Earn your BS in Health Promotion


The health promotion track is intended for students seeking careers that promote wellness in the community and the workplace. The major prepares students to directly work with individuals and communities to improve health and quality of life. Students learn how to assess, plan, implement, evaluate, and oversee programs designed to improve health behaviors, create environments supportive of healthy lifestyles, and effectively communicate health issues to key stakeholders. The major prepares students to take the certification exam from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. The mix of natural and social sciences in this major also provides a foundation for professional or graduate study in allied health, health management, or public health.

Students who earn the major in health promotion can earn a minor in human physiology, but:

  • May not earn a major in exercise science, human physiology, or health studies
  • May not earn a minor in lifestyle medicine

The Bachelor of Science with a major in health promotion requires a minimum of 120 semester hours, including at least 47–49 semester hours of work for the major. A minimum of 16 semester hours in the major must be earned at the University of Iowa. Students must maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. They also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core.

Required Coursework
For full curriculum, please visit:

https://catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/liberal-arts-sciences/health-human-physiology/health-promotion-bs/#requirementstext

 

Learning outcomes

  • Undertake focused study in physical fitness, physical activity, sport nutrition, and sport conditioning as they pertain to health and performance outcomes
  • Use and understand scientific methods to solve problems in health promotion
  • Instill an understanding and appreciation of the relevance of healthy behaviors to a fulfilling and productive life
  • Encourage life-long learning in the rapidly evolving fields of health promotion

Questions?

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Kathy Mellen

Title/Position
Professor of Instruction

Create your academic path

You'll find degree overviews, requirements, course lists, academic plans, and more to help you plan your education and explore your possibilities.

Current course list

The MyUI Schedule displays registered courses for a particular session and is available to enrolled students. The list view includes course instructors, time and location, and features to drop courses or change sections.

CHES Certification

Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) Exam

Since 2012, our Health Promotion students boast a 96% pass rate on the CHES exam which far exceeds the national pass rate (68%) over that same time frame. Our well-rounded curriculum prepares students to sit for the exam near the end of their senior year.

“My senior year I chose to sit for the CHES exam. The health promotion curriculum prepared me to sit and pass that exam. When interviewing for my current job, I explained that I was a Certified Health Education Specialist and they were impressed. Through CHES, you need to complete continuing education hours and from that I took a course in worksite wellness among other valuable classes to enhance my career. My company truly valued that I was enrolling in courses to help improve myself and the company’s wellbeing program.”

Portrait of Alexandra Hardy

 Alexandra Hardy, BS, CHES, Wellbeing Coordinator, Class of 2017

Health Promotion Alumni Spotlights

Karlen Lamp

Karlen Lamp

Karlen Lamp graduated in 2019 with a BA Health and Human Physiology (Health Promotion) and is now working as a Business Development Manager for Midwest Cardiovascular Institute in Chicago.
Emon Collazo

Emon Collazo

Emon Collazo is a 2018 graduate with a BA in Health Promotion and is now employed with the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Veterans Service Representative.
Amber Simone Francis

Amber Simone Francis

Amber Simone Francis graduated in the Spring of 2019 with a BA in Health & Human Physiology (Health Promotion) and currently works in Des Moines as a Health Educator with Planned Parenthood North Central States.

“As a graduate of the health promotion program, I cannot say enough great things about the course offerings and professors! I started my career as a health educator providing one-on-one consultations to help individuals understand their health risks. With the education I received through the HHP track, I felt confident in addressing the many topics that arose. Each person is unique and I was well equipped to discuss their nutrition and exercise habits, SMART goals, and resources. I can now say I have worn many hats within the organization, including assisting in recruiting, hiring, training, staffing and overseeing others, program setup and communications for client wellness programs, as well as reporting on participation and outcomes for the program.”

Portrait of Stephanie Leibfried

Stephanie (Faron) Leibfried, BS, CHES, Account Coordinator at Health Solutions, LLC

Health promotion faculty

Adam Blalock

Adam Blalock

Title/Position
Visiting Assistant Professor
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Stephanie Borst

Title/Position
Assistant Professor of Instruction
Portrait of Lucas Carr

Lucas Carr

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Director of Undergraduate Studies - Exercise Science, Health Promotion, & Health Studies
Director, Community Health Collaborative
Amy Fletcher is a lecturer in the department of Health and Physiology

Amy Fletcher

Title/Position
Associate Professor of Instruction
This is a picture of Jessica Gorzelitz

Jessica (Jess) Gorzelitz

Title/Position
Assistant Professor
This is a picture of Nathaniel Jenkins

Nathaniel Jenkins

Title/Position
Associate Professor
This is a picture of Megan Lewey

Megan Lewey

Title/Position
Assistant Professor of Instruction
Kathy's pfp

Kathy Mellen

Title/Position
Professor of Instruction
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Kelli Saginak

Title/Position
Professor of Instruction
Co-Director, Health Coaching Pathway
This is a photo of Lauren Steinke

Lauren Steinke

Title/Position
Assistant Professor of Instruction
Co-Director, Health Coaching Pathway
Kara M. Whitaker is a associate professor with tenure and the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Health and Human Physiology.

Kara M. Whitaker

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Director of Graduate Studies - Health and Human Physiology