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

All of these
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

 

One of these
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).

At least 6 semester hours from these (organ system-based courses)
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

 

At least 3 semester hours from these (integrative physiology courses)
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

 

May include up to 9 semester hours from these
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

 

May include one of these
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.

Biology (in this sequence)
COURSE # TITLE Semester HOURS
BIOL:1411-BIOL:1412 Foundations of Biology - Diversity of Form and Function 8

 

Chemistry (in this sequence)
COURSE # TITLE Semester HOURS
CHEM:1110 & CHEM:1120 Principles of Chemistry I-II 8

 

Mathematics (one of these)
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

 

Physics (in this sequence)
COURSE # TITLE Semester HOURS
PHYS:1511-PHYS:1512 College Physics I-II 8

 

Statistics (one of these)
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 

Four of these
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

Four of these
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

All of these
COURSE # TITLE Semester HOURS
HHP:3994 Undergraduate Research 3
HHP:4800 Research Methods and Ethics 3
HHP:4900 Honors Research 3

Questions?

Portrait of Jennifer Rogers

Jennifer Rogers

Title/Position
Professor of Instruction
Director of Undergraduate Studies - BS Human Physiology

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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." 

This is a picture of Joshua Yem

 Joshua Yem, BS (Class of 2021)


 

Bella Swan

Bella Swan

Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Bella Swan graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Human Physiology and a minor in Spanish, on the Pre-Med track, earned an MA in Medical Sciences from Loyola University–Chicago, and is now an MD Candidate at UIC College of Medicine Rockford.

Human physiology faculty

Portrait of Andreas Carlstein

Andres Carlstein

Title/Position
Lecturer
Portrait of Warren Darling

Warren Darling

Title/Position
Professor
Portrait of Ray Fagenbaum

Ray Fagenbaum

Title/Position
Associate Professor of Instruction
TA Coordinator
This is a picture of Shawn Flanagan

Shawn Flanagan

Title/Position
Associate Professor of Instruction
This is a picture of Nathaniel Jenkins

Nathaniel Jenkins

Title/Position
Assistant Professor
This is a picture of Kevin Kregel

Kevin Kregel

Title/Position
Executive Vice President and Provost
Professor
This is a picture of Vitor Lira

Vitor Lira

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Portrait of Sarah Lowenberg

Sarah Lowenberg

Title/Position
Visiting Instructor
Portrait of Clay Peterson

Clay Peterson

Title/Position
Associate Professor of Instruction
Portrait of Gary Pierce

Gary Pierce

Title/Position
Professor
Departmental Executive Officer (DEO)
Portrait of Jennifer Rogers

Jennifer Rogers

Title/Position
Professor of Instruction
Director of Undergraduate Studies - BS Human Physiology
Portrait of Thorsten Rudroff

Thorsten Rudroff

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Anna Stanhewicz is a assistant professor in the Department of Health and Physiology.

Anna Stanhewicz

Title/Position
Assistant Professor
Kelli Taeger is a lecturer in the Department of Health and Human Physiology.

Kelli Taeger

Title/Position
Lecturer
Erin Talbert is a assistant professor in the Department of Health and Human Physiology.

Erin Talbert

Title/Position
Assistant Professor