MPH Concentrations and Their Public Health Career Paths

Public health professionals play an integral role in safeguarding national health. They protect and improve well-being by promoting healthy lifestyles, researching disease prevention, and vigilantly responding to outbreaks of infectious disease. 

The demand for public health professionals is growing. According to the de Beaumont Foundation and the Public Health National Center for Innovations, state and local health departments need an 80 percent increase in their workforce to provide a minimum number of public health services. In 2021, the Biden-Harris administration announced a $7.4 billion investment to recruit and hire public health workers to address this shortfall, respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and prepare for future public health challenges. 

With more than 170 job categories, there are multiple public health career paths for prospective Master of Public Health students. Career options include epidemiology, health policy and management, and health education. 

A Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, such as the online MPH from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), can provide you with the knowledge and expertise needed to become an effective public health leader. All UTK MPH students complete a set of foundational courses to establish a core skill set in environmental health, biostatistics, epidemiology, health systems, policy and leadership, program assessment, planning, and evaluation. The remainder of their coursework focuses on their chosen area of concentration. 

MPH Concentrations and Public Health Career Paths

Public health is a vast field with many specialized applications. Focusing on a specific concentration area enables you to gain the competency required to advance your public health career in your desired area of public health. UTK offers four areas of public health concentration as part of its online MPH program: community health education, epidemiology, health policy and management, and veterinary public health. The following sections provide brief overviews of the public health career paths that these concentrations lead to.

Community Health Education Concentration

Community health education professionals employ educational strategies and interventions to promote and improve the health and well-being of communities. Suitable candidates for this field include current health educators or trainers, skilled communicators, and service-oriented individuals.

Community health educators work in varied settings, including schools, public health agencies, governmental agencies, healthcare organizations, and rehabilitation centers. Their work includes disseminating health information to prevent disease and promote a healthy lifestyle, developing health programs and interventions, and advocating for public policy changes. Popular career choices include health education specialist, social and community service manager, patient care coordinator, and healthcare analyst. 

As governments and healthcare providers endeavor to improve the quality of care, boost the number of positive outcomes, and reduce costs, the demand for health education continues to rise. Effective education can help patients manage their health and wellness, thus avoiding costly diseases and medical procedures. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of health education specialists is projected to grow 7 percent over the next decade. 

Epidemiology Concentration

Epidemiologists study the distribution and determinants of diseases and health-related events to identify patterns, causes, and risk factors for various health conditions. They use their findings to inform public health interventions and policies. Epidemiologists work in various settings, including federal, state, and local health agencies, research institutions, and healthcare systems.

Epidemiology plays a crucial role in disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and strategy development for disease prevention and control. The work requires a solid grounding in math and science, with preparatory academic work in pre-medical training, biology, psychology, or statistics. 

If you choose this career path, your responsibilities will likely include planning and directing studies of public health problems, collecting and analyzing information, and communicating findings to health practitioners, policymakers, and the public. Employment of epidemiologists is projected to grow 27 percent over the next decade, with 800 job openings each year. 

Health Policy and Management Concentration

Health policy and management offers an excellent option for strategic problem-solvers, system-level thinkers, and efficient and detail-oriented leaders. This public health specialization focuses on managing public health systems and facilities. 

As a qualified healthcare administrator, you can apply for top executive jobs such as clinical department manager, healthcare facility director, and health systems specialist. General tasks and responsibilities for healthcare administrators include ensuring regulatory compliance, implementing strategies, managing staff members, and overseeing operations.

According to the BLS, employment of medical and health services managers is forecast to grow by 28 percent over the next decade, with around 55,000 job openings expected annually. 

Veterinary Public Health Concentration

Veterinary public health professionals occupy the intersection between human and animal health. Their responsibilities encompass a wide range of activities aimed at preventing and controlling diseases transmitted between animals and humans (zoonotic diseases) and ensuring the safety of food of animal origin. They can also identify potential bio- or agroterrorism vectors and lead efforts in the emerging discipline of One Health, which focuses on the interconnections among people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.

Public health veterinarians work for various organizations and agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service. Job titles include public health veterinarian, state veterinarian, veterinary epidemiologist, veterinary medical officer, and veterinary scientist.

Students in this concentration must be graduate veterinarians or licensed veterinary medical technicians. 

Earn Your Master of Public Health Online with UTK

Regardless of your chosen concentration, the online Master of Public Health program at the University of Tennessee enables you to develop foundational knowledge rooted in traditional public health core competencies and emerging public health ideas. You will learn to interpret data and identify structural biases and inequities to address public health issues effectively. The program also teaches you to advocate for policies and programs, assess population needs, and collaborate with other professionals. 

You will supplement your coursework with hands-on professional experience during your final semester through the online MPH Applied Practice Experience (APEx). APEx allows you to develop and demonstrate public health competencies that enhance your resume or portfolio, contribute to projects that benefit the community, and network with current public health professionals. Students can choose their APEx sites based on their location, career, and educational goals. 

If you’d like to find out more about the program or are interested in applying, contact an enrollment advisor to discuss the application process, curriculum, and financial aid options.