Community Health and Human Services
Impact the Health & Wellbeing of Your Community
The Community Health and Human Services (CHHS) undergraduate program offers two concentrations that provide distinct pathways to professional training.
Health Promotion and Education (HPE) is designed to provide the training needed to develop programs and policies to reduce disease risk factors, decrease acute and chronic disease burden, and promote health through adopting healthy lifestyles. Students pursuing the HPE degree gain foundational knowledge in health promotion program planning, implementation, and evaluation, using the CHES competencies, to deliver community and population-based health education interventions. The program includes a capstone applied project experience in a pre-professional setting.
Human Services helps our students prepare to work with individuals and communities facing challenges by providing support and access to resources and by addressing societal issues such as poverty, mental health, and substance abuse. Students pursuing the Human Services degree develop skills in case management, crisis intervention, community resource identification and ethical decision-making needed to improve the quality of life of their clients. They study social issues and systems to better understand how to help others and foster social change. The program includes a capstone applied project experience in a pre-professional setting.
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Majors and Minors
The School of Education and Human Sciences CHHS program has the following undergraduate-level programs.Health Promotion & Education (In-person)
Want to create environments, encourage lifestyles, and develop policies and programs that promote the well-being of individuals and communities? Consider choosing this concentration.
Human Services (100% Online)
Want to help people in need improve their quality of life by changing existing structures and systems in society? Consider choosing this concentration.
UAB undergraduates interested in an overview of the health education or human services profession may opt to complete a minor in either Health Promotion & Education (HPE) or Human Services (HS). Students concentrating in HPE often minor in HS, while students concentrating in HS often minor in HPE. Students majoring in the social sciences, health sciences, and business will likely find either of these minors particularly useful.
Health Promotion & Education
This minor provides students with an overview of the health education profession with courses such as Disease Impact, Global Trends in Health Education, and Substance Abuse Prevention and Education. It could be especially useful to students majoring in the social sciences, health sciences, and business.
Human Services
This minor provides students with an overview of some of the important helping professions. Courses such as Fundraising in Human Services, Community Resource Identification and Mobilization, and Leadership in Non-Profit Administration make this minor useful to students majoring in the social sciences, health sciences, and business.
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Curriculum
Faculty developed the curriculum for the undergraduate CHHS program to meet national standards and competencies in the fields of Health Education and Human Services.
Undergraduates who successfully complete the Health Promotion and Education curriculum are eligible to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) credentialing exam, established by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing Inc. (NCHEC). The passing of this exam demonstrates professional competency and a commitment to continued professional development.
Undergraduates who successfully complete the Human Services curriculum are eligible to sit for the Human Services-Board Certified Practitioner Examination (HS-BCP), the passing of which demonstrates professional competency and a commitment to continued professional development.
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Promoting a Healthy World
Human Services Careers
Haleigh Horton
I chose to major in Community Health and Human Services at UAB with a minor in Medical Sociology because I'm deeply passionate about improving public health and understanding the social determinants that influence it. What I love most about my program is its unique combination of practical skills and sociological insights. This blend equips me to address real-world health challenges effectively. It allows me to directly impact and uplift my community, particularly underserved populations. The comprehensive curriculum and hands-on experiences prepare me to make meaningful contributions to public health and social well-being.
