Separating fact from fiction in public health keeps getting harder, with misinformation spreading quickly on social and other media. Meanwhile, complex health issues can bewilder the public, patients and policy-makers alike.
Now a new Master’s in Public Health (MPH) in Health Literacy and Public Health Communication, housed in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health in the University of Maryland School of Public Health, aims to support public health leaders to bridge this critical gap. The program will also take advantage of the faculty and resources of SPH’s Hershel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy. The MPH is offered both in person and online, with the online program offered at in-state tuition for all attendees. The first cohort will begin in Fall 2027.
“This degree trains students to translate complex science into clear and actionable messages, to help communities navigate competing sources of information and to ensure that health recommendations are accessible to people with different educational backgrounds, language needs and lived experiences,” said Dr. Kerry Green, professor and chair of the School of Public Health (SPH) Department of Behavioral and Community Health. “Producing a scientifically accurate message is not enough if people cannot understand it, determine if it’s credible or apply it to their lives.”
The first of its kind, this MPH concentration aims to build a public health workforce that can communicate crucial health information effectively and help people become more confident, informed consumers.
“Health literacy plays a crucial part in deciphering the vast amount of unverified, often inaccurate, online information. The general public is inundated with health information whose accuracy can be nearly impossible to confirm,” said Dr. Cynthia Baur, endowed chair and director of the Horowitz Center.
Questions of how to live a healthy life and prevent chronic diseases are critical for each of us. Health literacy seeks to offer a sound system of support for individuals to get verified and credible information in ways that make sense to them
Dr. Cynthia Baur
Endowed chair and director of the Horowitz Center
Vaccine confidence is an important example of when health literacy and communication skills can be life-saving. Vaccines have been proven highly effective in preventing infectious diseases and reducing the risk of serious complications, yet misinformation, distrust and concerns about vaccine safety can make it difficult for people to make informed decisions.
Professionals trained in health literacy and public health communication can help address this challenge by identifying common questions and misconceptions, developing clear and culturally responsive messages, partnering with trusted community messengers and evaluating whether communication efforts improve understanding and confidence.
“Questions of how to live a healthy life and prevent chronic diseases are critical for each of us. Health literacy seeks to offer a sound system of support for individuals to get verified and credible information in ways that make sense to them,” said Baur.
Graduates of the new MPH will be prepared for roles such as public health communication specialists, health education and prevention specialists, and health literacy program coordinators in health departments, healthcare organizations, nonprofit organizations and government agencies.
The need is particularly clear in Maryland, says Green, where the Maryland Commission on Public Health identified significant challenges related to misinformation, public trust and the accessibility and relevance of public health messaging. Co-chaired by SPH Dean Boris Lushniak and with contributions including from Baur, the Commission’s findings reinforce the need to strengthen health literacy and communication skills across the public health workforce.
Find out more information about the MPH in Health Literacy and Public Health Communication.