Public Health
The online Certificate in Public Health at Kent State University offers a foundational understanding of key public health concepts, including epidemiology, health promotion, and environmental health. This program is ideal for those looking to enhance their knowledge of public health or explore career opportunities in this essential field. Graduates gain the skills to support public health initiatives, improve community wellness, and address global health challenges.
Public Health Undergraduate Certificate Program Overview
The Public Health undergraduate certificate integrates key aspects of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, communities and individuals. The certificate program is aimed at students who are interested in gaining exposure to the field of public health, do not intend to pursue a bachelor’s degree or already hold a bachelor’s or associate degree and wish to broaden their knowledge of public health. Certificate graduates have an understanding of emerging issues in public health, the social and behavioral aspects to preventing disease, environmental health concepts, the changing U.S. health care system and the monitoring of diseases in the community through applied public health research.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Explain public health history, philosophy and values.
- List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. or other community relevant to the school or program.
- Explain the social, political and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities.
- Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease.
Public Health Undergraduate Certificate Admissions Requirements
The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.
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 English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning a minimum 525 TOEFL score (71 on the Internet-based version), minimum 75 MELAB score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score or minimum 48 PTE Academic score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive Program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.
Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.
Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.
Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog’s Academic Policies.
Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the program’s Coursework tab.
Important Dates
Program Courses
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate Requirements | ||
| PH 10001 | INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH | 3 |
| PH 10002 | INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL HEALTH (DIVG) | 3 |
| Certificate Electives, choose from the following: | 12 | |
| PH 20001 | ESSENTIALS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY | |
| PH 20392 | COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER CERTIFICATION II-INTERNSHIP (ELR) | |
| PH 23000 | COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER CERTIFICATION I | |
| PH 30002 | INTRODUCTORY BIOSTATISTICS | |
| PH 30005 | SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE THEORIES IN PUBLIC HEALTH | |
| PH 30006 | INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY | |
| PH 30015 | UNITED STATES HEALTH CARE SYSTEM | |
| PH 30033 | PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY AND DECISION-MAKING 1 | |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 18 | |
1Students in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree may substitute NURS 40045 for PH 30033.
Graduation Requirements
| Minimum Certificate GPA | Minimum Overall GPA |
|---|---|
| 3.000 | 2.000 |
- Students must declare themselves as a certificate candidate prior to completing half of the courses.
- Students must complete a minimum of 15 credits at Kent State University.
Public Health Undergraduate Certificate Tuition and Fees
Ohio Residents
| Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost |
| $592.97 | $1,778.91 | $10,700 part-time1 $6,500 full-time2 |
Non-Ohio Residents
| Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost |
| $602.97 | $1,808.91 | $10,900 part-time3 $6,700 full-time4 |
1The $592.97 per-credit-hour tuition rate applies to part-time Ohio resident undergraduate students taking fewer than 12 credit hours per semester.
2The flat-rate semester fee of $6,526.80 applies to full-time Ohio resident undergraduate students taking between 12-18 credit hours per semester.
3The $602.97 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.
4The flat-rate semester fee of $6,526.80 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 semester credits or $120-$180).
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.
Actual tuition costs may vary based on a student’s chosen academic plan. For a complete listing of tuition rates for approved online programs, please contact Kent State’s Financial, Billing & Enrollment Center at 330-672-6000 or via our website Contact Us link.
The total program costs are estimates and are not final or binding. Program costs are based on standard fees, but fees may vary based on the actual classes taken. Kent State University disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance upon these program cost estimates by any person. Program costs are subject to change without notice.
Careers
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Notice: Career Information Source
* 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.
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