College of Public Health and Health Sciences
www.kent.edu/phhs

About This Program

Join the next generation of the public health workforce with Kent State University's Public Health program. Earn a B.S.P.H., minor or certificate and gain the skills and knowledge to improve population health and make a difference in people's lives. Enroll now in person or fully online and make an impact in the world of public health. Read more...

Contact Information

• Gretchen Thomas | gthoma33@kent.edu | 330-672-6528
• Speak with an Advisor
• Chat with an Admissions Counselor

Program Delivery

• Delivery:
  • Fully online (Allied Health, Clinical Trials Research, Health Services Administration concentrations only)
  • Mostly online
  • In person (all concentrations)
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*

Additional careers

• Project coordinators (falls under business operations specialists, all other)
• Social and community service managers
• Clinical research associates (falls under clinical laboratory technologists and technicians)
• Clinical research coordinators
• Public policy and social services

Accreditation

The B.S.P.H. degree in Public Health is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

^{* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.}

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students who have not attended another institution since Kent State and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving Kent State must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.

Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.

Students may be required to meet certain criteria to progress in their program. Any progression requirements will be listed on the program's Coursework tab

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

Students in the Nursing major may substitute NURS 40020 for PH 30007, NURS 40045 for PH 30033 and NURS 40872 for PH 30004.

²

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

³

Students are required to complete a practical experience to graduate with the B.S.P.H. degree. Please see the graduation requirements for more information.

⁴

If students complete the American Civic Literacy requirement by taking HIST 12061, the course will apply to the Kent Core Humanities category. If they complete it with POL 10101, the course will apply to the Kent Core Social Sciences category.

Additional Requirements for Students Not Declaring a Concentration

Allied Health Concentration Requirements

¹

At their time of admission, a student must submit a copy of their state licensure to an academic advisor in the College of Public Health and Health Sciences. State licensure must be valid through the student's graduation term.

Clinical Trials Research Concentration Requirements

Health Services Administration Concentration Requirements

Pre-Medicine, Dental, Osteopathy Concentration Requirements

¹

CHEM 30482 is highly recommended as an additional course for students planning to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

Graduation Requirements

Practical Experience Requirement

Students in the B.S.P.H. degree are required to complete a practical experience. The requirement can be fulfilled by any of the following course or non-course experiences:

Course experiences

• HONR 40099 (4-6 credit hours)
• Any international experience (xxx89), study away (xxx90) or practical experience (xxx92) course
• Any Aerospace Studies (ASTU) or Military Science (MSCI) course

Non-course experiences with college approval

Non-course experiences are expected to equal approximately 45 clock hours of participation.

Preponderant Approval

It is assumed that these experiences will meet the requirement. Final approval is required by the College of Public Health and Health Sciences:

• Military experience
• Significant leadership experiences in student organizations
• Structured research (e.g., SURE program) or credit hours received for health-related research

Conditional Approval

Students must receive approval from the College of Public Health and Health Sciences prior to starting the experience:

• Plus-1 credit option
• Non-course experiences such as community volunteer or work-related experiences that go beyond the student's typical job description

Roadmaps

Public Health Major (No Concentration)

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Allied Health Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Clinical Trials Research Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Health Services Administration Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Pre Medicine, Dental, Osteopathy Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

University Requirements

All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.

NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.

Kent Core Requirements

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Overview of Public Health: Address the history and philosophy of public health as well as its core values, concepts and functions across the globe and in society.
2. Role and Importance of Data in Public Health: Address the basic concepts, methods and tools of public health data collection, use and analysis, and why evidence-based approaches are an essential part of public health practice.
3. Identifying and Addressing Population Health Challenges: Address the concepts of population health and basic processes, approaches and interventions that identify and address the major health-related needs and concerns of populations.
4. Human Health: Address the underlying science of human health and disease, including opportunities for promoting and protecting health across the life course.
5. Determinants of Health: Address the socioeconomic, behavioral, biological, environmental and other factors that impact human health and contribute to health disparities.
6. Project Implementation: Address the fundamental concepts and features of project implementation, including planning, assessment and evaluation.
7. Overview of the Health System: Address the fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the U.S. health system as well as the differences in systems in other countries.
8. Health Policy, Law, Ethics and Economics: Address the basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic and regulatory dimensions of health care and public health policy; and the roles, influences and responsibilities of the different agencies and branches of government.
9. Health Communications: Address the basic concepts of public health-specific communication (including technical and professional writing) and the use of mass media and electronic technology.

Full Description

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree in Public Health prepares students to enter the workforce as public health professionals or pursue advanced study. Students explore the five core disciplines of public health – biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, health policy and management and the social and behavioral sciences – and are well equipped to meet the increasing demand for a highly trained public health workforce.

The Public Health major includes the following optional concentrations:

• The Allied Health concentration seeks to augment the career portfolio of the allied health professional or aspiring student. Students who are interested in a professional degree (e.g., accelerated nursing) or technical allied health degree (e.g., respiratory care, radiologic technology, occupational/physical therapy assisting, etc.) are encouraged to pursue this path. Students who currently hold or are actively pursuing a state licensure in an allied health field may be eligible to receive a maximum 12 credit hours of upper-division credit for their prior experience and demonstrated competency in select areas. Students without a state licensure may still pursue this concentration but will complete 12 hours of coursework in allied health-specific areas.
• The Clinical Trials Research concentration prepares students for the epidemiology principles and applied methods essential to conducting high-quality clinical research. The curriculum provides a strong foundation in research study management; the scientific literature surrounding drugs, medical devices and emerging therapies; and federal regulations and ethical standards governing clinical trials. Students gain the skills needed to design research questions, develop study protocols, collect and manage data and effectively communicate findings to both scientific and general audiences. An optional internship offers hands-on experience within clinical research environments. Graduates are well positioned for roles in hospitals, contract research organizations, medical schools, pharmaceutical companies and other settings where they support or manage clinical trials and related research activities.
• The Health Services Administration concentration provides students with a strong foundation in health policy and management while preparing them to understand and navigate today’s complex health care system. Students study national and local public health infrastructure, evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of health care delivery and examine the legal and ethical issues that shape health care administration. They also build practical skills in leadership, communication and data-informed decision making that are essential for careers across the health sector. Graduates are prepared for entry-level roles such as policy analyst; compliance specialist; patient navigator; insurance coordinator; or health care manager in hospitals, public health agencies, nonprofit organizations and private health systems. Students may enhance their preparation by pairing this concentration with a minor or pursuing any of the combined B.S.P.H./M.P.H. programs, which offers a streamlined pathway to advanced study and leadership opportunities.
• The Pre-Medicine, Dental, Osteopathy concentration provides foundational coursework for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), Dental Admission Test (DAT) and admission entry into other professional schools, including pharmacy, podiatric medicine, occupational or physical therapy and physician assistant studies. Students tailor their coursework to meet the prerequisites of their intended professional fields, choosing from a wide range of science courses such as advanced biology, chemistry and physiology that strengthen their academic preparation. The curriculum emphasizes the biological, social and economic determinants of health; disease prevention and control; epidemiology and biostatistics; and public health research, making this program highly competitive for professional school admission. Its distinctive features offer students expanded opportunities and a strong advantage when pursuing careers in clinical medicine.

Students may apply early to the following master's degree programs and double count 9 credit hours of graduate courses toward both degree programs. See the Combined Bachelor's/Master's Degree Program Policy in the University Catalog for more information:

• Master of Public Health degree in Biostatistics
• Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology
• Master of Public Health degree in Health Policy and Management
• Master of Public Health degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Master of Science degree in Clinical Epidemiology

Students must consult with their undergraduate and faculty advisors each semester to create a plan substituting selected master's courses for selected undergraduate courses based on approved courses. Following graduation, students' applications to the M.P.H. or M.S. degree may be activated for admission.