Public health as a discipline takes into consideration many different facets of human life. From an outside standpoint, you can observe how people behave in a social setting and how these behaviors can have an effect on their overall health.

The Master of Public Health – Behavior Health Science degree program is a fascinating degree program that focuses strictly on the behavior of people to determine proper methods of public health awareness and overall health improvement.

Some of the goals of MPH – Behavior Health Sciences programs is to help students identify different behaviors that can play a role in individual health. Through training in both public health and psychology, students can learn how to communicate effectively with the public, identify actions and behaviors that may be affecting a person’s health, and provide plans for change or improvement over the course of their career.

In different areas of the country, people are faced with different socioeconomic factors, cultural norms, and biological determinants that influence their behavior. Some programs that may be effective in one area of the country may not be an effective solution for another area with different values. Part of the curriculum in this online program is to introduce students to the differences that are present within society, and help them find ways to accommodate the needs of diverse groups of people in terms of public health.

While in degree programs that provide education into Behavior Health Sciences, students can expect to take courses that dive deep into the human mind and its properties. In order to get a good grasp on why people behave in certain ways, students must understand how biology and experience can play a role in the development of personality, impulse control, and resilience. Each of these factors can influence a person’s behavior either negatively or positively.

This degree program is a great option for individuals that have an interest in fields such as Psychology and Sociology, as well as the field of Public Health. If you feel like you could be a part of this interesting field, this could be the degree program for you. Our team of educational experts has put together this guide to help you learn more about this degree program and what it can provide for you if you choose to complete it.

After you have obtained your MPH in Behavior Health Sciences, you can have the option to pursue careers in many diverse fields. Human behavior is a major component in determining if public health policies will be utilized or even effective in the public domain. Since people are a part of every aspect of society, having expertise in this field could place you in many different settings.

Your responsibilities within your field can range from developing helpful programs to assist with increasing mental health awareness within the community to working directly with members of the public to increase their own quality of life. Behavior health specialists can begin working with individuals in an effort to learn more about how behavior can take a toll on the overall health of the environment. Take a look at some of the potential areas of employment for this degree program below.

• Community Health Centers
• Schools
• Health Departments
• Research
• Policy Development/Review
• Mental Health
• Corrections

As you can see from the list above, there are many employment settings that are based around community health care and policy research. Behavior Health Sciences as a specialty can provide you with additional knowledge in the field of health, which can set you on track for specialized positions in the field. As a public health professional, your goal may be to raise awareness about public health and safety within your community, and help people find resources for improving their own personal health.

Although you may have a diverse platform to exercise your expertise in the field of Behavior Health Sciences, there are career fields that are more popular than others for new graduates. As you can see below, some of the most popular career choices for people with the MPH – Behavior Health Sciences are in fields that deal directly with individuals that have mental illness, psychological impairments, or those that have made poor life decisions.

As a professional, you may find that you are more drawn to different groups, depending on your interests. Since Behavior Health Science is a huge part of public health, you can become a vital piece of the public health team with the knowledge gained in these educational programs. Our team has provided a short list of popular fields and their salaries below for you to read.

• Substance Abuse, Behavior Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors: $48,520 on average per year (BLS).
• Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists: $60,250 on average per year (BLS).
• Social and Community Service Managers: $74,000 on average per year (BLS).