Get to know the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington

With nearly 2,500 students in over 50 undergraduate and advanced degree programs the School of Public Health-Bloomington offers a traditional campus experience enriched by 21^st century innovation.

One of the beautiful entrances to the School

The newly named School has a long, proud history of outstanding achievements in a variety of sub-disciplines. Founded as the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation in 1946. Over the decades, the School has garnered awards for its academic and research prowess and its commitment to community outreach through numerous centers, institutes, and recreational facilities. From its beginning, it has been an innovator in new approaches to health, community engagement, and quality of life. Implementing innovative research, service, and professional preparation programs in the various health-related disciplines under its umbrella is a hallmark of the School. 

Fundamental to the School’s mission is its focus on the improvement and promotion of healthy, active lifestyles. Currently the third largest school on the Bloomington campus, the School focuses on the education of young professionals at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree levels, many of whom practice in their respective disciplines around the world.

Today’s full time faculty number over 120, accompanied by dozens of part-time instructors, and a full-time professional staff of approximately 100. These committed and acclaimed faculty and staff members provide core capabilities that closely align with the Indiana University Bloomington focus on health promotion and disease prevention in rural areas.

 The School’s structure of five academic departments – the Department of Kinesiology, the Department of Applied Health Science; the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies; the Department of Environmental Health; and the Department of Epidemiology and Bio-Statistics – provide a substantial variety of programs and services. Each department offers numerous majors, minors, and opportunities for graduate and undergraduate studies. In addition to its academic departments, the School administers the Campus Division of Recreational Sports, which serves roughly 80 percent of the Indiana University Bloomington student body through various intramural, club sports, and individual sport opportunities. 

"A sound body and a sound mind"

The School’s alumni, numbering nearly 18,000, work in a wide array of settings to promote active living, behavioral change, agency and community development, cutting edge research, and campaigns to promote wellness and prevent disease, injuries, disabilities, and deaths that are the direct result of lifestyle choices.