Program Overview

Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Ph.D.

Arnold School of Public Health

Prepare for a leadership or teaching and research career in the planning, implementation and evaluation of health promotion and education programs in an academic environment or research institute setting.

Design and conduct rigorous and innovative social and behavioral science research relevant to public health. Develop, implement and evaluate interventions at multiple levels to promote health, and receive training to teach the next generation of public health educators to improve public health and have a lasting impact.

Program Highlights

• Mentor-Based

  Benefit from the supportive faculty and staff members who work endlessly to maintain and improve a collaborative program.

• Supportive Community

  Enjoy vibrant, collaborative research work groups that value strength in diversity.

• Passionate Faculty

  Enjoy smaller class sizes and one-on-one interactions with faculty members who are leaders in their respective fields.

• People-Focused

  Study vulnerable populations, including adolescents, women, veterans, ethnic groups and the LGBTQIA+ community.

What You’ll Study

Core courses include sociocultural perspectives on population health, environmental interventions and advanced health promotion program evaluation. Use qualitative research methods and plan, implement and evaluate programs that promote informed decision-making and health behavior change in individuals and communities. A dissertation is required.

Building Skills

Gain the professional and personal intelligence it takes to have a successful career.

• Intercultural Competence

  Developing the skills to communicate effectively and work collaboratively across cultures

• Evaluate Policies

  Examining their impact and effectiveness in achieving specific goals or objectives

• Interprofessional Collaboration

  Working with professionals from different disciplines to provide coordinated care or services

• Multicultural Awareness

  Understanding cultural variation and adapting behaviors and communication styles accordingly

• Communication

  Exchanging information and ideas through speaking, writing or other means of expression

• Collaboration

  Working with others to achieve a common goal or objective

Using your degree

Make your college experience the foundation for a successful future.

Potential Careers

• Faculty
• Researcher

Job Titles of Alumni

• Associate Professor
• Assistant Professor
• Research Assistant
• Principal

Average Alumni Salary

Five to 10 years after graduation without additional education $129,067

Workplace Settings

• Education
• Health Research Corporation
• Health Research Organization

Employers of Alumni

• University of South Carolina
• S.C. Department of Health & Environmental Control