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  • Public Health and Communication Studies, BA

Public Health and Communication Studies, BA

2023-2024 Edition

  • Undergraduate
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    • College of Arts, Media and Design
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      • Interdisciplinary Programs
      • School of Clinical and Rehabilitation Sciences
      • School of Community Health and Behavioral Sciences
        • Public Health, BA
        • Health Science, BS
        • Business Administration and Public Health, BS
        • Data Science and Health Science, BS
        • Environmental Engineering and Health Science, BSEnvE
        • Health Humanities and Health Science, BS
        • Health Science and Business Administration, BS
        • Health Science and Communication Studies, BS
        • Health Science and Psychology, BS
        • Health Science and Sociology, BS
        • Health Humanities and Public Health, BA
        • Public Health and Communication Studies, BA
        • Public Health and Cultural Anthropology, BA
        • Public Health and Journalism, BA
        • Public Health and Sociology, BA
        • Early Intervention, Minor
        • Exercise Science, Minor
        • Global Health, Minor
        • Health Psychology, Minor
        • Health, Humanities, and Society, Minor
        • Healthcare System Operations, Minor
        • Mindfulness Studies, Minor
        • Nutrition, Minor
        • Public Health, Minor
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    • Student Handbook
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  • College of Professional Studies Undergraduate
  • Graduate
  • Course Descriptions
  • Catalog Archives
  • Overview
  • Program Requirements
  • Plan of Study

The combined Bachelor of Arts in Public Health and Communication Studies offers an interdisciplinary approach to public health communication. Students combine courses from public health, social sciences, and communication studies to study the important role of communication in shaping the public’s understanding of health issues. The interdisciplinary curriculum is enhanced by experiential learning opportunities and is designed to prepare students for challenging careers that involve crafting messages about health, developing strategies for promoting access to healthcare services, and specific applications such as disease awareness and prevention. 

Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

Universitywide Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.

BA Language Requirements

All BA students are required to complete the BA degree language requirements, for a total of 12 semester hours of language study or demonstrated equivalent proficiency, as described in Additional Requirements for BA students. Successful demonstration of proficiency does not reduce total minimum semester hours of study required to earn the BA degree.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

Public Health Requirements

Public Health Core Courses

Course List
Code Title Hours
PHTH 1260The American Healthcare System4
or PHTH 1261 Comparative Healthcare Systems
PHTH 2210
and PHTH 2211
Foundations of Biostatistics
and Recitation for PHTH 2210
4
PHTH 2300Communication Skills for the Health Professions4
or PHTH 2301 Communication Skills for the Health Professions—Global
PHTH 2350Community and Public Health4
or PHTH 2351 Community and Public Health - Global
PHTH 2515Healthcare Policy and Administration4
PHTH 4120Global Perspectives on Discrimination and Health4
PHTH 4202Principles of Epidemiology in Medicine and Public Health4
PHTH 4540Health Education and Program Planning4

Science Core Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
PSYC 1101Foundations of Psychology4
Biology
Complete one of the following options:8-10
Option 1
BIOL 1141
Microbes and Society
BIOL 1147
The Human Organism
Option 2
BIOL 1111
and BIOL 1112
General Biology 1
and Lab for BIOL 1111
BIOL 1113
and BIOL 1114
General Biology 2
and Lab for BIOL 1113

Social Science Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Introductory Course
Complete one of the following:4
ANTH 1101
Peoples and Cultures
ECON 1115
and ECON 1125
Principles of Macroeconomics
and Recitation for ECON 1115
ECON 1116
and ECON 1126
Principles of Microeconomics
and Recitation for ECON 1116
ENGL 1300
Introduction to Health and Humanities
HUSV 1101
Social Change and Human Services
INTL 1101
Globalization and International Affairs
PHIL 1101
Introduction to Philosophy
POLS 1160
International Relations
SOCL 1101
Introduction to Sociology
Upper-Level Course
Complete one of the following:3-4
Society and Behavior
ANTH 3441
Medical Anthropology
CRIM 3040
Psychology of Crime
ECON 3420
Urban Economic Issues
HLTH 5280
The (in)Visibility of (dis)Ability in Society
PHTH 5222
Health Advocacy
PSYC 3402
Social Psychology
PSYC 3404
Developmental Psychology
PSYC 3450
Learning and Motivation
SOCL 3241
Violence and Society
SOCL 3441
Sociology of Health and Illness
SOCL 4520
Race, Class, and Gender
Globalization and Global Health
AFRS 3424
Epidemiology of Pandemic Diseases and Health Disparities in the African Diaspora
ECON 3404
International Food Policy
INTL 3200
Cities in a Global Context
or INTL 3201
Cities in a Global Context (Abroad)
INTL 3400
International Conflict and Negotiation
PHTH 5230
Global Health
POLS 3487
Politics of Developing Nations
Environmental Health and Climate Change
ECON 3423
Environmental Economics
INTL 5100
Climate and Development
or PPUA 5100
Climate and Development
PHTH 5214
Environmental Health
PPUA 5238
Climate Change and Global Urbanization
Law, Policy, and Human Rights
ECON 3424
Law and Economics
PHIL 5001
Global Justice
PHIL 5002
Ethics and Public Policy
POLS 3307
Public Policy and Administration
POLS 3900
Social Policy
PHTH 4515
Critical Issues in Health and Public-Health Policy
Healthcare Administration and Management
ECON 3413
Health Economics and Healthcare Policy
MGMT 3340
Healthcare Management, Innovation, and Design
ORGB 3201
Organizational Behavior
PHTH 4511
Healthcare Management
PHTH 5232
Evaluating Healthcare Quality
PHTH 5234
Economic Perspectives on Health Policy

Communication Studies Requirements

Required Courses

Course List
Code Title Hours
COMM 1101Introduction to Communication Studies4
COMM 1112Public Speaking4
or COMM 2301 Communication Research Methods

Foundation Course

Course List
Code Title Hours
Complete one of the following:4
COMM 1210
Persuasion and Rhetoric
COMM 1225
Communication Theory
COMM 1231
Principles of Organizational Communication
COMM 1255
Communication in a Digital Age

Cluster Course

Course List
Code Title Hours
Complete one of the following:4
COMM 1131
Sex, Relationships, and Communication
COMM 2303
Global and Intercultural Communication
COMM 2304
Communication and Gender
COMM 2501
Communication Law
COMM 2551
Free Speech in Cyberspace

Writing-Intensive Courses

Course List
Code Title Hours
Complete two of the following:8
COMM 3200
Mobile Communication
COMM 3201
Health Communication
COMM 3230
Interpersonal Communication
COMM 3304
Communication and Inclusion
COMM 3320
Political Communication
COMM 3415
Communication Criticism
COMM 3445
Public Relations Principles
COMM 3500
Environmental Issues, Communication, and the Media
COMM 3501
Free Speech: Law and Practice
COMM 3530
Communication and Sexualities
COMM 3532
Theories of Conflict and Negotiation
COMM 4535
Nonverbal Social Interaction
COMM 4605
Youth and Communication Technology
COMM 4631
Crisis Communication and Image Management

Communication Studies Electives

Course List
Code Title Hours
Complete three additional COMM courses.12

Supporting Course Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Introduction to College (based on home college)1
HSCI 1000
College: An Introduction
COMM 1000
Communication Studies at Northeastern
Co-op Preparation (based on home college)1
HSCI 2000
Professional Development for Bouvé Co-op
EEAM 2000
Professional Development for Co-op
Writing Courses
ENGW 1111First-Year Writing4
Advanced Writing in the Disciplines4
Complete one of the following:
ENGW 3306
Advanced Writing in the Health Professions
ENGW 3314
Advanced Writing in the Arts, Media, and Design
Capstone and Integrative Course4
Complete one of the following:
HSCI 4720
Health Science Capstone—Service (Prerequisite course HSCI 4700)
HSCI 4730
Health Science Capstone—Research (Prerequisite course HSCI 4700)
HSCI 4740
Health Science Capstone Seminar (Prerequisite course HSCI 4700)
COMM 4102
Health Communication Campaigns

General Electives

Course List
Code Title Hours
Complete 16 semester hours of general electives.16

Public Health Major Requirement

A grade of C or higher is required for all BIOL, HSCI, and PHTH courses.

Communication Studies Grade Requirement

No more than two grades below a C in COMM courses may be used to fulfill degree requirements. 

Public Health and Communication Studies Major Credit Requirement

Minimum of 91 semester hours required

Program Requirement

130 total semester hours required

Four Years/Two Co-ops in Spring/Summer 1—Bouvé Student Sample

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1Hours 
HSCI 10001ENGW 11114PHTH 23504 
PHTH 12604BIOL course—see options4General elective4 
PSYC 11014Elementary language course4  
BIOL course—see options4General elective4  
Elementary language course4   
 17 16 8 
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
HSCI 20001Co-opCo-opPHTH 23004
PHTH 2210
and PHTH 2211
4 General elective4ENGW 33064
COMM 11014   
COMM 1112 or PHTH 23014   
COMM elective4   
 17 0 4 8
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
PHTH 25154Co-opCo-opPHTH 41204
Social science course4 General elective4PHTH 45404
COMM foundation course4  HSCI 47000
COMM elective4   
 16 0 4 8
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
PHTH 42024COMM elective4  
COMM cluster course4COMM writing-intensive course4  
HSCI 4720, 4730, or 47404Social science course4  
COMM writing-intensive course4Intermediate language course4  
 16 16  
Total Hours: 130

Four Years/Two Co-ops in Summer 2/Fall—CAMD Student Sample

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1Hours 
COMM 10001PSYC 11014PHTH 25154 
PHTH 12604BIOL course—see options4General elective4 
ENGW 11114Elementary language course4  
BIOL course—see options4General elective4  
Elementary language course4   
 17 16 8 
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
COMM 11014EEAM 20001PHTH 23004Co-op
COMM 1112 or 23014PHTH 2210
and PHTH 2211
4ENGW 33144 
COMM foundation course4PHTH 23504  
COMM elective 4COMM cluster course4  
 Social science course4  
 16 17 8 0
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
Co-op PHTH 42024PHTH 41204Co-op
General elective4COMM writing-intensive course4PHTH 45404 
 COMM elective4  
 Intermediate language course4  
 4 16 8 0
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
Co-opCOMM 41024  
General elective4COMM elective4  
 COMM writing-intensive course4  
 Social science course4  
 4 16  
Total Hours: 130
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