In addition to an interest in legislative and political processes, public health policy analysts must have good communication skills, analytic and decision-making abilities, and management skills. Public health policy analysts generally have a graduate degree in public policy or public administration. Some graduate programs in public health also offer a concentration in public policy. Students in public policy and public administration programs master core skills in policy analysis and program evaluation, management, and politics. Those with a concentration in public health take courses specific to the discipline, as well as economics, policy process and implementation, political theory and values, and public and nonprofit management.
Public policy is one of the tools used by public health to create a healthy environment.
Public health policy analysts determine the questions that such policies will raise, answer those questions and help shape policies that make our society a better place to live.