Health Promotion
Health promotion is a developing discipline committed to improving the health and quality of life of individuals and communities. Health promotion practitioners assess, plan, implement, and evaluate programs that increase health-enhancing behaviors, decrease health risk behaviors, and create environments supportive of healthy lifestyles.
Career Opportunities in Health Promotion
Iowa health promotion graduates have a strong foundation for numerous career directions. Graduates leave The University of Iowa prepared for health promotion positions in hospital-based and corporate-based wellness programs, non-profit health agencies, commercial fitness enterprises, municipal recreation programs, and federal and state health promotion agencies. Employment opportunities in these sectors have been good to excellent and are projected to increase. For more information visit our Professional Opportunities page. The rigor of the curriculum also prepares students for graduate study in other academic disciplines including public health and provides excellent preparation for professional study in the health professions such as physical therapy and occupational therapy.
Health Promotion Track Curriculum Requirements
Health promotion students complete: all HSS Foundation courses; all Health Promotion Core courses; and either the guided elective option of 12 semester hours of Health Promotion Guided Elective courses or the internship option of at least 6 semester hours of Health Promotion Guided Elective courses, 028:190 Pre-Internship Seminar, and 6 or 12 semester hours of 028:191 Internship.
I. HSS Foundation (9 s.h.)
- 028:074 Inequality in Sport (3 s.h.)
- 028:036 Physical Activity Through the Life Span (3 s.h.)
- 028:076 Psychological Aspects of Sport and Physical Activity (3 s.h.)
II. Health Promotion Core (22 s.h.)
- 027:140 Exercise Physiology for Practitioners (3 s.h.)
- 028:038 Understanding Food and Nutrition (3 s.h.)
- 028:075 Health in Everyday Life (3 s.h.)
- 028:138 Exercise Testing and Prescription (4 s.h.) (prerequisites: 028:036, 027:140)
- 028:141 Health Promotion Theory and Practice (3 s.h.) (prerequisite: 028:075)
- 028:142 Worksite Health Promotion (3 s.h.)
- 028:145 Health Promotion Processes (3 s.h.) (prerequisite: 028:141)
III. Health Promotion Guided Electives (12–19 s.h.)
- 06T:120 Entrepreneurship and New Business Formation (3 s.h.)
- 07C:130 Human Sexuality (3 s.h.)
- 07C:185 Introduction to Substance Abuse (3 s.h.)
- 071:120 Drugs: Their Nature, Action, and Use (2 s.h.)
- 071:130 Drug Mechanisms and Actions (3 s.h.)
- 152:150 Global Health Seminar (2 s.h.)
- 152:152 Global Health Conference (1 s.h.)
- 028:020 Alcohol and Your College Experience (1 s.h.)
- 028:021 Tobacco and Your College Experience (1 s.h.)
- 028:022 Resiliency and Your College Experience (1 s.h.)
- 028:023 Food and Your College Experience (1 s.h.)
- 028:030 Principles of an Exercise Class (2 s.h.)
- 028:031 Health-related Muscular Fitness (2 s.h.)
- 028:032 First Aid and CPR (2 s.h.)
- 028:077 Understanding Peak Performance (2 s.h.)
- 028:132 Fitness and Sport Nutrition (3 s.h.) (prerequisite: 028:038)
- 028:133 Nutrition Through the Life Span (3 s.h.) (prerequisite: 028:038)
- 028:134 Nutrition Intervention (3 s.h.) (prerequisite: 028:038)
- 028:135 Global Health and Global Food (3 s.h.)
- 028:143 Communicating Health and Physical Activity (3 s.h.)
- 028:144 Peer Health Education (2 s.h.)
- 028:147 Promoting Health Globally (2 s.h.)
- 028:148 Practicum in Health Promotion (1-3 s.h.)
- 028:166 Exercise Management for Special Populations (1 s.h.) (co-requisite: 028:138)
- 028:174 Stress Management (3 s.h.)
- 028:190 Pre-Internship Seminar (1 s.h.)
- 028:191 Internship (6 or 12 s.h.)
- 028:194 Honors Readings (1-2 s.h.)
- 028:195 Honors Problems (3-4 s.h.)
Selective Admission to the Health Promotion Track
To be admitted to the health promotion track, students must complete a minimum of 24 s.h. at The University of Iowa including:
- 004:007 General Chemistry I, 3 s.h. or 1 year of high school chemistry or 004:011;
- 004:008 General Chemistry II, 3 s.h. or 004:012;
- 002:002 Introductory Animal Biology, 4 s.h. or 002:021 or 002:010;
- 027:053 Human Anatomy, 3 s.h., or 27:150, 060:113, or 060:110;
- 022S:025 (07P:025) Elementary Statistics and Inference, 3 s.h. or 022S:008, 022S:030, 022S:039, 022S:101, 022S:102, 022S:120, 022M:015, 022M:016. 022M:017. 022M:025. 022M:026, or 171:161.
The Department maintains the right to accept equivalent courses or higher-level courses addressing the same content areas as the prerequisites listed above.
Students must have a grade-point average of at least 2.70 in all University of Iowa course work and a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.70.
Transfer students must meet the same requirements (including the same chemistry, biology, anatomy, and statistics courses), and they must have completed a minimum of 12 semester hours at The University of Iowa.
Students who have a University of Iowa or cumulative grade-point average lower than 2.70 may apply under an exceptional admission policy.
The application form for health promotion must be submitted for consideration to the Director of Undergraduate Studies (E102 EF) by October 15 for spring admission and by March 15 for fall admission. Once admitted, students should plan on a minimum three-semester plan of study to complete degree requirements.
Health Promotion Curriculum Design
Students in health promotion take three departmental foundation courses and seven health promotion core courses. In addition, students select approved courses in specialized content areas such as stress management, tobacco and alcohol, health communications, facility-based management, small business management, aging studies, and global health studies. These content areas allow students to tailor their health promotion program to specific interests and career paths.
Community and clinical practicum experiences give students additional opportunity to apply health promotion concepts and skills. As a capstone experience, supervised academic internships are available in a variety of organizational settings, both nationally and internationally.
Double Majors, Minors, and Academic Certifications
Health promotion students are encouraged to add concentrated study in other disciplines and earn one or more minors, academic certifications, and/or double majors. Some examples of minors and double majors being pursued by current health promotion students include psychology, sociology, counseling, biology, integrative physiology, Spanish, and pre-health professional studies. In addition, the interdisciplinary nature of the curriculum allows interested students to work toward the University’s Certificate in Entrepreneurship, Certificate in Aging Studies, or the Certificate in Global Health Studies while completing their health promotion major.
Preparation for Professional Certifications
Iowa’s health promotion courses address certification competencies of the most prestigious national organizations in health promotion including the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Health Fitness Instructor and ACSM Personal Trainer, the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). More information may be obtained at the respective web sites: http://www.acsm.org/, http://www.nsca-lift.org/, and http://www.nchec.org/.
Academic Internships
Students who desire to have a capstone experience of their health promotion studies will benefit from an academic internship. Students take 28:191 Internship during the final semester of study in the Department. This 6- or 12-semester-hour course may be taken only after all prerequisite coursework and other credentials necessary for the internship are completed at stated standards. Students are encouraged to take 28:190 Pre-Internship Seminar at least two semesters before taking 28:191 Internship.
Academic Certificates
The interdisciplinary nature of the health promotion curriculum allows interested students to work toward academic certifications while completing their major. Some courses needed for these certifications will satisfy health promotion guided elective coursework.
Certificate in Entrepreneurship
Students interested in small business health promotion enterprises and creative business practices benefit from earning a Certificate in Entrepreneurship. The certificate is granted through the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center in the Henry T. Tippie College of Business. Students may begin pursuit of this certificate in their sophomore year. Health promotion guided elective 06T:120 is a required course for the Certificate in Entrepreneurship. For more information, visit http://www.iowajpec.org/students/certificate.html.
Certificate in Global Health Studies
Students who seek occupations that demand critical interdisciplinary and international perspectives will benefit from this certificate granted through the Global Health Studies Program, University of Iowa International Programs. Health promotion guided elective courses 028:147, 152:150, and 152:152 apply toward the certificate requirements. To read more about this certificate, see http://intl-programs.uiowa.edu/academic/ghsp/index.shtml.
Certificate in Aging Studies
Students who wish to work in career positions that serve older persons and/or meet the needs of the aging population should consider earning a Certificate in Aging Studies. This certificate is granted through the University’s Division of Interdisciplinary Studies. The Aging Studies Program will accept health promotion guided elective 28:036, 28:133, 28:166 toward certificate requirements. To access information about this certificate, go to http://www.uiowa.edu/~interdi/aging/.
Professional Certifications
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Health Fitness Instructor and ACSM Personal Trainer
ACSM credentialing is a nationally recognized credential of competence in fitness testing, exercise prescription, and exercise leadership for sports medicine and health and fitness professionals. Students wanting to become certified by ACSM are encouraged to take one or more of the following health promotion guided electives: 28:030, 28:031, 28:132, and 28:166. More information about this credential can be found at http://www.acsm.org/.
National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
This national credential certifies that a fitness professional has demonstrated knowledge and skills to design and implement safe and effective strength conditioning programs for athletes and the general public. Health promotion guided electives that especially apply to this certificate are: 28:031 and 28:077. See http://www.nsca-lift.org/, for more details about this certification.
National Commission for Health Education Credentialing Specialist (CHES)
The CHES credential certifies that the holder meets the national standard for individual health education practitioners. Students who seek health educator positions should pursue this credential. Guided health promotion electives that apply to this credential are 28:143 and 28:144. More information on the CHES credential is available at http://www.nchec.org/.
Health Promotion Faculty
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