Planning a career in health and wellness? Explore your options at IU!
If you’re interested in a career in health and wellness, now is the time to start thinking about all the options available to you. It’s important to start exploring career choices early to find the role that is the best fit for your abilities and goals, and also to develop a plan to meet specific training and/or educational requirements. Regardless of whether you are just starting your exploration or have a career pathway in mind, IU is a great option.
At Indiana University, you’ll have an array of majors and minors to choose from that will help you meet your career goals. Whether you are seeking a specialized program in the School of Public Health, a strong background in the sciences to prepare for professional school, or a major that leads to employment in a related industry, check out the options on this page.
You may also be interested in the THRIVE Living-Learning Center with the School of Public Health. Students in the THRIVE Living-Learning Center are interested in health and wellness, giving back to society, and exploring careers. THRIVE LLC is open to students of all majors who are passionate about positive health and well-being.
If you’re an admitted student, reserve your space in the class before the admissions deadline. If you’re a junior, keep exploring and get ready to apply!
Ways to study health and wellness at IU
Consider a degree in environmental health through the School of Public Health.
With a degree in environmental health, you’ll work to protect the environment, conduct research, and provide information to the community on how the environment affects health. Students who earn this degree often work in public health departments, government agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, private companies, or environmental research corporations.
Students majoring in environmental health take classes that may include:
Introduction to Occupational Health and Safety(SPH-V 201)
Environmental Regulations and Code Compliance(SPH-V 214)
Or you may be interested in a degree in parks, recreation, and the outdoors through the School of Public Health.
Students who pursue a degree in parks, recreation, and the outdoors explore relationships between outdoor resources, recreation, and human health. Students in this major develop leadership skills, gain experience in management, programming, marketing, and evaluation methods. Hands-on, practical experiences through service-learning projects and internships are required. Many students graduating with this major have careers in national, state, and city parks, nonprofit organizations like the Boys & Girls Club and the YMCA, or military recreation as part of a branch of the U.S. military.
Students majoring in parks, recreation, and the outdoors take classes such as:
Health & Happiness by Design(SPH-R 200)
Human Health & Natural Environments(SPH-O 360)
Inclusion in Recreation, Parks, & Tourism(SPH-R 210)
Management in Recreation, Parks, & Tourism(SPH-R311)
Consider a degree in dietetics through the School of Public Health.
With a degree in dietetics, you can become a registered dietitian. Dietitians work in many different settings with many types of people and have special skills in communicating how food can impact health. During your coursework, you’ll learn in-depth information about nutrition, design a research project, and gain an understanding of special issues in nutrition.
Students majoring in dietetics take classes such as:
You may also be interested in a degree in nutrition science in the School of Public Health.
Many students who choose to study nutrition science use their undergraduate degree as a stepping stone to an advanced degree such as a medical degree, physician assistant degree, or pharmacy degree. Students majoring in nutrition science take classes such as:
Check out the exercise science major in the School of Public Health.
Students in the exercise science program prepare for graduate-level education in physical therapy, occupational therapy, medicine, dentistry, allopathic or osteopathic medicine, optometry, and many other allied health fields.
Students majoring in exercise science take classes such as:
You may also be interested in the fitness and wellness major in the School of Public Health.
The fitness and wellness program is designed for students who want to work in medically based fitness facilities, worksite fitness centers, or private or commercial health clubs. During the program, you’ll learn and gain experience in a variety of health and wellness areas, including fitness assessments, exercise prescription, resistance training movement analysis, nutrition concepts, and behavior change. Upon graduation, students are qualified to seek certification through the American College of Sports Medicine.
Students in the fitness and wellness program take classes such as:
Foundations in Physical Activity and Public Health(SPH-K 216)
Consider a major in community health through the School of Public Health.
Students majoring in community health have the skills and abilities to take on a number of careers, including entering the world of health care consulting. With a major in community health, you’ll study epidemiology, environmental health, social and behavioral health, health administration, and biostatistics in order to learn how to conduct research, measure and evaluate programs and data, and design intervention programs based on the data analyzed.
Students majoring in community health take classes that may include:
Consider a major in human development and family studies through the School of Public Health.
In the human development and family studies major, you’ll study human behavior from two perspectives. First, you’ll learn how humans develop over their life spans from conception through end of life, and second, you’ll study how people function within the context of their families. Many students who complete this degree go on to work in community programs serving families and children.
Students majoring in human development and family studies take classes that may include:
You may also want to look into a major in youth development in the School of Public Health.
In the youth development major, students learn how to professionally deliver services focused on children (from birth through adolescence), and graduate prepared to develop programs for youth within both the family and community settings.
Students majoring in youth development take classes such as:
Introduction to Life Span Human Development(SPH-F 150)
Survey of Practice with Youth and Families(SPH-F 180)
Family Law and Policy(SPH-F 258)
Human Development II—Mid-Childhood to Adolescence(SPH-F 348)
A Bachelor of Social Work prepares students to serve individuals, families, and communities in a variety of fields. Graduates work in nonprofits and government agencies that support child welfare, family preservation, schools, mental health clinics, and more.
Students majoring in social work take classes such as:
Human Growth and Development in the Social Environment(SWK-S 221)
Child Abuse and Neglect(SWK-S 300)
Integrated Practice Seminar: Children and Families(SWK-S 442)
Consider a major in recreational therapy through the School of Public Health.
A degree in recreational therapy provides instruction in a variety of techniques for helping individuals with disabilities achieve a better quality of life, health, and wellness. The program prepares future recreational therapists to assess an individual’s needs, plan and implement specific interventions, and document and evaluate the interventions. Graduates often work in adult daycare facilities, assisted living facilities, developmental learning centers, special education programs, and long-term or residential care facilities. Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to sit for the National Council on Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) exam.
Students majoring in recreational therapy take classes such as:
Introduction to Life Span Human Development(SPH-F 150)
Disability, Health, and Function(SPH-Y 225)
Foundations of Recreational Therapy Practice(SPH-Y 277)
Recreational Therapy Assessment and Planning(SPH-Y 378)
Recreational Therapy in the Healthcare Environment(SPH-Y 472)
You may also want to look into a degree in social work.
Graduates with a Bachelor of Social Work serve in schools, mental health clinics, rehabilitation centers, and more—including facilities that support the disabled.
Students majoring in social work take classes such as:
Understanding Diversity in a Pluralistic Society(SWK-S 102)
Human Growth and Development in the Social Environment(SWK-S 221)
Social Work Practicums I and II(SWK-S 481 and 482)
Consider a major in safety through the School of Public Health.
Students majoring in safety will complete courses in safety science, safety management, industrial hygiene, psychology, and communication, with the goal of starting a career as a safety professional. Many graduates work in consulting, construction, industry, government, the insurance industry, or hospitals, developing programs that reduce injuries, provide safety training, assist during emergencies, and protect corporate resources.
Students majoring in safety take classes such as:
Legal Aspects of Safety(SPH-S 151)
Safety Engineering and Technology(SPH-S 231)
Threats, Violence, and Workplace Safety(SPH-F 255)
Consider a major in community health through the School of Public Health.
Students majoring in community health have the skills and abilities to take on a number of careers, including entering the world of health care consulting. With a major in community health, you’ll study epidemiology, environmental health, social and behavioral health, health administration, and biostatistics in order to learn how to conduct research, measure and evaluate programs and data, and design intervention programs based on the data analyzed.
Students majoring in community health take classes that may include:
Or you could consider a major in parks, recreation, and the outdoors through the School of Public Health.
Students who pursue a degree in parks, recreation, and the outdoors, explore relationships between outdoor resources, recreation, and human health. Students in this major develop leadership skills, gain experience in management, programming, marketing, and evaluation methods. Hands-on, practical experiences through service-learning projects and internships are required. Many students graduating with this major have careers in national, state, and city parks, nonprofit organizations like the Boys & Girls Club and the YMCA, or military recreation as part of a branch of the U.S. military.
Students majoring in parks, recreation, and the outdoors take classes such as:
Health & Happiness by Design(SPH-R 200)
Human Health & Natural Environments(SPH-R 314)
Inclusion in Recreation, Parks, & Tourism(SPH-R 210)
Management in Recreation, Parks, & Tourism(SPH-R 413)
A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) prepares graduates to work with individuals, families, and communities in fields including mental health, physical health, and health care policy. Coursework focuses on interprofessional education (IPE), providing the opportunity to learn alongside nursing, medical, and other health-related majors in both simulated and real-world settings. BSW graduates work in hospice care, hospitals, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, and more.
Social work majors take classes such as:
Understanding Diversity in a Pluralistic Society(SWK-S 102)
Human Growth and Development in the Social Environment(SWK-S 221)
Integrated Practice Seminar: Healthcare Social Work(SWK-S 442)
The College of Arts and Sciences provides a powerful foundation in the sciences.
If you’ve set your sights on a career in the health professions, a liberal arts education provides a powerful foundation in the sciences and develops critical reasoning, communication, and problem-solving skills essential to success. Building the knowledge and skills you need requires careful academic planning, but you’ll have choice and flexibility when it comes to choosing a major—and we want you to find one that you love.
IU’s Health Professions and Prelaw Center (HPPLC) is the go-to place for guidance as you explore degree options and plan for a career in medicine, dentistry, optometry, or other health professions. HPPLC provides advising and other services for students who want to determine the academic plan that best meets their interests and goals. Their advisors and professional development experts work closely with undergraduates, as well as alumni, to help them become thoughtful, well-prepared, competitive applicants to professional programs.
Specific courses vary depending on which health profession you intend to pursue, and you should seek advice early in college from an advisor. Some possible courses to help prepare for medical or another health profession school could include:
Foundations of Biology: Biological Mechanisms(BIOL-L 112)
Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry(CHEM-C 117/127)
General Physics I(PHYS-P 201)
Social Problems and Policies: Medicine in America(SOC-C 101)
You can major in health care management and policy through the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
In this program, you’ll study the complex economic and political factors affecting an issue that is critical to all of us—our health. And, you’ll be taught by faculty who understand the issues firsthand, are conducting pioneering research, and bring years of professional health care experience into their classrooms. For example, you may learn about health care law from a practicing attorney, about long-term care from the administrator of a 300-bed facility, and about strategic planning from a hospital CEO. You’ll graduate with the organizational, managerial, and leadership skills necessary to ensure citizens have access to the health services they need—and the analytical skills to reform health care from the inside out.
Students majoring in health care management and policy major take courses such as:
You may want to consider a degree from the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering.
The IT health care job market is red hot, and some of the world’s largest health care companies recruit IU students. Your health-related coursework in the sciences, combined with a baccalaureate degree in technology, will make you ideally suited for a career in health care information technology.
The Bachelor of Science in Informatics is an excellent way to build your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, you’ll be able to choose an area of focus (called a cognate). There are several options designed specifically for future health care professionals, including medical sciences and pre-health professions.
Whether you’re preparing for a graduate-level health professions degree, pursuing a pre-health professions undergraduate degree, or looking for a program that will allow you to work in the health care industry, consider the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering to prepare you for your healthcare career—and much more.
Students majoring in informatics take courses such as:
Introduction to Computers and Programming(CSCI-C 200)
Introduction to Computer Science(CSCI-C 211)
Exploring Informatics and Computer Science(INFO-Y 100)
Consider a major in speech and hearing sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The program in speech and hearing sciences is an excellent choice if you are interested in the normal processes of speech, language, and hearing, as well as in specialized training for the treatment of speech and hearing disorders.
Students are primarily trainedforone of two professions: speech-language pathology or audiology. These fields are specifically concerned with the evaluation, treatment, and investigation of human communication and its disorders. Because IU Bloomington serves the community with an on-campus clinic, your coursework may include work in alab orparticipation in an internship, giving you direct practical experience in a field that includes many employment options.
Courses in this major include such options as:
Introduction to Communication Disorders(SPHS S110)
Speech and HearingPhysiology(SPHS-S 201)
Cognitive and Communicative Aspects of Aging(SPHS-S 307)
Consider majoring in psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences.
An undergraduate degree from the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences provides a foundation in modern scientific psychology and the methods used to acquire knowledge in this field. Students can choose from a B.A. or B.S., both of which build on a base of study examining the concepts, theories, strategies, and tactics that apply to research and clinical work concerning human behavior.
Courses include such options as:
Health Psychology(PSY-P 303)
Foundations of Clinical Science(PSY-P 318)
Psychology of Learning(PSY-P 325)
Psychological Tests and Individual Differences(PSY-P 336)
A Bachelor of Social Work prepares students to serve individuals, families, and communities in a variety of fields. Graduates work in nonprofits and government agencies that support child welfare, family preservation, schools, mental health clinics, and more.
Students in the social work major take classes such as:
Introduction to Social Work(SWK-S141)
Human Growth and Development in the Social Environment(SWK-S221)
You might also consider a concentration in media science in The Media School.
If you’re interested in psychology or cognitive science, this concentration would be a great fit to learn to investigate media and their effects on the world using data and the scientific method. Develop the skills necessary to observe, ask questions and test answers about the ways media impact individuals and society, and understand the complex relationship of media to cognition, social class, gender, violence, sexuality, family, memory, humor and more.
Consider a major in neuroscience in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The rapidly evolving discipline of neuroscience prepares you to obtain a research-related position in biotechnology, life sciences, or the pharmaceutical industry. It is also excellent preparation for medical school or graduate training in neuroscience.
The undergraduate curriculum in neuroscience gives you interdisciplinary training in basic scientific principles in the life and physical sciences. You also gain a depth of understanding of nervous system function, training in the fundamental principles of neuroscience, and opportunities for more advanced training in specific topics in the field.
Courses include such options as:
Introduction to Psychology I for Majors(PSY-P 151)
Consider a major in international studies—with a track in global health—in the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies.
Students who study global health examine pressing health and environmental challenges around the world, such as deforestation, climate change, and the spread of infectious diseases. With a major in international studies, you’ll learn about crucial issues such as health crises, human rights, or cross-national trends in culture and politics. You’ll also benefit from an emphasis on foreign language skills, opportunities to study world cultures, an interdisciplinary approach to global and international issues, and a commitment to civic engagement.
Students who pursue the global health track take classes that may include:
Global Health and the Environment(INTL-I 202)
Advanced Topics in Global Health and the Environment(INTL-I 302)
You might also explore the degree in environmental health through the School of Public Health.
With a degree in environmental health, you’ll work to protect the environment, conduct research, and provide information to the community on how the environment affects health. Students who earn this degree often work in public health departments, government agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, private companies, or environmental research corporations.
Students majoring in environmental health take classes that may include:
Introduction to Occupational Health and Safety(SPH-V 201)
Environmental Regulations and Code Compliance(SPH-V 214)
