What Can I Do With a Major In Health Promotion?
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
- Health Promotion Jobs
- Online Sports Jobs
- Public Health Jobs
- CDC Employment Opportunities
- American Public Health Association Job Board
- Georgia State Department of Health Job Board
- Public Health Employment Connection
- National Association of County & City Health Officials Job Board
- Premier Health and Fitness Resources
- University Positions
- Cool Works (Summer and Seasonal Positions)
- Northeast Health District-Athens (Jobs and Internships)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Internships
Professional Associations/Resources
- American Journal of Health Promotion
- American College Health Association
- American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance
- American Public Health Association
- Association of Schools of Public Health
- Society for Public Health Education
- Centers for Disease Control
- National Association of County and City Health Officials
- Coach U (For students interested in coaching)
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 |
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 |