This department focuses on applying behavioral science to health promotion and disease/disability prevention at the individual, community and population levels.  Students are trained to develop, implement, and evaluate behavior change programs for a wide variety of health-related behaviors such as sexual behavior, alcohol, tobacco, and other substance use, diet, physical activity and cancer screening.

Diane Grimley, PhD., Professor and Chair

Faculty

Professors: Grimley, Tucker; Associate Professors: Bolland, Davies, Galvin, Kohler; Assistant Professors: Baskin, Lian; Instructors: Foushee, Schoenberger; Associate Professor Emeritus: Coombs

The Department of Health Behavior brings together teaching, research, and service activities to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors and reduce risk behaviors within ethnically and economically diverse populations.  The major instructional goals of the department are: (1) to train health promotion specialists/behavioral scientists to develop and evaluate programs; and (2) to provide doctoral training in health education and behavioral science.

Health Behavior students learn to develop behavior change programs utilizing theories and methods from the social and behavioral sciences.  Students also learn state-of-the-art techniques and methods for program evaluation.  Students are involved in faculty research projects concerning health-related problems such as HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, tobacco, alcohol, and other substance abuse, obesity, aging, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and intentional or unintentional injuries. Department faculty study health behavior in children, adolescents, adults, minorities and other specific population groups.

Career Opportunities

Demand for qualified behavioral scientists and health educators are increasing.  Graduates of our master's degree programs are typically employed in public and private agencies at the local, state, and national levels such as health departments, health care institutions, and health related outreach and fundraising agencies. They work to develop, implement, and evaluate health promotion and disease prevention programs.  Graduates of our doctoral program go on to research and service careers in academic settings or public agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health Behavior MPH Learning Objectives

The objectives of the MPH in Health Behavior are to:

·        understand and apply social and behavioral science theories as they relate to public health;

·        critically examine health behavior literature;

·        develop and implement health promotion and disease prevention programs;

·        apply principles and procedures for evaluating health promotion and disease prevention programs;

·        develop, implement, and evaluate behavioral research; and

·        gain professional experience in public health or health care settings.