The study of public health seeks to identify the factors that affect the health of communities, cities, and society at large, and to ensure that conditions and policies that protect health on this scale are put into place. This field has become more important than ever with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, unquestionably the most serious global public health challenge of our lifetime. Public health experts are playing a vital role in shaping our response to COVID-19 by mapping the spread of the illness, identifying ways to slow its transmission and mitigate its impacts, and formulating recommendations for action geared towards policymakers as well as the public. For example, research by Imperial College London’s COVID-19 Response Team has provided important guidance to governments around the world on the importance of lockdowns in stopping the spread of the pandemic by bringing together epidemiological analysis with statistical models to predict the potential impacts of different policy options.

Of course, public health is relevant to many other issues besides studying pandemics. For example, some public health experts seek to establish links between environmental risk factors faced by certain socio-economic groups and health outcomes, providing critical research needed to support action. Other public health advocates look at the impacts of policy interventions in healthcare, analyzing the collective actions that can be taken to improve health across populations. Education on topics like the value of proper nutrition and the importance of vaccination is also essential to this field.

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust public health experts into the spotlight, as policymakers and the public alike turn to them for guidance on how to navigate this unprecedented crisis. For example, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has become a household name for advising the federal government on its response to COVID-19 as part of his distinguished career guiding six U.S. Presidents on numerous domestic and global public health issues.

In other cases, public health professionals’ work often takes place “behind the scenes” of healthcare, providing the research, education, and expertise needed to prevent more familiar illnesses and injuries. Additionally, the field of public health is inherently multidisciplinary, with professionals coming from many different fields and working in many different contexts.

For example, academic researchers such as epidemiologists play a critical role in investigating patterns and causes of diseases such as diabetes and cancer across populations, and sociologists establish the social factors that may underlie these patterns. These highly-educated public health experts generally have masters degrees such as a Masters in Public Health (MPH), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

A background in the ‘hard’ sciences like biology, engineering, or chemistry can also be valuable preparation for a career in public health. Environmental scientists use knowledge of biology and other life sciences to protect human health. Health and safety engineers rely on expertise in engineering as well as health to minimize risks from the built environment. In a more specialized way, occupational health and safety technicians collect data to analyze potentially hazardous work environments such as factories or industrial plants to identify potential health risks and develop adequate safety procedures.

Whether combating a global pandemic or helping members of specific communities or professions live healthier lives, public health jobs can intersect with many different types of career paths, and offer an opportunity to make a difference without necessarily having to go to medical school or work on the front lines of patient care.

Yes, there are a wide range of options available for students looking to learn about public health online, from individual courses to master’s degrees. And, as in other areas of study, online education gives you the opportunity to learn remotely from top-ranked schools on a flexible schedule from anywhere in the world.

As the world’s leading online learning platform, Coursera offers the full range of these opportunities to learn about public health. Students can take individual courses such as epidemiology, biostatistics, and global health at a lower price than on-campus alternatives, or free collections of public health courses.

If you want to pursue a Masters in Public Health (MPH) degree, Coursera has options for this too. The Global Master of Public Health degree from Imperial College London and the Master of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan offer opportunities to gain an online education in public health from leading institutions in the field.