OHIO Honors Frequently Asked Questions

All OHIO applicants are considered for OHIO Honors. For best consideration, students are strongly encouraged to follow the instructions outlined on the How to Apply to OHIO Honors page .

Fall 2023 OHIO Honors participants had the option to live with other members of the program in an honors residence community, which is in Washington Hall and Read Hall on East Green. The residence halls for the fall 2024 honors community have not yet been determined.

OHIO Honors students who choose to live in the honors residence community can select any roommate who is also eligible to live in an honors hall.

Eligible students will be invited to log in to the housing system on specific dates in May to choose a room in the honors community. If an honors student doesn't want to live in the honors community, they'll be able to participate in the general room selection dates to choose housing elsewhere on campus.

Honors interdisciplinary seminars typically have 20-30 students, with smaller numbers at the upper level. Many curricular experiences involve additional honors-level projects or assignments in standard courses, so class sizes will vary. The average class size across all courses, honors or otherwise, at OHIO is 32. Regardless of class size, students completing an honors experience in a standard course will have opportunities to work closely with the faculty member and the small group of other honors students in the class.

OHIO Honors Program Year by Year

YEAR ONE

• OHIO Honors First-Year Experience
  • Fall semester: Introduction to OHIO Honors or similar class specific to designated program
  • Spring semester: Engagement Lab
  • 1-2 co-curricular experiences

YEAR TWO

• Explore the honors pathways: community engagement; research and creative activity; and leadership. Complete a total of four curricular and co-curricular experiences.

YEAR THREE

• Complete a total of four curricular and co-curricular experiences.

YEAR FOUR

• OHIO Honors Capstone Experience
  • Prepare a digital portfolio showcasing the skills and knowledge acquired through your honors experiences
  • Share your OHIO Honors portfolio in a public presentation
  • 1-2 additional curricular or co-curricular experiences

While the OHIO Honors Program doesn’t include additional scholarships, students may apply through the program for funding to support co-curricular experiences.

OHIO Honors students receive:

• Honors designation on transcripts and diplomas
• Priority registration
• Access to honors housing
• Individualized honors advising
• Support for experiential learning outside the classroom
• Deep engagement with campus and community partners both locally and globally
• Professional networking opportunities
• OHP social and cultural events

Like other honors programs, OHIO Honors provides plenty of opportunity for challenge in the classroom; however, our program is built upon a model of experiential learning and the understanding that learning happens in many different environments. While you might be introduced to an idea through reading and classroom discussion, applying that idea to different settings and situations can give you a deeper understanding of how it operates in practice. So, in addition to the honors-level courses offered through the program, OHIO Honors advisors help you expand your learning through a set of meaningful out-of-class experiences, such as internships, community projects, and hands-on research.

OHIO Honors students take challenging courses, but they also apply their knowledge outside the classroom. Guided by the following three pathways, students work closely with dedicated honors advisors throughout their time in the program to choose appropriate curricular and co-curricular experiences that build toward a fourth-year capstone portfolio:

• Community Engagement: This pathway focuses on building relationships with the local community, other geographic communities, and communities of shared interest. Experiences related to this pathway could include work with a local nonprofit organization, engagement with distant communities through study abroad opportunities, or the development of an event that draws together people with a common interest or experience.
• Research/Creative Activity: This pathway encourages students to consider the various ways to collect information, make sense of it, and share it in a meaningful way. Experiences related to this pathway could include work in a laboratory, research based on interviews or focus groups, or the development of an exhibition. 
• Leadership: This pathway allows students to explore various ideas about leadership and develop their own understanding of the concept and how they can use and build upon their existing skills to practice it. Experiences related to this pathway could include participation in student government, work with campus and community organizations to develop responses to local challenges, or peer mentorship opportunities.

You’ll learn more about each of these pathways during your first semester as an OHIO Honors student and will explore multiple pathways through both curricular and co-curricular experiences.

OHIO Honors advisors will work closely with you to facilitate a holistic educational experience that fits your goals and interests without compromising your progress toward graduation or overall well-being; however, if you find this experiential approach to honors education is not for you, you may leave the program at any time with no penalty.

Absolutely! The OHIO Honors Program is designed to allow students like you to pursue the academic options that most interest you. Changing your major does not impact your participation in the program.

Absolutely! In fact, many of those types of experiences can be counted toward your OHIO Honors requirements. 

Students must maintain a minimum grade-point average (GPA) and fulfill the requirements of Ohio University's Student Code of Conduct to continue to participate in the program. 

If a student's GPA falls below the required minimum, OHIO Honors advisors will work with them to return their academic performance to program standards.

Yes, you can participate in a learning community in addition to the OHIO Honors Program.