Health Promotion and Health Equity, B.S.

The Health Promotion and Health Equity (HPHE) major was created through a collaborative effort across the departments of Counseling Psychology, Kinesiology, and Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education in the School of Education. The Department of Kinesiology is the home of this major; its mission is to research, teach, and apply knowledge related to movement, exercise, and human occupation with the ultimate goal of enhancing human health, productivity, and quality of life.

The core courses (31 credits) form the main content of the major and include: conceptual and theoretical foundations of health; awareness of multiple determinants of physical and psychological health; program planning, administration, and evaluation; and working effectively with underserved populations (e.g., persons with disability; low-income groups; racial and ethnic minority populations).

The elective curriculum (9 credits) will allow students to tailor the major in the direction of their personal interests (Physical Activity and Public Health;Chronic Illness, Disability and Health;Health Equity, Mental Health and Well-Being;Social Determinants of Health;Health Sciences).

The program is broadly designed to provide students with the skills and perspectives to facilitate healthy practices at the individual and societal levels. Students will learn about the theoretical, programmatic and empirical foundations of health promotion and health equity interventions and be taught to demonstrate competence in evaluating strengths and weaknesses in health promotion programs.

The coursework will prepare students for emerging career opportunities as health educators within community health organizations, hospitals, mental health centers, clinics, schools and universities, businesses and non-profits, governmental health offices, and various other public health-related professions.

1. Recognize concepts and theories related to health promotion and health equity.
2. Relate the role of social factors in facilitating or hindering health.
3. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of health behavior and health equity interventions.
4. Identify links between physiological and psychological health.
5. Interpret and communicate the interaction between personal and environmental determinants of health and well-being.
6. Draw from personal and professional identities to develop socially just practices and to lead effectively within their communities of practice.

All undergraduate students at UW–Madison must complete the university-wide General Education Requirements, which are designed to convey the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. These requirements provide for breadth across the humanities and arts, social studies, and natural sciences; competence in communication, critical thinking, and analytical skills necessary for success in college and beyond; and investigation of the issues raised by living in a culturally diverse society. This core is intended to provide students with intellectual and practical skills, basic knowledge of human cultures and the physical world, strategies for understanding these topics, and tools intended to contribute to their sense of personal and social responsibility. General Education complements the work students do in their majors and degrees. Together, these requirements help students learn what they need to know not just for making a living, but also for making a life.

Completing the General Education Requirements is an important part of achieving these competencies, and to do so, students choose from many courses in communication, ethnic studies, quantitative reasoning, and breadth of study across disciplines in the natural sciences, humanities, literature, and arts, and social and behavioral sciences.

Completing the General Education Requirements is an important part of achieving these competencies, and to do so, students choose from many courses in communication, ethnic studies, quantitative reasoning, and breadth of study across disciplines in the natural sciences, humanities, literature, and arts, and social and behavioral sciences.

Each school and college may choose to allow General Education courses to count toward other degree and/or major requirements. Students should always check with their advisors to discuss any additional degree requirements and determine if students are required to take specific General Education courses or to complete the requirements in a particular order. Students should review their Degree Audit (DARS) report to see how they are progressing toward fulfilling the General Education requirements. Please refer to.

 Career Advising in the School of Education

The School of Education Career Center provides students with the knowledge needed for connecting their classroom experiences with real-world application. Through individual appointments, events, and online resources, the Career Center provides students and alumni with the tools needed to be successful in their career development. From building resumes, conducting job and internship searches, developing interview skills, and negotiation strategies, the Career Center provides a foundation for developing the essential skills for the ever-changing world of work.  

Students can set up their profile on Handshake, the campus online career management system, to find open internships, jobs, and career events.  

Current School of Education students can make an appointment with a Career and Internship Advisor by logging into Starfish from the MyUW dashboard and selecting a day and time that works best with their schedule.

School of Education Alumni can schedule an appointment by completing the appointment request form.

For more information, visit the School of Education Career Center website or reach out at