Master’s in health science career guide

A master’s in health science can give you the knowledge you need to pursue a broad range of leadership positions in areas that combine science and healthcare. Whether your interests are geared toward direct patient care or administration, a master’s in health science typically includes a choice of concentrations so you can tailor the degree to your interests and goals.

Key takeaways

• A master’s degree in health science prepares students for a wide range of leadership and specialized roles in healthcare by combining a core curriculum with elective concentrations tailored to individual career goals. 
• Most programs include coursework in health policy, research methods, leadership, ethics and public health, and often require hands-on training, research or fieldwork to build practical skills.
• Graduates with a master’s in health science can pursue diverse career paths—from healthcare administration and public health to informatics, education or even specialized scientific roles—often with opportunities for certification.

Overview

The healthcare industry is experiencing rapid and unprecedented growth. As baby boomers enter their later years, their need for medical care grows. This increase in patient numbers has resulted in rising demand not only for doctors, nurses and other clinicians, but also for administrators, caseworkers and others who are also vital to meeting patient needs.

Colleges and universities are responding to the demand by creating degree programs to educate the next wave of professionals who will shape healthcare for generations to come. In addition to clinical fields, there are also programs that provide a big-picture, interdisciplinary view of the industry. Health science departments have emerged to offer associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in many specialties.

Schools typically award either a Master of Health Science (MHS) or Master of Science (MS) in Health Sciences degree. There is little difference between these degrees, which are usually just a result of what the school decided to name it. No matter which you choose to pursue, taking your education to the next level with a master’s degree may give your career, and your salary, a huge boost.

Why get a master’s degree in health science?

Graduate degrees always look great on a resume, but why should you specifically pursue a master’s in health science? The chief reason is to advance your knowledge and delve deeply into a specialty area.

“The beauty of a health sciences degree is that no clinical experience is necessary,” said Anna Zendell, PhD, MSW and senior faculty program director of Graduate Health Sciences Degrees at Excelsior College. “It’s a field that is conducive to people who are looking to break into the healthcare field as a career entrant or career changer.”

Master’s degree holders also learn a great deal about becoming leaders in their field. Healthcare management is full of graduate-level professionals who lead others in creating more efficient healthcare delivery systems. Even hospitals with the very best doctors and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) rely on top-notch administration to keep the systems running smoothly. Administrators with a background in health science know how to best use medical resources for the betterment of all the patients and staff.

A master’s degree can bolster your knowledge base as well as help you improve your approach to putting the theoretical concepts you’ve learned into action. For instance, health educators serve their communities by understanding how to improve lifestyles and access healthcare resources to implement change. This knowledge can help improve the overall health of communities, resulting in more efficient businesses, happier families and a productive future for everyone.

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Master’s curriculum

Most master’s programs include a core curriculum that lays a foundation of basic knowledge and then allows students to focus on a specialty.

Almost every master’s program covers health policy as part of its core curriculum, and often as a concentration. You will also get at least a working knowledge of epidemiology, disease control and public health.

“In order to earn a master’s degree, students must take some sort of research or statistics course, as well as courses addressing leadership, ethics, communication, health policy and some sort of population health systems course,” Zendell said.

Most master’s programs typically culminate in a capstone, thesis, research or similar project.

Though each program structures its curriculum a bit differently, you can generally expect to take the following courses:

Master’s in health science specialties

Master’s degrees usually offer several specialties. As an interdisciplinary field, some schools offer master’s degrees with medical specialties, such as oncology. Other programs offer degrees with more of a policy approach. Still others will have specialties in risk management or law.

No matter which specialty you choose, expect it to require hands-on training, fieldwork, a project and presentation, or research. You might do this work as an internship or as a project under the guidance of a faculty member.

You’ll be able to add this work to your resume and demonstrate to prospective employers the knowledge and experience you already have in your specialty.

Here are some common specialties you can choose, depending on your school’s offerings.

Some specialties are medical in scope, and are geared towards current or future doctors.  Even if you aren’t pursuing a medical career, specializations with a medical focus can allow you to study broader issues such as policy and trends.

This approach results in well-rounded healthcare professionals who can work in environments that range from clinical to political. If you are considering doing work in a healthcare consultancy, this level of knowledge might be exactly what you are looking for.

It’s vital to determine your goals and then research schools to ensure that you are applying to a master’s program that includes your interests.

Career paths for master’s degrees in health science

There are a multitude of paths for professionals with a master’s in health science. You might choose to pursue a medical degree or combine your knowledge of health with public policy to work in politics and guide health policy. Or you could decide to teach or do research.

Master’s-level career pathways can include health education, health coaching, care coordination, nursing home administration, health informatics and more,” Zendell said. “A common theme in this pathway is leadership.”

Here’s a look at some common career paths for health science graduates. Salary and job outlook projections are based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

Public health

A career in public health might involve policy work, disease control, epidemiology, healthcare coordination or community health. It might take you to consultancy firms, hospital boardrooms or government at the state or federal level.

With a master’s degree, you would typically qualify for positions in public health management.

Informatics

This field is where healthcare meets information technology. You will help streamline procedures as well as work to protect healthcare databases from outside intrusion. This is a great route if you are an IT professional and want to find a focus within the healthcare industry.

A master’s degree would prepare you to work as a healthcare IT project manager.

Health educator

Health educators work with a wide range of populations, teaching them how to better care for themselves and how to access healthcare resources. Depending on the setting, you might be a classroom teacher, imparting vital knowledge, or you might take a more innovative approach and create community art events that inspire people beyond the classroom.

Medicine (Environmental health focus)

You can take your master’s degree and pursue an MD degree. Your broader knowledge will inform your practice in eye-opening ways. You might choose an MHS that focuses on a particular medical specialty, such as oncology, or you might choose one with less of a medical focus, such as environmental health, described here.

Health science writer

As a health science writer, you will translate technical and medical information for use by the general public. You may create news releases, newspaper articles, textbooks, pamphlets and other media related to a wide range of medical, scientific and health-based topics.

Health science librarian

In this role, you will support the learning and development of nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals. Your master’s background will help you determine the best periodicals and books to stock for your library’s typical user.

Epidemiologist

An epidemiologist studies causes and patterns of disease and illness among various populations. As public health workers, their work is used to improve public health and stem illnesses like flu outbreaks.

Biomedical illustrator

You’ll combine your knowledge of anatomy and disease and your artistic ability to create images, models and other designs for use in films, textbooks and a wide range of educational media.

Hospital administrator

A master’s in health science will help you succeed as an administrator in a hospital. Many administrators use their degrees in conjunction with a background in management, finance, marketing or even computer science.

Frequently asked questions