Ohio University-Main Campus Top Questions

What are the academics like at Ohio University-Main Campus?

Ginger

The academics at Ohio University are very challenging, however the professors are always willing to assist with special help.

Hannah

I think the academics are strong and I feel like I am always learning something

Drew

All of the professors know my name, depending on the class you have to make an effort to get to know the professor and go to their office hours or talk after class. My favorite class is sociology because i have a great professor and the least would be math because my teacher doesn't speak english well. Depending on the student is how much they study, i personally study 2-5 hours a day maybe more because of my course load some kids i know barely study at all, it just depends on your classes. Class participation is pretty common you just can't be scared to answer in front of a lot of people. None of my classes are pure lectures professors ask questions and what not. Students sometimes have intellection conversations outside of class in clubs or study groups but you have to meet with kids about it. Most students I have met are not very competitive. The most unique class I have taken would be sociology I guess because I have never taken a class like it before. I am a finance major and am in the college of business. The Cob is very helping and gives you a straight forward guide on how to graduate in 4 years. Depending on the class i spend sometime with professors asking questions or I ask class mates or helpers. The school academic requirements are pretty easy the course load can be a lot but so far the material I have gotten has not been too hard. Yes education is geared toward a job for my major I must get an internship before i graduate.

sean

When you first start here as a freshman you are likely going to be taking general education classes. These classes are very different from the classes that you will be taking as an upperclassmen. Most of your early classes consist of being in a big lecture hall with sometimes up to 200 other students in your class. I do not believe this is a bad thing because there are so many kids trying to take the same classes that the school has to do it this way. As you go along in your major your classes will get smaller and your teachers will know your name. Another big change that you will notice as you move along in your college career at Ohio University is that you will switch from dong mostly individual work to group work. As a junior and senior almost every class will have some sort of group project. This is great because you really learn how to work with different types of people and how to get work done based off of everyone's strengths. I am a double major in both Management Information Systems (MIS) and Marketing. If you are in the business school at OU you will participate in something that is called the "Business Cluster". You will set aside a quarter in which you will partake in this cluster of classes with all of the same students. Everything will be group oriented and you will have a client based project in which you will provide consulting for. This is what sets our business school apart from the others. Yes the program is intense but this is where you will learn proper time management and other vital skills needed to survive in the business world.

sean

When you first start here as a freshman you are likely going to be taking general education classes. These classes are very different from the classes that you will be taking as an upperclassmen. Most of your early classes consist of being in a big lecture hall with sometimes up to 200 other students in your class. I do not believe this is a bad thing because there are so many kids trying to take the same classes that the school has to do it this way. As you go along in your major your classes will get smaller and your teachers will know your name. Another big change that you will notice as you move along in your college career at Ohio University is that you will switch from dong mostly individual work to group work. As a junior and senior almost every class will have some sort of group project. This is great because you really learn how to work with different types of people and how to get work done based off of everyone's strengths. I am a double major in both Management Information Systems (MIS) and Marketing. If you are in the business school at OU you will participate in something that is called the "Business Cluster". You will set aside a quarter in which you will partake in this cluster of classes with all of the same students. Everything will be group oriented and you will have a client based project in which you will provide consulting for. This is what sets our business school apart from the others. Yes the program is intense but this is where you will learn proper time management and other vital skills needed to survive in the business world.

Lauren

Ohio University classes have given me numerous real-life tools in only a quarter's worth of classes. Courses are geared toward practical skills with a theoretical background, so students understand the basis for the lessons that professors teach. In my experience, every professor has made an effort to learn each student's name and nearly all succeeded. This promotes class participation because students feel the professor truly cares, which he or she most likely does. I have witnessed peers of mine having an intellectual discussion in a hallway only to be joined by a professor who is interested in sharing his or her thoughts and hearing what the students have to say. Every course and academic requirement at OU has been created for a reason, and that reason is to prepare students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the workforce, grad school, or whatever else they decide to pursue post-graduation.

Kendell

Academics at Ohio University can be very intense. However the faculty and staff make themselves highly available for student contact. Many professors make a strong attempt to learn all of their students name and create fun ways to remember each student, most times by asking students to identify something about themselves that makes them unique. Student participation is encouraged in almost all classes, including online classes. Here students are asked to partake in discussion forums each week to earn credit for participation in the classes. Due to the number of student organizations that are available at Ohio University, many students are able to talk amongst each other about what they have learned in class and begin to apply the concepts to real world settings. As students decide which major they would like to pursue, more options for hands-on experience become available and the understanding of academic concepts becomes clear in the real world. Overall I have found that the education that can be found at Ohio University is directly geared towards getting students jobs after college, and also creating atmospheres where students are able to achieve real-world success before graduation.

Sean

Academics at Ohio University are inventive. Since I did attend another school before OU I have a good perspective on what other universities of higher learning are doing. Ours is like none other. The disciplines are blurred. Every program is connected to one another. Majors are interrelated and connected, just like people on campus. I am a Pre-Med/Biological Science major with a minor in Anthropology and a minor in English. I was persuaded towards these duel minors because of what one of my professors told me early on in my career. He said, "We learn because we wish to understand and communicate with others." I thought that statement was simple, but very profound. Everything I have learned in the classroom has made me understand the world better. "World-view" is important to the OU curriculum. Recently in my molecular genetics class my professor has given me hours of extra help and advice outside of his lecture. I am truly grateful to have met such an educator. You realize early on at OU that life is about how well you engulf yourself in whatever you wish to become successful in, and all of my classes and professors have helped me reach this beautifully simple conclusion. All of my professors know my name, and that is rare because it is a larger university. If you put the time in to introduce and communicate with your professor, they will put the time in and communicate back. That's the way of an Athenian. Everyone invests in what others are doing. I stop in to one of my Anthropology professors office just to chat on a regular basis. We've formed a strong relationship outside of class, and it is one that I really love. These are the relationships that allow you to learn, and give you the right connects to get a job. My experience is not uncommon among other students. Everyone I know has a professor that looks out for them. They want you to succeed, not fail. There are a few professors that are not as passionate as the others. You get through their class and move on. It's the ones that invest in you that make you the successful person you are. It's a special friendliness, and something that is uniquely Athens.

Sean

Academics at Ohio University are inventive. Since I did attend another school before OU I have a good perspective on what other universities of higher learning are doing. Ours is like none other. The disciplines are blurred. Every program is connected to one another. Majors are interrelated and connected, just like people on campus. I am a Pre-Med/Biological Science major with a minor in Anthropology and a minor in English. I was persuaded towards these duel minors because of what one of my professors told me early on in my career. He said, "We learn because we wish to understand and communicate with others." I thought that statement was simple, but very profound. Everything I have learned in the classroom has made me understand the world better. "World-view" is important to the OU curriculum. Recently in my molecular genetics class my professor has given me hours of extra help and advice outside of his lecture. I am truly grateful to have met such an educator. You realize early on at OU that life is about how well you engulf yourself in whatever you wish to become successful in, and all of my classes and professors have helped me reach this beautifully simple conclusion. All of my professors know my name, and that is rare because it is a larger university. If you put the time in to introduce and communicate with your professor, they will put the time in and communicate back. That's the way of an Athenian. Everyone invests in what others are doing. I stop in to one of my Anthropology professors office just to chat on a regular basis. We've formed a strong relationship outside of class, and it is one that I really love. These are the relationships that allow you to learn, and give you the right connects to get a job. My experience is not uncommon among other students. Everyone I know has a professor that looks out for them. They want you to succeed, not fail. There are a few professors that are not as passionate as the others. You get through their class and move on. It's the ones that invest in you that make you the successful person you are. It's a special friendliness, and something that is uniquely Athens.

Samantha

Academics are the ultimate & central point of everything on campus. All roads lead to the classroom. Classes here are surprisingly diverse - I've taken everything from Anthro 101 to Hist 330: History Through Star Trek (yes, that last class is a real, bonafide history class). Most of my classes are smaller, with my smallest class having been only 6 students and a professor. There are larger lecture classes, but most of those are introductory courses; once you pass them, it's on to smaller, more specific courses. Most of my professors actually know how to use the internet, and incorporate online assignments, videos, and texts into class to switch things up. All of my professors knew my name; some have even forwarded job or internship offers onto based on what they knew about me, my studies, and my interests. The education at OU is the ultimate luxury, and I know that when I graduate I'm going to be in high demand in the job market.