308.701.79
Media Interviews and Applied Public Health Communications

Location
Internet
Term
Summer Institute
Department
Health Policy and Management
Credit(s)
3
Academic Year
2025 - 2026
Instruction Method
Synchronous Online with Some Asynchronous Online
Start Date
Monday, June 16, 2025
End Date
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Class Time(s)
This course will be offered June 16, 18, 23 and 25, 2025 from 1p-3p.
M, W, 1:00 - 3:20pm
Auditors Allowed
No
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Meghan McGinty
Contact Name
HPM Course Approver
Frequency Schedule
One Year Only
Next Offered
Only offered in 2025
Prerequisite
Description
Public health professionals are often tasked with communicating with the news media and giving presentations to a wide variety of stakeholders. This may be during an emergency situation, or to explain research and advocate for policies. Whether you are giving a presentation to a small group of colleagues or appearing on CNN, skills for effectively presenting information will inevitably come in handy during your career. This course offers practical exercises to help you be more confident, poised and prepared for public speaking. In this course, you will learn from real-life examples—both good and bad—and develop your own presentation skills during on-camera exercises.
Enhances skills to construct and deliver oral presentations with clarity and impact. Provides techniques and guidelines to increase your effectiveness in translating public health information to various audiences, as well as communicating through the news media during both crisis and non-crisis situations. Includes topics: basics of effective presentations, non-verbal communications, case studies, giving an interview, preparing talking points, advocacy and the news media, and communicating in a public health emergency. Reviews videotapes of news coverage and participate as spokespersons in on-camera simulation exercises.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  1. Discuss the challenges involved in communicating health information to the media and other stakeholders
  2. Describe techniques to improve a spokesperson’s effectiveness in both crisis and non-crisis communication and explain the news media’s role and perspective
  3. Demonstrate strategies for giving news media interviews and preparing talking points
  4. Deliver on-camera presentations comfortably and proficiently
Methods of Assessment
This course is evaluated as follows:
  • 20% Pre-course assignment
  • 25% Participation
  • 25% In-class Exercises
  • 30% Case study analysis
Enrollment Restriction
students who are registered for 308.701.11 should not register for this section as well.
Instructor Consent
Consent required for all students
Consent Note
Due to enrollment cap, all students must obtain consent from the HPM Course Approver
Consent Contact
HPM_Course_Approvals@jhu.edu
Special Comments

Students will be required to watch recorded lectures and complete assignments before and after the live, synchronous sessions. A pre-course assignment will be due about a week prior to the first live session. An assignment will also be due about two weeks after the last live session. There will be 4 two-hour live sessions which are held via Zoom; full attendance is required for the four 2-hour live sessions. You must be present and ready to actively participate during the entirety of the live sessions. The live sessions are not lectures, but time for practicing course skills and getting feedback. If you are unable or unsure of your ability to attend all of the live sessions in full, you should not register for this course section.