Program Overview

Health Literacy Graduate Certificate

The Health Literacy Graduate Certificate is designed to strengthen competencies in fields such as nursing, social work, public health, and adult literacy. This online graduate certificate combines a theoretical and practical approach to issues of health literate communication in adult education, the health professions, healthcare administration, and public health.

Program Description

Improved health literacy increases health equity, and addressing health literacy reduces disparities through improved communication between patients and health consumers and those who provide health information. The program gives students a systematic understanding of how health literacy impacts education, health outcomes, health communication, health promotion, and behavior between and among individuals, businesses, healthcare entities, and traditional and digital media.

Admission Requirements

When applying to the Health Literacy Graduate Certificate program, the following documents are required:

• Online application
• Application fee of $50
• Goals statement
• Official transcript: Minimum 2.5 undergraduate GPA or master's degree required for admission

Curriculum

The program requires a minimum of 12 semester hours for completion. The required courses include:

• EPY 8070 – Understanding and Facilitating Adult Learning (3 credit hours)
• EPY 8265 – Health Behavior: Acquisition and Change (3 credit hours)
• PHPB 8275 – Health Literacy (3 credit hours) Students must also choose one course from the following options:
  • NURS 8100 – Health in Vulnerable Populations (3 credit hours)
  • NURS 8675 – Health & Law Vulnerable Populations & Disparities (3 credit hours)
  • PHPB 8255 – Health Communication (3 credit hours)
  • SW 8330 – Contemporary Health Challenges (3 credit hours)
  • SW 8350 – Economic Justice, Inequality, and Poverty (3 credit hours)

Tuition and Fees

The program offers a residency-neutral tuition rate of $450 per credit hour, with an additional $660 per semester online learning fee for students enrolled in 6 or more credit hours.

Program Goals and Outcomes

Upon completion of the certificate, students will be able to:

• Identify basic theories, concepts, and models from a range of social and behavioral disciplines used in adult education, public health research, and practice
• Apply steps and procedures for planning, implementing, and evaluating programs, policies, and interventions
• Apply evidence-based principles and the scientific knowledge base to critical evaluation and decision-making
• Assess individual, organizational, and community concerns and resources for healthcare and health outcomes
• Implement best-practice social, emotional, and cognitive practices in applying health literate principles to the instructional process and learning outcomes

Career Opportunities

This graduate certificate will add a skill set to careers such as nursing, research, public health, and social work.

Program Details

The program is designed for adult educators, researchers, healthcare professionals, health system employees, and public health practitioners. It is offered entirely online and can be completed in 2 to 4 semesters. The application deadlines are July 15 for fall admission, December 1 for spring admission, and the program does not admit students for the summer semester.