What are Some Different Types of Public Health Degrees?
Several associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees can be earned under the umbrella field of public health. Specializations include community health and preventive medicine, public health education and promotion, and health services administration. Read on to learn about more public health degree program options.
Overview of Public Health Degrees
A degree in public health might lead to several careers. These graduates might be employed by colleges or universities as instructors, by local public health departments, in healthcare facilities working with patients and families or in non-profit organizations. Several degree types are offered at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral level.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutPublicHealthDegrees">Important Facts About Public Health Degrees</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td>Common Courses</td><td> Introduction to Public Health, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Community Assessment</td></tr>
<tr><td>Programs</td><td> Degrees offered in bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. programs</td></tr>
<tr><td>Degrees/Certificates</td><td> Some employers require CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist). Offered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.</td></tr>
<tr><td>Online Availability</td><td> Numerous online degrees available</td></tr>
<tr><td> Median Salary (2021) </td><td> $48,860 (<i>for all health educators and community health workers</i>) </td></tr>
<tr><td> Job Outlook (2021-2031)</td><td>12% growth (<i>for all health educators and community health workers</i>) </td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---CommunityHealthAndPreventiveMedicine">Community Health and Preventive Medicine</h3><p>Students who choose to specialize in this field learn to develop, implement, administrate and evaluate public health programs among medically under-served populations, including minorities and residents of developing countries.
</p><h3 id="section---EnvironmentalHealth">Environmental Health</h3><p>Environmental health majors focus on how the physical environment affects human health. This includes studying the effects of pollution, radiation and chemical contamination.
</p><h3 id="section---HealthServicesAdministration">Health Services Administration</h3><p>This degree program trains candidates for administrative roles at doctors' offices, hospitals or government health programs. Instruction covers all business and administrative functions in and around a medical facility or government agency.
</p><h3 id="section---InternationalPublicHealth">International Public Health</h3><p>International public health degree programs are similar to community health and preventive medicine degree programs. A subset of international public health providers strictly deals with 'travel health' matters such as the immunizations required to travel to different parts of the world.
</p><h3 id="section---MaternalAndChildHealth">Maternal and Child Health</h3><p>Students explore social and medical options in order to meet the public health needs of mothers and children. Those who hold public health degrees in this field are qualified to educate mothers about pregnancy, infant health and child-rearing.
</p><h3 id="section---OccupationalHealthAndIndustrialHygiene">Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene</h3><p>Occupational health and industrial hygiene majors learn to establish and enforce environmental, health and safety measures in an assortment of workplaces. Coursework addresses sanitation, public health policy, epidemiology and critical-response procedures.
</p><h3 id="section---PublicHealthEducationAndPromotion">Public Health Education and Promotion</h3><p>Those who choose this educational route might learn effective ways to communicate healthcare and preventive medicine information to the public. They often go on to work closely with governmental health agencies to educate the public in times of public health crises, such as epidemics.</p>