills related to the production and use of media relations tools with a focus on health communication. Case studies will be employed to understand the challenges and opportunities inherent in working with mass media as well as the special demands and practices associated with crisis communication. The course will also explore the roles of interactive and social media.
Please note: This 4-credit course meets over a 7-week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
MET HC 762 Visual Communication in the Digital Health Age
Over the past two decades, the power of visuals in learning and retention has been increasingly recognized -- attributing as much as 80% of retention to information that is visually communicated. In a recent study, 85% of working professionals agreed that creative thinking is critical for problem solving in their career, and 71% say creative thinking should be taught as a course, like math and science. The efficacy of the use of visual symbols has also been recognized for bridging language barriers in health care settings. This course provides health communication professionals the fundamental principles of design and how these relate to effective communication, particularly in health education and delivery applications. Course lectures and resources will guide students from visual design theory, straight through content creation and measuring effectiveness of visual messaging. Students will explore various media and tools used to create digital images and get hands-on practice in the image editing process. Topics include conceptual design, critical thinking in the creation of practical design, how design relates to industry, human perception and the visual process, and the use of symbols for immediacy and to bridge cultural and literacy divides. In addition to exploring popular digital vehicles for visual storytelling, such as infographics, data visualization, video and mobile, the course will also present real- world challenges, such as ethics and regulations in digital communications, as well as business processes. Course requires access to a smartphone with camera and video capability or a digital camera/video.
Please note: This 4-credit course meets over a 7- week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
MET HC 763 Social Media Strategies and Tactics for Healthcare
Summer ‘24
The course examines how healthcare organizations are tapping the power of social media to listen, learn, engage and act. This course helps students understand the power and importance of this fundamental shift in communication, and how savvy health care organizations are turning this shift into a strategic advantage. Together, we will examine the impact of the communication technology revolution on the field of health marketing and communication. Through extensive readings, case studies, project assignments, hands-on use of social media and weekly discussions, students will explore the extraordinary health communication challenges and opportunities driven by social media -- as well as the new and daunting problems and threats social media present to healthcare organizations. Students will learn how social media is used in health care and why using it effectively and efficiently has become a necessary skill for many health care professionals. As part of this course, students have the opportunity to earn the Mayo-Hootsuite Social Media Basics Certification, and participate in the Mayo Clinic Social Media Network community.
Please note: This 4-credit course meets over a 7-week period. Students should expect about twice the weekly workload of a 14-week course. [ 4 cr. ]
Health Communication Faculty
Tuition & Financial Assistance
Competitive Tuition
Our part-time rates are substantially lower than those of the traditional, full-time residential programs yet provide access to the same high-quality BU education.
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Comprehensive Financial Assistance
Our services include
scholarships, graduate loans, and payment plans.
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How Much Does This Program Cost?
Tuition, fees, and total program cost are determined by enrollment status. Course enrollment in this program is 1–2 courses (4–8 credits) in a semester, and tuition is charged as a part-time per-credit rate.
MS in Health Communication (Online)
| Enrollment Status |
Part Time |
| Courses per Semester |
2 courses
(8 credits) |
| Time to Degree |
4 semesters
(16 months) |
| Tuition* |
$550-$975
per credit** |
| Fees per Semester* |
$60 |
| Total Degree Cost* |
$24,640 |
*Based on 2023–2024 Boston University tuition & fee rates.
**Cost per credit is determined by course number (100–599 = $535/credit, 600–999 = $955/credit).
Questions? Please contact us to hear from an Admissions Advisor who can help you determine the best enrollment pathway. For information regarding financial aid, visit BU MET’s Financial Aid page.
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Please visit the BU MET admissions page for details on how to apply, financial assistance, tuition and fees, requirements for international students, and more.
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