About the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education

Our mission is to advance health, reduce preventable illness, and promote health equity through the application of research, teaching, service and practice that promotes health and quality of life within and across diverse population groups. Our mission represents our unique role in creating change for population health.  

  • Our programs address social and behavioral dynamics to promote health and health equity.  
  • Our faculty engage individual, family, social network, community, structural, and policy approaches to health promotion.  
  • Our courses integrate theory, research, and practice through case studies, small group discussions, community partnerships and technology.  
  • Our research uses multiple approaches and methods to examine basic and intervention research questions and apply findings to program and policy development.

HBHE At A Glance

  • 22 Tenure Track Faculty
  • 4  Research Faculty
  • 2 Clinical Faculty
  • 19 Faculty with Joint Appointments
  • 138 Students
  • 1,700 Alumni
  • 75 Staff
  • 7 Research Centers 

Our History

Our legacy began with the work of Mabel Rugen, one of the founding faculty members of the School of Public Health in 1941.  The Department of Health Behavior and Health Education was established in 1975.  

You can learn more about the history of our program and the accomplishments of our faculty, staff and students on our Department History page.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We are actively engaged in DE&I efforts within the department, school and University.  Current HBHE initiatives include:

  • DEI HBHE Collective. This group is made up of the following three committees:
    • Student DEI  Committee
    • Staff DEI Committee
    • Faculty DEI Committee

Contact  Jenny Crawford (jcrawfo@umich.edu) with questions about department DEI efforts and any of the opportunities listed here. 

Contact Information

HBHE Faculty and Staff Directory

E-mail: sph.hbhe.inquiries@umich.edu

Phone: 734-764-9494

Mail:

Department of Health Behavior & Health Education
School of Public Health
University of Michigan
1415 Washington Heights
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029