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Careers

Careers and Majors

Each of our undergraduate and graduate majors prepares students for a multitude of employment opportunities.

Community Health

The Community Health undergraduate degree prepares students to become future leaders and innovators in healthcare. By gaining a better understanding of the systems that support healthcare and public health institutions, students in Community Health are prepared for careers and graduate programs in the healthcare industry. This systemic view enables students to be the leaders and the agents of positive change in their communities and healthcare organizations.

Graduates of the Community Health program at the University of Illinois tend to go into healthcare fields that focus on improving healthcare from the systemic level. Some of those careers include:

Community Wellness Coordinator
Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy
Health Industry Marketing & Promotion

Public Health Analyst
Public Health Policy Advisor
Rehabilitation Counselor
Healthcare Consultant

Health Law
Hospital Administration
Medical School/Physician

Interdisciplinary Health Sciences

Interdisciplinary Health Sciences encourages students to examine today’s complex health issues from a variety of perspectives. This degree provides students with a holistic view of health that can be customized for their professional goals and needs. The curriculum is structured to provide students an excellent foundation that can lead to numerous professional and scientific health-based careers. Students may build a customized program addressing their specific interests within three concentration areas.

Interdisciplinary Health Sciences prepares students to be the next generation of problem solvers in health-related fields. Some of these careers include:

Medicine
Physical & Occupational Therapy
Law
Chiropractic Medicine
Public Health

Nursing
Rehabilitation Counselor
Health Promotion/Wellness
Physician Assistant
Dentistry

Optometry
Pharmacist
Pharmaceutical Sales

Kinesiology

The Kinesiology curriculum leads to a Bachelor of Science degree that will prepare students for careers in human movement-related fields and advanced professional or graduate study. Through the integration of high-quality research, instruction, and outreach programs, faculty scholars within Kinesiology are leading interdisciplinary initiatives that address pressing concerns of our society such as childhood obesity, prevention of chronic disease, and lifetime health and fitness. Alumni are highly sought for positions of leadership within clinical, academic, corporate, and government settings. Kinesiology graduates work in a wide variety of fields that improve the way our bodies move and perform. Some of these careers include:

Athletic Director
Athletic Trainer
Camp Owner/Director
Cardiac Rehabilitation Therapist
Exercise Physiology Nurse
Exercise Program Director
Fitness Instructor
Fitness Specialist
Occupational Therapist
Performance Enhancement Specialist
Personal Trainer

Certified Orthotist
Certified Prosthetist
Chiropractor
Clinical Exercise Specialist
Coach
Pharmaceutical Sales Consultant
Physical Education Teacher
Physical Therapist
Physician
Physician Assistant
Professor
Rehabilitation Therapist

Corporate Wellness Manager
Epidemiologist
Ergonomic Researcher/Designer
Exercise Physiologist
Respiratory Therapist
Sporting Attire Manufacturer’s Consultant
Sports & Fitness Equipment Designer
Sports Massage Therapist
Sport Psychologist
Umpire/Referee

Recreation, Sport and Tourism

Recreation, Sport and Tourism aims to foster healthy lifestyles with a career in the world’s largest industries. As a student in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, you will learn from award winning faculty, work alongside world-class researchers, and gain hands-on, practical skills in your courses, study tours, site visits, and internships with related professional organizations Recreation Sport and Tourism graduates go into career fields that create environments that foster health, enjoyment, and entertainment. Some of these careers include:

Event Management
Professional sports administration
Physical activity and health publishing

Law
Resort administration
Sports Marketing

Park district administration
Visitor’s Bureau Director
Park Ranger

Speech and Hearing Science

Speech and Hearing Sciences enhances communication across the lifespan by integrating research and clinical practice from the biological, behavioral, and social sciences. The program of study in Speech and Hearing Science offers a broad background in the biological, behavioral, linguistic, and social foundations of human communication and communication disorders.

This major prepares students for careers or graduate education in many fields. Some of these careers include:

Speech Language Pathologist
Audiologist
Physician
Special Education Teacher
Physical Therapist

Occupational Therapist
Neuropsychologist
Professor
Teacher
Vocal Performance Coach

Counselor
Rehabilitation Counselor
Social Worker
Case Manager

Contact info and appointments

To make an appointment to speak with Dr. Tonya Pulley or for any employers interested in hiring AHS students, please email careers@ahs.illinois.edu.

Dr. Tonya Pulley

Director of Career Services and Honors Programs

127 Huff Hall

217-244-1369

careers@ahs.illinois.edu