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What is Health and Human Development?

Diverse fields of study that share one
common goal: enriching the lives of others.

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Health and Human Development Buildings on the Old Main mall.

Dedicated to enriching human well-being and strengthening intellectual, social, physical, economic, and emotional wellness, Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development (HHD) will give you a solid foundation for positively impacting the way people live — both now and far into the future.

HHD faculty and staff are proud to be recognized as some of the most respected leaders across the country and around the globe in our respective disciplines. Our faculty — which includes fellows, presidents, and board/committee members of numerous national academies and organizations — is regularly honored for innovative excellence in teaching, advising, research, and actively engaging students.

As an HHD student, you will participate in learning, service, and research activities that put you in direct contact with patients, clients, and consumers. You’ll graduate with a portfolio of real-world opportunities that help you hone your professional skills while also experiencing the satisfaction of improving the world in which we live.

With a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs available through eight fields of study, you’re sure to find one that aligns with your passion, challenges you both personally and academically, and sets you on a path to achieving your life goals.

Now more than 50,000 strong, HHD alumni go on to make substantial contributions to society and to the proud Penn State legacy through their careers, their accomplishments, their ever-growing networks, and their community outreach initiatives.