Health Promotion and Behavioral Science
Major in the College of Education
The Health Promotion major in the College of Education prepares students for careers in health promotion and disease prevention in community health settings, school health, corporate fitness and wellness, government and nonprofit agencies, and personal training.
Many of our students pursue graduate degrees in health promotion or related fields of study such as public health, physical therapy, nursing, nutrition, or counseling. The major includes required courses in epidemiology, foundations of health promotion I and II, evaluation and research design, physiology, and anatomy. There are also opportunities for training in clinical testing and personal training.
Declaration Requirements
ShowProspective University of Texas at Austin students should visit UT Admissions to learn about the application process and how to declare a major.
How to Declare
ShowThe College of Education has established specific GPA requirements that students must meet in order to transfer into the Kinesiology and Health majors. For the HPBS major, students must have and maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA in order to enter and stay in the program. View the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education’s internal transfer policy for additional information.
Students that meet all the internal transfer criteria can declare Health Promotion and Behavioral Science by attending an internal transfer session and discussing the degree with an academic advisor in the College of Education.
Required Courses
ShowView a degree plan to see the required courses for the Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Health Education Health Promotion and Behavioral Science major.
Specializations
ShowStudents are required to complete a certificate, minor, track or one of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education's six specializations available to kinesiology and health students.
Any of the following Specializations are suitable for this major:
- Coaching
- Community Health and Wellness
- Disability Studies
- Health Fitness Instructor
- Medical Fitness and Rehabilitation
- Strength & Conditioning Coaching
Due to their chosen specialization area, many Health Promotion students will complete a semester-long internship and seek professional certifications such as Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), Personal Training Certification through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National Strength and Conditioning Certified Personal Trainer (NCA-CPT), and National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), amongst many others.
Personality
ShowHealth Promotion students need to possess strong interpersonal skills and be comfortable conducting research via the internet, journal articles, and other resource materials. Students in Health Promotion typically describe themselves as outgoing, people-oriented individuals who have a special interest in learning and researching past, new and upcoming health issues.
