Program Overview

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Introduction to Biobehavioral Health

The Biobehavioral Health program at Penn State is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationships between biology and behavior, and how these interactions impact human health. Through a combination of coursework, research, and practical experiences, students in this program gain a deep understanding of the biological, psychological, and social factors that influence health and disease.

Undergraduate Majors

The Biobehavioral Health program offers several undergraduate majors, including:

• Major in Biobehavioral Health
• Major in Systems Neuroscience
• Global Health Minor
• Accelerated MPH Program
• Honors Study in Biobehavioral Health

Major in Biobehavioral Health

The Major in Biobehavioral Health provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the biological, psychological, and social factors that influence health and disease. The program includes coursework in areas such as:

• Introduction to Biobehavioral Health
• Research Methods in Biobehavioral Health
• Statistics in Biobehavioral Health
• Biological Basis of Behavior
• Social and Cultural Factors in Health

Major in Systems Neuroscience

The Major in Systems Neuroscience provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the neural systems that underlie human behavior and cognition. The program includes coursework in areas such as:

• Introduction to Systems Neuroscience
• Neuroanatomy
• Neurophysiology
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience

Global Health Minor

The Global Health Minor provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the global health issues and the factors that influence health and disease in different populations. The program includes coursework in areas such as:

• Introduction to Global Health
• Global Health Issues
• Cultural Competence in Global Health
• Global Health Policy and Advocacy

Accelerated MPH Program

The Accelerated MPH Program provides students with the opportunity to earn a Master's degree in Public Health in an accelerated timeframe. The program includes coursework in areas such as:

• Introduction to Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Biostatistics
• Health Policy and Management
• Environmental Health

Honors Study in Biobehavioral Health

The Honors Study in Biobehavioral Health provides students with the opportunity to engage in in-depth research and scholarly activity in the field of biobehavioral health. The program includes coursework in areas such as:

• Research Methods in Biobehavioral Health
• Statistics in Biobehavioral Health
• Biological Basis of Behavior
• Social and Cultural Factors in Health
• Honors Thesis in Biobehavioral Health

Graduate Program

The Biobehavioral Health program also offers a graduate program that provides students with advanced training in the field of biobehavioral health. The program includes coursework in areas such as:

• Advanced Research Methods in Biobehavioral Health
• Advanced Statistics in Biobehavioral Health
• Biological Basis of Behavior
• Social and Cultural Factors in Health
• Dissertation in Biobehavioral Health

Admission Requirements

The admission requirements for the graduate program in Biobehavioral Health include:

• A bachelor's degree in a related field
• A minimum GPA of 3.0
• GRE scores
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal statement

Funding Information

The Biobehavioral Health program offers various forms of funding to graduate students, including:

• Teaching assistantships
• Research assistantships
• Fellowships
• Scholarships

Research

The Biobehavioral Health program is committed to advancing our understanding of the complex relationships between biology and behavior, and how these interactions impact human health. The program includes research in areas such as:

• Addiction and substance abuse
• Behavioral neuroscience
• Cancer and health disparities
• Cardiovascular disease
• Child and adolescent health
• Cognitive neuroscience
• Environmental health
• Global health
• Health policy and advocacy
• Mental health
• Neurodegenerative diseases
• Nutrition and health
• Obesity and weight management
• Pain management
• Sleep and health
• Stress and health

Research Labs

The Biobehavioral Health program has several research labs that provide students with hands-on experience in conducting research in the field of biobehavioral health. The research labs include:

• Addiction and Innovative Methodology (AIM) Lab
• Alcohol Habits in Daily Life Lab
• Biomarker Core Lab
• Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Lab
• Behavioral Neurogenetics Lab
• Decision Neuroscience Lab
• Disparities Related to Individual Variance in Executive Functioning and Stress Lab
• Epidemiology and Genetics across Populations & Societies Lab
• Family and Child Health Project
• Molecular Genetics Lab
• Neurobiological Investigation of Learning and Addiction Lab
• Prevention Research to Optimize (PRO) Health Lab
• Shalev Lab (Stress and Aging)
• Sleep, Health & Society Collaboratory
• Smoking and Health Behavior Lab
• Mechanics of Emotion, Stress, and Health (MESH) Lab
• Stress and Immunity Lab
• Stress and Nutrition Research Program
• Stress, Health, and Daily Experiences (SHADE) Lab
• Stress Psychophysiology Lab
• Substance Use Neuroscience Lab
• Water, Health, & Nutrition Lab
• Youth Experiences and Later Health Lab
• Veturi Lab

Outreach and Service

The Biobehavioral Health program is committed to providing outreach and service to the community. The program includes:

• Biomarker Core Laboratory
• BCL Services
• BCL Facility Access
• BCL iLab Instructions
• Resources
• Publications
• Contact

Biomarker Core Laboratory

The Biomarker Core Laboratory provides a range of services to support research in the field of biobehavioral health, including:

• Biomarker testing
• Telomere length analysis
• Consultation
• Label printing for samples
• Instrumentation
• Testing capabilities

Alumni

The Biobehavioral Health program has a strong alumni network that provides support and resources to graduates. The program includes:

• Get Involved
• Careers
• Donate
• Contact

Get Involved

The Biobehavioral Health program provides several ways for alumni to get involved, including:

• Mentor a student
• Join the alumni association
• Attend alumni events
• Volunteer for the program

Careers

The Biobehavioral Health program provides graduates with a range of career opportunities, including:

• Research and academia
• Healthcare and medicine
• Public health and policy
• Industry and consulting
• Non-profit and advocacy

Donate

The Biobehavioral Health program relies on donations to support its research and educational activities. Alumni and friends can donate to the program to support its mission and goals.