The Health Behavior and Health Education graduate programs emphasize a multidisciplinary, bio-behavioral and developmental approach to health promotion. The program’s focus is on understanding the prevention of illness, and the promotion and maintenance of optimal health. Our research and study includes populations ranging from young children to senior adults.
Graduate students in our programs are exposed to research and coursework from faculty with diverse interests and expertise. Examples of health issues addressed in research and coursework include:
- physical activity
- nutrition education
- stress management
- smoking prevention and cessation
- HIV risk reduction
- alcohol and drug abuse prevention
- successful aging
Health Behavior and Health Education graduate programs include options for the non-thesis M.Ed., the M.S. with thesis, and the Ph.D.
Faculty
 John BartholomewProfessorJoe R. & Teresa Lozano Long Endowed Faculty Fellow Researches the effect of exercise on mental health to improve mood and reduce stress. |
 Darla CastelliProfessorStudies the relationship between physical activity and cognitive performance in children and adolescents. |
 J. Mark EddyProfessorDevelops and rigorously tests prevention and intervention programs intended to benefit children and families, and particularly those who are living in stressful circumstances. |
 Esbelle JowersResearch Assistant ProfessorStudies school and community-based interventions regarding physical activity, healthy eating, and the prevention of chronic disease. |
 Lara LatimerAssistant Professor of InstructionTeaches from a holistic health perspective with a focus on personal health, including mental health, meditation and other stress management techniques. |
 Alexandra LoukasAssociate Dean for Research and Graduate StudiesBarbie M. and Gary L. Coleman Professor in Education Focuses on adolescent and young adult problem behavior development, and tobacco use and cessation. |
 Charles Martinez, Jr.DeanLee Hage Jamail Regents Chair in Education, Sid W. Richardson Regents Chair Focuses on identifying factors that hinder or promote the success of children and families from vulnerable and underserved populations. |
 Keryn PaschAssociate ProfessorExamines the relation between media influence on adolescent risk behavior such as substance use, nutrition, sleep and energy drink consumption. |
 Miguel PinedoAssistant ProfessorFocuses on how migration-related factors contribute to health disparities related to substance abuse, HIV risk, and related harms among Latino populations in the United States and Mexico. |
 Deborah SalvoAssociate ProfessorSeeks to produce contextually relevant evidence for reducing spatial health disparities in access to environments that enable physically active, healthy and sustainable lifestyles for all. |
 Seth SchwartzProfessorStudies immigration, acculturation, and culturally related stress among Latin American immigrant families in the United States, and effects of these processes on family relationships, well-being, and risky behavior. |
 Mary SteinhardtProfessorFocuses on how individuals successfully adapt to stress and build health resilience. |
Affiliated Faculty
 Deborah Parra-MedinaProfessor, Mexican American and Latina/o StudiesDirector, Latino Research Institute Engages community partners to develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate health promotion programs that address disparities in chronic disease prevention and control among US Latino populations. |
Labs and Research Areas
Exercise & Sport Psychology LaboratoryDevelops interventions to increase physical activity and health eating, and seeks to understand the benefits of exercise for mental health. |
Kinetic KidzExamines the correlation between metabolic risk factors and cognitive health in children and young adults to determine how those factors may affect future health. |
Migration and Health LabFocuses on better understanding how migration-related factors influence vulnerability to substance abuse and related harms among Latino communities in the US and Mexico. |
Prevention Research LabExamines how the marketing of unhealthy products impacts youth and young adults’ behaviors. Explores how risk behaviors may co-occur among adolescents and young adults. |
Stress Adaptation and Health ResilienceFocus areas include diabetes self-management interventions, the role of positive emotions in reducing depressive symptoms, and the relationship between chronic psychosocial stress and metabolic health. |
Tobacco Research and Evaluation TeamConducts research on youth and young adult tobacco use, and develops effective tobacco prevention programs and intervention tools that are easily accessible for various populations. |
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