Careers That Make an Impact with a Bachelors in Public Health

Earning a Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree allows you to build a professional foundation to work on a range of issues in a variety of industries and fields. Passionate individuals looking to make an impact in the community and a stable career with opportunities for growth can earn a Bachelor of Science specializing in public health. Earning a BS in public health may open many career opportunities to work on issues from COVID-19 to disparity within health care policy, biostatistician, and global health.

How Public Health Makes an Impact

Obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree can provide a major impact related to a range of issues in a variety of industries in the community and across the world. Coronavirus (COVID-19) is at the epicenter of our current pandemic. Having a public health degree right now can play a major role on COVID-19 and impact how important changes can be made to better prepare us for future pandemics and global health crises.

Public health students are already working on the front lines of the nation’s pandemic response in many locations. Students are working as case investigators and contact tracers which are extremely important roles that collect critical information about a person diagnosed with COVID-19 and potentially exposed contacts. Case investigators also show empathy, provide support, referrals, and answer questions the patient may have.

An important issue that has risen due to the pandemic is health disparities and informing minority communities about public health issues. Through the public health coursework, students may see the direct link between public health and those disparities. By learning about the health disparities and how it affects minority communities, public health students can address these issues and play an integral role in resolving it.

Public Health Careers with a Bachelors Degree

There are many career opportunities for someone with a BSPH degree.

• Health Educator: Teaches people about behaviors that promote wellness. Develop and implement strategies to improve the health of individuals and communities. Collect data and discuss health concerns with members of specific populations or communities.
• Health Communication Specialist: Identifies factors that pose risks to public health and find areas that could use improvement. These specialists oversee communication campaigns designing printed and online educational materials related to health issues.
• Environmental Health Specialist: Educate and consult clients and enforce regulations governing the sanitation of food, milk, and water; hazardous and infectious waste; sewage; institutional environments; and health hazards.
• Infectious Disease Specialist: Infectious disease specialists provide long-term care to people with chronic diseases, most of which are lifelong or last for more than one year.  Chronic infectious diseases can be deadly or limit daily life without ongoing care.
• Data Analyst: Serves as a liaison for an organization’s data so stakeholders can understand data and use it to make strategic business decisions.
• Disaster Preparedness Coordinator: Assess hazards and prepare plans to respond to emergencies and disasters to minimize risk to people and property.  Meet with public safety officials, private companies, and the public as a whole to get recommendations regarding emergency response plans.
• Dietitian and Nutritionist: Assess patients’ and clients’ nutritional and health needs. Provide patients with nutrition education related to dietary guidelines and healthy eating habits.
• Emergency Management Specialist: Coordinate response and crisis management activities, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (e.g., hurricanes, floods, earthquakes), or technological (e.g., nuclear power plant emergencies, hazardous materials) disasters.
• Epidemiologist: Search for the cause of disease, identify people who are at risk, determine how to control or stop the spread or prevent it from happening again.
• Community Health Workers: A member of a community chosen to provide basic health and medical care within their community, and can provide preventive, promotional and rehabilitation care to that community.
• Occupational Health and Safety Specialist: Examine the workplace for environmental or physical factors that could affect employee health, safety, comfort, and performance.  An OHSS reads over and analyzes the policies and organization has in place and checks that they align with current industry regulations and adhere to laws regarding work safety, health and environmental impact.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Overall employment of health educators and community health workers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will be driven by efforts to improve health outcomes and to reduce healthcare costs by teaching people healthy behaviors and explaining how to use available healthcare services.”

Online Bachelors Degree in Public Health at UC Online

Many students across the nation have developed a strong interest in public health due to the pandemic and are channeling that into degrees.  The Bachelor of Science in Public Health from University of Cincinnati Online is a fully flexible online degree program providing an environment that reaches beyond course work and class discussions. Students will have the support they need to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to become leaders in the health profession.  Our graduates are in high demand in today’s job market!

At the University of Cincinnati, we’re focused on meeting the needs of today’s modern students and have more than 20 years of experience in the online education space. TheBestSchools.org ranks us as #1 in Ohio and #16 nationally as an online college leader.

Connect online with an advisor today or call 833-556-7600 to learn more about the online BSPH program.