2.0 Undergraduate administration and support

Undergraduate students have many faculty, staff and administrative resources available to them in the college. In addition to faculty who teach undergraduate students and oversee student research projects, there is an associate dean for undergraduate studies, two senior academic advisors along with the staff in the Office of Academic Programs and Student Services (OAPSS).

Office of Academic Programs and Student Services (OAPSS)

The Office of Academic Programs and Student Services (OAPSS), located in Cunz Hall, Room 100, provides support for undergraduate and graduate students. OAPSS staff support students through a variety of key functions, including:

• Student course selection recommendations
• Fulfillment and processing of graduation requirements
• Meetings with students interested in College of Public Health academic programs
• Student career support
• Registration and curriculum petitions
• College of Public Health recruitment events

Undergraduate advising

Academic advising services for undergraduate students are located in the Office of Academic Programs and Student Services in Cunz Hall, Room 100. The primary mission of academic advising is to facilitate student achievement of academic goals in a timely manner. This is achieved by providing dependable, accurate, friendly, respectful and professional services to students in the following areas: 

1. course selection
2. completion of academic requirements
3. transfer credit evaluations
4. assistance with the college petition process

Academic advisors are knowledgeable about other support resources and will refer as necessary. Self-reliance is encouraged by the College of Public Health by helping students make informed and responsible decisions; students are encouraged to be responsible for their own success and progress.

Students are assigned an academic advisor upon entry into the BSPH major or pre-major.

How to schedule an appointment

Current BSPH majors or pre-majors can schedule online through OnCourse or call (614) 292-8350 to set up an appointment with their undergraduate academic advisor. Appointments are usually scheduled for 30 minutes per meeting but can be longer if requested.

Ohio State students who are not a BSPH major or pre-major but who want to declare the major or have questions about the BSPH program can schedule an appointment with one of the College of Public Health academic advisors by calling 614-292-8350.

Note: Appointments are not made by email.

Meeting with an academic advisor during drop-in hours is an option for students needing no more than 10 minutes with an advisor. These meetings do not require an appointment but are subject to availability. Drop-in hours are available the first week of each autumn and spring semester and may be available at other times during the semester. The schedule of College of Public Health drop-in hours will be posted in the student newsletter.

Academic advisor responsibilities

The academic advisor provides academic support for BSPH majors, pre-majors and students pursuing one of the college’s undergraduate minors. This includes assistance with course scheduling, petitions, minors and major graduation requirements. The advisor also assists students in redesigning the academic plan if career goals change, monitors student performance, reports on any student who may be experiencing academic difficulty and coordinates the scheduling of performance reviews when needed. The academic advisor can also provide important information about The Ohio State University resources. Frequent and clear communications with the academic advisor is important to student success.

Student responsibilities

• Students are responsible for knowing the requirements of the curriculum they are pursuing.
• Students are responsible for scheduling an appointment with an academic advisor once a year.
• Students are responsible for checking their Ohio State email regularly. The university, its colleges and departments send official notices and information to the student’s Ohio State University email account. Students can get help to update or manage their Ohio State University username and email account online from the Office of Technology and Digital Innovation. If there any problems, call the Ohio State IT Service Desk at 614-688-4357.
• Students are responsible for knowing the university’s and the College of Public Health’s policies, regulations and procedures. They should be familiar with this handbook, the Course Catalog and the Schedule of Classes (available on BuckeyeLink).
• Students are responsible for maintaining good academic standing, which is defined as a 2.5 cumulative GPA each semester and term.
• Students are responsible for knowing their current schedule at all times, including class numbers. Students can find their schedule at BuckeyeLink (select “View My Class Schedule”).
• Students are responsible for checking the prerequisites for all classes they want to schedule.
• Students are responsible for officially dropping courses they have stopped attending. An instructor will not automatically drop a student from the instructor’s roster simply because the student stopped attending class. Students are also responsible for knowing the drop/add deadlines for each term.
• Students are responsible for knowing the consequences of schedule changes. This may include effects on their eligibility for financial aid, their projected graduation date, their athletic eligibility, their tuition and fees.
• Students are responsible for knowing whether or not they are on a waitlist. This information can be found on BuckeyeLink.
• Students are responsible for checking their schedule regularly to see if they have been added to a class from the waitlist. Students will not receive notification from the Registrar’s office if a course has been added to their schedule. (Note: The waitlist system does not add classes to student schedules after the first Friday of the term).
• Students are responsible for understanding their fees (tuition, health insurance, etc.) and resolving any issues with the appropriate office (financial aid, fees and deposits, etc.).
• If students are eligible for an exemption from student health insurance, they are responsible for providing the documentation required to demonstrate their eligibility for the exemption.

Expectations of faculty

• Faculty have office hours posted on their syllabi, are available by appointment, and can be contacted by telephone and email. Students must recognize that faculty members and graduate teaching associates are not "on call" and may not be available at the precise times that the student is available.
• Faculty provide a syllabus for each course they are teaching that includes information about required textbooks, reading assignments, learning objectives, all course requirements (e.g., exams, projects, assignments), the grading and evaluation system (i.e., how final course grades will be determined), a schedule of course content coverage, information about attendance policies, information about contacting the instructor and/or graduate teaching associate, and additional information required by the university.
• Faculty come prepared for each class session. If guest lecturers deliver course content, faculty ensure those guests have appropriate qualifications and presentation skills.
• Faculty start and end each class session promptly (on time) according to university policy.
• Faculty treat students fairly, impartially and equitably.
• Faculty respect each student as an individual, recognizing that personal values, attitudes, beliefs and opinions held by the student may differ from those held by the instructor.
• Faculty provide a learning environment that challenges and motivates students to improve performances involving knowledge, skill, competence and critical thinking or problem-solving capabilities.

Faculty expectations of students

• Students will communicate with the course instructor regarding questions, concerns, suggestions or problems related to the course. Any issues should be communicated as early as possible so that the greatest possible assistance can be provided.
• Students will be attentive in lecture, laboratory, practicum, field or internship settings, and will display ethical and professional behavior in all circumstances. If a student’s behavior is disruptive, the student may be expelled from the class, and an academic misconduct report may be filed.
• Students must submit assignments by the due date. Students are responsible for completing course assignments on time and may request permission to submit a late assignment. The course instructor may decide whether to accept late assignments and whether to apply a penalty to the assignment grade.
• Students must submit all assignments in the format and form designated by the instructor. The course instructor may decide whether to apply a penalty for assignments submitted in the wrong format or if the assignment is unreadable.
• Students must work independently on all course assignments unless otherwise indicated by the instructor. Violation of rules about collaborating on assignments is a form of academic misconduct and Faculty rules require an instructor to report suspected academic misconduct to the university for review and evaluation.
• Students should use appropriate communication channels (e.g., instructor, faculty, Office of Academic Programs and Student Services) to express concerns and resolve conflicts. Complaining to and sharing concerns with classmates and other non-university individuals will not usually satisfactorily resolve problems.
• Students should be familiar with university and college policies and procedures.

Undergraduate career services

An important function of the college’s Office of Academic Programs and Student Services is to provide career resources. Staff serve as a connection between students, alumni, faculty, staff and employers. The office creates this connection by providing the following services:

• Assist all students and graduates in the College of Public Health in their pursuit of graduate school, employment and career advancement.
• Assist all qualified employers seeking employees in related professions.

These services are primarily provided by the senior career counselor, who:

• Provides career support to Ohio State University undergraduate students who are current College of Public Health students
• Coordinates the BSPH Capstone
• Refers students to appropriate career fairs, appointments and workshops, resume reviews, interviewing and job search strategies
• Engages in employer relations for the BSPH program
• Facilitates, creates, and maintains internship and career opportunities for students

Career related resources

Counseling and Consultation Services

The College of Public Health offers counseling services from Counseling and Consultation Service (CCS) for our students. To be connected with Mental Health Services, the first step is to schedule a consultation online. During that appointment, public health students may express a preference to work with the college’s embedded counselor, Ven Palmieri, who is a licensed therapist. Students are also welcome to email Ven directly with any questions or concerns related to mental health or services at Ohio State.