University of St. Thomas

When asked what one word best describes the health and human performance major at St. Thomas, a faculty member responded, “dynamic.”

A real student asks:

 

Is this about learning how to promote health or learning about health? How does this differ from a health education major?

A health and human performance faculty member responds: Yes, you will learn about health in all of the majors that the Health and Human Performance Department offers. You also will learn about other related topics such as anatomy, kinesiology and exercise physiology. As a health promotion major, you will learn how to promote healthy living in a variety of job settings that may include a health club or business setting.

What jobs are possible with a Health and Human Performance major?

What are recent graduates doing now?

Many graduates decide to pursue master’s and doctorate degrees in physical therapy because of a strong interest in the field and a commitment to helping others. Employers of recent graduates include the Institute for Athletic Medicine, St. Anthony Orthopedic Clinic and Mercer, a human resources consulting firm.

What opportunities are there to bolster my resume while I'm in the program?

Internships. Our majors find internships at large corporations, community-based organizations and nonprofits. Students have interned at health clubs, small businesses and physical therapy clinics. Physical therapy students work in a clinical setting, while health and wellness students work for vendors of services or in-house wellness programs of companies. Here is a small sample of companies that have worked with our students:

Park Nicollet HealthSource
Institute for Athletic Medicine
Hennepin County HealthWorks
HealthPartners
NovaCare Physical Therapy Clinic
Courage Center
Regions Hospital In-patient Physical Therapy Clinic
Fairview Ridges Rehabilitation Center
Ceridian Health Promotion Program
Illinois Bone and Joint Rehabilitation Center
Life Time Fitness

Study abroad. Our department will be offering a study abroad course in January ’09. Our majors travel to a variety of countries from Spain to Italy to Africa. They typically fulfill core requirements when abroad. It is a great growth experience that broadens their horizons!

Faculty at work

Faculty members collaborate year round with students on research that deals with exercise physiology and biomechanics. Many of our students present posters at conferences.

Dr. Dan Carey is a competitive cyclist and a former professional baseball player for the New York Mets. He recently conducted an American College of Sports Medicine-approved seminar on fad diets, supplements and exercise for weight control. He is in the process of developing another seminar on testing and training the endurance athlete. Dr. Julie Derry is working on a collaborative project with several colleagues on the impact of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and physical activity. Please visit the health and human performance faculty page to read about the rest of our faculty.