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Public Health - Ph.D.

The Ph.D. degree in Public Health bridges population health and research methods to prepare graduates for careers in academics, industry and public service agencies. Students concentrate in either epidemiology or prevention science and complete two to three years of coursework with an additional two or more years of research. Students complete a comprehensive exam and oral prospectus defense and prepare a final written dissertation with presentation and defense.

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Ph.D. Degree in Public Health

Kent State University’s Ph.D. Degree in Public Health is designed for individuals seeking advanced expertise in public health research, policy, and practice. The program emphasizes rigorous research methods, data analysis, and the development of innovative solutions to public health challenges. Students engage in interdisciplinary coursework and research, preparing them to contribute to the field through scientific inquiry, leadership, and policy development.

Program Information for Public Health - Ph.D.

Program Description

Program Description

Full Description

The Ph.D. degree in Public Health bridges public safety and health career pathways to address a nationwide shortage of public health workers.

The Public Health major comprises the following concentrations:

  • The Epidemiology concentration prepares students to examine the distribution and determinants of diseases in populations. Graduates are able to apply quantitative and qualitative methods to examine critical and/or emerging health issues, gain advanced ability to conduct large studies and analyze data sets in order to project health trends in populations of interest. Students in this concentration benefit from active faculty research agendas in biopreparedness, public health surveillance systems, chronic disease, cancer and infectious disease epidemiology.
  • The Health Policy and Management concentration prepares students to design and implement studies and use advanced research methods to examine critical and emerging health issues. The heart of the concentration is a focus on interdisciplinary skills to meet the rapidly changing health needs of communities. Students benefit from active faculty research agendas in health systems research, occupational health and safety, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, access to health care, health literacy, substance abuse prevention and community-based programming. Applications to the Health Policy and Management concentration are not being accepted at this time.
  • The Prevention Science concentration is an interdisciplinary program aimed at promoting healthy behaviors in populations across the life course. Graduates are prepared to design and evaluate public health interventions and have expertise in a variety of theoretical and substantive perspectives for conducting research within systems of the family, health and education, workplace and community. Active faculty research provide students the opportunity to work on community-based prevention research.

Admissions for Public Health - Ph.D.

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

Applications to the Health Policy and Management concentration are not being accepted at this time.

  • Master's degree in a related discipline from an accredited college or university
  • Minimum 3.000 graduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
  • Official transcript(s)
  • GRE score or other standardized graduate admission exam with a quantitative component1
  • Résumé
  • Goal statement
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Interview with faculty
  • 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 94 TOEFL iBT score
    • Minimum 7.0 IELTS score
    • Minimum 65 PTE score
    • Minimum 120 DET score
1

GRE scores may be waived as determined by graduate coordinator.

2

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

Application Deadlines

  • Fall Semester
    • Priority deadline: December 1

Applications submitted by this deadline will receive the strongest consideration for admission.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Explain public health history, philosophy and values.
  2. Identify the core functions of public health and the 10 Essential Public Health Services.
  3. Explain the role of quantitative and qualitative methods and sciences in describing and assessing a population’s health.
  4. List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the United States or other community relevant to the school or program.
  5. Discuss the science of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention in population health, including health promotion, screening, etc.
  6. Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge.
  7. Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health.
  8. Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population’s health.
  9. Explain behavioral and psychological factors that affect a population’s health.
  10. Explain the social, political and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities.
  11. Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease.
  12. Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health and ecosystem health (e.g., One Health).

Coursework

On This Page

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements
BST 83014APPLIED REGRESSION ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC HEALTH DATA 3
EPI 72028METHODS OF EVIDENCE BASED PUBLIC HEALTH 3
EPI 73027BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF PUBLIC HEALTH 3
SBS 73020ADVANCED RESEARCH METHODS IN PREVENTION SCIENCE 3
Concentrations
Choose from the following:48-49
Epidemiology
Health Policy and Management
Prevention Science
Minimum Total Credit Hours:60-61

Epidemiology Concentration Requirements

Concentration Requirements
BST 83012SURVIVAL ANALYSIS IN PUBLIC HEALTH 3
EPI 73034LONGITUDINAL DATA ANALYSIS 3
EPI 83016PRINCIPLES OF EPIDEMIOLOGIC RESEARCH 3
Content-Related Electives 19
Culminating Requirement
EPI 80199DISSERTATION I 230
Minimum Total Credit Hours:48
1

Content-related elective courses should be selected by the student with a faculty advisor, depending upon the student's research interest. The courses may be in the College of Public Health or in other disciplines outside the college.

2

Each doctoral candidate, upon admission to candidacy, must register for Dissertation I for a total of 30 credit hours. It is expected that a doctoral candidate will continuously register for Dissertation I, and thereafter Dissertation II, each semester, until all requirements for the degree have been met.

Health Policy and Management Concentration Requirements

Concentration Requirements
HPM 70199PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE 1
HPM 73031PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY ANALYSIS 3
HPM 81000PUBLIC HEALTH LAW AND REGULATION 3
Content Related Electives 112
Culminating Requirement
HPM 80199DISSERTATION I 230
Minimum Total Credit Hours:49
1

Content-related elective courses should be selected by the student with a faculty advisor, depending upon the student's research interest. The courses may be in the College of Public Health or in other disciplines outside the college.

2

Each doctoral candidate, upon admission to candidacy, must register for Dissertation I for a total of 30 credit hours. It is expected that a doctoral candidate will continuously register for Dissertation I, and thereafter Dissertation II, each semester, until all requirements for the degree have been met.

Prevention Science Concentration Requirements

Concentration Requirements
SBS 73018THEORIES OF PREVENTION SCIENCE 3
SBS 73019EVALUATION RESEARCH METHODS IN PREVENTION SCIENCE 3
Content-Related Electives 112
Culminating Requirement
SBS 80199DISSERTATION I 230
Minimum Total Credit Hours:48
1

Content-related elective courses should be selected by the student with a faculty advisor, depending upon the student's research interest. A minimum 3 credit hours of content-related courses must be in research methods or statistics. The courses may be in the College of Public Health or in other disciplines outside the college.

2

Each doctoral candidate, upon admission to candidacy, must register for Dissertation I for a total of 30 credit hours. It is expected that a doctoral candidate will continuously register for Dissertation I, and thereafter Dissertation II, each semester, until all requirements for the degree have been met.

Graduation Requirements
Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
- 3.000
  • Pass concentration-specific candidacy exam
Program Delivery

Program Delivery

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

Applications to the Health Policy and Management concentration are not being accepted at this time.

Accreditation for Public Health - Ph.D.

Accreditation

The Ph.D. degree in Public Health is accredited by the Council on Education For Public Health (CEPH).

About Our Concentrations

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.

Students pursuing their PhD in Public Health specializing in Epidemiology can take advantage of the fact that many College of Public Health faculty focus their research in: global health epidemiology, infectious and chronic disease epidemiology, and cancer epidemiology.

PhD trained epidemiologists are scholars and leaders in a variety of settings, including:

  • Universities
  • Academic health centers and hospitals
  • Global health organizations
  • Pharmaceutical companies
  • Research institutes

Many work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA, or for other governmental agencies.

If you want to pursue a career that will help you make a difference, the Kent State College of Public Health is a great place to get started.

Health Policy and Management

The PhD in HPM is temporarily suspended and closed to applications.

The PhD in Public Health specializing in Health Policy and Management 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 health policy and management specialization will learn to design and implement studies and use advanced quantitative methods to examine critical and emerging health issues.

Students pursuing their PhD in Public Health specializing in Health Policy and Management will benefit from active faculty research agendas in:

  • Health systems research
  • Occupational health and safety
  • Reproductive health
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Access to health care
  • Health literacy
  • Substance abuse
  • Community based interventions

Students who graduate with the PhD in Public Health's Health Policy and Management specialization are scholars and leaders in a variety of job settings, including Federal and state health agencies, academic health centers and hospitals, policy and research institutes, managed care and insurance corporations, and health planning organizations.

If you want to pursue a career that will help you make a difference, the Kent State College of Public Health is a great place to get started.

Prevention Science

The Ph.D. in Public Health specializing in Prevention Science prepares students for careers in public health research that demand interdisciplinary skills to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing discipline.  Students are prepared to be independent researchers with a focus on prevention science and its application to evidence-based practice through advanced quantitative and qualitative methods.

Students who graduate with the Ph.D. in Prevention Science are scholars and leaders in Federal and state health agencies, academic health centers and hospitals, policy and research institutes, managed care and insurance corporations, and health planning organizations.

The Prevention Science doctoral curriculum consists of a minimum of 91 credit hours organized in five curricular domains:

  • Prerequisites (13 credit hours, MPH Core Courses)
  • Core courses (12 credit hours)
  • Courses required for Prevention Science (24 credit hours)
  • Content-related Elective courses (12 credit hours)
  • Dissertation (30 credit hours)

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Public Health - Ph.D.

Graduates of Kent State University’s Ph.D. in Public Health can pursue careers as public health researchers, university professors, epidemiologists, and health policy advisors. They may work in academic institutions, government agencies, international health organizations, or private research firms. With their deep expertise in research and data-driven decision-making, they are equipped to lead public health studies, shape health policy, and develop strategies for addressing global health challenges.

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

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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