Nov 14, 2024
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2024-25
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OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2024-25

Academic Opportunities – University-wide

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Departmental Honors Programs

Outstanding undergraduate students, who are not students in the Honors Tutorial College, may choose to earn departmental honors in their major program. A thesis or project is required and, depending on the major, may be either an expository or creative piece of original work, the result of supervised research, or a collection of artistic endeavors. A departmental or school supervisor helps in the decision of an appropriate project and guides you toward completion of the thesis or project. Departments and schools determine eligibility of students, and you should talk with the honors coordinator in the department or school about your interest in this program. To graduate with departmental honors, you must have satisfied the criteria required by your major department or school. You are advised to start planning this program as soon as possible.

Students who graduate with departmental honors are recognized in the commencement program, and the honor is noted on the students’ diplomas and transcripts.

Global Leadership Center

The Global Leadership Center (GLC) is an award-winning, innovative program that strives to develop internationally minded, locally engaged leaders in all walks of life. Open to all majors, the GLC brings together the resources of the various colleges at Ohio University in an interdisciplinary 19-semester–hour residential program on global issues, with a strong emphasis on real–world projects and problem–solving skills.

GLC courses are not traditional classes. Instead, students work in project teams on real–world problems and issues. For most projects, GLC student teams have international student partners. GLC students also travel together for one education-abroad experience.

For additional information, visit the GLC website at www.ohio.edu/cis/glc.

Learning Communities

A learning community (LC) is a group of students who take a common set of courses together or share a common experience around their academics. Participants in the LC develop a deeper understanding of the courses’ subject matter while they build relationships and learn together outside the classroom.

The purposes of the learning communities are to help students gain a deeper understanding of learning at the college level, to assist in the integration of course material, to increase interaction and communication between students and faculty, and to increase involvement and engagement in the campus community. All of this together results in a holistic college learning experience.

Learning communities are designed around clusters of linked courses tailored to a specific topic or major and are offered to students their first semester  at Ohio University. Groups of up to 25 students are co-enrolled into two to four courses, one of which is typically a learning community seminar course taken only by the participants. The seminar becomes the hub of the community.

Learning communities include a peer mentor or learning community leader, who assists students in adjusting to college life and guides them through the exploration of Ohio University opportunities and resources. Out–of–class activities and study sessions are integrated in the experience.

Regardless of major program, there is a learning community designed to meet all students’ interests. Registration for courses, including learning community clusters, are finalized during summer Bobcat Student Orientation.

For more information please visit www.ohio.edu/university-college/first-year-student-transitions/learning-communities  or contact:

Director of Learning Community Programs
Chubb Hall 060
1 Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701-2979 
740.593.1953
learning.communities@ohio.edu

Office of Global Opportunities

The Office of Global Opportunities (OGO) is dedicated to helping students fulfill their ambition to study, teach, intern, volunteer, and work around world. We support global experiences in the United States, abroad, and even through virtual means when physical travel is not possible. These experiences enhance a student’s degree and marketability for future employers, while pushing them to new limits as they discover more about themselves and their world. 

OGO supports students before, during, and after their programs in the following ways: 

  • Advising on choosing a global program 
  • Assistance with the application process 
  • Information on funding and scholarships 
  • Predeparture health & safety orientations 
  • Emergency support during a program 
  • Resume/career workshops and more! 

A team of professional advisors and trained student peer advisors, all of whom have experienced a global opportunity, are excited to help students find the programs that best fit their needs. There are a wide variety of Ohio University-sponsored programs to choose from, along with innumerable other programs offered through global program providers and higher education institutions. 

Looking to connect? OGO offers advising by phone, online via Microsoft Teams, and in-person advising. Please visit our website at www.ohio.edu/goglobal to see the latest drop-in advising hours or email global.opportunities@ohio.edu to get started. All students welcome. 

Office of Global Opportunities 
15 Park Pl. (Walter Student Success Center) 
Athens, OH 45701 
740.593.4583 
global.opportunities@ohio.edu

Office of Nationally Competitive Awards

The Office of Nationally Competitive Awards (ONCA) assists students as they pursue grants and fellowships for studying, researching, and teaching abroad, as well as scholarships for undergraduate and graduate school tuition, funded by sources outside of Ohio University. Through the application process for competitive awards like the Rhodes, Fulbright, Critical Language, Truman, Udall, and Goldwater Scholarships, students clarify and write about their experiences and goals and imagine new educational and professional pathways for themselves.

Services offered include providing specific information about scholarships and awards, mentoring and counseling students about their particular situations and candidacies, and guiding students through the application and writing process. Most national awards are merit based and extremely competitive. To be considered viable candidates, students should be involved actively in both their studies and extracurricular activities.

ONCA is located at 35 Park Place. Email christopherlewis@ohio.edu for more information or visit www.ohio.edu/honors/onca/ .

OHIO Honors Program

The OHIO Honors Program is a selective admissions program that invites undergraduate students in any field of study to deepen their academic engagement at Ohio University. OHIO Honors students have the opportunity to complete a blend of innovative, challenging coursework (honors curricular experiences) and carefully vetted out-of-class learning opportunities (honors co-curricular experiences), such as internships, research apprenticeships, and intensive community engagement projects. Students can explore up to three interdisciplinary engagement pathways: research and creative activity, community engagement, or leadership. After completing seven to 14 qualifying honors experiences, including the OHIO Honors Engagement Lab and Senior Capstone Experience, students earn an honors designation on their transcript. Freshman applicants may apply to the OHIO Honors Program at the time they apply to Ohio University. Current OHIO students may apply to enter the OHIO Honors Program as long as they can complete at least four full semesters in the program.

Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fund and Other Research Funding Opportunities

The Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fund (PURF) provides small awards up to $1,500 to support the research and creative activity conducted by undergraduate students.  To be eligible, students must be enrolled on the Athens or one of the regional campuses. Awards will support the direct project costs (e.g., supplies, materials, research-related travel, etc.) for current and ongoing research and creative activity and will support travel to conferences, exhibits and performances for the students to disseminate their work. The fund is administered by the Research Division and more information can be found at www.ohio.edu/research/funding.

Other funding resources with awards up to $6,000 may be found at www.ohio.edu/research/funding .