Course Description
The theory, research, and skills necessary to design and implement health communication interventions. Students will learn how to select objectives, how to segment and analyze audiences, how to use formative research techniques, how to design effective messages using behavior change and communication theories, how to select appropriate channels, how to implement interventions, and how to evaluate them.
Athena Title
PUB HEALTH COMM
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in SPCM(JRMC)(PBHL) 8165
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
a. Students will be able to: i. Analyze a health problem to determine if a communication intervention is appropriate ii. Use formative research techniques to segment audiences and develop audience profiles iii. Apply behavioral and communication theories to design messages for the intervention and pretest them iv. Select appropriate channels to deliver the messages v. Design process and summative evaluations for the intervention.
Topical Outline
1. The role of communication in health promotion and behavioral change 2. Problem analysis to determine if a communication intervention is appropriate 3. Audience segmentation 4. Formative research techniques 5. Behavioral and communication theories that guide message design 6. Working with creative teams to design messages 7. Pretesting messages 8. Characteristics of media channels 9. Summative evaluation of communication interventions