Are you uncertain about your academic or career goals? Are you currently in a major but thinking about exploring other options? The Allen Center is here to help you figure out which Ohio University major is right for you. Learn more about support options through the links below.
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Your second year is a great time to seek new opportunities, trainings, and career possibilities. Explore some of OHIO's offerings designed to help you dive deeper, gain experiences, discover your passions.
Second-Year Student Courses & Resources
The Allen Center: Major Exploration & Advising
Major exploration is an active process that requires you to engage in self-reflection, ask questions, explore opportunities, and utilize campus resources. Each one of these steps is important to help you select the major that fits you best. Be patient with yourself as you navigate this journey and give yourself time to gather the information you need to make informed decisions.
All undergraduate students interested in learning more about Ohio University's academic majors, minors, and certificates are invited to participate in the Majors Fair. The Majors Fair provides students with an opportunity to meet faculty, professional advisors, and students connected to each major, minor, and certificate program, to discuss their questions and interests.
OHIO's Majors Fair
All undergraduate students interested in learning more about Ohio University's academic majors, minors, and certificates are invited to participate in the Majors Fair. The Majors Fair provides students with an opportunity to meet faculty, professional advisors, and students connected to each major, minor, and certificate program, to discuss their questions and interests.
The 2026 Majors Fair will be September 22, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. in Baker University Center Ballroom.
Career Services: Career Exploration
It's common to question what to pursue academically during your time in college. This is a big decision and requires self-reflection, exploring your options, and making decisions that align with that self-knowledge. Use this guide to explore majors at OHIO, learn more about occupations and industries, and to see what opportunities exist once you have already selected a major.
Exploration engages students in thinking about their skills, values, and interests to support making decisions about their major and career that align with that self-knowledge. Students should start with reflection of their past experience, skills, values, and interest.
The career exploration process should always begin with the most important part – you. Self-assessment involves examining your skills, abilities, interests, personality, and values.
Continued Major Discovery: Health Sciences & Education
Health Sciences and Professions
The College of Health Sciences and Professions offers a wide range of majors organized into three primary areas of healthcare: direct patient care, service to the community, and management/leadership. Thinking about the types of connections you want to have in your future work can help you narrow down a major—direct patient care roles involve one‑on‑one interaction with patients; community service roles focus more on working with larger populations, with some individual interaction; and management/leadership roles involve limited patient contact while focusing on behind‑the‑scenes responsibilities such as policymaking, scheduling, budgeting, and reporting. Coursework varies depending on the area and specific program you choose, but there is significant overlap among programs, so some courses may align across multiple majors. Below are some of the programs offered within each category; this is not a comprehensive list.
Some of our direct patient care programs require students to continue on to graduate school, while our service to the community and management/leadership programs can provide strong earning potential right after completing an undergraduate degree.
Direct patient care:
Be aware that we offer the Nursing program in many forms, as well as on our regional campuses. While the BSN program here on the Athens campus may not have worked out for you, there are additional options. We offer the BSN program on our regional campuses in Chillicothe, Eastern, Lancaster, Southern, and Zanesville. Those campuses historically have smaller applicant pools, and often they do not fill their programs. The Chillicothe, Southern, and Zanesville campuses also offer our associate degree Nursing (ADN) program (with an option tentatively planned to begin at the Lancaster campus in January). With the ADN program, you will apply in the fall semester (late September/early November), and selection will occur after fall grades are posted. If you are accepted into the program (it is much less competitive than the BSN program), you would start your Nursing courses in January. The Nursing courses would be offered at the regional campus, meaning you should need to drive to the regional campus, but the courses are offered only twice a week, which means you would need to go to the regional campus on only Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday. You will have clinical rotations, which will require you to drive to the hospital on a third day. The ADN program is four semesters of courses (spring, fall, spring, and summer), which means that you could complete your coursework in around a year and a half. After graduation, you would be eligible to sit for the NCLEX exam, which is the licensure exam, and upon successful completion of the NCLEX, you would be eligible to start working as an RN. If you are still interested in obtaining your bachelor's in nursing, we offer an online RN-to-BSN completion program. That program is designed for working nurses who have completed an ADN. It consists of nine online Nursing courses and any gen eds you have not completed, and those Nursing courses can be completed in roughly a year; however, as an ADN student at Ohio University, you should be able to start the RN-to-BSN courses during the ADN program.
If you love working with young children but are looking for a more specialized role, Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences could be a great next step. Instead of managing a full classroom, you’ll work one-on-one or in small groups to help children develop communication skills—like speaking clearly, understanding language, and building confidence. The Hearing, Speech and Language Sciences major explores the science of human speech, hearing, and language, as well as seeking new ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat various communication disorders. Students learn the anatomy of speech mechanisms, as well as the structure of the ear. This major opens the door to careers supporting children at every stage, including roles like speech-language pathology, early intervention providers, preschool intervention specialists, behavioral or developmental aides, and positions in childcare or therapy clinics. You could also work in hospitals supporting newborn hearing screening programs, helping identify hearing needs right from birth. Students will go on to earn advanced degrees to become speech-language pathologists or audiologists, which allow you to diagnose and treat communication and hearing disorders. It’s a great fit if you want to stay connected to early childhood while making a focused, meaningful impact on children and families from the very beginning.
- Child Life Specialist track
If you enjoy working with young children but are drawn to supporting them and their families during challenging or emotional moments, becoming a Child Life Specialist could be a meaningful next step. Child Life Specialists work in hospitals and healthcare settings, helping children cope with illness, injury, and medical procedures through play, education, and emotional support. This path lets you stay grounded in your passion for child development while shifting from the classroom to healthcare settings—supporting children one-on-one or in small groups. You might help a child understand a medical procedure, reduce their anxiety through therapeutic play, or support families during difficult experiences. With this direction, you will complete additional coursework and certification requirements to become a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS). It’s a great fit if you want to combine an early childhood background with psychology, healthcare, and family support—making a meaningful impact during some of the most important moments in a child’s life.
Service to the community:
If you enjoy working with young children but are interested in making a broader impact on health and well-being, the Community and Public Health major could be a great fit. With this degree, you’ll work to improve the health of entire communities—including children and families—through education, prevention, and outreach. This major prepares you for careers in a wide range of settings, such as health departments, hospitals, schools, community-based organizations, voluntary health agencies, workplaces, and even national organizations like the CDC. As a community and public health professional, you’ll be trained to design, implement, and evaluate health education and promotion programs that improve quality of life and reduce healthcare costs. In roles like health educator or community health specialist, you may assess community needs, plan and coordinate health programs, provide education, and serve as a trusted resource for families. Your work could focus on areas such as childhood wellness, nutrition, disease prevention, mental health, or family health initiatives—still allowing you to support children, but at a larger, systems-level scale. Many students also choose to continue their education by earning a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential or pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) or related graduate degree, which can expand career opportunities and leadership potential. This is a great option allowing you to support children and families—helping entire communities live healthier, stronger lives.
- Human Development and Family Science
- Family and Community Services track
If you enjoy working with young children but are interested in a broader, more flexible career path supporting people across the lifespan, switching to Human Development and Family Sciences with a Family and Community Services concentration could be a great fit. Instead of focusing only on the classroom, you’ll learn how to support individuals and families in a wide range of real-world settings. This concentration prepares you to work with individuals and families in diverse environments, including human and social service agencies, as well as programs serving children, adolescents, and adults across the lifespan—from early childhood through older adulthood. You’ll explore how families function, how relationships and dynamics shape development, and how larger societal influences like schools, peers, gender, and poverty impact both individuals and family systems. You’ll also study a variety of developmental pathways—including those shaped by stress and trauma—while gaining practical skills to support individuals, couples, and families in meaningful ways. This could lead to careers in family services agencies, community programs, youth services, family advocacy, or case management roles. It’s a strong choice if you want to move beyond the classroom and have the flexibility to work with children and families in many different settings, helping them navigate challenges and build stronger, healthier lives.
- Pediatric Healthcare Community Settings track
If you're a Human Development and Family Sciences student interested in making a difference in children’s lives beyond traditional settings, the Pediatric Healthcare Community Setting concentration prepares you for meaningful work in pediatric healthcare and community-based programs. You’ll focus on supporting children and families as they navigate health-related stress, trauma, and life-changing experiences. This path builds on your understanding of child development and family systems while applying it in real-world settings. Graduates are prepared for careers in pediatric healthcare environments and community organizations such as Ronald McDonald Houses, national wish-granting organizations like Make-A-Wish, pediatric hospice and palliative care programs, bereavement centers, centers serving children with special needs, autism clinics, behavioral health clinics, and other family-centered support programs. In these roles, you may provide emotional support, connect families with resources, facilitate coping and resilience, and help strengthen family well-being during challenging times. It’s an ideal fit if you’re passionate about walking alongside children and families, offering care, stability, and support when it matters most.
If you enjoy working with young children but want a career with broader impact across many settings and populations, switching to Social Work could be a great next step. Instead of focusing primarily on the classroom, you’ll learn how to support individuals and families as they navigate real-life challenges—both inside and outside of school. A bachelor’s degree in social work prepares you for careers in a wide range of fields, including child welfare, mental health services, residential treatment, foster care and adoption services, as well as roles in schools, nursing homes, government agencies, and medical settings. A bachelor’s degree in social work prepares you for careers in a wide range of fields, including child welfare, mental health services, residential treatment, foster care and adoption services, as well as roles in schools, nursing homes, government agencies, and medical settings. Within school systems, social workers play an essential role in supporting students’ emotional and behavioral health, connecting families to resources, addressing issues like attendance or access to services, and helping create supportive learning environments. You could work with children and families, but also expand to adolescents, adults, and older adults across the lifespan. Social workers at the bachelor’s level often support individuals facing challenges such as mental and behavioral health needs, developmental disabilities, domestic violence, chronic illness, and more. You might connect families to resources, advocate for clients, or help develop and implement programs and policies that improve people’s lives. There are also opportunities to grow into leadership and administrative roles within social service organizations. This is a strong fit if you want to move beyond the classroom while still working in or alongside schools—and make a difference in many areas of people’s lives. It combines your passion for helping children with the opportunity to support entire families and communities. Graduates consistently report high job satisfaction and strong employment opportunities in the social work and human services field.
Management/Leadership:
If you’re interested in making a difference in healthcare but are drawn to the organizational, leadership, and systems side of the field, Health Services Administration could be a great fit. Instead of providing direct care, this path focuses on helping healthcare organizations run effectively so patients and families receive high-quality services. The Health Services Administration program provides a strong foundation in the healthcare industry and its professional environment. Students develop essential management, communication, and problem-solving skills while gaining a thorough understanding of how healthcare systems operate and deliver services. Graduates are prepared for entry-level administrative, general staff, and other non-clinical positions across a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, physician practices, managed care organizations, home health agencies, and community health centers. Common roles include administrative coordinator, patient services representative, office manager, and program support staff—positions that play a critical role in keeping healthcare organizations running smoothly. This program also serves as an excellent stepping stone for graduate study in health administration, business, or public health, opening pathways to leadership and advancement opportunities. It’s a great choice for individuals who want to combine their interest in helping others with skills in management, organization, and leadership in a growing and impactful industry.
The Integrated Healthcare Studies (IHS) major is a degree completion program, which means that it does not lead to a direct career path. In the most basic terms, the IHS major provides you with a generalized health degree, which should allow you to apply for any entry level healthcare job that simply requires the completion of a bachelor’s degree. Some of those options include Pharmacy Technician, Pharmaceutical Sales, Health Educator, Health Services Management, Care Coordinator, Community Behavioral Health, Clinic Associate, Research Project Management, Human Resources Management, or Case Management. The IHS major can also set you up to apply to some graduate programs; however, some graduate programs will have prerequisites that may need to be added onto the major or completed after graduation.
If you enjoy working with children or helping others but are curious about understanding why people think, feel, and behave the way they do, switching to a Psychology major could be a great fit. This path allows you to build on your interest in supporting others while expanding your focus to individuals across the lifespan. Psychology provides a strong foundation in human behavior, development, and mental processes. You’ll learn how to better understand emotions, relationships, learning, and decision-making—skills that are valuable in many different settings, including both healthcare and education environments. With a psychology degree, career opportunities are broad and flexible. Graduates work in the human services sector in areas such as counseling support, crisis intervention, and performance enhancement. Others pursue roles in research, including social, market, or experimental psychology, or enter the business world in areas like sales, public relations, and customer service. Common employers include hospitals and healthcare providers, rehabilitation facilities, schools (K–12 and higher education), government agencies, nonprofit and social service organizations, research institutions, and a variety of service-based organizations. This flexibility allows you to continue working with children and families or expand into new populations and settings. A degree in psychology also provides strong preparation for graduate study in areas such as counseling, clinical psychology, school psychology, or other specialized fields, opening the door to advanced roles and career growth. This is a great option if you want to deepen your understanding of people while keeping your career options wide open—combining your passion for helping others with versatile skills that apply across many professions.
Patton College of Education
Middle Childhood Education
The Middle Childhood Education program includes six majors with academic specializations in any two of the following content specializations: Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. To receive a teaching license, students must successfully complete the following program and earn passing scores on the Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) exams and a Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA). This major is aligned with national and state standards and prepares future teachers to help young adolescents in grades 4-9 develop conceptual understanding and fluency in language arts and mathematics as well as the skills and competencies necessary for active and informed citizenship. The Middle Childhood Education program emphasizes a commitment to equity, justice, and diversity.
Intervention Specialist
Upon successful completion of this program and passing scores on the state licensing exams, individuals are eligible to hold K-12 public school teaching positions as an intervention specialist in both Mild-Moderate and Moderate-Intensive licensure areas. Further, many individuals are qualified to work in agencies serving families, young children and those who provide services to adults with disabilities.
UC 2110: Determining Your Major and Career Pathway
UC 2110: Determining Your Major and Career Pathway, also known as Building Bobcat Success, is an interactive Canvas module created to help empower students to make the most of their on-campus employment experience. Within the 20–30-minute module students will learn the skills employers are actually looking for, identify their strengths and areas of improvement, and create meaningful goals for professional growth.
While this is not a “traditional course” in the sense that there are no grades, assignments guide students through development and articulation of the top skills employers seek.
ORG3010: Approaches to Workforce Effectiveness
ORG 3010: Approaches to Workforce Effectiveness is an online, asynchronous course. Starts 10/12/26. Satisfies OHIO BRICKS: Bridge: Speaking and Listening (BSL). Obtaining skills that employers need is vital to being successful. Two highly desirable skills of oral communication and listening skills are developed through this course. Students will also be introduced to the complex workforce and the skills necessary for the twenty-first century workplace
ORG 3120: Leadership Language: Writing with Impact in Organizations
ORG 3120: Leadership Language - Writing with Impact in Organizations is an online, asynchronous course. Starts 8/24/26. Satisfies OHIO BRICKS: Foundation: Advanced Writing (FAW). Students craft strategic, persuasive, and inclusive communications tailored to organizational contexts. Students revise, edit, and proofread writing in order to further action and provide reflection related to an organization's direction and values.
SOC 2020: Exploring Careers in Sociology
A 7-Week Professional Development Course. Learn about careers in your major, resume, preparation, locating jobs, interviewing with employers, graduate school opportunities, and more! Build confidence and be proactive about your career!
Integrated Business Cluster
Integrated Business Cluster is a 12-credit, four-course signature sophomore experience for BBA and BSM students in the College of Business. Students are part of the Copeland Associates consulting firm and work for four Senior Partners: one Marketing, one Management, one Management Information Systems, and one Business Communication. Students complete two consulting projects on a specific industry over the semester. Select project teams and sections present their projects to corporate executives.
BA 2000: Career Management Strategies
All students in the College of Business complete two required courses (BA 1000 and BA 2000) that not only serve as an introduction to the college and career management practices, but that also provide tactical strategies for career searches and activities related to your intentional career management.
IHS 1200: Survey of Health Professions and Collaborative Healthcare
This course examines various roles of healthcare professionals in healthcare delivery systems and the value of multidisciplinary collaboration in quality healthcare and improved health outcomes. Education, professional licensing, training program options and employment opportunities in health professions are presented through various course materials; including guest speakers representing various healthcare professions. Course satisfies the College of Health Sciences and Professions with inter-professional education requirement. 2 Credit Hours.
CAS 2130 C: Career Strategies: Internship and Job Mapping
This course equips students with the tools necessary to identify potential internships and helps them develop the requisite skills and documents required for internships. This course is designed to promote self-reflection, assist students in developing a strategy to gain professional experience, and facilitate the creation of a professional portfolio, including formal employment documents and a professional development plan in order to apply for internships in their field of interest during the following semester. Students develop short and long term career goals. Topics include internship searching resources, how to prepare an effective set of application documents for an internship, and how to prepare to be a professional team member.
Sophomore September
We have lots of things planned for the month of September. Engage in all that we have to offer from Next Adventure Sophomore Challenge Course Days, Meal with a Mentor, Fall career and engagement fairs, prepping for Study Away, and so much more!
Your second year is a time to deepen your relationships and campus engagement, explore your passions and career paths, and get even more from your OHIO experience.
Pathfinder Develop & Focus Badge: Second-Year Career Readiness
Pathfinder: The Develop & Focus badge helps students build on their first-year exploration by developing career interests and clarifying academic and professional goals. Through this stage, students strengthen their understanding of how personal values, skills, and academic experiences align with potential career pathways. They also begin to expand their professional networks and practice essential career readiness competencies such as communication and professionalism.
Students who complete this badge will:
Clarify their academic and career goals. Connect with professionals, mentors, or alumni in their field of interest. Create or refine professional materials (résumé, LinkedIn profile, or portfolio). Practice articulating their skills and experiences.
Students completing this stage will have a clearer sense of direction, a growing professional network, and an actionable plan to pursue experiential learning opportunities such as internships, research, or leadership roles.
The Center for Student Engagement and Leadership
Second-year students are in an ideal place to make intentional moves in their leadership journey. Our workshops, skill stops, coaching, and retreats meet students where they are, and help students become their fullest selves!
The Center for Student Engagement and Leadership works towards the entirety of our dynamic and diverse student-body to having access to timely, relevant, and engaging leadership development opportunities.
Life is Abundant: Honors Tutorial program and OHIO Honors Program
Second-year students in the Honors Tutorial program and OHIO Honors Program have the opportunity to participate in the “Life Is Abundant” experience, which includes a semester-long service-learning project at Passion Works and a supplementary course examining the theory and praxis of cultivating character. The title of the project comes from Passion Works founder and executive director Patty Mitchell’s theory of “creative abundance,” or the belief that each of us, across our differences, has strengths, creativities and perspectives needed to collectively build and enhance our communities. Working with Passion Works provides Ohio University students with unique learning opportunities, while they also provide valuable assistance to the PassionWorks Studio.
Rural Justice Lab: The Center for Law, Justice & Culture
Students support legal clinics in Athens and Hocking Counties, assisting with client intake, eligibility assessments, and observing consultations. They directly support attorneys serving low‑income community members in partnership with Legal Aid of Southeast & Central Ohio.
The Center for Law, Justice & Culture at Ohio University is an interdisciplinary academic community dedicated to advancing scholarship and teaching by integrating programs and uniting faculty and students who share a common interest in law's constitutive and formative role in cultural, political, and social life.
Mock Trial Team: The Center for Law, Justice & Culture
Be the Defense, the Witness, or the Prosecution. The Ohio University Mock Trial Team is an educational and experiential program that provides students with the opportunity to engage in simulated courtroom litigation.
The team learns the components of a trial, applicable law, rules of evidence, and courtroom procedure and then competes against other universities from across the U.S.
How to Participate: The team holds tryouts early in Fall Semester. For more information, contact Larry Hayman.