Ohio University students who want to explore classes outside of their major are encouraged by faculty and academic advisers to take a deep dive into a plethora of certificate programs.
War and peace studies, dance production, craft brewing and music composition, all of which can be found on the Curricula catalog, are just four of the 70 certificate choices students can pursue.
Certificates are popular schedule additions for those who want to spice up degrees and expand academic horizons. According to National Student Clearinghouse's 2024 Undergraduate Degree Earner’s report, more than 670,000 students earned a certificate in the 2022-23 academic year.
A small portion of these students can be found studying in Athens, as OU is home to several Bobcats who take certificate classes or have graduated with a certificate. Laura Costa dos Santos, assistant director of recruitment and student services, is an academic adviser for the Scripps College of Communication and said certificates help students express creativity.
“A certificate is something that could complement your degree,” Costa dos Santos said. “A certificate allows them to explore some of those extra passions that students might have.”
Costa dos Santos said students may struggle when deciding whether to pursue a minor or certificate, as the former requires more credit hours than the latter, but both work together to enhance opportunities.
“In terms of what I think employers look at, I think that they are equally the same,” Costa dos Santos said. “If you have experience with an internship, that I think would trump the minor or certificate … and I think the minors and certificates prepare you to go after those internships.”
According to College Rank, 20-30% of college students declare minors during their academic careers. The difference between minors and certificates extends beyond just credit hour requirements.
“A minor is usually within one college,” Costa dos Santos said. “A certificate allows classes to be from different colleges. You are able to pull from different programs basically to complete it.”
Although finding a specific field of interest can be daunting, college is a time for students to experiment in the classroom and discover hidden passions. Some Bobcats choose to dive head first into their academics and pursue both a minor and a certificate.
Bobby Reilly, a junior studying political science, is earning certificates in political communication and law, justice and culture, in addition to minors in history and business analytics.
Reilly said although his plate is certainly full, certificates and minors have opened his eyes to the world of political science, a career path he has always been passionate about.
“Political science is this big interdisciplinary field that incorporates many different typical majors all wrapped in this ball of legality, the study of law and the processes of how government works,” Reilly said. “Those minors and certificates can bolster various parts of that skillset for me.”
The political communication certificate examines the interactions between famous figures in politics, the press and the public's impact on election outcomes. Reilly said the certificate increased his knowledge of the political science field and inspired an enthusiasm for building strategies.
“It requires you to take a whole bunch of other history-based, communications-based and political science-based classes that really round out your understanding of how communications can work within the field,” Reilly said.
Although most certificate programs welcome all Bobcats, others ask for an application and only accept a certain number of students.
The law, justice and culture certificate requires students to write an essay and submit a current DARS report. The program only offers 25 slots for those with a GPA of 3.4 or higher. Savannah Swanson, a sophomore studying communication studies, said the certificate supports her interest in pre-law.
“By being a part of this certificate program I can really hone in my interests and get experience related to the legal field, which is what I want to go into,” Swanson said. “Once you're accepted, there will be a lot of advice and opportunities that come along with it.”
Reilly shares a similar view to Swanson, as he was offered a spot in the same program and offered the chance to study abroad.
“I am (going) on the Northern Ireland trip,” Reilly said. “Over spring break, it is a week (and) you study a period called ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland and learn why it remains part of the United Kingdom to this day.”
Costa dos Santos said Bobcats who are curious about certificates and minors should contact their academic advisers and get a head start.
“The earlier you know you might want one, the better we as advisers can help you make sure that we can get all those classes in,” Costa dos Santos said.
