Ohio University

What is the history of Ohio University?

Ohio University is a public university founded in Athens in 1804, when Ohio's legislature chartered it to provide higher education in the new state. It opened for instruction in 1809. The university's long history helps explain its established campus in Athens and its present-day role as a statewide institution.

Among its documented milestones, John Newton Templeton became the university's first Black graduate in 1828, and Margaret Boyd became its first woman graduate in 1873. Ohio University later expanded beyond Athens through regional campuses, online programs and graduate and professional education, including the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. The Athens campus remains the institution's principal residential campus; applicants should not assume that every degree or student service is offered at every location.

What are the faculties and departments at Ohio University?

Ohio University offers a broad range of undergraduate and graduate study through academic colleges rather than a single general faculty. Its colleges include Arts and Sciences; Business; the Scripps College of Communication; the Patton College of Education; the Russ College of Engineering and Technology; Fine Arts; and Health Sciences and Professions. The Honors Tutorial College offers a distinct, closely mentored undergraduate pathway.

Students can explore subjects as varied as journalism, accounting, computer science, mechanical engineering, music, nursing and social work. University College supports exploratory and other undergraduate pathways, while the Graduate College coordinates graduate education. The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine offers professional medical education with requirements separate from ordinary undergraduate admission.

Program location matters: some degrees are available in Athens, some through regional campuses or online, and some in more than one format. Applicants should check the current program listing for their intended major, campus, accreditation requirements and any separate admission process.

What is the location of Ohio University?

Ohio University's main campus is in Athens, a southeastern Ohio college town. Its setting differs from that of a large-city campus: the university and the surrounding community are closely connected, while travel to major metropolitan areas generally requires more planning.

The institution also serves students through regional campuses in Chillicothe, Ironton, Lancaster, St. Clairsville and Zanesville, as well as online offerings. A prospective student comparing these options should check where required courses, advising and campus activities are actually available. Athens students who do not bring a car can use campus and local transportation, but should consider how they would manage trips beyond the area. John Glenn Columbus International Airport is a practical major-airport option for longer-distance travel, not an airport in Athens.

What is the mission and vision of Ohio University?

Ohio University describes its mission in terms of student learning, the creation of knowledge and service to Ohio and beyond. As a public institution, it connects teaching and research with engagement in the communities it serves. Those are statements of institutional purpose, not guarantees about any individual student's experience.

That purpose is reflected in the university's mix of liberal arts, professional programs, research and public-service work. Its Athens, regional and online offerings also serve students with different geographic and scheduling needs. Ohio University is a public university, not a religiously affiliated institution.