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Master of Public Health

MPH in Health Policy and Management

Earn Your Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management Online

Define your career as a leader who shapes healthcare delivery, financing, and regulation across public and private sectors. Kent State University's Online MPH in Health Policy and Management develops your expertise in healthcare systems, policy analysis and organizational leadership through a curriculum that combines cutting-edge research with practical application.

#10

Best Online Master’s in Public Health Program¹

—Fortune

Program Snapshot

100% online course delivery
Three annual start dates: fall, spring and summer
Focused seven- and 15-week courses
Curriculum includes applied practice experience
No GRE required
Complete your degree in as few as 24 months

Recognized for Excellence

The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) and the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) accredit our online MPH programs, ensuring adherence to the highest educational standards. This accreditation, combined with our #10 national ranking and Quality Matters certification, reflects our commitment to excellence in online public health education.

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

#10 Best Online MPH - Top 4.1% Global 2000 Universities

Build the Career You Want

Take your career to a higher level with Kent State’s affordable, flexible undergraduate and graduate public health programs. Our 100% online programs allow you to keep up with your current responsibilities while you study. Find out how these programs 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

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An Extra Incentive - $3,000 Tuition Offset

If you’re a first-time enrollee in our Master of Public Health online program, we’re delighted to offer a $3,000 tuition offset as an extra incentive to help you complete the degree and reach your career education goal. Please read the full description of the offer and its conditions on the Tuition and Financial Aid page.

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Online MPH in Health Policy Management Program Overview

Prepare to shape the policies and systems that determine healthcare access, quality and outcomes for entire populations. The Online MPH in Health Policy and Management (HPM) program equips you to influence the critical decisions that govern how healthcare is delivered, financed and regulated across communities. You'll graduate with expertise in health services organization and management, ready to provide alternative models of service financing and strategies for improving population health.

You’ll learn to:

Describe the legal and ethical bases for public health services
Discuss key elements of policy processes and apply them to public health issues
Apply the principles of planning, implementation and evaluation of public health programs and effectively communicate outcomes
Evaluate the financial performance and management of public health organizations
Apply systems thinking for resolving organizational problems
Develop and demonstrate leadership skills related to health policy and management concerns

With these skills, you can excel in important roles across sectors, including as a:

Policy analyst in health planning organizations and governmental agencies
Health services manager in hospitals, clinics or health departments
Administrative leader in health insurance companies or health maintenance organizations

Demand is Rising—and Leadership Pays

23% Projected Job Growth for Medical and Health Services Managers, 2024-2034 — Much Faster Than the National Average²

The expanding need for healthcare management professionals is fueled by increasing healthcare complexity, regulatory requirements and the need to control costs while improving patient outcomes.³ With a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management, you'll qualify for diverse, influential roles with strong earning potential throughout your career:

$137,000

Average salary for Health Policy Analysts⁴

$129,500

Average salary for Health Services Managers⁵

$155,500

Median salary for Health Insurance Specialists⁶

Kent State faculty member and student having a conversation

Committed to Your Success

You’ll thrive at Kent State thanks to uniquely personalized instruction, tutoring and applied practice experience support. The close-knit learning environment, small class sizes, robust online student portal and dedicated faculty help you build the professional connections and competencies that define successful public health careers.

Dedicated tutoring support for your biostatistics courses ensures your mastery of essential analytical skills
Faculty mentors work closely with you to secure applied practice experiences aligned with your career goals

Exclusive Opportunity for Kent State University Undergraduates: The Combined Program

Launch your career sooner than you expected. In Kent State’s public health program, juniors and seniors with qualifying GPAs can apply up to 12 credit hours of coursework toward the public health bachelor’s and master’s degrees. By double-counting credits, you’ll start and complete 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 toll-free at +1 844-234-4073.

We Do More for You

Kent State’s public health programs are already competitively priced. In addition, you may be eligible for scholarship support.

Explore Financial Aid

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Courses

The 46-credit-hour MPH degree is comprised of:

Six major requirements (18 credits) plus five major electives (15 credits)
Three electives (9 credits)
Integrative learning experience and applied practice experience (4 credits)

Major Requirements (6 Courses, 18 Credits)

BST 52019 BIOSTATISTICS IN PUBLIC HEALTH (3 CREDITS)

The course provides students with an understanding of basic statistical methods in public health research, as well as the skills to perform and interpret basic statistical procedures. Students learn how to use statistical analysis software to analyze real data from public health-related studies. They then learn how to interpret the analysis and present the results to public health professionals and educated lay audiences. The course will include a lab component which will enhance student awareness and informed usage of SAS for public health analysis. Students will learn how to input, read, store, export and modify data in SAS and be able to use common SAS procedures to analyze public health data and conduct independent SAS programming.

EHS 52018 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CONCEPTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH (3 CREDITS)

Human beings may be the predominant form of life on Earth today, but our health, well-being and, indeed, survival depend on the quality and integrity of the environment in which we live. The course provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the major environmental health issues facing the world today. This course focuses on the present population-resources-pollution crisis and explains why human health, well-being and welfare depend on successful resolution of current environmental health challenges. Students will be exposed to the information on how current environmental problems and issues affect human health and well-being and learn practical examples of how specific environmental health problems could be resolved through more active individual participation and community involvement, socio-behavioral and healthy lifestyle changes, and more effective decision-making policies at local and national levels. The course reviews the latest developments on such environmental health issues and concerns as population growth and poverty, toxic environmental pollutants, indoor and outdoor air pollution, water contamination and wastewater treatment, solid and hazardous waste management, global climate change and sustainable development.

EPI 52017 FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGY (3 CREDITS)

This course introduces principles, methods and application of epidemiology. It covers the history of epidemiology, concepts of disease causation and prevention, measures of disease frequency and excessive risk, epidemiologic study designs, causal inference, outbreak investigation and screening. It also provides experience with calculation of rate standardization; measures of disease frequency, association and impact; and sensitivity and specificity of screening tests. Highlights applications of epidemiology to understanding of disease etiology, transmission, pathogenesis, prevention, evaluation and public policy development.

HPM 52016 PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (3 CREDITS)

Public health administration comprises efforts to improve the health of communities. This course provides an overview for public health administration and practice, including organization, law, legislative relations, financing, workforce issues, leadership and surveillance.

HPM 53010 COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT (3 CREDITS)

One of the core functions of public health, community assessment, facilitates problem-solving and policy development. It covers concepts and methods relevant to community health needs assessment, such as systems thinking, the use of quantitative and qualitative methods, primary and secondary data and the role of community assessment in current national policy, including the Affordable Care Act, on community health improvement. Students will draw from multiple disciplines to assess health status and its determinants (social, behavioral and environmental), needs for health services and the capacity and resources of the local community. Students will also learn to facilitate and evaluate the use of data for decision-making by partnerships, organizations and policymakers.

SBS 54634 SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH BEHAVIORS (3 CREDITS)

This course provides overviews of the social determinants of health and the dynamic interplay between individual behaviors and community structures (systems orientation), including public policy, social and built environments, commercial messages, access to services, cultural norms, psychosocial hazards and poverty, both as causal effects that either provide opportunity or constraints to health. It also examines systems approaches to preventing public health threats from issues including substance abuse (alcohol, tobacco and other drugs), physical inactivity, poor dietary practices, unsafe sexual behaviors, violence and injury, and mental health.

Major Electives (5 Courses, 15 Credits)

HPM 53003 HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS (3 CREDITS)

In this course, students will examine the conceptual basis for the U.S. healthcare system; its historical origins; the structures, resources and processes of care; how quality and costs are supported and constrained; and the impact of recent legislation.

HPM 53004 PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY, LAW AND ETHICS (3 CREDITS)

This course explores the role of government in public health, and it focuses on ethics, law and policy. After reviewing key concepts relating to the public health “system” and introducing the concepts of public health ethics, law and policy, it provides an overview of basic theories of ethical decision making and their relevance to public health. Students will discuss these theories in relation to specific kinds of public health issues. The course also includes overview and discussion of the nature of legal authorities relevant to the practice of public health law, including relevant constitutional provisions, the role of statutes, and various forms of direct and indirect regulation. It will define and discuss public sector institutions that are involved in making and administering laws relevant to public health and overview basic elements and theories of public policy making and analysis. Students will apply what they learn to specific forms of government intervention to address public health problems.

HPM 53005 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS (3 CREDITS)

This course is intended to provide students with an initial exploration and overview of whole systems approaches to organizational change in public health settings, a more detailed working knowledge of key whole systems methodologies, and a detailed working knowledge and practical experience with one of the most frequently used and favored whole systems approaches.

HPM 53006 COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS (3 CREDITS)

This course provides an overview of cost-benefit analysis as applied to the evaluation of public health programs. Students apply principles of cost-benefit analysis and related cost-utility analysis to case studies in the public health sector.

HPM 53007 PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS: PLANNING, IMPLEMENTING AND EVALUATION (3 CREDITS)

This course is a comprehensive overview of the practical and theoretical skills needed to plan, implement and evaluate health promotion programs. The course will examine how public health programs can target different levels within a population, different determinants of health, and strategies and interventions. A substantial focus of this course will be on providing a hands-on, real-world applied approach to planning, implementing and evaluating a health program.

Electives (3 Courses, 9 Credits)

For your remaining credits, you may take elective courses across all disciplines of public health, so you are better prepared to face any challenge that may come your way. Each elective is offered on a rotating basis and is not available every semester. Choose from the following:

Biostatistics Courses (BST 50000 or 60000 level)
Environmental Health Sciences Courses (EHS 50000 or 60000 level)
Epidemiology Courses (EPI 50000 or 60000 level)
Health Policy and Management Courses (HPM 50000 or 60000 level)
Social and Behavioral Sciences Courses (SBS 50000 or 60000 level)

Culminating Requirement

PH 61199 INTEGRATIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE (1 CREDIT)

Students complete an integrative learning experience that demonstrates a synthesis of foundational and concentration competencies. Students in consultation with faculty select foundational and concentration-specific competencies appropriate to the student’s educational and professional goals.

EPI/HPM/SBS 60192 APPLIED PRACTICE EXPERIENCE (3 CREDITS)

Observation of and participation in public health activities of a public health agency, hospital or other approved organization. The student completes the field experience with joint supervision from the university and approved organization or agency.

Have questions? We have answers.

Choosing the right online program comes with lots of questions, and our admissions outreach advisors are here to help you sort through them all. Connect with this friendly, knowledgeable team for personalized guidance. They’ll make sure you have everything you need to feel confident about your next steps at Kent State.

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Admissions and Application Deadlines

Nov

Priority Application Deadline

Spring 2026 Term

Dec

Final Application Deadline

Spring 2026 Term

Jan

Class Start Date

Spring 2026 Term

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Sources

From Fortune. ©2024 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license. Fortune and Fortune Media IP Limited are not affiliated with, and do not endorse the products or services of, Kent State University.
Retrieved on September 19, 2025, from bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm#
Retrieved on September 19, 2025, from bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm#tab-6
Retrieved on September 19, 2025, from ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Health-Policy-Analyst-Salary
Retrieved on September 19, 2025, from ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Health-Services-Manager-Salary
Retrieved on September 19, 2025, from ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Health-Insurance-Specialist-Salary