The founding of Ohio University dates back to the late 18th century, which was when a government ordinance formed that called for a new school to open in the Ohio territory. The university finally got full approval at the beginning of the 19th century and opened a few years later. It has its main campus in Athens and operates some smaller regional campuses across the state. Many of those smaller campuses offer extension and continuing education classes for adults as well as classes that allow students to transfer to the main campus. OU also has its own online learning system and sees nearly 6,000 students enroll in its online programs every year. Across all other campuses, it has an enrollment of more than 33,000 students.
OU encourages students to get more out of their college years with double majors that let them earn two degrees. The university also offers certification programs that allow students to complete certificates while working on their degrees. Citing its selective admissions policy, professor backgrounds and other factors, U.S. News & World Report named Ohio University the 128th best university in the country. The university also has a strong reputation as one of the country's most haunted places in the world because of its close proximity to several cemeteries and because it is home to a former tuberculosis hospital.
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Ohio University Accreditation Details
The regional accreditation that Ohio University has comes from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Also known as NCACS accreditation, this is important because it allows students to transfer credits, enter graduate programs and receive a degree upon completion of their studies. It also has program accreditation that comes from more than 20 organizations. The National Recreation and Park Association accredited the OU program in parks and recreation, and the Council on Rehabilitation Education accredited its rehabilitation counseling program. Some of its other program accreditation comes from:
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Council on Social Work Education Office of Social Work Accreditation
- American Psychological Association
- American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
- Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
- Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering
- Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
- American Psychological Association
Ohio University Application Requirements
Undergrads applying to Ohio University must fill out the incoming freshman application. Though the university accepts around 4,000 new students every year, those students typically graduate at or near the top of their classes, scored at least a 22 on the ACT or 1000 on the SAT and have a cumulative high school GPA of 3.4 or higher. The university also looks at the types of classes that students took and rank advanced placement and upper level courses higher. It recommends that prospective students take four years of math and English classes, three years of social studies and science classes and at least two years of a foreign language.
Those applying for a spot in the upcoming undergrad class must complete the online application. The university charges a $50 fee that is due at the time the student submits the application. Students are also responsible for sending OU their official high school transcripts and either an SAT or ACT score. OU accepts those files via traditional mail and online.
OU also charges a $50 application fee for those applying to its graduate school. All students applying to a graduate program must have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college before classes start. They must also supply the university with an official score from the GRE or a similar standardized test. Ohio University offers full admissions and conditional admissions for those who need to improve their GPA or take certain classes before enrolling full-time.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Ohio University considers 12 credit hours as a full-time for undergrads. With fees factored in, those students pay around $5,300 a semester, but they can take up to 20 credits for the same price. Nonresidents of Ohio pay extra fees that bring their totals up to around $9,800 a semester. The graduate school charges around $4,800 a semester for Ohio residents and around $8,700 a semester for nonresidents. This price includes all fees and allows students to take between nine and 18 credits a semester. Those who take fewer classes pay a rate based on the number of credits they take.
These figures do not include the cost of textbooks, living in a campus residence hall or paying for meals and transportation costs. The university recommends that students file the FAFSA in the late winter or early spring. Those students will receive a financial aid letter within a few months or less that tells them how much aid the university will provide. Both undergrad and graduate students qualify for loans and grants, but graduate students usually only qualify for unsubsidized student loans. There are also private loans and loans for parents available as well as scholarships and a work-study program.
Psychology and Counseling Programs
Students interested in psychology and counseling will find a number of programs available through Ohio University. It offers a BA Psychology program that requires students take at least 35 credits of psych classes, including social psychology, child and adolescent psychology, cognitive psychology and abnormal psychology. Students must also take classes on research and statistics in the psych profession. The university offers two PhD programs as well that let students major in clinical psychology or experimental psychology. Its clinical program focuses more on working with patients, while the experimental program looks at experimental methods and research. Ohio University offers assistant programs that help students pay their tuition, and both programs require that students submit a dissertation before graduating.
The university's Department of Counseling and Higher Education offers a Master's in Counselor Education that started in the 1940s. Designed to better prepare and educate those who want to work with children in a school setting, it includes courses on bullying, abuse identification, supervising students and general counseling. Students can customize their degree programs with a concentration in mental health counseling, school counseling, counselor supervision or clinical mental health counseling. Students can go right to work or apply for a spot in the university's Counselor Education PhD program. All counseling and psychology programs offered by Ohio University have accreditation.
See also: The Complete List of CACREP Accredited Online Doctoral Programs, Ranked by Affordability