Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
Partnering with communities and organizations to promote population health and well-being through innovative evidence-based solutions, locally and globally.
About
Science-driven, community-informed solutions to improve population health
The Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences prepares students to work alongside communities to develop, evaluate, and sustain innovative evidence-based interventions.
Our faculty and students partner with communities and organizations to identify and address social, behavioral, and structural determinants of health, promoting health equity through multilevel, evidence-based interventions. Through interdisciplinary research, education, and practice, we empower change agents to improve population health and well-being, locally and globally.
Latest Department News
Bauer Selected as a 2025 Texas Legislative Fellow
Stephany Bauer, MS, DrPH student at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Brownsville, has been selected as a 2025 Texas Legislative Fellow.
Latest Department News
- Two School of Public Health Faculty Named 2025 Shine Academy inductees
- Hoelscher Provides Nutritional Expertise on Newly Released Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
- Researchers awarded $1.5M to Explore Pregnancy Outcomes in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors
- Meet Aubree Shay, PhD, a faculty member in San Antonio and co-founder of the AYA STAR lab
Message from Chair
Message from Chair
Dr. Christine Markham
Professor and Chair
Allan King Professorship in Public Health
"As a graduate student in our department, you will have an opportunity to broaden your knowledge and skills in the development, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of evidence-based interventions to promote population health."
HPBS by the Numbers
1321
HPBS graduates
215
Current HPBS students (Fall 2024)
11%
Current students enrolled in online programs
Careers in Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
Health educator, program director, program evaluator, research scientist at
- State or local health departments
- National Institutes of Health
- University or industry setting
- Private sector organizations
- Community-based organizations
- Non-profits
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Testimonials
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Through the HPBS program, I have gained invaluable skills that have boosted my personal and professional growth. The professors’ genuine commitment to student success creates an inspiring and supportive environment, making it easy to share any challenges and feel motivated enough to reach my goals.
— Victoria Kwentua, PhD program
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The HPBS program has been instrumental in helping me connect research with real-world application. However, it’s the relationships I’ve formed with advisors and professors that have truly given me the strength and support to keep pursuing my dream of earning a PhD.
— Crystal Ann, PhD program
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My journey as an MPH student has been transformative. It equipped me with the critical skills and insights needed to tackle pressing behavioral health challenges, culminating in my impactful internship with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This experience deepened my understanding of public health and reinforced my commitment to advancing community well-being as I joined Texas Health and Human Services – Behavioral Health Services.
— Raquel Ballesteros, MPH program
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My time as a PhD student at HPBS was truly exceptional. I was fortunate to have an outstanding mentor, Dr. Christine Markham, who supported me at every step of this transformative journey. Along the way, I had the privilege of learning from incredible professors who equipped me with invaluable research and practical skills. I also cultivated lifelong relationships that have profoundly enriched both my personal and professional life.
— Sumaita Choudhury, PhD program
