Epidemiology

Currently accepting applicants.

The PhD in Public Health specializing in Epidemiology at Kent State University prepares students for a career in public health research, which demands interdisciplinary skills to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing field.  Doctoral students in the epidemiology specialization will learn to design and implement studies and use advanced quantitative methods to examine critical and emerging health issues.

Clinical Epidemiology - M.S.

The Master of Science degree in Clinical Epidemiology is a STEM-designated advanced degree that prepares students in the epidemiological and biostatistical methods related to clinical trials and clinical research. Students learn advanced methods of observational and experimental study designs and are able to understand disease prevention, development, prognosis and treatment. In addition, students master and are able to apply good clinical practices, clinical trial design and management, statistical analysis, study monitoring, pharmaceutical research and regulations related to clinical research.

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Program Information for Clinical Epidemiology - M.S.

Admissions for Clinical Epidemiology - M.S.

Admissions

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
  • Minimum 3.000 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
  • Official transcript(s)
  • Goal statement
  • Résumé
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • English Language Proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:1
    • Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT
    • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
    • Minimum 58 PTE score
    • Minimum 110 DET score

Applicants to the program who have limited clinical or science backgrounds may be advised to take additional coursework to prepare them for the field. Determinations will be made by the admissions committee when the student is admitted conditionally to the program.

1

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores may be considered for conditional admission.

Application Deadlines

  • Fall Semester​
    • Priority deadline: March 15 (international student)
      Applications submitted by this deadline will receive the strongest consideration for admission.
    • Rolling admissions (domestic student)
  • Spring Semester
    • Priority deadline: August 15 (international student)
      Applications submitted by this deadline will receive the strongest consideration for admission.
    • Rolling admissions (domestic student)

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Conduct patient-oriented research to understand and modify health outcomes.
  2. Design and carry out epidemiologic studies.
  3. Analyze clinical data and understand the sources, strengths and limitations of patient data.
  4. Design and perform clinical trials.
  5. Interact with human subjects and describe prognosis, therapies and outcomes.

Coursework

On This Page

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements
BST 52019BIOSTATISTICS IN PUBLIC HEALTH 3
BST 63013EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS IN PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH 3
BST 63014APPLIED REGRESSION ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC HEALTH DATA 3
EPI 52017FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGY 3
EPI 63016PRINCIPLES OF EPIDEMIOLOGIC RESEARCH 3
EPI 63019EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH 3
EPI 63020ADVANCED EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CLINICAL RESEARCH METHODS 3
EPI 63021ETHICAL ISSUES IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND CLINICAL RESEARCH 3
or PHIL 50005 HEALTH CARE ETHICS
Major Electives, choose from the following:6-9
BST 62020
DATA MANAGEMENT AND LOGIC USING SAS® SOFTWARE
EPI 50015
SCIENTIFIC WRITING FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH
EPI 50017
PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY
EPI 50018
REGULATORY AFFAIRS IN CLINICAL RESEARCH
EPI 50196
INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION IN EPIDEMIOLOGY
EPI 63014
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CHRONIC DISEASES
EPI 63015
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Culminating Requirement
Choose from the following: 13-6
EPI 63192
RESEARCH PRACTICUM IN CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
EPI 63199
THESIS I
Minimum Total Credit Hours:36
1

All students will be required to present their thesis or research-based practicum to the College of Public Health at a presentation day, either in person or using videoconferencing technology. Students choosing a 3-credit hour research practicum will take 9 credit hours of electives. Students choosing a 6-credit hour thesis will take 6 credit hours of electives.

Graduation Requirements
Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
- 3.000
  • Some students may be required to take science-based courses in addition to the requirements for the degree and, therefore, will graduate with more than the listed credit hours.
  • No more than one-half of a graduate student’s coursework may be taken in 50000-level courses.
  • Grades below C are not counted toward completion of requirements for the degree.
Program Delivery

Program Delivery

  • Delivery:
    • Fully online
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus

Accreditation for Clinical Epidemiology - M.S.

Accreditation

The M.S. degree in Clinical Epidemiology is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Clinical Epidemiology - M.S.

Medical scientists, except epidemiologists

6.1%

faster than the average

138,300

number of jobs

$91,510

potential earnings

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.

Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Master of Public Health (MPH) in Social and Behavioral Sciences prepares students with an interdisciplinary understanding of the theoretical basis of health behavior in populations across the life course, as well as how to apply theoretical principles to design, implement and evaluate effective health behavior programs.

The MPH-SBS curriculum consists of a minimum of 46 credit hours organized in four curricular domains:

Health Policy and Management

The Masters of Public Health in Health Policy and Management at Kent State University Department of Health Policy and Management trains students to address public health risks and develop effective health services delivery models.

It is an interdisciplinary program that incorporates health services research, health policy analysis, and health care planning and management. 

Epidemiology

The MPH in Epidemiology program at Kent State University prepares students to analyze the distribution and determinants of disease, disabilities, and death in populations.

Graduates of this program will be able to apply quantitative and qualitative methods to:

Biostatistics

The Masters of Public Health in Biostatistics program at Kent State University prepares students in the quantitative science of health data collection, storage, retrieval, analysis, and interpretation.

Graduates of our MPH in Biostatistics program are equipped to use statistical methods to design and analyze health-related surveys and experiments for the purpose of improving health.

Public Health - M.P.H.

Looking for a career in public health that can make a real difference in communities and populations? With the Master of Public Health degree offered in person or fully online, you can specialize in health policy and management or social and behavioral sciences, each with its own unique skill set and career opportunities. Whether you are interested in analyzing health data, investigating disease outbreaks, developing effective health services delivery models or designing and evaluating public health interventions, the M.P.H. degree can help you achieve your goals and make a positive impact in the field of public health.

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Program Information for Public Health - M.P.H.

Program Description

Program Description

Full Description

The Master of Public Health degree in Public Health is designed to help students develop real-world knowledge and skills needed to pursue success in the public health industry.

The Public Health major comprises the following concentrations:

  • The Health Policy and Management concentration prepares students to address public health risks and develop effective health services delivery models. This concentration incorporates health services research, health policy analysis and health care planning and management. Given the active research of the college’s faculty in identifying service gaps and in developing evidence-based practices and policy analysis, students emerge with strong skills in health services management, alternative models of service financing and strategies for improving services. Career opportunities for graduates include administrative and management positions in hospitals, clinics, state and local health departments, nursing homes and mental health facilities; policy analyst positions in health planning organizations and governmental agencies; and planning and management positions in health maintenance organizations and health insurance companies.
  • The Social and Behavioral Sciences concentration provides students with an interdisciplinary approach to improve health in populations across the life course. Students learn to apply theoretical principles to design, implement and evaluate effective programs that include behavioral and environmental approaches. Graduates are able to design and evaluate public health interventions intended to improve health for families, workplaces, communities and other settings. The active research of the college’s faculty— particularly in the areas of childhood obesity, violence and injury prevention, substance abuse prevention and chronic disease prevention— provides students the opportunity to work on large-scale externally funded prevention research. Students are prepared for careers in health promotion; program design and evaluation; and prevention program development for state and local health departments, workplace health promotion programs, hospitals, international health agencies, mental health centers and non-profit organizations. Students have the opportunity to declare the Addictions Counseling graduate certificate to become licensed chemical dependency counselors in the state of Ohio.

Students in the M.P.H. degree have the opportunity to complete a dual degree with the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree. A separate application must be submitted for each program. Students can view admission requirements for each program on their respective catalog page.

Admissions for Public Health - M.P.H.

Admissions

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
  • Minimum 3.000 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale1
  • Official transcript(s)
  • Goal statement
  • Résumé
  • Three letters of recommendation (effective for spring 2025, two letters will be required)
  • English Language Proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:2
    • Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
    • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
    • Minimum 58 PTE score
    • Minimum 110 DET score
1

Students with less than a 3.000 GPA will be considered for conditional admission.

2

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores will not be considered for admission.

Application Deadlines

  • Fall Semester​
    • Priority deadline: March 15 (international student)
      Applications submitted by this deadline will receive the strongest consideration for admission.
    • Rolling admissions (domestic student)
  • Spring Semester​
    • Priority deadline: August 15 (international student)
      Applications submitted by this deadline will receive the strongest consideration for admission.
    • Rolling admissions (domestic student)
  • Summer Term
    • Rolling admissions (domestic student)

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

Evidence-based Approaches to Public Health

  1. Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice.
  2. Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context.
  3. Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate.
  4. Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice.

Public Health and Health Care Systems

  1. Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings.
  2. Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels.

Planning and Management to Promote Health

  1. Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health.
  2. Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs.
  3. Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention.
  4. Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management.
  5. Select methods to evaluate public health programs.

Policy in Public Health

  1. Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence.
  2. Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes.
  3. Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations.
  4. Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity.

Leadership

  1. Apply principles of leadership, governance and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration and guiding decision making.
  2. Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges.

Communication

  1. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors.
  2. Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation.
  3. Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content.

Interprofessional Practice

  1. Perform effectively on interprofessional teams.

Systems Thinking

  1. Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue.

Dual Degree

Dual Degree

Dual Degree with Master of Business Administration

Students have the opportunity to complete a dual degree program with the Master in Public Health and the Master of Business Administration. A separate application must be submitted for each program. Students can view admission requirements for each program on their respective catalog page.

The M.B.A./M.P.H. dual degree program prepares students for responsible leadership positions and offers an integrated business and public health curriculum designed to help students develop real-world knowledge and skills needed to pursue success and management opportunities in the public health industry.

Dual Degree Requirements

ACCT 63037FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING FOR DECISION MAKING 2
ACCT 63038MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING FOR DECISION MAKING 2
BA 64005ANALYTICS FOR DECISION MAKING 2
BA 64026SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT 2
BST 52019BIOSTATISTICS IN PUBLIC HEALTH 3
CIS 64042GLOBALIZATION AND TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY 2
ECON 62021MACROECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS 2
ECON 62022MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS 2
EHS 52018ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CONCEPTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH 3
EPI 52017FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGY 3
FIN 66050LAW AND ETHICS 2
FIN 66060MANAGERIAL FINANCE 2
HPM 52016PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATION 3
HPM 53010COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT 3
HPM 60192APPLIED PRACTICE EXPERIENCE IN HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGEMENT 3
HPM 63003HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS 3
HPM 63006COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS IN PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS 3
HPM 63007PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS: PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION 3
HRM 64271HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 2
MGMT 64158LEADERSHIP 2
MGMT 68051BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT I 10-1
MKTG 65051MARKETING MANAGEMENT 2
SBS 54634SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH BEHAVIORS 3
Culminating Requirement
MGMT 64399BUSINESS STRATEGY 3
PH 61199INTEGRATIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE 1
Minimum Total Credit Hours:58-59
1

MGMT 68051 may be waived for students with at least two years of full-time work experience.

Graduation Requirements

  • Practicum placement at an approved public health agency under the guidance of a qualified preceptor (150 or 300 contact hours)
  • Final portfolio/report and a seminar presentation integrating theory and practice
  • Participation in at least one approved interprofessional education event; event requires students to participate at a specific time/date to be determined in consultation with the student's advisor

Coursework

On This Page

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements
BST 52019BIOSTATISTICS IN PUBLIC HEALTH 3
EHS 52018ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CONCEPTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH 3
EPI 52017FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGY 3
HPM 52016PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATION 3
HPM 53010COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT 3
HPM 63007PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS: PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION 3
PH 61199INTEGRATIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE 1
SBS 54634SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH BEHAVIORS 3
Major Elective A, choose from the following;3
Any Biostatistics (BST) Graduate course (50000 or 60000 level)
Any Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Graduate course (50000 or 60000 level)
Any Epidemiology (EPI) Graduate course (50000 or 60000 level)
Any Health Policy and Management (HPM) Graduate course (50000 or 60000 level)
Any Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Graduate course (50000 or 60000 level)
Major Electives B, choose from the following;3-6
Any Biostatistics (BST) Graduate course (60000 level)
Any Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Graduate course (60000 level)
Any Epidemiology (EPI) Graduate course (60000 level)
Any Health Policy and Management (HPM) Graduate course (60000 level)
Any Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Graduate course (60000 level)
Concentrations
Choose from the following:15-18
Health Policy and Management
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Minimum Total Credit Hours:46

Health Policy and Management Concentration Requirements

Concentration Requirements
HPM 63003HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS 3
HPM 63004PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY, LAW AND ETHICS 3
HPM 63005FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS 3
HPM 63006COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS IN PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS 3
Culminating Requirement
HPM 60192APPLIED PRACTICE EXPERIENCE IN HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGEMENT 13-6
Minimum Total Credit Hours:15-18
1

It is expected that students enrolled in HPM 60192 who do not complete the course in one term will continuously register for HPM 60292 each semester, until all requirements have been met. Credit hours for HPM 60292 do not apply to the minimum 46 credit hours for the degree.

Social and Behavioral Sciences Concentration Requirements

Concentration Requirements
CES 67664THEORIES AND PRACTICES IN ADDICTIONS COUNSELING 13
or SBS 63030 SEMINAR IN SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOR SCIENCES
SBS 60002QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES 3
SBS 60021SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE THEORIES 3
SBS 63008GRANT WRITING IN SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES 3
Culminating Requirement
CES 67692PRACTICUM IN ADDICTIONS COUNSELING 23-6
or SBS 60192 APPLIED PRACTICE EXPERIENCE IN SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
Minimum Total Credit Hours:15-18
1

Only students admitted to the Addictions Counseling graduate certificate may apply CES 67664 toward the degree.

2

Only students admitted to the Addictions Counseling graduate certificate may apply CES 67692 toward the degree. Those students must consult with their advisor to ensure that they meet competencies for SBS 60192. It is expected that students enrolled in SBS 60192 who do not complete the course in one term will continuously register for SBS 60292 each semester, until all requirements have been met. Credit hours for SBS 60292 do not apply to the minimum 46 credit hours for the degree.

Graduation Requirements
Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
- 3.000
  • Practicum placement at an approved public health agency under the guidance of a qualified preceptor (150 or 300 contact hours)
  • Final portfolio/report and a seminar presentation integrating theory and practice
  • Participation in at least one approved interprofessional education event; event requires students to participate at a specific time/date to be determined in consultation with the student's advisor
  • No more than one-half of a graduate student’s coursework may be taken in 50000-level courses.
  • Grades below C are not counted toward completion of requirements for the degree.
Program Delivery

Program Delivery

  • Delivery:
    • Fully online
    • Mostly online
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus
    • Twinsburg Academic Center (Health Policy and Management concentration only - mostly online)
    • Independence, Ohio (Health Policy and Management concentration only - mostly online)

Accreditation for Public Health - M.P.H.

Accreditation

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

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Public Health - M.P.H.

Epidemiologists

4.6%

about as fast as the average

8,000

number of jobs

$74,560

potential earnings

Health specialties teachers, postsecondary

20.5%

much faster than the average

254,000

number of jobs

$99,090

potential earnings

Medical and health services managers

31.5%

much faster than the average

422,300

number of jobs

$104,280

potential earnings

Social and community service managers

17.0%

much faster than the average

175,500

number of jobs

$69,600

potential earnings

Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians

7.3%

faster than the average

337,800

number of jobs

$54,180

potential earnings

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.

Allied Health

The Public Health Allied Health concentration allows a student to apply the learning they received from their licensure to earn credit toward the Bachelor of Science in Public Health.

The Allied Health concentration in our Bachelor of Science in Public Health seeks to augment the career portfolio of the allied health professional or student. This concentration adds depth to the student’s prior clinical experiences by adding the liberal education and public health components to broaden the professional's career path.

Clinical Trials Research

Bachelor of Science in Public Health students with a concentration in Clinical Trials Research are prepared to work as a Clinical Research Associate or Clinical Trials Manager. This concentration is ideal for students interested in epidemiology and health research. With experience, there is room for advancement, and the clinical research field is growing.

All required classes for this concentration are available online AND at the undergraduate or graduate level:

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