11 Degrees that Focus on Public Health

Public health is the need of the time as it protects and improves the people’s health living in communities. It covers parameters such as monitoring of health conditions, disease prevention, and health policy implementation at a local or global level. Public health holds significance in keeping communities healthy, safe, and protected across the globe. This field contributed a lot in reducing the child and infant mortality rate and the spread of communicable diseases by taking effective initiatives. In addition, several innovations and advancements led to improved life expectancy. 

Public health officials usually work for public agencies like the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and non-profit organizations. They work in a wide range of areas to ensure public health. For instance, you can see them controlling health risks related to climate to creating and implementing emergency response policies and plans. 

To become a public health practitioner, you have to earn a relevant degree with a concentration after an undergraduate degree. The choice of concentration helps you to navigate around the area of your interest and gain advanced knowledge and related skills. As a result, you can pursue a career path in a specific line of work with in-depth subject knowledge and confidence. Consider these degrees that focus on public health. 

1. Disaster Management Degree

Disaster management degrees prepare graduates to save, prepare and recover people from the health challenges caused by disasters. They make effective policies to uplift disaster-hit communities by applying scientific principles. Today, you can even get a disaster management degree online to advance your career in public health while continuing your job. It can launch your career in a more specific line of work. Moreover, earning a master’s degree in this concentration can help you play an integral role in disaster management, communication, and achieving far-reaching public health goals. 

2. Community Health Degree

Students enrolled in a community health degree study to identify factors influencing health issues and examine disparities within and across communities. You can spread community health education by developing, implementing, and evaluating public health programs. Community health degree programs primarily target an underserved part of populations, such as nationals of developing countries and minorities. Although you can take any direction you want with this degree, there are endless options available. 

3. Biostatistics Degree

The fastest-growing specialization in public health is Biostatistics, where you can learn how to sample data, conduct biological principles, and develop knowledge of statistics principles. If you’re interested in leveraging technology and big data in the public health domain, this is the right degree for you. In general, several biostatistics programs are offered at an advanced level, such as a master’s or above. 

4. Epidemiology Degree

With an Epidemiology degree, you can learn about the causes, effects, and patterns of diseases and other health-related factors. A large part of the epidemiology field revolves around case studies, facts, and figures to find control measures and solutions for public health crises. You can become a part of academia and research, nonprofits, insurance, and pharmaceutical companies. 

5. Environmental Health Degree

Climate change has become a reality that adversely affects human health in the form of skin cancer, lung cancer, and other health issues. An environmental health degree trains students to identify how the environment impacts human health. You can study topics related to climate change, pollution, global warming, chemical contamination, and radiation. Moreover, after obtaining a degree in environmental health, you can design programs for disease prevention and mitigating occupational hazards. 

6. Global Health Degree

Global or international public health degree holders trace and study health issues impacting worldwide populations and identify disparities in public health at the international level. Such a degree program works similarly to community health programs, with the difference lying in covering the global population. As a global public health graduate, you can also handle travel health requirements such as immunization for travelers. Most global health degrees are available at the master’s level. 

7. Occupational Health Degree

Graduates of occupational health degrees primarily focus on health and safety across different industries. They create safe workplace environments by establishing and enforcing health and safety protocols and measures. You can raise awareness and educate employees to practice safety measures for avoiding and reducing workplace hazards. In addition, you can learn public health policy, critical-response techniques, epidemiology, and sanitation. As an occupational health graduate, you can work in occupational medicine and occupational therapy. 

8. Health Services Administration Degree

With the rising demand for healthcare professionals, the need for healthcare administrators in various medical settings also increased. The health services administration degree prepares graduates to take up all administrative and business functions in medical facilities and government agencies. You can perform administrative duties at hospitals, public health offices, and non-profit organizations. 

9. Maternal and Child Health Degree 

Maternal and infant health are crucial parts of the entire population. By earning a degree in maternal and child health, students learn about options to meet the medical and social needs of the mother and child. You can educate mothers-to-be about their pregnancy journey, how to take care of the newborn, and other critical aspects of child care.  

10. Nutrition and Dietetics Degree 

Students with this specialization study nutrient and food production. They also develop knowledge of how nutrients affect the human body. As a graduate of nutrition and dietetics, you can also study the social factors affecting agriculture, food production, and consumption patterns. After this degree, you can become a part of medical facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and residential and long-term care facilities. 

11. Public Health Education Degree 

Addressing public health issues and educating the masses is a necessary step to improve an overall health situation. A degree in public health education can train you to develop effective communication skills to convey essential information for healthcare and preventive measures to the public. Moreover, you can also collaborate with government emergency and disaster relief programs to educate the masses in times of crisis. 

Conclusion 

Public health degree holds a promising future for you if you want to pursue a career in policy-making, administration, education, or research. You can serve in a diverse range of industries depending on your preference. From disaster management to epidemiology to environmental health, there are many options from which you can pick to excel in your career and improve community health.