Career Areas by Major | Penn State College of Health and Human Development

Health and Human Development
Explore
Up a level (this gets replaced in JS)

During college and after graduation, students and alumni of Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development (HHD) make things better — for others, for communities, for themselves. HHD students care about issues of health and wellness that make a real impact on people's lives, and they go on to careers that allow them to make a difference.

Take a moment and explore the variety of careers you can attain with a degree from Health and Human Development.

Explore Careers by Setting

Students in the College of Health and Human Development pursue careers in a wide variety of settings - from business to education to healthcare. Discover some of the many opportunities listed by setting.

Explore Career Settings

Explore Careers by Major

Woman in lab coat and goggles pipettes behind protective glass

Biobehavioral Health

The Biobehavioral Health program helps connect health to people’s lives. As a professional, you can work in a number of settings, including in the medical field, public health, private industry, and community health promotion.

Learn more about Biobehavioral Health

Communication Sciences and Disorders

The Communication Sciences and Disorders program is designed to prepare you to be a speech-language pathologist or audiologist. You can work in many different areas helping others with disorders and delays, such as fluency and stuttering, hearing problems, oral motor issues, or swallowing.

Learn more about Communication Sciences and Disorders

Students working on a project with Invent Penn State.

Health Policy and Administration

The Health Policy and Administration program is designed to help you understand all aspects of health care. You can work in the health care industry, for private companies, or as a part of the government.

Learn more about Health Policy and Administration

Event planning and preparation from above.

Hospitality Management

The Hospitality Management program is designed to help you become a leader within the hospitality industry. Your career may include running a restaurant, managing a resort, or overseeing food sales.

Learn more about Hospitality Management

Students, in a classroom, talking with residents from a local retirement village.

Human Development and Family Studies

The Human Developmnent and Family Studies program is for those who want to help others. You may work as a social worker, a counselor, an human resources professional, or in the education field.

Learn more about Human Development and Family Studies

Student doing an health assessment at the health center

Kinesiology

The Kinesiology program is about the human body and the study of physical activity in the context of human health and well-being. You may work as a physical therapist, a fitness coach, or in the medical field as a nurse or doctor.

Learn more about Kinesiology

People gathered around a scale in a nutrition lab

Nutritional Sciences

The Nutritional Sciences program allows you to explore how to incorporate physiological and biochemical aspects of nutritional practices to improve health and wellness. Your career may include work in the food industry, the medical field, or as a registered dietician nutritionist.

Learn more about Nutrional Sciences

Two people stand and speak with a young woman in a Park Ranger's uniform

Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management

The Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management program is focused on leisure and recreation in relation to people and the environment. You can work in a variety of settings, including travel and tourism, event planning, outdoor recreation, and the golf industry.

Learn more about Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management

To help prepare you for your career, the College of Health and Human Development has a variety of resources.

Learn about Career Resources in the College