Technical Study Major (A.T.S.)

Major code AT5520 (AT5521, AT5522, AT5523, AT5524, AT5525 for specializations)*

University College
Department of Applied Sciences and Professions
Chubb Hall 140
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.1935
www.ohio.edu/university-college/

James Smith, Associate Professor
smithj27@ohio.edu

Allison White, Associate Professor, ASP Department Chair
740.774.7256
whitea3@ohio.edu

Available at the following locations:

Chillicothe
Lancaster
Southern

Program Overview

The A.T.S. degree is designed to create an individualized, technical associate program using planned or previously earned technical coursework. The A.T.S. is available to students registered through the Chillicothe, Lancaster, and Southern campuses.

There are two types of A.T.S. degrees, Type A and Type B. Major code AT5520 applies to Type A. A Type A A.T.S. is a coherent combination of technical courses selectively drawn from two or more programs currently offered by Ohio University to serve a career objective which would not be adequately addressed by one of those existing programs. Students are building their program primarily from Ohio University courses and generally have not earned credit as specified in the Ohio Career-Technical Credit Transfer (CT)². Students may plan a course of study by working with an ATS faculty advisor to create a planned course of study consisting of 30 technical credits by selecting available technical courses from at least two areas. When combined, these courses must be aligned to meet a clearly identifiable career objective. Additionally, the career objective must be distinct from any other technical programs offered at Ohio University. Transfer courses received may also be applicable to the career objective. Use of transfer credit would depend on appropriateness to the career objective, as approved by the Technical Study Review Committee.

An A.T.S. Academic Advisor on your campus can assist you as you create your A.T.S. program of study.

A Type B A.T.S. is designed for students who have completed an approved Ohio Career-Technical Credit Transfer (CT)² program at a career, vocational, or continuing education center in Ohio. Students completing an approved (CT)² program would receive transfer credit according to the Ohio Career-Technical Credit Transfer Guidelines. This credit would then apply toward the technical (major) requirements of the A.T.S. degree. Students should contact the college office if possessing Career Technical Credit and are interested in completing an A.T.S. focused on:

AT5521 - Building and Industrial Technology
AT5522 - Business Technology
AT5523 - Health and Allied Health Technology
AT5524 - Information Technology
AT5525 - Services Technology

For the Type B A.T.S., 30 total technical credit hours are required. If the above (CT)² program is less than 30 credit hours, the remaining related hours must be earned at Ohio University. When combined, these courses must be aligned to meet a clearly identifiable career objective. All proposals with less than 30 (CT)²credit hours or were completed at a continuing education center may require review for program admission by the Technical Study Review Committee.

*This program was previously AS5513 - Associate of Technical Study. As part of a recent degree reconciliation process with the State of Ohio, the program code and name will be changing to AT5520 - Technical Study effective the 2024-25 catalog year. The specializations were previously AS5514, AS5515, AS5516, AS5517, AS5518. The degree offered for these program codes will be the Associate of Technical Studies.

Admissions Information

Freshman/First-Year Admission

To enter the Associate of Technical Studies program, an application is required to gain admission to Ohio University. In the first semester of attendance, admitted students in a Type A program or a Type B program with less than 30 credit hours must also work with an approved A.T.S. faculty partner and possibly other faculty reviewers with expertise in one or more areas of study in the proposed program who will assist in suggesting courses when preparing the A.T.S. Course of Study application.

Credit Hour Residency at Ohio University

The Ohio University Board of Trustees has exempted the A.T.S. programs from requiring major residency due to the nature of the program.

Change of Program Policy

To submit an application for admission to the program, you must currently be registered as a degree-seeking student. To graduate with an Associate of Technical Studies degree, you must:

Earn 60 hours.
Earn at least 18 semester credit hours while enrolled at Ohio University (degree residency requirement).
Complete University freshman-level requirements in written communication, quantitative reasoning skills, and general education.
Complete an approved area of concentration, consisting of at least 30 hours, which has coherence and educational purpose equivalent to an established degree program.
Earn at least a 2.0 GPA in the area of concentration and overall to earn the degree.

External Transfer Admission

Students who transfer to Ohio University from another institution may apply to the Associate of Technical Studies programs by following the procedure for application described above.

Opportunities Upon Graduation

Because the curriculum plan in the Associate of Technical Studies degree programs are unique to each student, depending on the student’s educational and career goals, potential opportunities upon graduation vary with the student.

Requirements

Associate Degree Information

Second Associate Degree

You cannot earn the same associate degree twice. Furthermore, you are not permitted to earn both the A.A. and A.S. degrees. If you have already earned the A.I.S. or A.T.S. degree, you are not permitted to earn either the A.A. or A.S. degree. Although it is possible to complete an A.A.B. or A.A.S. degree with a double major, you can earn the degree only once.

Associate Degree After a Baccalaureate Degree

Typically, the Associate of Technical Studies degree is not an appropriate degree program for someone who previously has completed a bachelor’s degree. In special circumstances, a person who has completed a prior bachelor’s degree may petition the ASP Department Chair in University College to seek permission to complete the A.T.S. degree.

Graduation Hours Requirement

The Technical Studies program requires completion of a minimum of 60 semester hours. To graduate with an Associate of Technical Studies degree, you must:

Earn 60 semester credit hours;
Earn at least 18 semester credit hours while enrolled at Ohio University (degree residency requirement);
Complete University freshman-level requirements in written composition and quantitative reasoning skills;
Complete an approved area of concentration, consisting of at least 30 hours, which has coherence and educational purpose equivalent to an established degree program;
Earn at least a 2.0 GPA in the area of concentration and overall to earn the degree.

General Education Requirements

Students completing Ohio University’s applied associate degrees are required to complete 15 credit hours of Ohio Transfer 36-approved coursework including:

Written Communication (3 hours). Either ENG 1510 or 1610 (for non-native English speakers only) will satisfy the Written Communication requirement.
Quantitative Reasoning (3 hours). Courses that fulfill the Quantitative Reasoning requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (FQR) as the general education code.
Pillars or Arches (6 hours). Credit hours must be completed from at least two different requirement areas:
- Humanities: Arts or Humanities: Texts and Contexts or Constructed World. Courses that fulfill the Humanities: Arts requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (PHA) as the general education code. Courses that fulfill the Humanities: Texts and Contexts requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (PHTC) as the general education code. Courses that fulfill the Constructed World requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (ACSW) as the general education code.
- Social or Behavioral Science or Connected World. Courses that fulfill the Social or Behavioral Science requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (PSBS) as the general education code. Courses that fulfill the Connected World requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (ACNW) as the general education code.
- Natural Science or Natural World. Courses that fulfill the Natural Science requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (PNS) as the general education code. Courses that fulfill the Natural World requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (ANW) as the general education code.

To complete the minimum 15 credit hours of Ohio Transfer 36-approved coursework, students may also complete OHIO’s Ohio Transfer 36-approved Second Writing course (ENG 2800) and/or OHIO’s Ohio Transfer 36-approved Oral Communication course (COMS 1030).