This Linked B.A.-M.A. in Health and Risk Communication program is designed for students who want to pair their undergraduate majors in ComArtSci with their interests in health promotion, health education, prevention, and health and risk communication.
ALL undergraduate students in ComArtSci at MSU can apply to this college-level linked program!
As a major in
- Advertising/Public Relations,
- Communication, Journalism,
- Media & Information,
- or Communicative Sciences and Disorders
you are eligible to apply once you have completed at least 86 undergraduate credits. Admission applications must be made prior to the final semester as an undergraduate.
Admission Process
Admission to the program requires the following:
- A minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 based on all courses taken at MSU.
- A statement of goals for the M.A. degree.
- GRE scores are not required
- 3 letters of recommendation from faculty in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences
- A resume
- An approved program of study for the M.A. degree at the time of admission.
- It is recommended that students complete a special topic course in the areas of health and risk communication through COM 330 or a campaign-focused course in the college, such as ADV 486, COM 475, or ADV 430.
Admission to the linked Bachelor’s-Masters program allows up to 9 credits to be applied toward the Masters program for qualifying 400-level and above coursework taken at the undergraduate level at Michigan State University. Only credits taken after admission to the program can count toward the Masters degree.
The number of approved credits, not to exceed 10, are applied toward the credit requirement of the Masters degree. No 400-level courses with a grade lower than 3.0 will count toward the Masters. Credit obtained from 400-level pass-fail courses and internships will not count toward the degree. Credits applied to the linked Bachelor’s-Masters program are not eligible to be applied to any other graduate degree program.
About the Program
The M.A. Program in Health & Risk Communication, co-sponsored by the College of Communication Arts and Sciences and the College of Human Medicine, is designed for students with interests in health and/or risk communication who want to do work that impacts health behavior and health outcomes might be a strong fit for the program. The program will prepare you to design, implement and evaluate health communication materials for local, state or national organizations. The program also prepares interested students for PhD programs, and our students are accepted in top programs across the country.
Students complete core courses in the following areas: mass communication and public health, health communication for diverse populations, research methods, health and science writing, media relations, introduction to descriptive and analytical epidemiology and a practicum experience in the field of health communication. Students also choose health related electives from departments in ComArtSci and from across the MSU campus and complete a comprehensive exam as the final requirement of this 33 credit program.
Questions? Additional information about the Master's in Health and Risk Communication Program may be obtained from:
Ralf Schmaelzle
Director, Masters of Health and Risk Communication Program
schmaelz@msu.edu
Lisabeth Bylina
Academic Programs Coordinator
bylinali@msu.edu
517-355-3471
404 Wilson Rd, 472 ComArtSci
East Lansing, MI 48824-1212