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Degrees & Majors

Health Communication

Doctor of Philosophy

About

According to health communication scholar Gary Kreps (2003) and as written in the Healthy People 2020 project commissioned by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "health communication is the study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual and community decisions that affect health. It links the fields of communication and health and is increasingly recognized as a necessary element of efforts to improve personal and public health."

The Department of Communication Studies at IUPUI is pleased to offer one of the first Ph.D.s in the country specifically focused in health communication.

Students who pursue this degree will have the ability to work with our award-winning faculty in a dynamic program that offers robust opportunities for applied scholarship and research experiences. Classes are small, which allows students to build relationships with faculty and fellow students through discussion- and experience-oriented learning.

IUPUI is located in downtown Indianapolis, and our campus sits adjacent to the IU School of Medicine, the largest medical school in the country. Our students have accessible relationships with the academic medical center, nonprofit organizations, and businesses to participate in ongoing research projects as well as access for their own independent research.

The campus prides itself on the multidisciplinary work that happens here, as well as the strong mentorship provided to students. Students are given ample opportunity to gain research and teaching experience in a variety of health contexts.

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