5 Career Options for those with an MPH Degree with a Behavioral and Community Health Concentration - Master's in Public Health Degree Programs

Five Rewarding Master’s Degree Careers in Behavioral and Community Health

Behavioral Health Director
Social and Community Service Manager
Behavioral Research Scientist
Healthcare Project Manager
Community Health Educator

For those seeking to promote human welfare at the local level, the springboard is an MPH degree with a behavioral and community health concentration. Such advanced education targets the health challenges of residents in particular cities, towns, and neighborhoods.

Whereas public health takes a universal approach to disease prevention, community health addresses lifestyle choices. Its core objective is helping people replace harmful habits with beneficial alternatives. Seeing clients change for the better is so rewarding! Here are five careers ensuring this opportunity.

1. Behavioral Health Director

Although a behavioral health director doesn’t treat patients, they foster successful outcomes through their managerial role. This entails overseeing the mental health programs at clinics, agencies, and hospitals. Responsibilities center on meeting three goals — tailoring programs to community needs, upholding compliance with government regulations, and streamlining mental health services.

Like a healthcare administrator, the director hires and supervises clinical staff, such as psychologists, social workers, therapists, and nurses. To maintain high standards of client care, they evaluate team members and provide ongoing training. Additionally, some directors monitor their department budget and apply for funding.

To identify service needs, the behavioral health director consults with team members, studies their case notes, and distributes public surveys. Based on this input, they customize services, such as youth and family counseling. They also strive to raise mental health awareness in their community, such as by drafting educational pamphlets and making presentations to local businesses.

MPH degree programs with a behavioral health focus confer in-depth knowledge of mental health disorders. Students also hone their skills in critical thinking, decision-making, and leadership. Employers favor job candidates with at least five years in direct clinical care.

2. Social and Community Service Manager

This professional leads programs at human service organizations. They may either create new outreaches or implement those already established. Charged with staffing, they hire, train, and supervise team members, such as social workers. Fun financial pursuits may include organizing fundraisers and writing grant proposals.

Social and community service managers work in various settings. Examples are vocational rehab centers, government agencies, shelters, and civic groups. They may focus on a specific population, such as veterans or children. Or, they may spearhead a quality of life issue, as in addiction, mental illness, unemployment, or homelessness.

At some organizations, the manager is accountable for program efficacy. In that case, they evaluate results by studying case reports, statistics, and client surveys. If shortfalls are evident, the manager finds ways to optimize care.

MPH degree courses in community health include program management, statistics, and policy analysis. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, through 2028, the field is forecast to grow by 13 percent, particularly for alcohol and drug rehab centers and organizations serving the elderly. Here, US News and World Report discusses the need for a holistic approach to providing social services.

3. Behavioral Research Scientist

The crux of this job is investigating why people acquire destructive habits, such as overeating, illegal drug use, and abusing family members. Based on their causes, a behavioral research scientist develops freeing strategies. They also pinpoint barriers to receiving healthcare, such as language difficulties and economic disadvantage.

The scientist uses several methods to trace the roots of harmful behaviors. A genome scan identifies genes that predispose people to addiction. Surveys and statistical studies offer clues to behavioral patterns. With computer models, the scientist can gauge the impact of healthcare initiatives on certain populations. Additionally, they may observe client interactions.

Behavioral health scientists work at hospitals, outpatient treatment centers, and clinics. Their insightful research forms the basis of new treatments that usher behavioral breakthroughs.

An MPH degree with a behavioral health focus imparts skills in research methods, data analysis, study design, and making presentations. Programs include an internship or research fellowship. Many employers require certification by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.

4. Healthcare Project Manager

Healthcare project managers are sought by hospitals, nursing homes, private practices, and clinics. Facilities hire them to plan and orchestrate initiatives that improve patient care. Examples are building a hospital wing or launching a new electronic health records system.

On a daily basis, the manager delegates tasks, supervises team members, troubleshoots problems, and ensures that incremental goals are met on time. The aim is to streamline each project phase, minimizing the impact on normal operations.

Project managers use visual aids to help them work efficiently. A Gantt chart is a horizontal graphic, listing tasks, and their expected timelines. A Kanban board is a workflow bulletin board with vertical columns, entitled To Do, In Progress, and Done. Team members write their duties on cards, placing them in the appropriate columns and moving them as work status changes.

Typically, MPH programs specializing in community health entail two years of study, including an internship. Employers favor project managers with professional certification. This article by The Balance Careers explains how to become certified.

5. Community Health Educator

The mission of a community health educator is teaching people how to live healthfully and avoid life-threatening diseases. Among the problems addressed are smoking, excessive drinking, being sedentary, poor diet, and reckless driving.

To devise curricula, the educator analyzes area demographics and canvasses local medical professionals. After identifying health issues, they design presentations and literature, customizing them for each audience. Then they travel to schools, businesses, and government agencies, delivering their life-changing messages. Another exciting role is working with lawmakers, shaping new policies that promote public health.

When employed by hospitals, the educator collaborates with doctors and nurses of various departments, such as cardiology and physical rehabilitation. Additionally, they may conduct patient intakes and record treatment outcomes.

Through MPH degree courses with a community health focus, students become powerful motivational speakers. Grads can boost their job prospects by learning a foreign language. Some employers mandate certification by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.

With an MPH degree specializing in behavioral and community health, you’ll qualify for innovative jobs, paying generously. Non-clinical options are behavioral health director, behavioral research scientist, and healthcare project manager. If you’d rather interact with clients, consider becoming a community health educator or social and community service manager.

Note that these careers pose a high risk of emotional and physical burnout. To stay effective, you must balance empathy with detachment. Also, don’t neglect your personal needs. If you pace yourself consistently, you’ll be a dynamo!

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