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School of Communication

» MS in Health and Strategic Communication

Big ideas are born at Chapman, creating opportunities for individual growth and societal impact. The Master of Science in Health and Strategic Communication at Chapman University’s School of Communication is the only evidence-based program of its kind in Southern California, fostering innovation and breakthrough at the intersection of communication and health. 

Research is at the heart of this MS degree. Guided by mentors, students explore communication theories and strategies to develop next-level messaging that drives public awareness and institutional change. In this program, you’ll work with difference-making faculty to study the ways quality communication can improve patient-provider interactions, inform family decisions on health issues, and help resolve public health crises.

  • Accelerate your growth in this unique evidence-based program
  • Choose from one- or two-year options
  • Gain specialized expertise via research and teaching assistantships
  • Apply for tuition waivers

Our Students and Alumni

Here are some of the employers who have hired graduates with a Chapman MS degree in Health and Strategic Communication:

  • U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Planned Parenthood
  • UCLA Health
  • Orange County United Way
  • NBCUniversal
  • Aerotek
  • CNN
  • Institute for Healthcare Advancement
  • City of Hope
  • CHOC
Brittney Kuhn ’23
“I love what a holistic perspective the Health and Strategic Communication program has shown me. The combination of passionate professors and supportive, hard working colleagues has given me so much more depth out of my education than I could have ever imagined.”
Tate Renville ‘24
“I’m enjoying this program because the subject material is so hands-on and diverse. It really prepare you to work in any area of communication, whether that be in academia or in the job market.”
Madison Murphy MS ’21
“I use the skills I gained from both my B.A. Strategic and Corporate Communication and M.S. Health Communication degrees every single day. Being able to curate my messaging to resonate with my audience has helped me not only land a job I am passionate about but also supports my success in this role. The SOC is designed to create critical thinker...

Recent Faculty Publications: A Sampling

  • A mixed methodological examination of older adults’ psychological reactance toward caregiving messages from their adult children by Hannah Ball, Keith Weber, Alan K. Goodboy, Christine E. Kunkle, Christa L. Lilly, & Scott A. Myers
  • Ambiguous loss, stress, communal coping, and resilience: A mixed-methods study of K-12 teachers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic by Dr. Jennifer Bevan & Erin S. Craw (Ph.D. ’22)
  • A descriptive literature review of early research on COVID-19 and close relationships by Dr. Jennifer  Bevan, Madison K. Murphy (MS ’21) , Pamela J. Lannutti, Richard Slatcher, Rhonda Balzerini
  • Promoting body positivity through stories: How protagonist body size and esteem influence readers’ self-concepts by Dr. Megan Vendemia and Melissa J. Robinson
  • Inspiration on Social Media: Applying an Entertainment Perspective to Longitudinally Explore Mental Health and Well-Being by Dr. Janicke-Bowles, S.H., Raney, A.A., Oliver, M.B., Dale, K.R., A., Zhao, D., Neumann, D., Clayton, R., Hendry, A
  • Student intentions to engage instructors in mental health-related conversations: An application of the theory of planned behavior by Allie White (MS ’19), Dr. Hannah Ball, and Dr. Sara LaBelle

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Contact Us


School of Communication
Graduate Programs
GradProgramsSoC@chapman.edu

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