Have I eaten enough fruits and vegetables today? Are more than three cups of coffee a day too much? I should go to sports again …

Your health is very important to most people. However, with so much information on the subject, it is not exactly easy to keep track of things. And many find it difficult to put good life-style resolutions into practice. On the contrary, the stress and the one-sided burdens that affect us in our competitive society even ensure that “diseases of civilization” such as obesity and depression are on the rise. Experts who deal full-time with our health and the prevention of diseases are all the more important .

Unlike doctors, health scientists do not try to cure diseases that have already broken out. Rather, they deal with the social structures that give rise to diseases, taking into account their physical and psychological causes.

The subject of health sciences

In line with this comprehensive approach, the study of health science is also very diverse . Of course, subjects like medicine and psychology are on the curriculum. In addition, content from the social sciences is also taught in order to track down the causes of diseases in their entirety and to determine what people can do for their health.

According to itypemba, both universities and technical colleges offer courses in the field of health sciences / public health . In some cases, dual studies are possible in which vocational training and studies are combined.

Bachelor degree

At the beginning of the bachelor’s degree, subjects such as medicine or epidemiology are on the curriculum. There the students deal with common diseases such as cancer or dementia, among other things . In subjects such as statistics and empirical social research, they learn to collect and evaluate data. In addition, they also deal with social factors of health and the political and economic facets of our health system.

In the further course of their studies, the students then have the opportunity to set their own priorities. Depending on the university, the focus may be on health promotion or health management, for example. Practical semesters and internships should help students to apply what they have learned in practice and to orientate themselves professionally.

Master’s degree

Anyone who would like to gain further qualifications after completing their bachelor’s degree, for example for a scientific career or management position , can follow up with a master’s degree. The master’s courses offer the opportunity to specialize even further in a sub-area of ​​health sciences, for example health policy or prevention.

Requirements for studying health sciences

Since contents from the fields of medicine, sociology , politics and economics are on the curriculum during the course, prospective health scientists should be interested in all of these subjects . In order to properly research and interpret the relationships, it is necessary to conduct empirical surveys and interpret the data. If you dread numbers and statistics , you may not be in the right place in studying health science. A pre-study internship in healthcare is compulsory at some universities.

After studying health sciences – career opportunities

Because of the broad approach of health sciences, many doors are open to graduates. One possible area of ​​work is research . At universities and state or private research institutes, for example, they investigate which social structures give rise to diseases.

In the field of prevention , they are practically active and, among other things, develop projects that are intended to promote the health of individual people or entire groups. Employers include health insurance companies, authorities or adult education institutions . As health officers in large companies, health scientists look after the health of employees. The counseling of patients and family members , for example in hospitals, can be a field of work. In addition, health scientists work, for example, as specialist journalists , in consumer and environmental protection or in the public sector .

What are the advantages of studying abroad?

Universities in Germany have only recently started offering public health as a subject . In other countries, however , it has long been established as a subject of study . Students who want to sharpen their academic profile and benefit from the experience of other countries in the field of public health should consider studying abroad . During a semester abroad or a complete degree abroad, you not only get the opportunity to expand your own knowledge. They can also improve their foreign language skills and acquire intercultural skills .