Earn Your Bachelor of Science in Public Health Online

The Degree for the Career You Really Want

Take the next step toward your career goals without having to move or change employers. Kent State University's CEPH-accredited, 100% online Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) helps you develop the skills to advance while you keep up with your job, family and other commitments. Kent State designed the flexible BSPH program to fit your needs, with credit for training you already have, asynchronous courses that let you study on your schedule and your choice of three Public Health concentrations for your degree.

Course Delivery
120 total credits,
100% online
Time to Completion
~2-4 years, based on academic credits and licensure1
Approximate Cost per Credit
$559 in state
$569 out of state
Three Annual Start Dates
Fall, spring and summer
Discover Your Next Step
This will only take a moment.

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Take your career to a higher level with Kent State’s affordable, flexible online Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree. The 100% online program allows you to keep up with your current responsibilities while you study. Find out how KSU can help you create the career and positive public health impact you want to have.

Download our guide to learn more about:

  • Career Opportunities
  • Customizing Your Degree
  • The Student Experience
  • Admission Requirements
  • Tuition and Financial Aid

Reach Your Goals Faster with Kent State

Earn your degree faster by getting credit for the work you've already done. If you are pursuing the BSPH with an Allied Health concentration, you can earn up to 12 credits for your accepted license or certification.

See the list of accepted Ohio licenses and certifications. The College of Public Health will also work with you to validate out-of-state licenses. Your associate degree will also allow you to complete the BSPH in as little as two years, for any concentration.

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Jason Z. , BSPH ‘18
The public health program itself was incredible and provided me with everything I needed to transition from my clinical healthcare job into a healthcare leadership position. The curriculum was comprehensive, and it provided me with a toolbox to not only work in public health but also the healthcare industry.
Jason Z., BSPH ‘18
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Pay Less to Earn More

Moving up shouldn’t set you back. When you earn your public health degree online at Kent State, you get a high-quality education from a highly regarded research university,2 connections to Ohio’s outstanding health network and access to jobs that are only available to professionals with bachelor’s degrees. And you get it all for affordable tuition rates that other online public health programs don’t begin to match.

Review Tuition and Financial Aid

What can I expect from Kent State’s online Bachelor of Science in Public Health?

Affordable Flexibility and Excellence

The Kent State University College of Public Health offers an online Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree with three different specializations in a convenient, focused format that gives you the flexibility to keep up with your work and family responsibilities while you study.

The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) and the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) accredit the online Bachelor of Science in Public Health program. These accreditations ensure that the program meets the highest educational standards while working to improve public health through education, research and policy.

With tuition rates that protect your bottom line, Kent State’s online BSPH program is the financially responsible, quality choice to help you move up.

The Military Friendly Gold Designation recognizes Kent State University's outstanding service to the extended military community and all its students.

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You Have Kent State’s Full Support

Continuing your education as a working professional is a challenge, especially if you also have family commitments. KSU’s admissions outreach advisors understand the time pressures you face and are here to help you succeed as you balance school with work and life.

Talk with an Admissions Outreach Advisor

Program Overview: Earning Your Public Health Degree Online

Kent State’s online Bachelor of Science in Public Health program offers three degree concentrations. You’ll choose your concentration when you enroll in the program and can change it during your studies, if you prefer.

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#1: Allied Health

The need for trained, educated public health professionals has never been greater. In the Allied Health concentration, you’ll prepare for a career that makes a positive difference by developing skills in areas including epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, global health and health policy.

If you hold or are actively pursuing state licensure in an allied health field, you may be eligible to receive up to 12 credit hours of upper-division credit for your experience and training. If you don’t hold state licensure, your curriculum will include 12 hours of coursework in allied health-specific areas.

The Allied Health concentration is ideal if your professional interests include:

  • Accelerated nursing
  • Respiratory care
  • Radiologic technology
  • Occupational therapy
  • Physical therapy

Explore Allied Health Careers

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#2: Health Services Administration

The Health Services Administration concentration prepares you for graduate work in health policy and management. You’ll analyze national and local public health infrastructure, evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare delivery, and explore the legal and ethical issues of healthcare administration. Pair this concentration with a minor for the most comprehensive learning experience.

To advance your career sooner, Kent State offers the accelerated MPH option, through which you can apply up to 9 credits to your bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

Choose the Health Services Administration concentration if you aim for a career as a:

  • Finance manager
  • Compliance officer
  • Patient navigator
  • Insurance specialist
  • Healthcare manager in other areas

Explore Health Services Administration Careers

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#3: Clinical Trials Research

In the Clinical Trials Research concentration, you'll learn to design and answer research questions, collect and manage data, and communicate research findings to scientific and lay audiences. Your coursework will include the management of research studies, government regulations for clinical trials, the scientific literature related to drugs, medical devices and other new therapies, and an internship in a clinical research setting.

The Clinical Trials Research concentration is the right choice if you want to manage clinical research studies in:

  • Hospitals
  • Contract research organizations
  • Medical schools
  • Insurance companies
  • Pharmaceutical companies

Explore Clinical Trials Research Careers

Choose Your Future

Regardless of the concentration you choose, the online Bachelor of Science in Public Health program instills a thorough understanding of the following concepts:

  • The history and philosophy of public health
  • Public health’s core values, concepts and functions across the globe and in society
  • The basic concepts, methods and tools of public health data collection, use and analysis
  • Why evidence-based approaches are an essential part of public health practice
  • The concepts of population health
  • The basic processes, approaches and interventions that identify and address the major health-related needs and concerns of populations
  • The underlying science of human health and disease, including opportunities for promoting and protecting health across the life course
  • The socioeconomic, behavioral, biological, environmental and other factors that affect human health and contribute to health disparities
  • The fundamental concepts and features of project implementation, including planning, assessment and evaluation
  • The fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the U.S. health system
  • The differences between systems in other countries
  • The basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic and regulatory dimensions of healthcare and public health policy; the roles, influences and responsibilities of the different agencies and branches of government
  • The basic concepts of public health-specific communication, including technical and professional writing and the use of mass media and electronic technology
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Make A Difference While You Make Your Living

Whether you want to help improve public health outcomes through education, advocacy, policy analysis, healthcare management or another avenue, Kent State‘s online BSPH program is an excellent investment in yourself and your desire to serve. The skills and knowledge you’ll gain in the program can help you make a real impact and live a life that helps you while you help others.

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Study Abroad: Connect Classroom Learning to the Global Community

Take advantage of your Kent State opportunity to explore other cultures and diverse areas of the world. In your choice of a short-term or year-long experience, you can fulfill credits toward graduation in one of more than 200 programs in 60 countries, including with the Florence Health Institute in Florence, Italy.

For more information on study abroad, talk with an admissions outreach advisor.

Schedule a Call

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Build Your Skills by Learning From Recognized Experts

Upgrade your career outlook with help from the expert faculty in Kent State’s accredited online BSPH. The faculty use their years of diverse public health and healthcare experience and their extensive professional networks to improve your education. These experts in applied public health use real-world experiences and examples in virtual classrooms to help you put theory into practice while you're still learning.

Learn More About the Faculty

Exclusive Opportunity for KSU Undergraduates: The Accelerated MPH Degree Option

Launch your career sooner than you expected. In Kent State’s public health program, juniors and seniors with qualifying GPAs can apply up to 9 credit hours of coursework toward the public health bachelor’s and master’s degrees. By earning double credits, you’ll earn your online MPH earlier than anticipated, save money on tuition and fees, and be prepared to dive into your career ahead of your classmates and ahead of schedule. For more information, please contact an admissions outreach advisor at onlinedegrees@kent.edu or call us toll-free at +1 844-234-4073.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Ohio ResidentOut of State
Per Credit Hour$559$569
Approximate Program Cost$49,200 full-time*$50,200 – $50,700 full-time†
*The flat-rate semester fee of $6,152.20 applies to full-time Ohio resident undergraduate students taking between 12-18 credit hours per semester. This program is calculated for eight semesters. For part-time semesters: The $559 per-credit-hour tuition rate applies to part-time Ohio resident undergraduate students taking fewer than 12 credit hours per semester.

†The flat-rate semester fee of $6,152.20 applies to full-time non-Ohio resident undergraduate students enrolled in a fully online degree program and taking between 12-18 credit hours, plus a surcharge of $10 per credit hour of actual credits taken (between 12-18 or $120-$180). This program is calculated for eight semesters. For part-time semesters: The $559 per-credit-hour tuition rate applies to part-time non-Ohio resident undergraduate students enrolled in a fully online degree program and taking fewer than 12 credit hours per semester, plus a surcharge of $10 per credit hour.

Tuition and costs effective as of February 5, 2024. Tuition rates are not inclusive of textbooks and fees. Tuition and costs are subject to change and should be confirmed on the University’s official tuition listing at onlinedegrees.kent.edu/tuition-costs#undergrad.

An additional distance learning fee for all students enrolled in a distance learning course is $15 per credit hour. Program tuition and costs are estimated and subject to change. For comprehensive tuition information, please refer to the tuition rates posted on the Bursar’s website.

We recognize that pursuing a bachelor‘s degree is a significant investment.

Your admissions outreach advisor can answer your questions on program costs, discuss how a Kent State degree compares to others and connect you with financial aid representatives when you are ready to discuss your financial options.

Please contact an admissions outreach advisor for more information on tuition and fees either by email at onlinedegrees@kent.edu or toll-free at
+1 844‑234‑4073.

Schedule a Call
Download an Application Checklist

Courses

The 120-credit-hour online BSPH degree is comprised of:

  • University Requirements
    • Destination Kent State: First Year Experience Satisfactory completion is required of all undergraduates except those who are 21 years of age at the time of application or who have 25 or more credit hours, excluding post-secondary and dual enrollment programs.
    • 36 credit hours from the Kent Core (General Education Requirements) This is the foundation of the university's mission to prepare students to live in today's complex, global society.
    • Diversity Course Requirement: All students must satisfy this requirement, which consists of one course addressing domestic (U.S.) issues and one course addressing global issues.
    • Experiential Learning Requirement: This provides students with the opportunity to initiate lifelong learning through the development and application of academic knowledge and skills in new or different settings.
    • Writing-Intensive Course Requirement: This assists undergraduates in becoming effective writers within their major discipline.
  • Program Requirements
    • Required courses for the Public Health major
    • Required and elective courses within each concentration

Review Program Requirements

Courses for the Public Health Major

Build your expertise on the strongest foundation. Your curriculum will include study of public health, global health, epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health and safety, public health policy and decision-making and more, including a culminating capstone experience.

Explore Public Health Courses


Courses for the Allied Health Concentration

Your choices in the Allied Health curriculum include courses in human genetics, the U.S. healthcare system, public health ethics, psychology, medical terminology, human nutrition, quantitative reasoning, health informatics and a full suite of math and science options.

Explore Allied Health Courses


Courses for the Health Services Administration Concentration

From required courses such as Principles of Public Health Leadership to electives including Zombie Outbreak, the HSA concentration explores issues of ethics, law, finance, leadership, mass incarceration and emergency public health management, among others.

Explore Health Services Administration Courses


Courses for the Clinical Trials Research Concentration

With a solid footing in epidemiology, clinical trials management, scientific writing for clinical research, regulatory affairs, and pharmacoepidemiology, you can fill out your curriculum with courses in anatomy and physiology, chemistry, algebra and biological diversity.

Explore Clinical Trials Research Courses

Admissions Requirements

  • Be in your senior year of high school OR hold a high school diploma, GED or equivalent degree
  • Apply for admission using the Kent State Application or the Common Application
  • Submit a $50 application fee
  • Complete the full college preparatory curriculum as recommended by the Ohio State Board of Education

The application process is simple and we’re here to guide you through it.

Admissions outreach advisors are available to answer your questions regarding admissions requirements for the program. If you have questions, please email onlinedegrees@kent.edu or call us toll-free at +1 844-234-4073.

Schedule a Call
Download Application Checklist

Important Dates

Nov
18
Priority Application Deadline
Spring 2025 Term
Dec
30
Final Application Deadline
Spring 2025 Term
Jan
13
First Day of Class
Spring 2025 Term

Application Resources

Kent BSPH Application Checklist

Kent State’s step-by-step application checklist will help ensure the success of your application submission.

Download Checklist

Application FAQs

Begin your application by creating an account in the online application system to save your work and track the progress of materials submitted via the system.

I am a U.S. citizen. Where should I send my application materials?

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident, all required application materials should be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at publichealth@kent.edu or by mail to:

Kent State University
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
P.O. Box 5190
Kent, OH 44242

Please be sure to include your full name and Kent State ID (nine-digit number starting with 8) on all submitted documents. For questions, call +1 800-988-KENT.

I am not a U.S. citizen. Where should I send my application materials?

If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident, all required documents should be submitted to the Office of Global Education at intladm@kent.edu or by mail to:

Office of International Admissions
P.O. Box 5190
Kent, OH 44242
USA

For questions, contact International Admissions at +1 330-672-7970 or intladm@kent.edu.

Build Your Career With a Degree Built Around You

Explore the immersive online experience, the faculty roster and some of the diverse post-graduation career options.

Immersive Online Curriculum

Designed for busy working professionals and students seeking to expand their career options.

Award-Winning Faculty

Study with authorities who are at the forefront of health research and policy.

BSPH Career Potential

Gain expertise in mitigating public health risks through advocacy, research, and policy implementation.
BSPH Admissions and Application Deadlines
Nov
18
Priority Application Deadline
Spring 2025 Term
Dec
30
Final Application Deadline
Spring 2025 Term
Jan
13
First Day of Class
Spring 2025 Term
Sources
  1. In most cases, full-time students with an associate degree graduate in two years or less. Full-time students with a high school diploma or GED graduate in four years.
  2. Retrieved on February 22, 2023, from kent.edu/research/r1-designation#:~:text=The%20Carnegie%20Classification%20of%20Institutions,research%20ranking%20that%20Carnegie%20designates.