Online Associate of Science in Public Health
The Associate of Science in Public Health degree provides a foundation for success in the Bachelor's and graduate programs, government, private sector, non-profit, and health professions.
AS Public Health Overview
Our Mission
To provide an accessible pathway for students to develop the knowledge and skills needed to promote healthier communities and pursue careers or further education in public health.
We prepare future public health leaders through rigorous learning, innovative discovery, and collaborative partnerships that address health challenges in Greater Cincinnati, the state of Ohio, the nation, and the world.
- UC's two-year Associate of Science in Public Health program prepares you for a meaningful career improving health in communities locally and globally
- The program is designed for flexibility and impact
- Access your courses anytime and learn at your own pace, balancing education with work and family commitments—all while staying on track to complete your degree and graduate on time
In Public health, you can make a difference in the lives of others—preventing disease and protecting and promoting health so that communities live healthier and stronger lives,
With an Associate of Science in Public Health, you’ll open doors to a variety of meaningful career paths that matter.
Here’s what you can do in public health:
- Promote Health Education
Teach communities how to prevent disease, live healthier, and access resources that improve quality of life. - Support Community Wellness Programs
Work with local organizations to design and implement initiatives that tackle health disparities and promote access to wellness. - Assist in Disease Prevention and Control
Help track health trends, support vaccination campaigns, and contribute to efforts that stop outbreaks before they spread. - Advocate for Health Policy
Influence decisions that shape healthcare access, environmental health, and social determinants of health. - Work in a Variety of Settings
From hospitals and nonprofits to government agencies and global organizations, public health professionals are needed everywhere.
Public Health Program Highlights
High Quality Education
- Employment opportunities: At least 80,000 new employees are required for state and local public health departments, according to research in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice.
- Bachelor degree transfer program: graduates can transition into UC’s Online Bachelor of Public Health and complete a bachelor’s degree in two years!
ASPH students complete core courses in public health designed to provide an educational experience focused on developing skills to address public health problems such as infectious diseases, chronic diseases, high-risk lifestyles, health disparities, and many others..
The curriculum blends theory with practical applications so you develop skills that make a real difference in your community.
Flexibility
- 100% online - no campus visits required
- Option to transfer credits
- Part-time and full-time scheduling, so you have the flexibility to balance work and family obligations while completing your degree
Support from Application to Graduation
At UC, you’ll have a full support team behind you:
Enrollment Services Advisor: Your partner through the application process, getting enrolled, and starting your program
Student Success Coordinator: Helping you prepare for classes and stay on track
Access to Resources: Access to university resources that will support you through your program including online learning expectations and resources, health and wellness resources, and academic support
The online Associate Public Health program at the University of Cincinnati is 62 credit hours and designed to improve students understanding of public health and open the door to entry-level public health careers.
The curriculum was designed to help public health professionals:
- plan and administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
- conduct evaluation and research related to health education
- serve as a health education resource
- communicate and advocate for health and health education
| Course | Title/Description | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| HPE1001 | Personal Health The purpose of this course is to provide basic health information that can be utilized to help students critically analyze their personal health behaviors and the health behaviors of others. Students will participate in a behavior change project for themselves, and valid health information and resources will be identified, discussed and analyzed using cultural, ethical, and societal frameworks. |
3 |
| HPE1003 | Introduction to Global Health This course is an introduction to the subject of global health with emphasis on significant global health issues, determinants of health, and factors which influence global health status, including: culture, gender, poverty, politics, economic development, ethical and human rights concerns, and education. The course will also examine how public policy and societal/cultural norms influence health and health behaviors and how health issues in individual countries influence political, economic, and cultural issues worldwide. |
3 |
| HPE1005 | Mental Health Issues This course explores the issue of mental health disorders frequently experienced in society. A major emphasis of this course is on the risk and protective factors associated with mental health problems as well as the appropriate courses of action to take for prevention and treatment. Stigma related to help-seeking behaviors and treatment for mental health problems is also addressed. Students are introduced to the facts surrounding various mental health issues and how systems and culture impact these issues. Effective strategies to promote positive mental health are thoroughly discussed throughout the course. Students will be provided with the unique opportunity to spend time reflecting on their own personal feelings, concerns, goals, and present life situations. |
3 |
| HPE1006 | Consumer Health The goal of this course is to provide students with the skills and resources necessary to become an informed consumer of health products and services. Students will learn to critically examine sources of health information from textbooks, websites, health professionals, the media, and others. Students will also learn to apply basic research concepts to health decision-making. Students will practice educating the general population about health products and services. |
3 |
| HPE1012 | Nutrition and Health This course explains the function of food, body processes and optimum diets as the concepts relate to health, wellness, and physical fitness throughout the lifespan. In addition, fundamental concepts of nutrition are addressed with a special focus on contemporary issues relevant to developing health professionals. |
3 |
| HPE2006 | Emerging Health Issues This course will review and openly discuss and debate controversial issues in health, health care, and health promotion and education. Students will actively participate in class discussions around various health topics and analyze their own ethical standards, values, and cultural beliefs and practices, in addition to those of other cultural groups, in order to better understand the social influence on decision-making and overall health outcomes. Students are encouraged and guided to examine differing perspectives of health issues and to participate in civil debate drawing on reputable sources to defend positions. |
3 |
| PSYC1001 | Introduction to Psychology This course is designed to give an overview of the field of Psychology and its major sub-fields, including (but not limited to) physiological (biology of behavior, consciousness, perception), cognitive (learning, thought, language), social, organizational, developmental, personality, and psychopathology and its treatment. Students will be equipped to compare the advantages and disadvantages of the various research methods used in the field. Students will be encouraged to critically think about the psychological theories discussed, and be able to apply those and their findings to their lives. |
3 |
| SOC1001 | Introduction to Sociology This course introduces the discipline of sociology. Sociology is the systematic study of social interaction and social organization, particularly in contemporary society. Included is an examination of major research findings and theories related to the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Students are introduced to research methods, social structure and institutions, culture, socialization, social inequality, and social change. |
3 |
| SOC2073 | Drugs and Society This course will examine drug use from a sociological perspective, addressing how social factors influence our acceptance of the science of addiction, as well as biological and psychological factors influencing substance use and abuse. We will examine the history of substance abuse, the causes of use, social inequality as it relates to substance use, the demographics of substance use, and societal responses the use of various substances. |
3 |
| SW2050 | Families in America Through the lens of critical theory, the overarching goal of this course is to study the diversity of American families from a multigenerational developmental perspective. The family will be examined as a social system moving through time, with a focus on the challenges the family faces as they go through the family life cycle from courtship to old age. Because families are embedded within a social environment, we will explore how culture and societal forces affect the family life, and how certain policies, structures, attitudes, and behaviors marginalize and discriminate against non-traditional families. This course focuses on the ways in which the social work profession responds to contemporary families under stress, and how the values and ethics of the profession guide social work practice. In order to understand family processes that enable the family to meet the needs of its members, students will learn the importance of the person-in-environment fit, specifically examining how diversity, equity and inclusion issues impact family from a systems perspective. Students will learn about the major theoretical models that help us understand how family’s function such as systems, role, feminist, intergenerational, social learning, conflict, and ecological theories. |
3 |
| PHIL2029 | Medical Ethics Ethical issues loom large in medical treatment and research. This course is an introduction to the field of medical ethics for students with no prior background in philosophy. This course does not teach students to memorize a professional code of ethics, but rather to think for themselves about difficult moral concepts like freedom, autonomy, rights, fairness, equality, honesty, consent, and harm. Topics and cases covered in the course vary with the instructor but may include some of the following: privacy, informed consent, access to health care, eugenics, genetic engineering, organ donation, disability, end-of-life care, assisted suicide, experimental treatments, abortion, pediatric ethics, religious objections to medical care, public health issues, global bioethics, race and gender in medicine, and new or emerging medical technologies. A central goal of this course is for you to develop the skills to recognize and analyze ethical issues in medicine, especially when different values come into conflict. |
3 |
| HSST1041 | Motivational Interviewing I This course is designed to introduce participants to the theoretical basis of the Motivational Interviewing (MI) style and to help them acquire skills and strategies for using MI in various helping situations. |
3 |
| ENGL1001 | English Composition English Composition 1001 is a writing-centered course that emphasizes the careful reading, analytical thinking, and persuasive strategies inherent in researching and writing within an academic community. Students learn that rhetorical knowledge is the basis of composing while learning to write with purpose, audience, context, and conventions in mind. Students develop rigorous academic research practices: how to locate and evaluate primary and secondary sources relevant to their line of inquiry and position their own ideas in conversation with public writing. Students also engage in regular self-reflection: articulating what they know, what they can do, and how to apply their knowledge and skills in various contexts. |
3 |
| ENGL2089 | Intermediate Composition Intermediate Composition is a writing-centered course that builds on what students learn in first-year composition and focuses students’ attention on theoretical underpinning of how meaning is made, understood, and communicated within and across various discourse communities and genres. The course emphasizes critical reading and writing, advanced research and analysis skills, and rhetorical sensitivity to differences in academic, professional, and public composing. This course challenges students to engage in substantive projects drawing on primary research and source analysis methods and asks students to document, communicate, and reflect on their research. |
3 |
| STAT1031 | Introduction to Statistics A one-semester comprehensive introduction to statistics suitable for students in biology, nursing, allied health, and applied science. Discussion of data, frequency distributions, graphical and numerical summaries, design of statistical studies, and probability as a basis for statistical inference and prediction. The concepts and practice of statistical inference including confidence intervals, one and two sample t-tests, chi-square tests, regression and analysis of variance, with attention to selecting the procedure(s) appropriate for the question and data structure, and interpreting and using the result. Prerequisite: at least 30 on the ALEKS Math test or 420 on the Math Placement Test (MPT) is recommended. |
3 |
| HPE 1002 | Introduction to Public/Community Health This course will examine the public health system in the United States. Emphasis will be placed on how public health data is collected; the various roles and responsibilities of public health departments; principles of population health; evidence based public health practice; current public health issues and trends; preventing disease, disability and death; and public health across the lifespan. Topics will address elements of society and culture and how they impact the population health approach. Students should gain an appreciation for public health and develop an understanding of various public health career options. |
3 |
| HPE 1004 | Introduction to Epidemiology This course is an introduction to epidemiological concepts and methods used to evaluate the distribution and determinants of health and disease in populations. Intended topics include measures of disease occurrence, common sources and types of data, important study designs and sources of error in epidemiological studies, and epidemiological methods. |
3 |
| INTR 1020 | Introduction to Science Professions This course serves as an FYE course for biology and chemistry majors as well as students with an interest in professional careers such as dentistry, pharmacy, medicine, and veterinary medicine. This course is designed to introduce students to different careers in science and to familiarize students with the college support services available to them. Students will also have the opportunity to gather and share information about their chosen science profession as well as begin the development of skills necessary for them to be successful in their science courses. |
1 |
| PSYC 2010 | Human Sexuality This course examines multiple aspects of human sexuality. This topic is more than a topic – it is a lived experience for each and every human; sexuality fundamentally effects our individual and collective realities on many different levels. This course attempts to challenge familiar ways of viewing human sexuality and to deepen students’ academic knowledge about psychological, social, cultural, and scientific issues related to sexuality, introducing concepts and methodologies from multiple disciplines in the social sciences for the analysis of the subject. |
3 |
| Free Elective | Free Elective Select any college-level course. |
3 |
| Free Elective | Free Elective Select any college-level course. |
3 |
Prerequisites
Admission into the University of Cincinnati’s online Associate of Science in Public Health is open to all students with a high school diploma or GED and the desire to succeed in college. Although admission is open, students accepted into the program must meet the academic standards of the program to advance to upper levels of study.
First-Year:
- You are currently a high school senior or have a high school diploma, GED, or home-school equivalent.
- As a first-year student, you will need to take an English and mathematics placement test if you have not obtained the minimum ACT/SAT score required for exemption. These tests do not affect your admission; however, the results are essential for your proper placement in classes. You must complete placement tests before you register for English or mathematics courses. All placement tests are given free of charge.
Transfer:
- Transferability is based on school accreditation, course/content comparability (including evaluation of practical assignments), year taken, and final grade.
- Submit all official transcripts for every school attended. Learn more about requesting your transcripts.
- If you have earned fewer than 30 semester or 45 quarter college credits, you must submit high school transcripts as part of your transfer application.
Complete the online application and submit the application fee.
Standard Application Fees:
- $50.00 for domestic applicants to most degree programs
- $100.00 for international applicants to most degree programs
- Application fees for UC Online programs are waived through Summer 2026 for all applicants
- Fee waivers are automatically applied for applicants who:
- are currently serving in the US armed forces
- are veterans of the US armed forces
Applications are accepted continuously throughout the year. Our staff will review your application based on the following:
After submitting your application form, all applicants are required to have official transcripts sent directly to University of Cincinnati in order to be eligible for admissions review.
- First-Year and Transfer Applicants with Fewer Than 24 Completed Semester Hours at a Prior College:
- Order official transcripts from your high school and all prior colleges (if applicable) for delivery directly to University of Cincinnati.
- Transfer Applicants with 24+ Completed Semester Hours at a Prior College:
- Order official transcripts from all prior colleges for delivery directly to University of Cincinnati.
- You are exempt from the High School transcript requirement, this item will be removed from your application checklist once your college documents are received.
Please review the section below for guidance on how to submit your transcripts.
Online transcript request systems are the preferred method to deliver official transcripts electronically. To see if your transcript(s) can be ordered electronically, visit the links below and search for your previous school(s).
- Parchment
- Please select “University of Cincinnati – Main Campus” as the recipient of your transcript.
- National Student Clearinghouse
- Please have your transcript sent directly to admissions@uc.edu.
If you do not see your past school(s) listed on either site, please contact the school(s) directly to determine their ordering process.
If a physical copy must be sent, DO NOT request it be delivered to you. It must be sent directly from your prior school to the following address:
University of Cincinnati
Office of Admissions
PO Box 210091
Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0091
| Term | Application Deadline | Classes Start |
|---|---|---|
Summer 2026 Fall 2026 Spring 2027 |
March 15, 2026 July 15, 2026 November 15, 2026 |
May 11, 2026 August 24, 2026 January 11, 2027 |
The University of Cincinnati's online course fees differ depending on the program. On average, students will accrue fewer fees than students attending on-campus classes.
The one fee applied across all UC Online programs is the distance learning fee. Students living outside the state of Ohio must also pay an additional “non-resident” fee to enroll in courses at UC Online. This fee is lower than the out-of-state fee for traditional on-campus programs.
To view tuition information and program costs, visit the Online Program Fees page.
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