The physical activity and health promotion (PAHP) major is ideal for those interested in learning how to increase physical activity, create healthy lifestyles, and improve the health of others. This program is an applied major, with a large focus on working with individuals, families, and communities.
The need for health promotion professionals is higher than ever, as many public health issues relate to physical activity and health. This growing field has a variety of career options, including in health facilities, government and policy, corporate workplaces, schools, and more.
This major allows students to evaluate scientific findings on physical activity and health, and apply this information to change individual and community behavior. Areas of study include:
- Health and wellness: Understand how physical, emotional, environmental, and social factors influence our health
- Health promotion: Learn how to promote healthy lifestyles to prevent diseases
- Research methods: Understand how to interpret, evaluate, and critique research
- Nutrition: Learn how nutrition plays a role in health, exercise, and athletic training
- Human anatomy: Gain in-depth knowledge of the body’s structure, and learn how different systems work together to make the body move
- Human physiology: Understand how different organs and systems in the body function
- Sport sociology: Grasp how various communities impact, and are impacted by, sport participation
The physical activity and health promotion BS program prepares students with social and behavioral science skills that apply to a wide range of careers:
- Health coaching and education
- Sports and recreation activities
- Worksite wellness
- Physical activity adherence
- Corporate fitness
- Nutrition
- And more
Coursework in this major often fulfills prerequisites for graduate schools and health careers like health coaching, nutrition, and public health. Visit the University's Pre-Health Student Resource Center to understand the various health career pathways and prerequisites.
There are many career options that connect to a physical activity and health promotion degree beyond the ones listed. Once admitted to the major, students also have the support of CEHD Career Services. This unit helps students with resumes, exploring graduate school and career options, as well as finding job and internship opportunities.
Curriculum and coursework
The courses in the physical activity and health promotion BS program are divided into three general areas: Core courses, focus electives, and physical activity courses.
Core courses help students gain an in-depth and diverse understanding of physical activity and health. All PAHP students are required to complete the following core courses, totaling 36 credits:
- KIN 3001 - Lifetime Health and Wellness
- KIN 3027 - Human Anatomy for Kinesiology, Physical Activity, and Health Promotion
- KIN 3385 - Human Physiology
- KIN 3982 - Research Methods in Kinesiology, Physical Activity, Health Promotion, and Sport
- KIN 4214 - Health Promotion
- KIN 4385 - Exercise Physiology
- KIN 3696 - Supervised Practical Experience
- FSCN 1112 - Principles of Nutrition
- SMGT 3501 - Sport in a Diverse Society
- KIN 3131W - History and Philosophy of Sport
These courses enhance the core courses, providing a greater understanding of physical activity and health while supporting a student's individual interests. PAHP students take a total of 6 elective credits from an approved list, below are a few popular choices:
- KIN 3993 - Directed Study
- KIN 4641 - Training Theory and Analytics for Exercise and Sport Performance
- KIN 5123 - Motivational Interventions in Physical Activity
- KIN 5203 - Health Media, Consumerism, and Communication
- CSPH 5111 - Cultural Ways of Thinking about Health
Physical activity courses allow students to learn about movement and physical activity first-hand. Kinesiology students take a total of 3 credits of these courses from an approved list of over 60 options. Below are a few options that many students enjoy:
- Pickleball
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Marathon training
- Scuba and skin diving
- Self defense
Sample plan
View a sample plan to get a better picture of what your course schedule could look like.
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Student experiences and support
Inside the classroom
Within their coursework, students learn in a variety of ways. Class discussions and group work are common in the physical activity and health promotion major. Modern technology is also used to support hands-on experiences, some examples include virtual reality labs and using technology to measure oxygen use during exercise.
Students are taught by world-renowned faculty who are committed to student success. Our faculty's expertise is diverse and will expose students to a variety of areas in the field.
Outside the classroom
Hands-on experiences are essential to support your long-term professional and educational goals. Students in the PAHP BS program are encouraged to explore opportunities to volunteer, work, and potentially earn academic credit through research supervised by a faculty member.
Directed study gives undergraduate students the opportunity to work with faculty on physical activity and health-related research. To get a better sense of the various research areas and labs in the School of Kinesiology, visit our research page. Some projects students have done in the past include:
- The application of yoga in the lives of African-American women
- Evaluation of a non-competitive community-based youth sports program
- Examining the efficacy of a remote tai chi intervention on older adults
- Physical activity in stroke rehabilitation practice
- Behavioral intervention feasibility in occupational therapy (teleABLE formative phase research)
Field experiences support our student's classroom learning and broaden their professional skills. Students are encouraged to exploring opportunities in advance of the term they may wish to participate in the experiences. Faculty, academic advisors, and career coaches are great resources to discuss ideas for these experiences. Some positions that our students have held in their field experiences include:
- Youth mentor
- Program counselor
- Personal trainer
- Performance coach
- Personal care assistant
- Fitness program instructor
- Health and safety specialist
- Volunteer in rehabilitation clinics
There are over 1,000 student organizations on campus. Some common groups that physical activity and health promotion majors join include:
- Growth and Gratitude
- Nutritional Experiential Learning and Advocacy
- Food Science and Nutrition Student Support Collective
- Student Health Advisory Committee
- Wellness and Culture Club
View a full list of student organizations on the University's student group page.
Studying abroad is a great way to explore new areas of the world while earning academic credit. The School of Kinesiology's study abroad programs are related to health and wellness:
- Marketing and sponsorship in German sports
- Pillars of wellness in Sicily: Empowering minds, bodies, & emotions,
There are many opportunities through the Learning Abroad Center as well. Some popular programs include:
- Empowering youth through sport and physical activity
- Health and medicine in India
- Sustainable approaches to health in France
- Study and intern London
- Study and intern Sydney
- University study New Zealand - University Otago
- IES South Africa - Summer health studies
Quote from Kennedy VanderLoop
“This major is great for anyone who wants a wide platform of educational opportunities to explore concepts of physiology, public health, psychology, and kinesiology."
Quote from Lilly Niese
"My favorite aspect of the PAHP major is the diversity of the course material."