Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior (HPEB) is an interdisciplinary department that applies the social and behavioral sciences to improve public health.
HPEB conducts innovative research and prepares future leaders to improve public health locally, nationally, and globally. Our faculty and students address how interventions, social context, health care systems, and physical environments influence health behaviors and health status, with an emphasis on disadvantaged populations.
Departmental strengths include:
In addition to an undergraduate minor, we offer four advanced degrees related to health promotion, education and behavior as well as three graduate certificate programs. Each graduate degree and certificate has specific application deadlines and requirements.
Are you an undergraduate student interested in doing research with an HPEB faculty member? Fill out this contact form for more information.
Curious about what it’s like to be a graduate student in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior (HPEB)? Our Welcome Guide offers an inside look at life in the program, what to expect, how to prepare, and where to find support. Whether you’ve just been accepted or are considering applying, this guide is a great starting point to understand our community, values, and resources that will shape your academic and professional experience.
Fanghui Shi's faculty career is just beginning, but she's already been awarded more than $2.2 million from the National Institutes of Health's Director's New Innovator Award to advance understanding and treatment of HIV.
As the Society's highest honor, Fellowship recognizes individuals for their significant contributions and outstanding lifetime achievements in the field of nutrition.
With her latest National Institutes of Health grant of nearly $5.1 million, Yang will delve into a health challenge that accompanies the longer lifespan of individuals living with HIV: neurocognitive decline.
Ph.D. in HPEB graduate Anna Chupak plans to research cognitive aging, dementia, and health disparities by understanding broader social and structural factors.
When long-time health promotion, education, and behavior professor Daniela Friedman officially took on the Arnold School's Associate Dean for Research position in 2025, the role came with an extended title and a pioneering charge rarely seen in academic units.
Enid Keseko already knew she was passionate about improving health through food and nutrition when she discovered she could use the public health field to extend her impact even further.
The South Carolina Public Health Association (SCPHA) has selected Executive Director for Operations and Accreditation Joseph "Lee" Pearson as the 2026 recipient of the James A. Hayne Award.