Penn State's College of Health and Human Development Majors Overview

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UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS OVERVIEW

Undergraduate Majors Overview You want to help people by making a difference in their lives. The College of Health and Human Development at Penn State offers nine majors that create difference-makers— people who help improve the quality of others’ lives. Explore these academic programs and be inspired to make a difference.

Athletic Training hhd.psu.edu/kines The Athletic Training (ATHTR) major in the Department of Kinesiology offers a concentrated curriculum designed to prepare students for a career in athletic training. Students build an understanding of the health sciences and learn the core skills required to promote optimal health and human performance in diverse, physically active populations. The program stresses the prevention, examination, treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation of athleticrelated injuries and illnesses. The program requires that students demonstrate and apply their knowledge and skills in various supervised clinical settings. Some of these include rotations with the University’s intercollegiate athletic teams. The major, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), is open to students at the University Park campus.

JOBS AND CAREERS Athletic training is a sports medicine-related profession. As an allied health care professional, the Certified Athletic Trainer (ATCÂŽ) works with physicians and other medical personnel, employers, patients, parents, guardians, and athletic personnel in the development and coordination of efficient and responsive health care delivery systems. Athletic trainers are integral members of the health care team in secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional sports programs, sports medicine clinics, corporate / industrial, and other health care settings.

Students who complete the major will be prepared to sit for the Board of Certification examination.

Biobehavioral Health bbh.hhd.psu.edu Biobehavioral Health (BBH) is an innovative, interdisciplinary program that enables students to explore the biological, behavioral, social/ cultural, and environmental factors that influence the health of individuals, groups, and populations throughout the life span. By investigating the interconnected issues that influence health, students prepare for careers promoting healthy lifestyles and disease prevention in a diverse and global context.

JOBS AND CAREERS Graduates enter a range of health-related settings, including roles as health promotion and disease prevention specialists, biomedical product representatives, research assistants, laboratory managers, and technical support personnel in biomedical and health-related fields. The major also provides excellent preparation for advanced study in professional areas and the biological and social sciences, such as medicine, the allied health professions (e.g., physician assistant, physical therapy, etc.), health psychology, public health, environmental health and safety, and human services.

Communication Sciences and Disorders csd.hhd.psu.edu Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) is a national leader in training health care professionals in the areas of speechlanguage pathology and audiology. The undergraduate curriculum is specifically designed to prepare students for more extensive training at the graduate level. The bachelor of science degree helps students develop the fundamental knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for working with people of all ages who have a wide range of speech, language, and hearing problems.

JOBS AND CAREERS Speech-language pathologists and audiologists provide intervention, diagnostic, and therapeutic services to children and adults who have speech, language, and/or hearing disorders. They work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and public schools. The field of speechlanguage pathology requires at least a master’s degree, while a clinical doctorate is needed for audiology.

Students must pass a national test and complete a Clinical Fellowship Year to be certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or to obtain a state license to practice speech-language pathology or audiology. A master’s degree program may also prepare students to be eligible for a Pennsylvania Department of Education Instructional Level I Teacher Certificate in SpeechLanguage Impaired.

Health Policy and Administration hhd.psu.edu/hpa Health Policy and Administration (HPA) is a blend of courses in liberal arts, business administration, and the health sciences designed to prepare students for careers or further study in health care. The health care industry represents nearly one-seventh of the entire U.S. economy and is still growing, offering students a vast array of job opportunities. Graduates work in all types of health care organizations, from major teaching hospitals with more than 1,000 beds to rural solo-practice physician offices. Jobs can be found in small nonprofit, serviceoriented agencies or in major for-profit corporations. In addition to University Park, HPA is offered at Lehigh Valley campus as well as online through Penn State World Campus.

JOBS AND CAREERS In general, HPA students are prepared to work in a variety of health care organizations, including: health care providers (hospitals, physician practices, nursing facilities, home health agencies, etc.); insurers (nonprofit and commercial insurers, health maintenance organizations, etc.); consulting firms; supply companies (pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, etc.); health services research and policy organizations (health policy research groups, industry trade groups, etc.); and local, state, and federal health agencies (local health departments, state departments of health, federal Department of Health and Human Services, etc.).

HPA students also can use the degree to prepare for graduate study in business, law, medicine or allied health fields, health administration, health services research or policy, and public health.

Hospitality Management hhd.psu.edu/shm Hospitality Management (HM) teaches students the skills needed to manage hotels, restaurants, resorts, casinos, convention centers, health care and corporate dining facilities, educational institutions, and other commercial and noncommercial settings. Students gain a general education background, take courses in hospitality management and related areas, and earn 1,000 hours of work experience.

Program Options: • Hospitality Management • Management Dietetics • Hospitality Entrepreneurship (offered at Penn State Berks)

JOBS AND CAREERS The Hospitality Management option prepares students for management positions in any segment of the hospitality industry. Students choose courses that enable them to continue pursuing a general emphasis in hospitality or a specific emphasis in restaurant management, hotel management, or institutional management. Students may also pursue a concentration in areas such as financial management, human resource management, marketing, or hospitality management information systems.

The Management Dietetics option prepares students for management positions within food service operations run by or for medical organizations, health care facilities, retirement communities, nursing homes, colleges, government agencies, schools, and community programs. Graduates often pursue management careers in commercial food service settings such as restaurants, lodging operations, and food distributors. The Management Dietetics option is available to students who are interested in becoming registered dietitians.

Human Development and Family Studies hhd.psu.edu/hdfs Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) is an innovative, interdisciplinary program that encourages students to explore the development of individuals and families across the life span. Students will study child and adolescent development, adult development and aging, the influence of family and community on human development, and prevention science.

Furthermore, the program focuses on advancing and applying knowledge about individuals, families, schools, and communities in a changing, diverse world. The goal is to provide students with knowledge and skills (through supervised internship settings or research projects) that will equip them to work with people in professional settings or to pursue graduate education in related fields. HDFS is available at the following campuses: Altoona, Brandywine, DuBois, Fayette, Harrisburg, Mont Alto, Shenango, WorthingtonScranton, York, University Park, and online through Penn State World Campus.

Program Options: • Life Span Human Services • Life Span Developmental Science

JOBS AND CAREERS The Life Span Human Services option prepares students for careers in a number of settings, including preschools, hospitals, mental health programs, programs for abused or neglected children, women’s resource centers, human resources programs, nursing homes, and public welfare agencies.

Graduates typically pursue graduate study in human development, family studies, psychology, or sociology, or advanced professional training in psychology, law, behavioral health, counseling, or social work.

The Life Span Developmental Science option prepares students for graduate study in human development, family studies, psychology, or sociology; advanced professional training in psychology, law, behavioral health, social work; and other topics. Graduates pursue careers in developmental or family research or teaching at a college or university, as well as a variety of advanced professional careers.

Kinesiology hhd.psu.edu/kines Kinesiology (KINES) offers a comprehensive program of study designed to prepare students for professions involving physical activity, exercise, and the science of human movement and its relationship to human health and disease and for graduate study in related areas.

The undergraduate program provides a solid foundation for entry-level positions in teaching and personal training and for postgraduate training in kinesiology, as well as fields such as cardiac rehabilitation, occupational therapy, physical therapy, podiatry, prosthetics and orthotics, and medicine.

Program Options: • Movement Science • Exercise Science (offered at Penn State Berks)

JOBS AND CAREERS The Movement Science option provides interdisciplinary training in academic areas such as biomechanics, exercise physiology, exercise and sport psychology, motor behavior, neuroscience, and sport history and philosophy to understand the use of movement for prevention and diagnosis of chronic disease, rehabilitation and treatment, and/or theoretical study. Students are prepared for a broad range of careers in biomedical and health-related fields as well as graduate study in allied health and medical fields such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician’s assistant, cardiac rehabilitation, or pre-medicine.

The Exercise Science option (offered at Penn State Berks) gives students a broad knowledge base and practical experience in the science of human movement.

This option has two emphases: Business or Science.

Nutritional Sciences nutrition.hhd.psu.edu Nutritional Sciences (NUTR) incorporates physiological and biochemical aspects of nutrition and the role of social and economic factors in nutritional practices and their effect on physical well-being. Human nutrition plays a critical role in the health of individuals and populations, and students address a number of current issues—including diabetes, obesity, genetics and nutrition, prenatal nutrition, and functional foods—that offer benefits in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Through a broad focus on nutrition, from molecules to organisms to populations, students are able to participate in a number of research opportunities, practical experiences, and training that prepare them for careers in nutrition research, education, health care, and related fields.

Program Options: • Basic Sciences • Applied Sciences • Dietetics

JOBS AND CAREERS The Basic Sciences option prepares students for healthrelated pre-professional programs and laboratory-based research. Graduates typically pursue careers in laboratory research in the pharmaceutical or food industry, government, or academia and meet the requirements to apply for health-related pre-professional programs in medicine, dentistry, physician’s assistant, occupational therapy, pharmacology, and others.

The Applied Sciences option prepares students for employment in public health agencies, businesses, community and international agencies, and schools, or they may continue to graduate study in nutrition or related fields.

The Dietetics option provides a strong foundation in science, foods, and nutrition and meets the accreditation standards set by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Students have the long-term goal of becoming a registered dietitian (RD) and may work in clinical, community, and wellness settings; counseling; education in the community and in academia; school food service; public health and policy; sports nutrition; food and industry settings; long-term care facilities; food-service management; as research technicians in industry and academia; private practice; and marketing.

Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management hhd.psu.edu/rptm Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management helps students learn about the social, psychological, and economic aspects of recreation and leisure and their impact on individual and community health. This includes the development, marketing and evaluation of sustainable resources, programs, and communities, and the equitable provision of recreation, park, and tourism facilities and programs.

JOBS AND CAREERS

Program Options:

The Penn State Professional Golf Management option, a PGA-accredited program, helps prepare students for careers in the golf industry. Being endorsed by the Professional Golfer’s Association of America allows students to fast track to full PGA membership while obtaining an undergraduate degree from Penn State.

• Commercial and Community Recreation Management • Professional Golf Management • Outdoor Recreation

The Commercial and Community Recreation Management option focuses on management in the private/commercial, nonprofit, and public sectors of recreation and tourism services. Graduates seek careers in a variety of commercial settings, including resorts, theme parks, convention centers, sports and fitness facilities, and tourism agencies. Graduates also may seek careers within municipal, state, and federal government agencies, or nonprofit organizations.

The Outdoor Recreation option offers three tracks.

The environmental interpretation track focuses on natural and cultural history interpretation and prepares students to work as interpreters or environmental educators in parks, nature centers, historic sites, camps, and similar organizations. The adventure-based programming track emphasizes leadership and management skills needed to implement adventure-based programs. Graduates work as leaders or guides for adventure businesses, camps, and schools. The park management track prepares students to manage natural resources, facilities, and visitors in parks, commercial outdoor facilities, and camps.

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College of Health and Human Development The Pennsylvania State University Health and Human Development Building University Park, PA 16802 814-865-1428

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