Earn your BS in Health Promotion

Are you interested in helping individuals and communities improve their health and well-being? With a health promotion degree, you'll learn how to plan, design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based health promotion programs targeted to at-risk and underserved populations.

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.

Why choose health promotion at Iowa?

  • Well-rounded, prescribed curriculum focused on helping at-risk and underserved populations (e.g., clinical populations with chronic disease, older adults, pregnant women, etc.)
  • Small class sizes
  • Experiential learning opportunities available to build your skillset
  • Scholarships available for strong students

Expand your career opportunities after graduation

Pair your major with a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) or National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBHWC) certification to compete for jobs immediately after graduation.

Pair with a graduate degree to prepare for your future in one of many fields:

  • Masters in Public Health (MPH)
  • Masters in Health Administration (MHA)
  • Masters of Science (MS)

Courses you can take in this major

  • HHP:3200 Health Behavior and Health Promotion
  • HHP:3430 Health Management & Administration
  • HHP:4010 Behavioral & Clinical Assessment (with lab)
  • HHP:4020 Health Coaching
  • HHP:4020 Planning & Evaluating Health Interventions

Alumni spotlights

Emon Collazo

Emon Collazo

Title/Position
BA in Health and Human Physiology (Health Promotion), 2018
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.
Portrait of Amber Simone Francis

Amber Simone Francis

Title/Position
BA in Health and Human Physiology (Health Promotion), 2019
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.
Karlen Lamp

Karlen Lamp

Title/Position
BA in Health and Human Physiology (Health Promotion), 2019
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.

“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

Portrait of Stephanie Leibfried

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

Reach out to learn more about this major

Brown Photo

Matthew Brown

Title/Position
Senior Academic Advisor
Headshot of Lucas Carr

Lucas Carr

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Director of Undergraduate Studies - Exercise Science, Health Promotion, & Health Studies
Director, Community Health Collaborative
HHP Staff Photo

Joe Cilek

Title/Position
Academic Success Administrator
Kathy's pfp

Kathy Mellen

Title/Position
Professor of Instruction