Global health is a field of study that focuses on the health of the world rather than individual nations. This encompasses a wide range of issues from disease to nutrition.

Professionals in the field of global health spend much of their time researching health issues and opportunities, formulating potential solutions and then implementing those solutions at the national or international level.

What Is a Global Health Degree?

Global Health is the study and practice of improving health and achieving health equity for all people worldwide. The program addresses transnational health issues and the structures that shape our capability to live healthy lives, locally and globally. Students learn to approach the complexity of health through a multi-jurisdictional and multi-sectoral approach that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and a synthesis of population-based prevention with individual-level health care.

A Bachelor of Science degree in global health can provide a basic understanding of the various components of public health from a worldwide perspective. The bachelor’s degree consists of three to four years of general education requirements as well as standard core courses. During the program, students may learn about culture, history and ecology in relation to human health and wellness.

A master’s in global health degree can help students develop the research, analysis and developmental skills needed to assess the health-related status of the world. A master’s degree is often required for advanced positions in global health, such as epidemiologist or policy analyst.

Earning a Ph.D. in global public health enables students to look deeper into global health epidemics. This helps them develop a leadership perspective in the creation and implementation of health-related policies.

Careers with a Global Public Health Degree

Public health degrees allow people to work in a field where they are truly making a difference, as public health professionals have a large hand in observing and maintaining the general overall health of the public. Global public health degrees focus on this public health maintenance, but on a global or international scale, allowing people with these degrees to work in a wide variety of different international settings as they help communities to remain healthy all across the globe.

Global public health professionals may work in many settings from hospitals to community centers, and their job can be done from any desired location in the world. The work done by global public health professionals helps entire communities and populations continue to thrive through health-based education, research, and solutions.