Public Health Degrees Offered at Ohio State University
Ohio State University appears in our ranking of the 10 Best MPH Degrees in the Midwest.
The College of Public Health at Ohio State University (OSU) offers a bachelor of science degree as well as programs leading to the master of public health and the master of science degrees. Students enter the undergraduate program around their sophomore year after completing general education courses and public health prerequisites. The core B.S. degree consists of six classes for a total of 18 credit hours including Biostatistics for Public Health Research, Current Issues in Global Environmental Health, Introduction to Global Public Health, Role of Behavior in Public Health, Introduction to Epidemiology, and US and International Health Care. The remainder of the courses needed for the required 126 credit hours consist of interdisciplinary studies focused on one of two areas.
The environmental public health specialization requires four chemistry classes, three in the earth sciences, and three from the specialty area which could include Principles of Toxicology, Climate Change and Human Health, or Outbreak Investigations. The sociology specialization is made up of a nine-course track featuring Health Disparities in Social Context and Medical Sociology followed by three classes from a focus area like policy, poverty/inequality, or criminology/violence. All students also complete a capstone research project or internship before graduation. Another option for undergraduate students from any OSU major is to minor in either epidemiology or global public health.
At the graduate level, the MPH is a professional degree that focuses on preparing students for work in the field in one of eight areas. All students take five introductory classes offering an advanced view of the core components of public health including biostatistics, environmental health sciences, epidemiology, social and behavioral sciences, and health services administration. The degree requires about 45 credit hours to graduate, and the remaining required courses are determined by concentration area. The available tracks are biomedical informatics, biostatistics, clinical translational science, environmental health sciences, epidemiology, health behavior and health promotion, and veterinary public health. In addition, experienced public health professionals can earn a more general MPH through the PEP, Program for Experienced Professionals. All students participate in both a practicum and a culminating project at the end of their coursework. While none of the programs can be completed entirely online, many courses are offered either online or in the evenings to accommodate for working students.
The M.S. in public health is geared toward students interested in research and a career in academia. The tracks in biostatistics, epidemiology, and biomedical informatics begin with Essentials of Public Health, Design and Analysis of Studies in the Health Sciences I, and Epidemiology I with Lab. This core is then followed by 38 credits of electives which focus heavily on statistical analysis and experimentation. The environmental M.S. program consists of 39 credits, 12 of which come from the environmental studies department like Global Health and Environmental Microbiology and 18 from the public health department. All M.S. students must complete a thesis prior to graduation. OSU also offers a Ph.D. in public health for students who wish to continue their studies.
About Ohio State University
Ohio State University was initially established in 1873 as a land-grant school with a focus on the agricultural and engineering disciplines, but shortly thereafter, the governor used his influence to expand the curriculum to be more comprehensive. The main campus has remained in its current location in Columbus, Ohio, but an online program and regional campuses in Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Newark, and Wooster have been added since its inception. There are currently over 200 undergraduate majors available along with more than 100 master’s programs. The university is a renowned research center featuring multidisciplinary laboratories including in the areas of medicine, business, and sustainability. The U.S. News and World Report has ranked Ohio State University 17th on its list of Top Public Schools and the 18th most innovative school. In addition, the OSU public heath graduate program is ranked #23 in the country.
Ohio State University Accreditation Details
Ohio State University has been continuously accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1913 with its most recent recertification occurring in 2017. The HLC is responsible for verifying the quality of the colleges and universities in a 19-state region largely in the center of the United States. Schools are evaluated against predetermined standards in a variety of categories including Ethical and Responsible Conduct, Teaching and Learning, and Resources, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness. Schools are always somewhere on the repeating 10-year review cycle, and an important component needed for accreditation is a demonstrated commitment for continual improvement. This means that each university needs to plan, complete, and document a project addressing a self-identified issue. The HLC provides regional certification to the university as a whole, but there are also more specific organizations that evaluate and verify degree programs and departments relevant to their industry. The public health programs at Ohio State University are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.
Ohio State University Application Requirements
To apply for admission to OSU, Freshmen applicants must submit a completed application, high school transcripts, and ACT or SAT scores. Inclusion of a recommendation from either a teacher or school counselor is optional. After gaining admission to the university, prospective public health students first take general and prerequisite courses before applying to the major. This process is competitive, and students need a total GPA of at least 2.8 with at least 30 completed credit hours. For the master’s program, applicants must submit transcripts documenting completion of an undergraduate degree along with their application. Other requirements vary depending on specialty area and may include GPA cutoffs, standardized test scores like the GRE or MCAT, professional experience, letter of recommendation, and specific coursework.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate tuition at Ohio State University is about $5500 for Ohio residents and $15,000 for out-of-state students. Online undergraduate courses are billed at the in-state rate for all students. Graduate tuition is $6600 and $17,800 for in-state and out-of-state students respectively. There are a variety of scholarships offered for undergraduates based on academic achievement, community service, and demographics, and at the graduate level, many students take advantage of assistantships at Ohio State University which allow students to work in research and teaching roles in exchange for tuition reductions.