Health and Public Safety Division

Division Phone Number: (513) 569-1670

The Health and Public Safety Division at Cincinnati State brings together in one unit all programs for the education and training of health and public safety personnel as well as the Biological Sciences department. When available, the division’s programs are accredited or approved by their respective professional bodies.

The Health and Public Safety Division offers clinically and experientially intensive associate’s degree and certificate programs that prepare students to seek employment in their chosen field of study immediately following graduation.

The Biological Sciences department offers a range of courses to meet program needs and to support science requirements for students who seek associate’s degrees and wish to transfer to institutions that offer bachelor’s degrees.

The Public Safety programs work together, and in partnership with Cincinnati State’s Workforce Development Center, to offer associate's degrees, certificates, and special courses, workshops, seminars, and forums related to Emergency Medical Services, Fire Service Technology, HazMat, Rescue and Safety, and Safety and Security Management. These programs allow participants to learn new skills or update the knowledge and skills needed to perform effectively on the job.

The division affiliates with area hospitals, health care agencies, fire service organizations, and other educational programs to provide clinical and experiential learning opportunities for health and public safety students.

All degree-seeking students must complete a First Year Experience (FYE) course as a part of the first 12 credit hours taken at Cincinnati State.

Entrance Competencies

In order to ensure a high degree of success in academic studies in health and public safety, entering students must meet established academic levels in mathematics, writing, and reading comprehension. To aid in determining these levels, entering students are required to take the college placement test. If testing and previous academic background indicate that a student has not reached the necessary preparatory level, a divisional advisor will identify a group of classes to help the student reach needed levels. Preparatory classes are available year-round.

Many Health and Public Safety Division programs receive more applications than space allows. Therefore, students may need to complete an additional application process by a designated deadline and complete the steps of a Selective Admission process (sometimes referred to as "Progression") to qualify for all of the courses needed to earn a degree. It is important to keep this information in mind as you create your education plan.

Selective Admission steps may include successfully completing designated courses (in addition to any needed academic foundations classes), taking a program-specific admissions test, and/or maintaining a specified grade point average while taking required courses at the College. A rating system is used to determine which students will progress into the selected program.

Many health programs have physical and cognitive competency requirements for those entering their professions. Information regarding these requirements can be found in the College website description the program, or in program handbooks or other program literature.

Cooperative Education

The Health and Public Safety Division supports the College’s mission of providing educational programs with a combination of theory and practice. For many programs in the Health and Public Safety Division, experience in the clinical setting is an integral part of the educational process. Both clinical and cooperative education components provide students with the practical experience they need to begin work immediately upon graduation. Individual program descriptions in this section of the catalog provide specific information about requirements for clinical experience, cooperative education, or internship.

To ensure the safety of students and others, our affiliated partners in the health and public safety community require students to comply with certain criteria prior to beginning clinical and experiential learning. Requirements will vary, but generally include a health examination, immunizations, background screenings, and relevant training. Proof of coverage under a policy of health insurance may also be required.

Cincinnati State strongly recommends that students obtain personal health insurance coverage. Please be aware that lack of coverage under a policy of health insurance may affect a student’s eligibility to participate in the clinical learning experience. Information about an optional health insurance plan for purchase by students is available in the Student Activities Office.

Health Excel Services

Health Excel provides Cincinnati State Health and Public Safety Division students with comprehensive educational and professional support services to enhance classroom learning and assist in professional development. Support services available to students include special seminars; individualized tutorial assistance; career, personal, and financial counseling; job shadowing opportunities; mentoring; writing and study skills assistance; and assistance developing a re-entry plan following failure in a technical program.

Transfer Module

The Ohio Department of Higher Education developed the Ohio Transfer Module to facilitate transfer of credits from one Ohio public college or university to another. The transfer module contains 36 to 40 semester hours of course credits in the areas of communication, mathematics, arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and natural and physical sciences. A transfer module completed at one college or university automatically meets the requirements for the transfer module at another college or university once the student is admitted. For additional information, see the State of Ohio Policy for Institutional Transfer and the Transfer Module sections of this catalog.

Associate’s degree programs in the Health and Public Safety Division contain in their curriculums many of the required courses for the transfer module. Students who wish to complete the transfer module should schedule the additional courses at their convenience. Students who transfer to an Ohio public university for baccalaureate degrees will find that the Cincinnati State Associate of Applied Science degree, combined with a transfer module showing grades of C or higher, receives preferential consideration at the receiving institution.