Graduate Student Handbook

Appendix D: Recommended Electives for the MPH Degree

 Students are expected to use their electives in a thoughtful way to strengthen their programs, and are encouraged to consult with their advisors for this purpose. In addition to those offered in the CPH there are many appropriate electives elsewhere in the university. 

Please note the following points:

  1. Any graduate course in the university is a potential elective, subject to two conditions: (a) the student’s ability to meet the course prerequisites and (b) if not on a student’s curriculum guide as a pre-approved elective, that the course must have faculty advisor’s approval that it contributes to the degree program.
  2. Some courses that appear to have relevant titles are in fact not appropriate, which is why they are not listed. Generally this is because the course is at a lower level than similar offerings in the CPH.
  3. Courses numbered below 6000 may have mixed graduate and undergraduate enrollment. As a general rule, the lower the class number, the large the class size is likely to be (e.g., 1000’s are likely to be bigger than 4000’s, etc.) If these courses or sections of these courses are listed in the Schedule of Classes for undergraduate credit only, then they cannot count toward the MPH. The restriction usually means that the instructor will be a teaching assistant rather than a regular faculty member, and thus graduate enrollment is not permitted to enroll.
  4. Students are responsible for checking whether there are any prerequisites for a course, and obtaining any necessary permission to enroll. It sometimes happens that the registration system will not permit students to enroll in a course for which they have met the prerequisite. This is usually because the prerequisite was taken somewhere other than Ohio State, and students will need to provide evidence to the department offering the course to obtain permission to enroll.

Please note: Departments may change the terms in which courses are offered from time to time, so it is necessary to verify the actual offerings each term by checking the online Schedule of Classes.