BS Public Health at The Ohio State University

Programme overview

A public health education integrates many disciplines to help you pursue a career preventing illness and premature death, enabling people to live healthier, more productive lives and work to eliminate inequities. The field covers a broad range of issues that contribute to health and well-being, such as infectious diseases, pollution control, access to care, obesity, behavioral choices, cancer prevention and more. The bachelor’s degree in public health allows you to specialize in public health sociology.

Faculty: Public Health | Study mode: full-time | Location: Columbus, OH, United States

What you will study

The undergraduate professional degree in public health is a four-year program. The major consists of a core set of public health courses and interdisciplinary courses offered through two specializations. Public Health specializations Public Health Sociology Students pursuing this specialization study how social factors impact health to improve the health of communities. The curriculum provides students with an interdisciplinary education in public health and sociology.

Career pathways

Graduates with an undergraduate professional degree in public health will be qualified for early career, entry-level positions such as public health investigator, clinical research coordinator, health analyst or community health worker in public health agencies and other public or private health organizations.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission to the university (and the Public Health college where applicable) applies; no separate programme-specific requirement published. Submission of ACT or SAT scores is required for applicants to the Columbus campus. Students admitted to the university for public health are enrolled directly in the college as a public health major. Transfer students with a minimum 2.50 GPA and a minimum of 15 semester credits (or equivalent) should schedule an appointment with a public health advisor to be moved into the major.

Domestic applicants: USD 12,921 a year (2026-27). Columbus campus on-campus Instructional Fee (tuition) for students beginning Autumn 2026: $6,460.50 per semester at 12-18 credit hours, shown as two semesters (Autumn and Spring). The Ohio State Tuition Guarantee fixes this rate for four years for Ohio re Source

Entry terms for first-year applicants to the Columbus campus: Autumn 2027 and Spring 2027 (Spring 2027 deadline November 1, 2026). Summer first-year applications are not accepted.

Transfer applicants can start in Spring, Summer or Autumn 2027.

First-year, Columbus campus, Autumn 2027: early action (non-binding) deadline November 1, 2026; regular decision deadline January 15, 2027; financial aid priority date February 1; acceptance fee deadline May 1, 2027. Early action decisions: December 11 (Ohio residents and Stamps Eminence applicants) and January 22 (non-Ohio residents and international applicants); regular decision decisions March 5.

First-year applicants apply with the Common Application. ACT or SAT scores are required for first-year Columbus applicants (superscored; sent directly by the testing agency); applicants out of high school two or more years are not required to submit scores. The essay is not required.

Transfer applicants (Columbus campus): Spring 2027 deadline November 1, 2026; Autumn 2027 deadline March 1, 2027; Summer 2027 deadline May 15, 2027. Regional campuses: December 1, 2026, April 15, 2027 and July 15, 2027 respectively.

International transfer applicants: Spring 2027 deadline October 1, 2026; Autumn 2027 deadline March 1, 2027.

Apply through the official page: https://undergrad.osu.edu/apply

Explore more study programmes

Health Sciences