Options with health studies
Studying for a degree in health studies allows you to draw on a range of disciplines, such as sociology, psychology, biology, health and social care management, social policy, health economics and research, to study health in its broad context and to investigate a wide range of contemporary health issues.
You have the opportunity to explore traditional and alternative approaches to health and healthcare. In addition, you will also develop the ability to look at the subject from an international, national, cultural or social perspective and gain insight into the individual and personal experience of health.
Health studies may be studied as a single honours degree or as a joint/combined subject with a range of other disciplines.
During your studies you gain an in-depth understanding of health and healthcare and will learn to:
Studying for a health studies degree also provides you with a strong set of transferable skills valued by employers. These include:
Many medical jobs will require further professional study (see NHS Careers ). A period of related work experience will help with applications for study. There are numerous ways to gain practical experience in health-related occupations, either through formal placements or volunteer opportunities.
Healthcare experience might involve working for the National Health Service, in residential homes or centres for homeless people. Experience of mentoring, counselling or befriending may also be useful for those interested in a career in social work. If you have an interest in alternative approaches to health and healing, you might explore work experience within a holistic health practice. Volunteering on a health project in a developing country is also valuable career preparation.
When it comes to work experience, quality counts - what matters is that you can demonstrate what you have learnt through experience.
Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it’s not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here. Look at your degree... what next? for informed advice on career planning and graduate employment, or login/register with My Prospects to find out what jobs would suit you, a helpful starting point for self-analysis.
Explore types of jobs to find out more about the above options and related jobs.
Health studies is not primarily a vocational course, but it is linked in some degree programmes to aspects of nursing and/or promotion of health in the community, and many graduates look for a career related to health and social care.
Six months after graduation around 65% of health studies graduates are in full-time employment. A further 7% are combining further study and work. Around 36% of those in work are employed as health and health-associated professionals, with a further 10% working as social and welfare professionals.
Common areas of work include health service management and administration, health education and health promotion, teaching, medical journalism, community development and health research.
A health studies degree can also form the basis for future fast-track graduate conversion into professions such as nursing, social work, medicine or other health professions. Your first job may be at a lower level to gain valuable experience, for example:
Many health studies graduates work in the public sector for:
Others work in the voluntary sector and for medical charities and not-for-profit organisations.
Opportunities in the private sector can be found, for example, in private healthcare organisations working as a lifestyle consultant, and working in the field of alternative medicine and therapies. Many of these options involve being self-employed.
For an insight into potential employment areas, see:
For further information on possibilities in other employment areas, see job sectors.
Statistics are collected every year to show what HE students do immediately after graduation. These can be a useful guide but, in reality, because the data is collected within six months of graduation, many graduates are travelling, waiting to start a course, paying off debts, getting work experience or still deciding what they want to do. For further information about some of the areas of employment commonly entered by graduates of any degree discipline, check out What Do Graduates Do? and your degree...what next?
A 2011 HESA survey of 2010 graduates indicates that six months after finishing their course almost 19% of health studies graduates had gone on to further study or a combination of work and further study.
As a health studies degree explores health in its broad context, it may be necessary to undertake further professional study in order to take up a relevant health, medical or social work career. For example, getting higher qualifications is essential for many professional medical occupations, such as speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. It may be necessary to complete a full vocational course from the beginning or there may be a shortened postgraduate option for health studies graduates. You will need to check for specific entry requirements and availability of funding.
To enhance your chances within a particular career area and to demonstrate your motivation, you may opt to undertake postgraduate study in areas such as health promotion, health education and health therapies.
These trends show only what previous graduates in your subject did immediately upon graduating. Over the course of their career - the first few years in particular - many others will opt for some form of further study, either part time or full time. If further study interests you, start by thinking about postgraduate study in the UK and search courses and research to identify your options.
For details relating to finance and the application process, look at funding my further study.
