This area of study uses basic science to measure human responses to internal and external stimuli (such as changes in activity levels, varying environmental conditions, and disease processes) and applies this knowledge to the promotion of human health.

A degree in this area prepares students to work in a hospital or corporate wellness program, or for nonprofit health agencies, commercial fitness enterprises, and federal and state health promotion agencies.

Degree programs in Iowa's Department of Health and Human Physiology are versatile and designed for students with widely varying academic objectives.

Faculty members place a high priority on teaching and research. Their areas of expertise include sensorimotor mechanisms, environmental stresses, movement control, thermoregulation, mechanical factors that regulate blood flow, blood flow in cardiovascular disease, aging, stem cells, behavioral medicine, and monitoring and tracking physical activity across lifespans and in relation to health outcomes. Many of them collaborate with faculty members in the university’s Carver College of Medicine and College of Public Health.

Students should consider the health studies track if they would prefer to have a versatile health science background.