Discover the flexibility and reach of the College of Arts and Sciences’ online learning opportunities. Our programs are designed to make a high-quality Ohio State University education accessible, wherever you are! Explore fully online degree programs that offer the same academic excellence as our on-campus options and for-credit certificates or non-credit language courses that let you learn for personal or professional enrichment.
Whether you would like to earn a degree, sharpen your skills, or pursue a passion, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Office of Distance Education are committed to supporting your pursuit of online learning.
For questions regarding any of our online programs, email us at: ASCODE@osu.edu
Online Degrees
Join a global cohort of arts educators who are transforming their practice in the classroom, in the studio, in the museum and in the community. Through the online Master of Arts in Art Education, you will reignite your passion for teaching, while exploring your own identity as an educator and creator. This flexible online program is designed to fit into the schedule of full-time educators who want to immediately apply new concepts to their daily teaching practice. Learn more about the degree or apply here!
This degree is provided by the Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy in the College of Arts and Sciences. Learn more about this department here.
Strengthen your geospatial expertise to solve today and tomorrow’s challenges. The 100% online Master of Geographic Information Science and Technology (MGIST) degree equips you with advanced GIS tools, spatial analysis techniques, and applied geoinformatics knowledge. Tailored for your busy schedule, the program prepares you to lead as a professional in the constantly shifting GIS field. You can find additional information about the degree here!
This degree is provided by the Department of Geography in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Learn more about this department and faculty who teach in the degree here.
Online For-Credit Certificates
Are you ready to deepen your chemistry knowledge and advance your teaching career? The Advanced Chemistry Knowledge for Educators Certificate is designed for STEM teachers seeking to improve their pedagogical content knowledge to support their teaching of College Credit Plus (CCP) courses in Ohio and beyond. Learn more about this certificate here!
This certificate is provided by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. Learn more about this department here.
Ohio State’s American Sign Language (ASL) Elementary-Level Teaching Certificate is designed to develop and enhance the teaching skills of those fluent in ASL aspiring to teach in a community-based or college setting. It is also ideal for current ASL teachers seeking to strengthen their pedagogical skills. Recognizing the growing demand for knowledgable ASL instructors, this program was thoughtfully created to address this need. This 100% online program is taught entirely in ASL. You can find additional information about the ASC certificate here!
This certificate is provided by the Center for American Sign Language and Deaf Equity in the College of Arts and Sciences. Learn more about this center here.
The Black Studies certificate is an interdisciplinary undergraduate certificate program that provides an introduction to Black Studies as it relates to African American, African Diaspora, and African Studies. This certificate is designed for teachers seeking to integrate Black Studies into their classwork, community members looking to pursue further focused study in the discipline, high school graduates looking to explore African American and African Studies as a bridge to future college study, and working professionals wanting to better serve their clients and communities. Learn more about this certificate here!
This certificate is provided by the Department of African American and African Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. Learn more about this department here.
The Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures’ Essential Skills for Travel and Business in Russia Certificate provides students with basic communicative skills to satisfy needs in a limited number of everyday travel and business situations, as well as cultural competency to better navigate interactions in Russia. The certificate is ideal to those traveling to Russian for extended business dealings, or for those who want to take extended tourism trips to Russia. Learn more here!
This certificate is provided by the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures in the College of Arts and Sciences. Learn more about this department here.
Online Non-Credit Courses
Beyond the Classroom – Math Magic is a virtual math camp sponsored by The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences. Designed for students aged 11–18 (but open to all), this course invites learners to explore mathematics in fun, colorful, and creative ways—much like scientists conducting experiments. Through engaging activities and “mathmagic” tricks, students will gain a deeper appreciation for what professional mathematicians do and discover the joy of mathematical thinking.
This is a self-paced online course. It is designed to be exploratory and engaging, with no prior math expertise required.
Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian (BCS) on the Ground is an asynchronous, self-paced introductory language and culture course designed to help learners engage with people and navigate real-world situations in BCS-speaking countries. Through interactive videos, presentations, and activities, students will develop essential reading, listening, and speaking skills while gaining cultural insights into the region’s diverse customs and traditions.
This is self-paced online course that is expected to take approximately 25 hours to complete.
Catalan on the Ground is an asynchronous, self-paced introductory language and culture course. Through a variety of interactive videos, presentations, and activities, you will learn skills that will help you to engage with people and navigate situations in the areas where Catalan is spoken. You will apply essential expressions and vocabulary to real-world situations, developing your reading, listening, and speaking skills along the way. The course also explores cultural differences and similarities between Catalan-speaking areas and the United States.
This is self-paced online course that is expected to take approximately 25 hours to complete.
German on the Ground is an introductory language and culture course designed to build essential communication skills in German. Through engaging content—including videos, presentations, and interactive activities—you’ll explore topics such as food, travel, and daily life, while gaining insights into cultural similarities and differences between German-speaking regions and the United States.
This is self-paced online course that is expected to take approximately 25 hours to complete.
Persian Language and Culture is a course where you will explore the nuances of the Persian language while acquiring essential communication skills. Embark on a flavorful journey through Iranian cuisine and its rich culinary heritage. Immerse yourself in the world of Iranian cinema, tracing its evolution since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Finally, discover the vibrant expressions of Iranian youth culture and music that have emerged in response to significant historical shifts. Together, these experiences offer a holistic and engaging introduction to Iran’s linguistic and cultural landscape.
This is self-paced online course that is expected to take approximately 5 hours to complete.
Polish on the Ground is an asynchronous, self-paced introductory language and culture course. Through a variety of interactive videos, presentations, and activities, you will learn skills that will help you to engage with people from and navigate situations in the areas where Polish is spoken. You will apply essential expressions and vocabulary to real-world situations, developing your reading, listening, and speaking skills along the way. The course also explores cultural differences and similarities between Poland and the United States.
This is self-paced online course that is expected to take approximately 25 hours to complete.
Romanian on the Ground is an asynchronous, self-paced introductory language and culture course designed to help learners engage with Romanian speakers and navigate real-world situations in Romania. Through interactive videos, presentations, and activities, students will develop essential reading, listening, and speaking skills while gaining cultural insights into Romanian life and customs.
This is self-paced online course that is expected to take approximately 25 hours to complete.
Purposeful Interactive World Language Teaching is a free online course designed for new and aspiring foreign language instructors in the U.S. This course focuses on classroom teaching methodology—not second language acquisition (SLA)—and is ideal for high school and university-level educators who want to create student-centered, interactive, and target-language-rich learning environments.
This is a self-paced online course that is expected to take approximately 15-20 hours to complete.