Public Health Communication and Advocacy: Building Trust and Influence for Better Results

Learn to lead communication efforts during public health crises by managing uncertainty, countering misinformation, and navigating rapidly evolving media landscapes. Develop strategies to maintain credibility, adapt messaging, and guide public perception across diverse channels and audiences.

• Discuss personal experiences with emergencies to understand the role of communication in managing public perceptions and responses to uncertainty

• Analyze how the nature of scientific understanding, whether certain or uncertain, affects communication strategies in times of public health crisis

• Analyze the key features of a complex information environment and their impact on how information is delivered during public health emergencies

Develop the skills to design public health messages that inform, persuade, and mobilize action. Explore how framing, storytelling, and emotional appeal influence behavior, and learn to craft campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences. Strengthen message impact in the face of misinformation, and create strategies that drive measurable change on critical issues, including vaccination, nutrition, and mental health.

• Analyze potential communication challenges when addressing specific public health challenges

• Understand the key elements that contribute to creating a powerful and effective public health message

• Create an effective public health messaging strategy that communicates your key objectives

Analyze global health initiatives, including tobacco control and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), to understand how communication, strategy, and multisector collaboration can engage diverse networks and drive impactful policy. Learn to communicate, align, and lead in complex multistakeholder environments and apply innovative approaches to influence policy on emerging global health threats.

• Identify key global health organizations, stakeholders, and networks and their roles in shaping public health policies and programs

• Analyze key strategies, tools, and technologies used in the development of public health policies and programs, as the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) case study demonstrates

• Describe effective communication strategies for global initiatives​

• Describe strategies to address the current AMR global health challenge through the lens of global health organizational collaboration

Strengthen your ability to navigate the challenges of misinformation and risk in public health. Explore how public perceptions shape trust, influence behavior, and affect policy decisions in public health. Learn to apply leadership and communication strategies that build credibility and support effective decision-making in complex environments.

• Identify common sources of misinformation and risk in public health contexts

• Analyze the effects of misinformation and risk perceptions on public trust, behavior, and policy decisions

• Evaluate tools and strategies for addressing misinformation, including communication frameworks and leadership approaches

• Apply leadership and risk communication strategies to resolve competing recommendations and guide decision-making during public health crises in public health

Explore how public health professionals can inspire action, mobilize support, and advocate for systemic improvements in health. Examine approaches to coalition-building, effective stakeholder engagement, and persuasive communication for advancing policy change. A capstone project provides you with the opportunity to apply these skills to real-world public health challenges.

• Analyze global public health challenges and assess the role of communication in driving policy and behavioral change

• Develop persuasive advocacy strategies to effectively engage stakeholders

• Apply communication frameworks to manage misinformation, enhance public trust, and lead with clarity during public health emergencies

• Design compelling public health messages and engagement strategies

The six-module curriculum covers public health advocacy, behavioral change frameworks, crisis communication, leadership, and stakeholder engagement, combining expert-led sessions, applied activities, and real-world case studies for immediate application.

This is a professional development executive education program, not a degree program. The six-week learning journey is focused on applied learning for immediate impact in real-world health communication and advocacy efforts.

This public health advocacy program from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health provides training to address real-world public health issues through a combination of case studies, self-study assignments, and a capstone project. You will analyze influential public health cases, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Flint water crisis, and the WHO’s cancer-related global initiatives, exploring communication challenges, crisis response, and the navigation of complex issues such as the social determinants of health and health equity. Finally, you will apply your learning to a current public health challenge through a capstone project.

Even as the public health field adapts to changing funding and workforce priorities, professionals with strong advocacy and communication skills continue to stand out. This program from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health equips you with practical tools to influence policy, build public trust, and lead effectively in high-stakes environments, core competencies that remain in demand across government agencies, NGOs, and public health systems. By strengthening your ability to translate expertise into impact, you position yourself for career resilience and advancement as the sector shifts.