Academics
Based on the centuries-old models of Oxford and Cambridge, the Honors Tutorial College is the oldest degree-granting college of its kind in the United States, and the tutorial programs serve approximately 300 students across 36 programs of study.
What is a tutorial?
The tutorial is at the heart of the HTC experience. Each semester, students enroll in at least one class that is held either one-on-one or in a small group with a tutor, a faculty expert in the field, which allows individual attention rare at the undergraduate level. Instead of lectures, tutorials are driven by spirited conversations between the student and the tutor. These specially tailored tutorials are rigorous, and as students progress, they may choose what they would like to research or study in each tutorial. The content does not have to mirror that of an existing Ohio University course. Every tutorial in every major is different, but they all offer intensified, accelerated learning within the context of a unique partnership with a faculty member.
Senior-year tutorials focus on completion of a thesis or professional project, which ensures that all HTC students graduate from Ohio University with an original contribution to their field that makes them considerably more marketable in the modern world. Faculty mentors from across the university, including the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, may serve as thesis or project advisors.
Programs of Study
With more than 30 tutorial programs of study, HTC offers a wide variety of majors for high-achieving students. Using a student-centered approach, the programs emphasize independent research and creative activity.
Academic Requirements
Students in the tutorial programs must successfully meet the following requirements to graduate:
- Complete the HTC Freshman Seminar
- Fulfill all academic requirements of the program of study, including a tutorial each semester
- Maintain an overall grade point average of 3.5
- Complete the University’s English composition requirements (typically a freshman-level and a junior-level English course)
- Complete a senior thesis or professional project under the guidance of a faculty advisor and their Director of Studies. The thesis or project must make an original contribution to the discipline and is a key factor in our graduates' success in landing great jobs and graduate school placements.
Academic Resources
Priority Scheduling
HTC students schedule their courses before any other group at Ohio University, so they take what courses they need when they need them. They receive the same priority scheduling privileges as graduate students.
Academic Flexibility
Tutorial students are not required to fulfill Ohio University's general education requirements beyond the typical first-year composition course and a junior-level composition course. While we encourage our students to take a breadth of coursework, they may choose an array of subjects that best fit their goals. Students in the college are not required to take prerequisites for courses. They may enroll in courses that best fit their level of aptitude and interest.
Graduate-Level Courses
HTC students may enroll in graduate-level courses during any academic term.
Tutoring
HTC students have access to free tutoring sessions from the Academic Achievement Center.