Science Communication Certificate

Science communication is crucial for counteracting misinformation, addressing public concerns, and promoting informed decision-making to improve health outcomes and address health equity gaps. Troubling trends such as reduced life expectancy in the U.S., rising maternal mortality rates, and widening health equity gaps along with the increasing challenges of vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccine sentiment emphasize the need for robust science communication across many public health domains.

Public health practitioners are the front-line workers in public health, managing and addressing health issues within communities. They must be skilled in synthesizing and translating complex data into accessible, actionable information. This includes:

  • understanding health literacy,
  • developing advanced writing skills,
  • leveraging social media,
  • creating infographics,
  • employing data visualization techniques, and
  • mastering broader communication strategies.

Training in these areas ensures that public health professionals are well-equipped to engage with diverse communities in their roles and use various tools and methods to disseminate critical health information effectively.

Students completing the Science Communication Certificate program at Rollins will be equipped with the necessary skills to enhance public understanding of valuable scientific information, ultimately contributing to improved health outcomes across all populations.

This certificate is available for master's candidates in all departments of the Rollins School of Public Health (including online master’s students). There are no pre-requisite courses for the certificate.

(Note for master’s students who enrolled in fall 2024: Please contact your ADAP or the Science Communication Certificate contacts listed below if you are interested in this certificate program. You will have needed to have already completed a substantial amount of the elective coursework noted below in order to be able to discuss pursuing this certificate.)

The Science Communication Certificate comprises the following competencies that students are expected to master:

  1. Describe why we need to clearly communicate scientific and public health information to the public and the consequences when we do not.
  2. Combat science and health misinformation and disinformation.
  3. Describe the criteria that will help tailor messages to the intended audience.
  4. Simplify written messages with everyday words, active voice, short sentences and paragraphs, and one main message.
  5. Demonstrate how to use a story or narrative to share research.
  6. Demonstrate cultural humility when sharing health information.
  7. Develop science and health communication products that increase accessibility and interpretability of health information.
  8. Communicate effectively with public health stakeholders.

To receive a Science Communication Certificate, students will have to complete the following requirements:

Overview

  • Required courses: Complete the two required courses (4 credit hours) detailed below.
  • Elective courses: Complete a minimum of 4 elective course credits.
  • APE: Students’ Applied Practice Experience (APE) should be relevant to public health science communication
  • ILE: Students must proactively seek out ILEs that afford opportunities to integrate science communications as a component of their thesis or capstone experience.

Required Courses

Students need to complete 4 required credit hours across two required courses:

  • Fundamentals of Public Health Communication (2 credit hours)
  • Critical Evaluation of Scientific Communication: Science in the News (2 credit hours)

Elective Courses

Students must complete a minimum of 4 elective credit hours selected from the approved list of courses:

  • Writing and Presenting Epidemiologic Research, Fundament. PH Comm (2 credit hours)
  • Preparedness in Low and Inequitably Resourced Settings, EPI 530/504/BIOS 500 (2 credit hours)
  • Data Visualization in Public Health, BIOS 544 or BIOS 545 (2 credit hours)
  • Communication Approaches in Health Promotion (2 credit hours)
  • Climate Change and Communication (2 credit hours)
  • Social Marketing (2 credit hours)

Applied Practice Experience (APE)

Students’ Applied Practice Experience (APE) should be relevant to public health science communication and will be approved by the certificate directors.

Integrated Learning Experience (ILE)

Students must proactively seek out ILEs that afford opportunities to integrate science communications as a component of their thesis or capstone experience.

The Science Communication Certificate directors will offer guidance on ways to adapt ILE work to incorporate science communications skills.

Each fall semester students will declare their interest in the certificate by submitting a formal Declaration of Intent. The Declaration will ask students to answer specific questions to gauge the student’s interest and desire to complete the Science Communication Certificate.

The Declaration of Intent form is available from August 15, 2025, to September 15, 2025.

Please note: The declaration of intent form requires that you sign in using your emory.edu email. Students are responsible for enrolling in required and elective courses each semester prior to add/drop/swap ends. Additionally, the department is unable to increase enrollment capacity.

Questions?

For more information about the Science Communication Certificate, please contact:

Science Communication Certificate Directors:

Jodie Guest, PhD

Professor and Senior Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology

jodie.guest@emory.edu

 

Elizabeth Mendes

Associate Dean for Communications

elizabeth.mendes@emory.edu

 

Science Communication Certificate Program Coordinator:

Brenda L. Hardy

Associate Director of Academic Programs

brenda.l.hardy@emory.edu