John R. and Kathy R. Hairston College of Health and Human Sciences

Masters of Science In Health Psychology

The Master of Science in Health Psychology degree program prepares students to address the  relationship between behavior and health. This program prepares students for careers and doctoral programs that emphasize wellness, health promotion and strategies to identify and address health disparities.

  • It is an excellent precursor for those students who would like to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology or related disciplines.
  • Classes are currently taught in-person during the day and evening
  • This health psychology master's program does not prepare an individual to become a licensed psychology or counseling professional.  

 

M.S. in Health Psychology Curriculum Guide

 

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Potential Careers

    • Role: Health educators work to increase awareness and knowledge about health issues, and help people make healthier choices. They develop educational materials and lead programs focused on behaviors, lifestyle changes, disease prevention, and overall well-being.
    • Responsibilities: Designing and implementing health education programs, conducting workshops, creating informational resources (brochures, videos, websites), assessing community health needs, and tracking outcomes.
    • Skills: Strong communication skills, ability to simplify complex health concepts, public speaking, program planning, and evaluation.
    • Settings: Hospitals, public health organizations, non-profits, government agencies.

    • Role: In this role, you assist with research projects aimed at understanding the psychological factors that influence health. This could involve studying how stress impacts physical health or how certain psychological interventions can improve patient outcomes.
    • Responsibilities: Assisting with literature reviews, collecting and analyzing data, administering surveys or assessments, and contributing to research publications or reports.
    • Skills: Strong analytical skills, knowledge of research methodologies, data collection techniques, and statistical analysis.
    • Settings: Universities, research institutions, or health organizations.

    • Role: These professionals design and implement programs to improve the health of individuals and communities. The focus is often on encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, such as increasing physical activity, improving nutrition, or promoting mental health.
    • Responsibilities: Developing health promotion campaigns, managing wellness programs (e.g., smoking cessation, exercise), organizing community health events, and collaborating with health professionals to provide resources to target populations.
    • Skills: Program management, communication, persuasion, and community engagement.
    • Settings: Corporate wellness programs, community health centers, or government programs.

    • Role: Patient advocates support individuals through the healthcare system, ensuring they receive the care they need. This can involve helping patients understand their treatment options, insurance coverage, or rights.
    • Responsibilities: Assisting patients in navigating healthcare services, helping them understand complex medical information, representing patients’ interests with healthcare providers, and ensuring patients’ rights are upheld.
    • Skills: Communication, problem-solving, empathy, knowledge of healthcare systems, and advocacy.
    • Settings: Hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, patient advocacy organizations.

    • Role: Behavioral health technicians work closely with patients to provide direct support for mental health or chronic conditions, often in settings that treat addiction, mental health, or behavioral disorders.
    • Responsibilities: Monitoring patients, assisting with behavioral interventions, helping patients adhere to treatment plans, documenting progress, and providing emotional support.
    • Skills: Understanding of mental health conditions, empathy, patience, ability to monitor treatment progress, and basic therapeutic techniques.
    • Settings: Hospitals, outpatient clinics, addiction treatment centers.

    • Role: Public health specialists focus on improving health at a community or population level. They may conduct research, implement health programs, or evaluate policies that aim to improve public health outcomes.
    • Responsibilities: Analyzing public health data, planning public health campaigns, monitoring health trends, evaluating policy effectiveness, and designing interventions for communities.
    • Skills: Data analysis, public health knowledge, communication, program evaluation.
    • Settings: Public health agencies, non-profits, or government organizations.

    • Role: Health services managers oversee the operational aspects of healthcare facilities or departments, ensuring the delivery of quality care and efficient operations.
    • Responsibilities: Managing day-to-day operations, overseeing staff, ensuring compliance with regulations, improving patient care, and implementing operational changes to enhance service delivery.
    • Skills: Leadership, problem-solving, organizational skills, and knowledge of healthcare regulations.
    • Settings: Hospitals, nursing homes, healthcare providers.

    • Role: These professionals design and deliver educational resources that help patients understand their medical conditions and manage their health effectively.
    • Responsibilities: Developing and distributing educational materials (pamphlets, online content), conducting patient workshops or training, and ensuring patients understand their treatment plans and how to manage their health.
    • Skills: Communication, instructional design, knowledge of health conditions, empathy, and organization.
    • Settings: Hospitals, rehabilitation centers, healthcare organizations.

    • Role: Community outreach coordinators plan and implement programs that address health issues and promote healthy living within communities.
    • Responsibilities: Organizing health education programs, working with local organizations to address health disparities, advocating for community health needs, and recruiting participants for health programs.
    • Skills: Community engagement, program coordination, outreach, and social work.
    • Settings: Non-profits, public health departments, government health agencies.

    • Role: This position involves applying your knowledge of health psychology to create effective communications that promote health products, services, or wellness behaviors to the public.
    • Responsibilities: Developing marketing materials, writing content for websites or social media, conducting market research, and running health campaigns aimed at changing behavior or promoting health.
    • Skills: Writing, creativity, marketing, understanding of health behaviors, and media relations.
    • Settings: Healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, public health agencies.

These roles all align with the skills and knowledge developed in an MS in Health Psychology program, allowing you to make a direct impact on health behavior, patient outcomes, and public health.