Chairperson
| Makhoul, Jihad |
| Professors | Abdulrahim, Sawsan; Makhoul, Jihad |
| Associate Professors | Kabakian-Khasholian, Tamar; El Kak, Faysal (Joint appointment with FM) |
| Lecturers | Al Barazi, Rana; Kanj, Mayada; Khawam, Grace |
| Instructors of Public Health Practice | Kalot, Joumana; Najem, Martine |
| Part-time Instructor | Hassan, Nabil |
| Affiliate | Saracini, Federico |
| Research Affiliate | Salloum, Ramzi |
The department offers a three-year bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree in health communication (HCOM) and a master of public health (MPH) degree in health promotion and community health (HPCH).
The HCOM program prepares undergraduate students to develop, deliver, and evaluate health communication tools and activities; and to communicate health information to diverse audiences. Students enrolled in the program will receive most of their disciplinary training in the HPCH department but will also take courses in the media studies program at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). HCOM courses are designed to train students in public health theory and methods; planning, managing and evaluating health communication; and communicating health messages to audience of interest.
The HPCH department also contributes to teaching courses in other undergraduate programs in the Faculty of Health Sciences and in a teaching diploma in health education with the Department of Education at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
Bachelor of Arts in Health Communication
Promotion
For promotion from year I to year II, students must complete a minimum of 32 credits. For promotion from year II to year III, students must complete a minimum of 66 credits.
Residency Requirements
As per AUB policy, students must earn their final forty-five (45) credits while in residence (refer to the General University Academic Information section). Given the structured curriculum, and course offerings, students of the Faculty of Health Sciences must meet a minimum residency requirement. The minimum number of credits is 45. However, the maximum number of required credits will depend on course equivalency.
Students pursuing the health communication major are required to register for four regular terms.
Graduation Requirements
To be eligible for graduation with the degree of bachelor of arts in health communication, students must:
- Pass a minimum of 95 credit hours after freshman class or its equivalent.
- Achieve a total cumulative GPA of 2.3 and achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.3 in the major field of study.
Curriculum for BA in Health Communication
Course Number |
Course Title |
Lecture Hrs./ Week |
Lab Hrs./ Week |
Credits |
|
Fall 1 |
| HPCH 210 | Health Communication Theory | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| EPBS 203 | Epidemiology and Biostatistics | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| HPCH 205 | Introduction to Public Health | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| HPCH 211 | Research Methods | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| ENGL 203 | Academic English | 3 | 0 | 3 |
|
Term Credit Total |
15 |
|
Spring 1 |
| EPBS 213 | Survey Methods | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| HPCH 203 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| HPCH 201 | Health Awareness and Behavior | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| MCOM 240 | News Reporting and Writing | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| MCOM 228 | Introduction to Digital media | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| ENGL 204 | Advanced Academic English | 3 | 0 | 3 |
|
Term Credit Total |
17 |
|
Fall 2 |
| HPCH 237 | Theories and Practice of Health Promotion | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| MCOM 215 | Media Law and Ethics | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| ARAB 223 | Arabic for the Media | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| HPCH 208 | Advocacy and Activism for Social Change | 2 | 2 | 2 |
HPCH 212 | Design and Evaluation of Health Communication Activities | 2 | 2 | 3 |
|
Term Credit Total |
14 |
|
Spring 2 |
| HPCH 204 | Social Marketing | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| HPCH 207 | Risk Communication in Public Health Practice | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| | Cultures and Histories (History of Ideas) Elective I | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| | Culture and Histories Elective II | 3 | 0 | 3 |
BIOL 209
Or
BIOL 210 | Concepts and Connections
Or
Human Biology | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| | Arabic Communication Elective | 3 | 0 | 3 |
|
Term Credit Total |
17 |
|
Summer |
| HPCH 250 | Practicum | | | 2 |
|
Term Credit Total |
2 |
|
Fall 3 |
| HPCH 200 | Global Public Health | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| | Societies and Individuals elective | | | 3 |
| | Free Elective | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| MCOM 246 | Digital and Multimedia News | 3 | 0 | 3 |
MCOM 247
Or
MCOM 226 | Trauma Journalism
Or
Journalism and Society | 3 | 0 | 3 |
|
Term Credit Total |
14 |
|
Spring 3 |
| HPCH 215 | Project Management Skills | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| | Understanding the World Elective I | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| | Societies and Individuals Elective II | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| | Culture and Histories Elective III | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| HPCH 209 | Digital Health for Public Health | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| HPCH 251 | Capstone Seminar | 0 | 2 | 2 |
|
Term Credit Total |
15 |
ARAB 223 is replaced by a Culture and Histories elective for students placed in Arabic as a Foreign Language.
Course Descriptions
|
Modes of Analysis |
Understanding Communication - English and Arabic (9) |
Cultures and Histories (9), Human Values (3) |
Societies and Individuals (6) |
Understanding the World (6)
Quantitative Reasoning (5) |
Major Courses (51+2+2) |
Community Engaged Learning (3) |
Other courses (3) |
| Lecture Course (9+12 +6+11 +51+2 +2+3+3) | Required Arabic course (3);
Required English courses: ENGL 203 (3), 204(3) | 12 credits
9 in Cultures and Histories
MCOM 215 (3) | Societies and Individuals (6) | Understanding the world electives (3)
BIOL 209 or 210 (3)
EPBS 203(3)
EPBS 213 (2) | HPCH 200(3);
HPCH 201(3);
HPCH 203(3);
HPCH 204(3);
HPCH 205(3);
HPCH 207(2);
HPCH 208(3);
HPCH 209(2);
HPCH 210(3);
HPCH 211(3);
HPCH 212(3);
HPCH 215(2);
HPCH 237(3);
MCOM 240(3);
MCOM 215(3);
MCOM 246(3);
MCOM 247 or 226 (3);
MCOM 228(3) | HPCH 207 (1);
HPCH 208 (1) | ARAB 223 (3) |
| Lab (3) | | | | EPBS 203(3)
EPBS 213 (2) | | | |
| Seminar (2) | | | | | HPCH 251(2) | | |
| Fieldwork | | | | | HPCH 250(2) | HPCH 250 (2) | |