What Is Public Health and Could You Build a Career in It?

A look at how public health shapes our world and how a BSc in Public Health from TLSPH prepares you to lead that change.

Public Health Is Everywhere

Public health is a multidisciplinary field dedicated to improving population health, preventing disease, and reducing health inequalities. While its impact is often most visible during health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic public health interventions shape our everyday lives in more subtle, yet powerful, ways.

The air we breathe, the safety of our food and water, the labels on packaged goods, and the design of our cities are all influenced by public health policy and practice. For example, improvements in sanitation, water treatment, and food safety regulations have contributed significantly to increased life expectancy in high-income countries (Cutler and Miller, 2005). Likewise, initiatives to reduce smoking through taxation, education, and smoke-free legislation have led to measurable declines in smoking prevalence and associated illnesses (WHO, 2019).

Public health also extends beyond physical health to include mental and social wellbeing. Initiatives in schools promoting mental health awareness, campaigns to reduce stigma around mental illness, and the integration of wellbeing metrics into health strategies reflect this holistic approach (Public Health England, 2019).

Urban planning and environmental health are also crucial domains. Public health professionals contribute to the design of walkable cities, advocate for clean air policies, and address health disparities linked to socioeconomic status and geography (Marmot, 2010). In this way, public health provides the framework through which governments, institutions, and communities work collaboratively to create conditions in which people can live healthier, longer lives.

As McMichael (2001, p. 990) notes, “public health is the bridge between health science and social progress “ a field that applies evidence, policy, and community insight to protect and enhance the collective wellbeing of society.

What Can You Actually Do With a Public Health Degree?

Choosing a degree is not just an academic decision — it’s a career investment. Understandably, students today are asking tough but important questions:

“Will this degree get me a job?”
“Is it worth the fees and time?”
“What exactly do public health graduates go on to do?”

The good news is: public health offers both variety and security. As a graduate of the BSc Public Health at The London School of Public Health, you’ll gain a multidisciplinary foundation that opens doors across sectors from the NHS and local government to global NGOs, research, and policy-making bodies.

Public Health Graduates Are in Demand

Public health is one of the fastest-growing sectors globally, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted the need for professionals who understand prevention, health equity, and systems-level thinking (OECD, 2021). The UK government has invested heavily in expanding public health and health improvement teams at the local level, and demand for graduates with analytical, communication and policy skills continues to grow (Local Government Association, 2023).

Graduates with a BSc Public Health can pursue roles such as:

• Public Health Officer (NHS, councils, charities)
• Health Promotion Specialist
• Epidemiology or Data Analyst
• Health Policy Adviser
• Environmental or Urban Health Assistant
• Community Engagement Lead
• Health Communications Officer
• Graduate scheme participant in organisations such as:
  • Public Health England (now UKHSA)
  • NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme
  • Civil Service Fast Stream
  • Local authorities’ health & wellbeing departments

Local Government: The Unsung Career Path

One of the most important  and often overlooked employers of public health graduates in the UK is local government.

Every council in England and Wales has a statutory public health responsibility. From tackling childhood obesity to improving mental health and addressing air pollution, councils are on the front lines of population health. These roles are varied, community-driven, and often involve policy, programme design, outreach and partnership working.

“My first job after graduation was as a Health Improvement Officer at my local council. I worked on a programme supporting young people’s mental health in schools  and I was only 25. It felt like I was doing something that actually mattered.”
— TLSPH graduate, BSc Public Health

Global and National Opportunities

With a public health degree, you are not limited to one country or system. Alumni from TLSPH have gone on to work with:

• WHO, UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
• UK Health Security Agency
• NHS Trusts and Integrated Care Boards
• Think tanks and academic research centres
• Consultancies focusing on health data and strategy
• Securing government positions in country of origin

Your BSc can also serve as a launchpad into postgraduate study (MPH, MSc, MSc Global Health, or medical school), or professional training in fields such as social work, policy, or teaching.

Public Health Is a Good Career and a Necessary One

Public health isn’t just about employability it’s about meaningful work. It’s a career that lets you tackle real-world issues: health inequalities, chronic disease prevention, health literacy, social care, and climate-related health impacts. It’s intellectually stimulating and socially vital.

💬 “Public health professionals don’t just treat illness. They design healthier futures.”
— Professor of Public Health, TLSPH

What Employers Look For and What You’ll Gain at TLSPH

Employers are seeking graduates who can:

• Analyse and interpret data
• Communicate complex health messages clearly
• Understand communities and health inequalities
• Collaborate across disciplines and sectors

Our BSc Public Health programme helps you build those skills through:

• Expert guess speakers in public health and charities
• Case-based learning using real-life scenarios
• Modules in health policy, data, communication, and behavioural science
• Career support tailored to the health and social care sectors

Final Word: Is It Worth It?

Yes, if you’re looking for a degree that combines job relevance, real-world impact, and flexible career paths, public health is a strong and future-proof choice.

Your investment leads to a degree that doesn’t just open doors  it gives you the tools to create change in the world around you.

📌 Learn more about our BSc Public Health

References

• Cutler, D. and Miller, G. (2005) ‘The role of public health improvements in health advances: The twentieth-century United States’, Demography, 42(1), pp. 1–22.
• Marmot, M. (2010) Fair Society, Healthy Lives: The Marmot Review. London: The Marmot Review Team.
• McMichael, A.J. (2001) ‘Human frontiers, environments and disease: past patterns, uncertain futures’, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 79(10), pp. 990–996.
• Public Health England (2019) Mental health: Prevention Concordat for Better Mental Health. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevention-concordat-for-better-mental-health
• World Health Organization (WHO) (2019) WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2019. Geneva: WHO