Personal Health and Well-Being Minor
This minor is open to all UGA undergraduates and majors.
The minor in personal health and well-being is a joint offering from the departments of Educational Psychology and Kinesiology. Students will learn about the scientific foundations of personal health, happiness, and well-being and will implement evidence-based practices designed to develop skills, habits, and practices to support personal health and well-being.
Students also choose from a wide range of elective courses that relate to a holistic approach to health and well-being, such as nutrition, art appreciation, and personal finance. The personal health and well-being minor is a natural complement for students interested in education, positive youth development, human services (e.g., social work, psychology, health promotion and behavior, human development and family sciences), and pursuing various therapeutic and professional careers (e.g., medicine, prison ministries).
Curriculum
Required Courses: 9 hours
- EPSY 3500: Psychology of Habit (3 hours) – offered Spring term
- EPSY 3600-3600L: Science and Practice of Health and Well-Being (3 hours) – offered Fall and Spring terms
- KINS 2500-2500L: Exercise is Medicine (3 hours) – offered Fall, Spring, and Summer terms
Elective Course: 6 hours
Three hours must be upper-division coursework.
- DANC 2010/2010E: Dance Appreciation or MUSI 2020/2020E: Introduction to Music or ARTS 2000/2000E: Art Appreciation or ARED 4010/6010: Art Criticism and Aesthetic Understanding
- DANC 2030: The Pilates Method I or DANC 2040/2040E: Yoga: Asana Practice I
- ECHD 4020/6020: Interpersonal Relationships or COMM 2600: Communicating and Relationships
- ECHD 4380/6380/4380E/6380E: Human Development and Mental Health or HPRB 3100: Introduction to Behavioral Medicine or PSYC 3810: Psychology of Health
- FDNS 2100: Human Nutrition and Food or FDNS 3100: Macronutrients and Energy Balance or IDIS(FDNS) 4200/6200: We Are What We Eat! How Your Gut Influences Your Overall Health
- FHCE 3200: Introduction to Personal Finance or FHCE 3110: Money Skills for Life
- KINS 4450E: Initiating Motivation for Change in Health, Exercise, and Sport
- SOCI 3710: Science of Happiness
- SOCI(AFAM) 4600: Health Among Black Americans or ANTH 3540: Multicultural Health Care or HPRB 3150: Issues in Women’s Health
Application Procedure
Please refer to the UGA Bulletin for course requirements. Minors can be added to programs of study through Athena under the “My Programs” menu item.Testimonials
The health and well-being class offered informed knowledge about how to be successful in academic goals, interpersonal relationships, and even in the workplace. Along with skills in communicating with others, the class also taught me different methods on how to manage everyday stress in a healthy and productive way. I would recommend the well-being class for both first-year students as well as those who need help navigating life after college.
K.B., Class of '21 | B.S. Biology, B.S. Psychology
The health and well-being class helped me better understand happiness in a realistic sense. The practices we learned are things I continue to implement in my work and everyday life to manage daily stress. It helped me increase my overall positivity by changing my outlook on life.
B.A., Class of '21 | Communication Sciences and Disorders
I took Science and Practice of Health and Well-Being the spring of my senior year, and it was especially helpful before transitioning out of college to postgraduate school and work. This class was very practical, engaging, and beneficial - the research and content we studied helped me develop healthier habits, better emotional awareness, and a long-term plan to improve and sustain my health. These lessons extend far beyond the classroom and into my personal life and career, and I would highly recommend this course of study to any student at UGA!
A.C., Class of '21 | B.B.A. Management Information Systems, A.B. Cognitive Science
I didn’t know what to expect from the course, but it ended up being one of my favorite classes I’ve taken in college. Throughout the course, you learn about increasing life satisfaction and flourishing in your life, and that’s exactly what the course did for me. I found it to be one of the most interesting and insightful courses. I came to realize that I’m particularly fascinated and passionate about the area of positive psychology, and I want to go on to do research in the field. The interest I discovered helped me to decide the direction of my future higher-educational pursuits, and I have decided to pursue a master’s in positive psychology along the way of getting my PsyD. I think it’s a great class that any college student—not just psychology majors—would enjoy.
M.F., Senior | Psychology