Communication is one of the most important features of health care across contexts. Health care providers looking to improve interactions and to engage in effective communication is key to patient wellness and safety. Improved health communication skills between patients and healthcare providers leads to better outcomes for patients, reducing hospital re-admissions caused by ineffective provider-patient and provider team communication.
The SDSU Online Certificate in Health Communication guides health care professionals in improving communication across health care contexts, and provides certified Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits, which are required for licensure as a healthcare professional. The online certificate courses teach students how to collaborate with healthcare patients and families to pursue treatment options and ensure compliance. Learn how to apply best practices for competent communication with patients from a variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
The Online Health Communication certificate program is a joint providership of SDSU and Sharp HealthCare. Sharp HealthCare is accredited by the Council for Continuing Medical Education (CCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Each online course is four weeks of instruction designated for 8 Continuing Medical Education (CME) Credits. The online certificate program is designed to meet the needs of working health care professionals in the medical field, with curriculum from cutting edge health communication research conducted at SDSU.
Estimated Cost
Min. Completion Time
Course FormatLearners choose one of two tracks to earn the full certificate after four courses.
| Track A: Patient-Provider Communication (complete all 4) | Hours | Cost | 20SP |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCC 0001 Foundations of Health Communication (the first course in each track) | 12 | $420 | |
| HCC 0002 Patient-Provider Communication | 12 | $420 | |
| HCC 0003 Health Communication and Cultural Competence | 12 | $420 | 1/13-2/21 |
| HCC 0004 Interprofessional Communication | 12 | $420 | 3/2-4/10 |
| Track B: Strategic Health Communication (complete 4) | Hours | Cost | 20SP |
| HCC 0001 Foundations of Health Communication (the first course in each track) | 12 | $420 | |
| HCC 0005 Risk and Crisis Communication | 12 | $420 | |
| HCC 0006 Health Campaigns | 12 | $420 | 1/13-2/21 |
| HCC 0007 Health Promotion at Work | 12 | $420 | 3/2-4/10 |
Dates and prices subject to change.
For additional information email healthcommunication.ces@sdsu.edu or call (619) 594-0845.