UGA Specific Information for Health Promotion

The Department of Health Promotion and Behavior (HPB), through research, teaching, and service, prepares professionals in process-related competencies in health promotion programming that are based on a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the determinants of health. Health promotion efforts are directed at influencing or facilitating health-related behavior, advocating public health policy, creating supportive environments, strengthening community action, developing personal skills, and reorienting health services. Students are prepared to work in health promotion and wellness positions in public, community, health care, and worksite settings.

There are two areas of emphasis that you can choose from in this major:

Health Promotion - The health promotion area of emphasis prepares students for health promotion and wellness positions in public, community, worksite, and health care setting, as well as for graduate level work in public health.

Health Services - The health services area of emphasis prepares students for graduate level work with an emphasis on disease prevention and wellness. Graduate work may include pre-physician’s assistant, pre-medical or pre-dental, or other professional health services programs.

Behavioral Medicine - Behavioral Medicine Area of Emphasis in health promotion prepares up to 20 students a year in pre-medicine. This area of emphasis focuses on behavioral medicine and includes community, residency, and practical experiences.



Class of 2022 Career Outcomes for Health Promotion*

** Includes Self-Employed


Campus Resources

College of Public Health Activities, Clubs and Honor Societies

  • Future Health Promoters Club
  • Association of Teachers of Preventative Medicine
  • Student Chapter, American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)
  • Student Membership with the Gerontological Society of America

Find additional clubs and organizations here.

Connect with your Career Consultant


Additional UGA Career Center Recommendations/Considerations

Where are health educators employed?

In schools health educators teach health as a subject and promote and implement Coordinated School Health Programs, including health services, student, staff and parent health education, and promote healthy school environments and school-community partnerships. At the school district level they develop education methods and materials; coordinate, promote, and evaluate programs; and write funding proposals.

Working on a college/university campus, health educators are part of a team working to create an environment in which students feel empowered to make healthy choices and create a caring community. They identify needs; advocate and do community organizing; teach whole courses or individual classes; develop mass media campaigns; and train peer educators, counselors, and/or advocates. They address issues related to disease prevention; consumer, environmental, emotional, sexual health; first aid, safety and disaster preparedness; substance abuse prevention; human growth and development; and nutrition and eating issues. They may manage grants and conduct research.

In companies, health educators perform or coordinate employee counseling as well as education services, employee health risk appraisals, and health screenings. They design, promote, lead and/or evaluate programs about weight control, hypertension, nutrition, substance abuse prevention, physical fitness, stress management and smoking cessation; develop educational materials; and write grants for money to support these projects. They help companies meet occupational health and safety regulations, work with the media, and identify community health resources for employees.

In health care settings health educators educate patients about medical procedures, operations, services and therapeutic regimens, create activities and incentives to encourage use of services by high risk patients; conduct staff training and consult with other health care providers about behavioral, cultural or social barriers to health; promote self-care; develop activities to improve patient participation on clinical processes; educate individuals to protect, promote or maintain their health and reduce risky behaviors; make appropriate community-based referrals, and write grants.

In community organizations and government agencies health educators help a community identify its needs, draw upon its problem-solving abilities and mobilize its resources to develop, promote, implement and evaluate strategies to improve its own health status. Health educators do community organizing and outreach, grantwriting, coalition building, advocacy and develop, produce, and evaluate mass media health campaigns.

*Taken from "What is Health Promotion & Behavior?," UGA College of Public Health

Supplemental Career Research Dashboard

Additional Career Research Resources

  • O*NET  (click on Find Occupations)
  • Occupational Outlook Handbook  (type in general term for career of interest)
  • Georgia Career Information Center  (accessible only on campus computers)
  • Firsthand  (Company rankings/profiles, industry career guides, and advice articles)
  • Candid Career  (View professionals speaking about their careers under the "Resources" tab and select "Online Resources")
  • UGA Mentor Program - Networking with your Bulldog family can help you get ahead in life and career, but where do you even start? The UGA Mentor Program narrows down the world of possibilities to meaningful connections.  It personalizes the mentoring experience; connecting you with mentors that are just right for your commitment.. There's a better way to network.  Visit mentor.uga.edu today and find a mentor who can help you see your future.

Employment Websites


Professional Associations/Resources

Tip: Join LinkedIn groups that are related to your career interest. Need help finding groups? Check out the Groups You May Like link under the Interests/Groups tab. Review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined and consider joining them as well.

Employers/Position Title Reported by Class of 2022 Health Promotion majors

The information below represents employers and position titles from the Class of 2022 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.

Employer Position Title(s)
Andy Strange Grading Assistant Project Manager
Aon Health & Benefits Specialist
Arcadia People Operations Coordinator
Atlanta Public Schools Teacher
Carl Vinson Institute Research Professional II
Center for Disease Control and Prevention Intern
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Intern
Chattahoochee Pediatrics Medical Assistant
Compassionate Care Hospice Intern
Compassionate Care Hospice Intern
Delta Air Lines Operations Service Manager
East Georgia Cancer Coalition Program Assistant
Empowerment Resource Center, Inc. Outreach Specialist Intern
Georgia Department of Public Health Contact Tracer - Coronavirus Response
Georgia Department of Public Health Contact Tracer - Coronavirus Response
GLG Client Solutions Associate - Healthcare
Impact Public Affairs Consultant
Infinite Clinical Trials Clinical Research Coordinator
KPMG Healthcare Solutions Advisory Associate
LocumTenens.com Credentialing Coordinator
LocumTenens.com Associate Account Executive
Love.Craft Athens, Inc Administrative Coordinator
Medical University of South Carolina Patient Care Technician
North Atlanta Dermatology Medical Assistant
North Atlanta Vascular Clinic and Vein Center Medical Assistant
OneSource Healthcare Medical Assistant
Optomi Associate Recruiter
Peachtree Immediate Care Medical Assistant
Piedmont Heart Institute Medical Assistant
Piedmont Hospital Medical Assistant
Primetime Pediatrics Medical Assistant
Strong Memorial Hospital Ophthalmic Technologist
The Ecology Center, Orange County Community Health Intern
Verras Pediatrics CMA
Viral Solutions Site Manager: Medical Assistant
Visioneering Technologies, Inc. Market Manager
West Georgia Prevention and Advocacy Resource Center Prevention Educator
* denotes no responses received.

*Source: Areas above marked with an Asterisk (*) have been created utilizing data taken from the UGA Career Outcomes Survey. The "Employers Hiring...," "Job Titles of...," "Career Outcomes for...," and "Graduate/Professional Schools and Programs..." information listed above represent UGA Class of 2022 Graduates. The lists are not exhaustive and therefore do not represent all potential career options. Click here for more detailed Career Outcomes information regarding this major.

Graduate/Professional Schools attended by Class of 2022 Health Promotion majors

The information below represents graduate/professional schools and programs reported through the Class of 2022 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.

Graduate School Program(s)
Arrhythmia Technologies Institute Cardiac Rhythm Management and Electrophysiology, Not Specified
Augusta University Nursing, BS/MS
Augusta University Nursing, MSN
Augusta University Nursing, MSN
Augusta University Nursing, MSN
Augusta University Occupational Therapy, BS/MS
Augusta University Occupational Therapy, MHS
Augusta University Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MEd
Augusta University Clinical Nurse Leader, MSN/CNL
Augusta University Clinical Nurse Leader, MSN/CNL
Augusta University Clinical Nurse Leader, MSN/CNL
Augusta University Clinical Nurse Leader, MSN/CNL
Augusta University Clinical Nurse Leader, MSN/CNL
Augusta University Medicine, MD
Columbia University Public Health, MPH
Cuny School of Law Law, Not Specified
Drexel University Nursing, Not Specified
Duke University Nursing, Not Specified
Emory University Physical Therapy, DPT
Emory University Public Health, MPH
Emory University Public Health, MPH
Emory University Divinity, Master's
Emory University Epidemiology, MSPH
Emory University Global Health and Infectious Diseases, MPH
Emory University Nursing, MSN
Georgia College & State University Health Policy and Management, MPH
Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus Physical Therapy, DPT
Georgia State University Health Promotion and Behavior, MPH
Georgia State University Public Health-Epidemiology, MPH
Medical University of South Carolina Medicine, MD
Medical University of South Carolina Nursing, BSN
Medical University of South Carolina Occupational Therapy, DOT
Medical University of South Carolina Public Health/Occupational Therapy, MA
Mercer University Physician's Assistant, PA
Morehouse College Medicine, MD
Texas A&M University Health Administration, Not Specified
University of Florida Public Health, MPH
University of Georgia Epidemiology and Biostatistics, MPH
University of Georgia Health Administration, Not Specified
University of Georgia Health Promotion, MPH
University of Georgia Health Promotion and Behavior, MPH
University of Georgia Public Health, MPH
University of Georgia Public Health, MPH
University of Georgia Public Health, Not Specified
University of Georgia Public Health, Not Specified
University of Georgia Public Health, Not Specified
University of Georgia Public Health, Not Specified
University of Georgia Public Health, Not Specified
University of Georgia Public Health - Disaster Management, MPH
University of Georgia Law, JD
University of Miami Public Health, MPH
University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill Health Policy and Management, MHA
University of South Carolina - Greenville Not Specified, MD
Vanderbilt University Nursing, MSN
Yale University Public Health, MPH
* denotes no responses received.