The MPH, concentrating in Health Behavior and Promotion provides education and training in the six core areas of public health: biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, health behavior theory, health policy, and public health practice. Concentration courses equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to promote health and prevent disease in culturally diverse populations.
All MPH students complete a set of core courses before advancing into epidemiology-specific coursework. View the full Core Curriculum.
Health Behavior and Promotion Curriculum
HK 515: Health Behavior Theory
Analysis of social science theories and perspectives that comprise the foundation of health education theory and practice. Includes development of a conceptual frame of reference for understanding, predicting, and facilitating change in health behaviors.
Credit: 4 Hours
HK 516: Chronic Disease Prevention
Advanced course in population-based approaches to chronic disease prevention, with emphasis on policy and environmental strategies affecting lifestyle risk factors. Provides an understanding of common diseases, screen tests, community assessment, systematic evidence reviews, and evidence-based community interventions.
Credit: 4 Hours
HK 519: Health Program Evaluation
Use of research methods and theory for evaluation of initiatives and programs in public health and medical care. Emphasis on acquiring skills in evaluation and conducting evaluations whose results have impact on public health practice. Covers different theories and perspectives on health evaluation. Review of published evaluations used to illustrate research methods and practical issues in program evaluation.
Credit: 4 Hours
HK 532: Cultural Humility in Health
Designed to teach you about cultural humility as applied in various public health spheres in the United States. Given the current demographics in the U.S., it is important that public health practitioners understand the importance of promoting health equity. Cultural factors can impact the practice of health education, promotion, and administration. Thus, you will learn how to make culturally competent decisions for public health services given competing policies for patients, providers, and health organizations.
Credit: 4 Hours
Concentration Course of Choice
Concentration Course of Choice (select minimum of 4 hours from the following list):
| HK 401 | Health Behavior and Technology | 3 or 4 |
| HK 402 | Tech-Driven Health Intervention | 3 or 4 |
| HK 403 | Technology, Health and Aging | 3 or 4 |
| HK 404 | Gerontology | 3 or 4 |
| HK 409 | Women’s Health | 3 |
| HK 411 | Approaches to Health Education and Advocacy | 3 or 4 |
| HK 414 | International Health | 3 or 4 |
| HK 413 | Chronic Disease Epidemiology | 3 or 4 |
| HK 416 | Applied Health Data Analysis | 3 or 4 |
| HK 419 | Artificial Intelligence in Public Health | 3 or 4 |
| HK 420 | Community Health Assessment and Planning | 3 |
| HK 423 | Social Marketing and Comm in Health Education and Promotion | 3 or 4 |
| HK 424 | Emergency Preparedness, Planning and Response | 3 or 4 |
| HK 440 | Exercise & Health Psychology | 3 or 4 |
| HK 441 | Physical Activity and Chronic Diseases | 3 or 4 |
| HK 442 | Body, Culture & Society | 3 or 4 |
| HK 446 | Physical Activity and Diverse Populations | 3 or 4 |
| HK 459 | Physical Activity Across the Lifespan | 3 or 4 |
| HK 466 | Measure & Eval in Kinesiology | 3 or 4 |
| HK 474 | Public Health Nutrition | 3 or 4 |
| HK 511 | Health Disparities Over the Life Course | 4 |
| HK 540 | Physical Activity and Cognition | 4 |
| HK 561 | Qualitative Research Methods | 4 |