Main navigation
Earn your BS in Human Physiology
Human physiology is the science of how the human body functions in health and disease. The curriculum offers rigorous study of human physiology across the molecular/cellular, systems, organism, and behavioral levels.
The Bachelor of Science with a major in human physiology requires a minimum of 120 semester hours, including 63 semester hours of work for the major. Students must maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. They also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core. Transfer students must complete a minimum of 16 semester hours in human physiology coursework at the University of Iowa, including HHP:3550 Human Physiology with Laboratory.
The major in human physiology is designed primarily for individuals who intend to continue their education beyond the BS in the health professions, including medicine, physician assistant, physical therapy, dentistry, occupational therapy, chiropractic, and optometry, and for those who intend to pursue graduate degrees in basic life sciences.
Students may complete the BS with a major in human physiology without an emphasis area or with one of three optional emphasis areas: clinical physiology, neuromuscular physiology and metabolism, or research.
Students who earn a BS in human physiology:
- May earn a BS in health promotion or exercise science, but not more than one of these.
- May not earn the minor in human physiology.
Required coursework
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
HHP:1050 | Exploring Health and Human Physiology | 1 |
HHP:3115 | Anatomy for Human Physiology with Lab | 5 |
HHP:3550 | Human Physiology with Laboratory | 5 |
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
HHP:2200 | Physical Activity and Health | 3 |
HHP:2280 | Cultural Competency and Health | 3 |
HHP:2310 | Nutrition and Health | 3 |
At least 18 semester hours from these with at least 12 semester hours in health and human physiology courses (prefix HHP).
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
HHP:3450 | Immunology in Health and Disease | 3 |
HHP:4110 | Advanced Human Anatomy Laboratory | 4 |
HHP:4130 | Skeletal Muscle Physiology | 3 |
HHP:4260 | Respiratory Pathophysiology | 3 |
HHP:4300 | Sensorimotor Neurophysiology | 3 |
HHP:4460 | Cardiovascular Physiology |
3 |
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
HHP:4150 | Clinical Exercise Physiology | 3 |
HHP:4250 | Human Pathophysiology | 3 |
HHP:4410 | Integrative Physiology of Exercise | 3 |
HHP:4470/ASP:4470 | Physiology of Aging | 3 |
HHP:4510 | Energetics in Health and Disease | 3 |
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
HHP:3230/PSY:3230 | Psychopharmacology | 3 |
HHP:3300 | Human Growth and Motor Development | 3 |
HHP:3700 | Health Care Communications | 1 |
HHP:3900 | Writing for Health and Human Physiology | 3 |
HHP:3994 | Undergraduate Research (may be taken twice for up to 3 s.h. each) | 1-3 |
HHP:4200 | Metabolic Exercise Testing and Prescription | 4 |
HHP:4210 | Musculoskeletal Exercise Testing and Prescription | 4 |
HHP:4440 | Physiology of Nutrition | 3 |
HHP:4450 | Human Genetics and Disease | 3-4 |
HHP:4465 | Environmental Exercise Physiology | 3 |
HHP:4490 | International Medicine: Experiential Learning | 3 |
HHP:4500 | Undergraduate Independent Study (may be repeated; only 3 s.h. may be applied toward the degree) | arr. |
HHP:4700 | Health and Human Physiology Teaching Internship | 2-3 |
HHP:4800 | Research Methods and Ethics | 3 |
HHP:4900 | Honors Research | 3 |
HHP:4930 | Health and Human Physiology Internship (may be repeated; up to 3 s.h. may be applied toward the degree) | arr. |
BIOL:2254 | Endocrinology | 3 |
BIOL:2723 | Cell Biology | 3 |
BMB:3110 | Biochemistry | 3 |
MICR:2157 | General Microbiology | 3 |
MICR:2158 | General Microbiology Laboratory | 2 |
PCOL:4130 | Drug Mechanisms and Actions | 3 |
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
PSY:2130 | Advanced Psychology for Pre-Medical Track | 3 |
PSY:2930 | Abnormal Psychology: Health Professions | 3 |
SOC:3510 | Medical Sociology | 3 |
Students must earn a minimum of 31 semester hours in cognate areas—subjects outside of human physiology—by completing courses from the following lists.
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
BIOL:1411-BIOL:1412 | Foundations of Biology - Diversity of Form and Function | 8 |
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
CHEM:1110 & CHEM:1120 | Principles of Chemistry I-II | 8 |
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
MATH:1460 | Calculus for the Biological Sciences | 4 |
MATH:1550 | Engineering Mathematics I: Single Variable Calculus | 4 |
MATH:1850 | Calculus I | 4 |
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
PHYS:1511-PHYS:1512 | College Physics I-II | 8 |
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
STAT:2010 | Statistical Methods and Computing | 3 |
STAT:3510/IGPI:3510 | Biostatistics | 3 |
STAT:4143/PSQF:4143 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | 3 |
Students majoring in human physiology may declare an emphasis area but are not required to do so to satisfy major requirements. Declaring an emphasis area does not require completion of elective coursework beyond that already required for the major. Major elective requirements can be met through emphasis area courses.
Clinical physiology area
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
HHP:3450 | Immunology in Health and Disease | 3 |
HHP:3700 | Health Care Communications | 1 |
HHP:4150 | Clinical Exercise Physiology | 3 |
HHP:4200 | Metabolic Exercise Testing and Prescription | 4 |
HHP:4250 | Human Pathophysiology | 3 |
HHP:4260 | Respiratory Pathophysiology | 3 |
HHP:4490 | International Medicine: Experiential Learning | 3 |
Neuromuscular physiology and metabolism area
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
HHP:4110 | Advanced Human Anatomy Laboratory | 4 |
HHP:4130 | Skeletal Muscle Physiology | 3 |
HHP:4300 | Sensorimotor Neurophysiology | 3 |
HHP:4410 | Integrative Physiology of Exercise | 3 |
HHP:4440 | Physiology of Nutrition | 3 |
HHP:4510 | Energetics in Health and Disease | 3 |
Research area
COURSE # | TITLE | Semester HOURS |
---|---|---|
HHP:3994 | Undergraduate Research | 3 |
HHP:4800 | Research Methods and Ethics | 3 |
HHP:4900 | Honors Research | 3 |
Questions?
Jennifer Rogers
Create your academic path
You'll find degree overviews, requirements, course lists, academic plans, and more to help you plan your education and explore your possibilities.
Current course list
The MyUI Schedule displays registered courses for a particular session and is available to enrolled students. The list view includes course instructors, time and location, and features to drop courses or change sections.
Human Physiology Alumni Spotlights
"The human physiology BS program provided me with an unparalleled educational experience. All the HHP faculty I interacted with took a genuine interest in my academic success and always challenged me to reach my fullest potential. With the wide variety of advanced elective coursework offered by HHP, there were also countless options for me to challenge myself, with the cadaveric dissection course being by far my favorite.
I currently work as the Office Coordinator of the Iowa City Free Medical and Dental Clinic and will be starting medical school in the fall. Majoring in human physiology has more than prepared me for these experiences. The critical thinking, teamwork, and communication skills combined with the anatomy and physiology knowledge I gained from being an HHP student have been vital in my work at the Free Clinic and will undoubtedly be invaluable in my future medical endeavors.
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to study in such an incredible academic environment, and I could not feel more equipped for a career in health care."