The Ohio State Scholars Program offers undergraduate students the chance to live and learn with other students who share similar interests. Each of the 16 Scholars programs is centered around a theme or area of study and is open to all students regardless of their major. Each of the Scholars programs has a full-time professional staff member who coordinates the curriculum and events central to the theme of the program. The programs are housed in different units across campus and the Program Managers report to those units with a functional supervisory line to the Honors & Scholars Center and the Program Director of Scholars. Following is the breakdown of where the programs reside.
Colleges of Arts & Sciences
- Arts Scholars
- Biological Sciences Scholars
- Humanities Scholars
- International Affairs Scholars
- Law and Society Scholars
- STEM Exploration and Engagement Scholars
Fisher College of Business
- Business Scholars
College of Education and Human Ecology
- Advocates for Communities and Education Scholars
College of Engineering
- Engineering Scholars
- Humanitarian Engineering Scholars
FAES - School of Environment and Natural Resources
- Environment and Natural Resources Scholars
Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation Scholars
Office of Student Life
- Dunn Sport and Wellness Scholars
- Mount Leadership Society Scholars
University Honors & Scholars Center
- Health Sciences Scholars
Media, Marketing and Communication Scholars
Guidelines for proposing a new Scholars Program
Approval Process: Unit > College > University Honors & Scholars Center > feedback and support letter returned to unit for revision > Honors & Scholars Faculty Advisory Council
Introduction: The Ohio State Scholars Program supports the intellectual and personal development of undergraduate students in accordance with the mission of the University Honors & Scholars Center – helping high-ability students focus their ambitions and achievements to transform themselves and their world.
Ohio State Scholars Programs should:
- create enriched learning communities tailored to engage peers with common interest, open to students in any discipline;
- provide multiple learning experiences designed to build community;
- require first year students to live in the same residence hall (commuters excepted);
- require a minimum 3.0 GPA at the end of the first year and have participation expectations;
- require a minimum of 2 years of student involvement and engagement;
- offer a 1-credit Scholars Seminar to first-year students during the fall semester, instructed by the Scholars program manager;
- provide experiential learning opportunities for students through travel, career exploration opportunities, workshops, educational outreach, etc.;
- expose students to intentionally designed opportunities to enhance learning and development;
- promote intellectual and social exchange among students;
- participate in routine assessments as coordinated by the University Honors & Scholars Center;
- align with the expectations of H&S for providing opportunities for high-ability students as outlined by the University Honors & Scholars Center’s G.O.A.L.S. – Global Engagement, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Immersion;
- provide a Scholars program manager to run the program.
Proposal: Please address the following topics, considering the expectations detailed above.
- What are the student learning outcomes? What is the purpose of creating this program?
- How will the program be unique from other Scholars programs and what will be the appeal of the program to high school seniors in terms of marketing?
- How many students will be served? How might this population grow over time?
- What specific program structures will be in place (e.g., clustered courses, participation requirements, service, leadership opportunities, internships, travel experiences, advising, etc.)?
- How will the program be staffed and supported (Scholars Program Manager, student advisory committee, faculty mentors, etc.)?
- What other resources (financial or otherwise) do you anticipate? (include budget template)
- How will the program be reviewed? What are your success indicators?
- Please include a letter or letters of support from unit head (dean, chair, director, etc.)
Outcomes
The University Honors and Scholars Center is driven by our mission and vision. In addition, our programs are guided by shared outcomes: every program, event, experience, or course offered by the Ohio State Scholars Program are intentionally designed to ensure that students:
- Appreciate how curiosity, exploration, and perseverance, are fundamental to the process of learning and the satisfaction of accomplishment.
- Employ appropriate approaches (frameworks), or methodologies (procedures) for the purpose of learning and engaging within or across fields and disciplines.
- Demonstrate the intellectual, interpersonal, and cognitive skills that prepare them to be engaged citizens and leaders for life by productively interacting with people, processes, and tools.
- Understand, read, listen, compose, and speak in a variety of genres and modalities, both individually and as active collaborators, for a range of purposes and audiences.
- Define and assess the extent to which their academic, personal, or professional efforts are relevant, to themselves and others.
- Reflectively evaluate themselves in the context of their values, the feedback of others, and their experiences to create or revise goals.