School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

Students in the School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences can study abroad for a semester or for the summer and still graduate on time.

Every year we bring to campus 30+ established industry professionals to conduct workshops, symposiums and master classes. These guest artists include directors, choreographers, musicians, designers, stage managers, visual artists, playwrights and Tony Award-winning actors. You’ll  interact one-on-one with these industry superstars, receiving knowledge and feedback to hone your skills.

Our arts programming includes six instrumental and vocal ensembles that perform numerous concerts per year and embark on national and global tours to countries like China, Italy, New Zealand, Romania, England and Ireland. In addition, we average six fully produced theatre productions per year, including dance concerts, plays and musicals. And we host 4-6 professional and student juried art exhibits on campus every year plus numerous regional juried art shows and competitions.

Trevor is a New York City-based actor, vocalist, and pianist, who is most recently on the National Tour of The Book of Mormon!

“I love traveling around the country, sharing the stage with incredible people, and impacting the audience in ways I may never know.”

Kenya is a content designer at Crown Equipment Corporation, collaborating with departments across the organizations to produce manuals for lift trucks and batteries.

“I works with teams across the world, including in China and Germany. It's amazing to see so many cultural backgrounds come together for common solutions."

Armani is landing big roles, including the lead in "Sister Act' at Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts and a spot in the national tour of "& Juliet."

“ONU faculty pushed me to be my best self.”

Mary Beth most recently participated in the ensemble of the “Mean Girls” first national tour, covering the roles of Cady Heron, Gretchen Weiners and the Adult Women. She has performed extensively at regional theatres throughout the country, including the Paper Mill Playhouse, Sacramento Music Circus, and the Fulton Theatre.

“I love that my performing career has granted me the opportunity to visit friends and family across the country, work with Tony Award-winning directors and choreographers, and tell a story about authenticity and inclusion. It’s a joy doing what I love every day!”

Miette is a freelance violinist and violist who plays throughout Northeast Ohio and is the manager of the Children's Chorus for the Tri-County Educational Service Center.

“I enjoy sharing my love and passion for music and seeing the effect it can have on people's lives.”

Not many people get to visit beluga whales every morning on the way to the office; Heather is one of the lucky ones. Senior director of guest relations at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, she oversees more than 100 customer service professionals who support Shedd’s nearly 2 million guest per year.

“We strive to help all guest look nature in the eye, form connections with our amazing animals, and give them the tools to take action for the animals after their visit.”

A space enthusiast from a young age, Ashley often daydreamed about becoming an astronaut. But art—not science—is her vibe. And while she isn’t working for NASA, she still gets to “geek out” about all things space in her amazingly cool position as an exhibit designer at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.

“I love that I am constantly learning new things from my incredibly smart and talented co-workers.”

Students in the School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences can study abroad for a semester or for the summer and still graduate on time.

If law school is your ultimate goal, our 3+3 program enables you to complete your bachelor’s degree and juris doctorate degree in just six years instead of seven. You not only save on tuition costs, you enter the workforce earlier. These majors can participate in this program: criminal justice; political science; history; and English. Learn more

Collaborate with your professors on research projects and creative endeavors. You could also co-author a paper or present your findings at a professional conference. Most students don’t have these types of research opportunities until graduate school.

We even help with funding for students to travel to and attend professional conferences.

ICAPP gives ONU students and faculty a voice in the national conversation. Non-partisan and education-based, it promotes good citizenship through education and information. ICAPP is concerned with any issue impacting citizens in the Midwest. Through activities like opinion polling, public policy papers and more, ICAPP promotes civic literacy and an informed understanding of public policy. Learn more.

Grapple with the ethical issues of the day by joining the Philosophy and Ethics Club and participating in the Ethics Bowl. Learn about publishing through a paid position with Polaris, ONU’s highly regarded literary magazine. Join our award-winning Mock Trial team. Study and work at the center of power – Washington, D.C. – through our collaboration with the Washington Center. These are just a few of our incredible outside-the-classroom experiences!

We offer on-campus and off-campus opportunities to expand your knowledge. Through our Reading Series, for example, you can interact on campus with professional guest writers in a variety of genres, including poetry, fiction, science fiction, screenwriting and more. In addition, many classes incorporate trips to places like the Metzger Nature Center, the Ohio Renaissance Fair, the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the Blackfriars Playhouse (Virginia), the Stratford Shakespeare Festival (Ontario) and others.

Probation officer for the United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit, Kody supervises offenders convicted of federal crimes and investigates offenses ranging from major drug crimes to firearm offenses, white collar crime to terrorism, working with officers and agents from the FBI, ATF, DEA and U.S. Marshals Service. 

“I enjoy contributing to an agency that is so much bigger than myself, and I take pride in being a federal law enforcement officer.”

Maria is working as an English language assistant in Valencia, Spain, assisting students with their conversational, grammar and reading skills, and teaching them about the cultures of the United States and Puerto Rico.

“I enjoy exposing my students to diversity and teaching them that language doesn’t have boundaries and that it’s always a fun experience to learn something new.”

Alice is a lecturer on science, technology, and society at Stanford. She received her Ph.D. from Virginia Tech, where she explored the sociotechnical ecology of harm and violence against persons, technologies, and environments. 

“I enjoy becoming – with technology, nature and others – to challenge the fortunes of the future.”

Adam is the director of communications for The Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice, which advocates for human rights in U.S. foreign policy and diplomacy.

“I enjoy helping the American public better understand the most pressing peace and security challenges.”

Rachael is a compliance specialist for PNC Bank in Cleveland and a licensed attorney in Ohio who works on issues related to the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering compliance.

“I love that my days are never the same, and I am continually meeting new people with different backgrounds, careers and experiences.”

Rikki is the youth services director at Shelby County Libraries in Sidney, Ohio, overseeing a department that provides services for children and young adults at six library locations. 

“I love that I get to be in the library every day and call it work, sharing my love for books and reading and making connections with children, parents and community partners.”

Josi is the events manager for The Montpelier Foundation in Virginia, a memorial to the Madison and the Enslaved Community.

“It’s an incredible responsibility to help personalize the past for people. When history is human, people bring more heart into understanding and learning from it.”

Joseph is the director of curatorial affairs at the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum in Florida.

“My passion comes from a desire to make history, including topics that can be difficult to discuss, accessible to the public."