Graduation Requirements – Universitywide
Click on a link to be taken to the entry below.
- Catalog of Entry
- Requirements
- General Education Requirements
- Residency Requirements for Graduation
- In Absentia
- Earning a Second Degree
- Graduation Procedures
Catalog of Entry
The catalog in effect for the quarter in which you first complete coursework at Ohio University becomes your University and Major Program Catalog of Entry. This catalog defines the Universitywide and college–level academic requirements you must complete and academic policies you must follow for the next five years.
After five years from your initial registration, your college may choose to update either or both catalogs as they pertain to requirements for graduation. Offices responsible for enforcing other University policies, such as graduation with honor, for example, may apply the current Universitywide policies to existing students after five years.
Either major or nonmajor requirement changes made necessary by altered or discontinued courses or by requirements imposed by external accrediting or certification agencies will be resolved on an individual basis by the dean of your college. Whenever possible, new requirements will be implemented with a beginning class or upon the expiration of the appropriate time limit.
In Fall 2012 Ohio University will transition from a quarter to a semester academic calendar. This transition will necessitate changes in the academic requirements for students who do not graduate before this time. Ohio University has made a commitment to work with students so that the transition does not delay graduation or cause increased costs for degree completion. Students making acceptable progress toward a degree who
- maintain a full-time course load,
- earn passing grades and meet minimum grade requirements in courses,
- meet with their advisers and follow advising directives, and
- satisfy graduation degree requirements specified in the catalog
should be able to graduate without delay regardless of the academic calendar transition.
For current information on the transition from quarters to semesters, please see http://www.ohio.edu/Q2S .
Transfer students are governed by the same regulations.
Requirements
Ohio University has two sets of graduation requirements: Universitywide requirements, which all students must complete, and college–level requirements, which include the requirements for completing a major or minor. Universitywide requirements are discussed in this section. Specific college–level, department–level, and school–level requirements for majors and minors are explained under the appropriate college, department, or school listing. (Some colleges or majors might require transfer students to take additional courses to meet specific major requirements.)
In general, you must have a minimum of 192 quarter hours of credit for a bachelor’s degree, with all other requirements met. (Students who took coursework at Ohio University before fall 1977 may graduate with 180 hours, provided they have met all other requirements.) An associate’s degree requires a minimum of 96 quarter hours.
No more than eight credit hours earned in developmental courses may be applied toward the total hours required for graduation. Developmental courses include CHEM 115 , ENG 150 , ENG 150A , MATH 101 , MATH 102 , PESS 100 , and UC 110 , UC 110A , UC 110B , UC 112 , UC 112A and UC 112B .
No more than 20 credit hours earned under the Pass/Fail grading option may be applied toward the total hours required for graduation.
The University recommends a minimum of 24 hours completed in the minor, and has no policy on the minimum requirements for a major. The specific requirements will be determined by your major (and minor, if you have one) department/school. You also must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 (C) on all hours attempted (including work taken at another institution, if you are a transfer student) and in the major or equivalent as determined by your college. Your college may have additional GPA requirements.
All baccalaureate students (except Honors Tutorial College students) also must complete Ohio University’s General Education requirements. Associate’s degree students must complete the freshman English and quantitative skills requirements.
Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS)
A DARS report is issued to enrolled students each quarter for priority registration by the college student services office or regional campus student services office. This report includes your Registration Access Code (RAC) and your registration access time. If you have enrolled at Ohio University Fall Quarter 2005–06 or later, you may view your DARS report online by accessing the Office of the University Registrar Web site, http://www.ohio.edu/registrar , and selecting MyDARS under Online Services.
Your official Ohio University transcript lists all courses you have taken or are taking at Ohio University, the grades you have earned, and your official grade point average. These totals are used to determine graduation rank, graduation with honors, financial aid and scholarship eligibility, fees, and total hours earned at Ohio University that may be applied toward graduation from any of the colleges.
Your DARS report shows how courses and grades apply to the graduation requirements for a particular program. Most of the time the total hours attempted (HA), hours earned (HE), and grade point average (GPA) displayed in the General Graduation requirements section of your DARS report will match those on your transcript. However, legitimate differences may exist. For example, some colleges have limits on such things as the total number of physical education activity hours that can apply toward degree requirements, and some do not. Some have limits on other categories, such as the number of technical elective credits and number of hours with grades of “CR” that can count toward graduation. Also, there are limits on the total number of hours in developmental courses and the total number of hours with P (pass) grades. All of these count in the total number of hours earned at Ohio University on your transcript, but they may or may not count toward graduation, depending upon the program you are completing and other limitations. DARS reflects these idiosyncrasies for each individual program by counting only the hours and grades that are appropriate for that program, thereby giving you an accurate statement of your progress toward completing graduation requirements for that particular program.
Sometimes discrepancies can exist because students take courses they should not take (for example, MATH 163A after passing MATH 263A and MATH 263B ). In this case, DARS deducts the credit and grade for MATH 163A , but MATH 163A will still show on the transcript.
If you are thinking about changing your major, you may request a “What - If” DARS report from the MyDARS site mentioned above, from the student services office of the college that offers the major you are considering, or from your regional campus student services office. This report will help you determine how courses already completed will apply to the new major as well as what additional courses are needed to complete that program.
Although the DARS report provides a comprehensive description of program requirements, it is intended to supplement the role of the faculty advisor, who will help you with course selection and assist you in making informed decisions about a fusrcture career. If you have questions concerning the DARS report, please contact your college student services office or your regional campus student services office.
General Education Requirements
Ohio University believes that, as an educated person, you need certain intellectual skills in order to participate effectively in society. These include the following:
- The ability to communicate effectively through the written word and the ability to use quantitative or symbolic reasoning.
- Broad knowledge of the major fields of learning.
- A capacity for evaluation and synthesis.
To help you meet these objectives, Ohio University has instituted a three–tiered General Education requirement that all baccalaureate degree students (except those in Honors Tutorial College) must fulfill. Tier I course requirements build your quantitative and English composition skills; Tier II course requirements increase your breadth of knowledge; and the Tier III course requirement develops your ability to interrelate, synthesize, and integrate knowledge from different academic disciplines.
Tier I Requirements
Quantitative Skills. You must demonstrate or acquire an acceptable level of quantitative skills to satisfy graduation requirements. The University uses your ACT or SAT (see chart below) math score to determine your skill level for placement or exemption unless the Tier I quantitative skills requirement has been satisfied by transfer or advanced placement credit. Students in some majors are required to have a math placement regardless of transfer or advanced placement credit in order to meet prerequisite requirements. The choice of the course in which you should enroll, if any, depends on your major, catalog of entry and math placement, and should be discussed with your academic adviser.
Students without ACT scores, SAT scores, advanced placement, or a transferable math course must take an online math placement test . Direct questions to the placement testing coordinator, University College, 740.593.1935. Regional campus students should contact their student services offices.
| Math Placement Level | Minimum ACT Math Score needed | Minimum SAT Math Score needed |
| DV1 | < 15 | < 379 |
| DV2 | 16 | 380 |
| PL1 | 20 | 480 |
| PL2 | 24 | 560 |
| PL3 | 30 | 680 |
Any Ohio University MATH course numbered 109 or above, PHIL 120, 120, or 221 satisfies the Tier I quantitative skills requirement (1M). To enroll in any MATH or other quantitative skills course, you must either place at the specific level required for that course or satisfy the appropriate prerequisites.
Placement levels are:
DV1(Developmental): Placement at this level indicates inadequate preparation to enroll in a Tier I quantitative skills course. You must complete MATH 101 before enrolling in MATH 102. Students receiving this recommendation who plan to major in an area requiring advanced math (e.g. engineering, or business majors) should discuss their choices with the faculty or professional advisers.
DV2(Developmental): This level indicates inadequate preparation to enroll in a Tier I quantitative skills course. You must complete MATH 102 before enrolling in a Tier I quantitative skills course.
PL1(Placement Level 1): Placement at this level indicates preparation for any of the following Tier I–fulfilling courses: MATH 109, 113, 117, 118 (available only at regional campuses and through correspondence), MATH 120 (early childhood, middle childhood, and intervention specialist education majors only), MATH 147, PHIL 120, PSY 120.
Note: Students who need MATH 163A should enroll first in MATH 113 and then take MATH 163A. Students who need MATH 263A should begin with MATH 113 followed by MATH 115 and then MATH 263A.
PL2(Placement Level 2): Placement at this level indicates preparation for Level 1 courses as well as these additional Tier I–fulfilling courses: MATH 115 (recommended only for students who plan to enroll in MATH 263A or MATH 266A), MATH 150, MATH 163A, MATH 250, PSY 221.
Note: MATH 115 is the prerequisite course for MATH 263A and MATH 266A. MATH 115 is not recommended unless you plan on enrolling in those MATH 263A/MATH 266A. Students cannot earn credit for both MATH 163A and MATH 263A. MATH 163A is not a prerequisite for MATH 263A.
PL3(Placement Level 3): Placement at this level demonstrates quantitative skill competence sufficient to fulfill the Tier I quantitative skills requirement. If your major requires that you enroll in a quantitative skills course, placement at Level 3 indicates preparation for MATH 263A (or MATH 266A for natural science majors) and any course in Levels 1 or 2. A level 3 placement does not guarantee a waiver of college or major requirements in mathematics. Contact your college office to see if a college waiver is in effect for your major.
English Composition.A first–year composition course and an advanced junior–level composition course are required. Any of ENG 151, 151A, 152, 153, 153A, or 153B will satisfy the University’s General Education first–year writing requirement (1E). These courses are alternative, not sequential, courses in writing. You should select your course by looking at the descriptions and choosing the one that appeals to you. (All regional campus students are given a placement test.)
In your junior year, you must take an approved advanced writing course unless you demonstrate advanced writing proficiency by passing the junior–level exemption exam . The following courses fulfill the junior–level composition requirement:
Art: ART 300J
Business Administration: B A 325J
Classics and World Religions: CLWR 385J
Communication: PRCM 325J
Economics: ECON 310J
Engineering Technology: ET 385J
English: ENG 305J, 306J, 307J, 308J, 309J, 384J
Environmental and Plant Biology: PBIO 418J
Film: FILM 344J
Health Sciences: HLTH 370J
History: HIST 301J, 396J
Health and Consumer Sciences - General Education: CONS 345J
Industrial Technology: ETM 370J
Interdisciplinary Arts: IART 360J
Journalism: JOUR 441J
Modern Languages: M L 321J, 370J
Political Science: POLS 305J
Recreation and Sport Science: REC 370J
Social Work: S W 370J
These courses are marked in this catalog with the designation (1J) as the general education code.
If you are a transfer student, your requirements are determined by when you enroll and the number and type of credit hours transferred.
Tier II Requirements
You are required to complete a total of 32 credit hours from an approved list of courses in the following six distribution areas:
You are required to take at least three credit hours in each of the six areas and may satisfy no more than two of the required six areas with courses from the same department/school. You may satisfy no more than 12 of the 32 hours with courses from the same department/school.
You may apply no more than two approved Tier II courses in your major department/school or area of concentration (for B.S.S. students) toward partial fulfillment of the Tier II requirement.
Approved courses are marked in the Course Descriptions section with 2AS, 2CP, 2FA, 2HL, 2NS, or 2SS as the general education code. The following courses fulfill the Tier II breadth of knowledge requirement:
Applied Science and Mathematics (2AS)
Biological Sciences: BIOS 205, 220, 221, 222, 225, 235
Chemical Engineering: CH E 231
Chemistry and Biochemistry: CHEM 101
Computer Science: C S 230
Electrical Engineering: E E 101
Engineering and Technology: ET 280, 320, 350, 470
Environmental and Plant Biology: PBIO 103, 160, 214A, 214B
Environmental Health: EH 260
Geography: GEOG 201, 268
Geological Sciences: GEOL 135, 170, 215, 231
Health Sciences: HLTH 200, 202
Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences: CSD 108
Human and Consumer Sciences–Food and Nutrition: NUTR 128
Industrial and Systems Engineering: ISE 200
Industrial Technology: ETM 110
Information and Telecommunication Systems: ITS 101, 201
Mathematics: MATH 163A, 163B, 253, 263A, 263B, 263C, 266A, 266B
Mechanical Engineering: M E 100
Physical Science: P SC 135
Cross–Cultural Perspectives (2CP)
Anthropology: ANTH 101, 202
Art History: A H 214, 330, 331
Classics and World Religions: CLWR 311, 321, 331
Dance: DANC 351, 451
English: ENG 331, 332, 333
Foreign Languages and Literatures
Arabic: ARAB 111, 112, 113, 211, 212, 213
Chinese: CHIN 111, 112, 113, 211, 212, 213
French: FR 111, 112, 113, 211, 212, 213
German: GER 111, 112, 113, 211, 212, 213
Greek: GK 111, 112, 113
Indonesian/Malaysian: INDO 111, 112, 113, 211, 212, 213
Italian: ITAL 111, 112, 113, 211, 212, 213
Japanese: JPN 111, 112, 113, 211, 212, 213, 252, 253
Japanese Culture: JPC 250
Latin: LAT 111, 112, 113
Russian: RUS 111, 112, 113, 211, 212, 213
Spanish: SPAN 211, 212, 213, 349
Swahili: SWAH 111, 112, 113, 211, 212, 213
Thai: THAI 111, 112, 113, 211, 212, 213, 311, 312, 313
Geography: GEOG 131
History: HIST 132, 133, 246, 323A, 323B, 323C, 337C, 341A, 341B, 341C, 345A, 345B, 345C
International Literature: Linguistics: ILL 389
International Studies: INST 103, 113, 118, 121
Music: MUS 121
Political Science: POLS 340
Retail Merchandising and Fashion Product Development: RFPD 110
Fine Arts (2FA)
Art: ART 110
Art History: A H 211, 212, 213
Dance: DANC 170, 171, 270, 271, 471, 472, 473, 474, 476
Film: FILM 201, 202
Fine Arts: FAR 150
Human and Consumer Sciences — Interior Architecture: ARTI 185
Interdisciplinary Arts: IART 117, 118, 211, 212, 213, 270, 271, 272
Music: MUS 100, 120, 124, 125
Theater: THAR 113, 151, 170, 171, 172, 270, 271, 272
Humanities and Literature (2HL)
African American Studies: AAS 110, 150, 210, 211, 250, 350
Classics and World Religions: CLWR 181, 221, 222, 301, 302
College of Arts and Sciences: CAS 111, 112
Communication Studies: COMS 101
English: ENG 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 250
Film: FILM 203
Foreign Languages and Literatures
Classics in English: CLAS 127, 231, 234, 235, 236, 237, 252, 253, 254, 255
Greek: GK 211, 212, 213
International Literature: Modern Languages: ILML 335(A-Z), 336(A-Z), 337(A-Z), 338(A-Z)
Latin: LAT 211, 212, 213
History: HIST 121, 122, 122A, 123
Human and Consumer Sciences — Interior Architecture: ARTI 391
Humanities: HUM 107, 108, 109, 117
Philosophy: PHIL 101, 130, 216, 232, 240, 260, 310, 311, 312, 314
Visual Communication: VICO 140
Women’s and Gender Studies: WGS 100
Natural Sciences (2NS)
Anthropology: ANTH 201
Astronomy: ASTR 100, 100B, 100D, 140
Biological Sciences: BIOS 100, 103, 130, 131, 170, 171, 172, 173, 201, 202, 203, 204, 206, 207, 210, 275, 385
Biology: BIOL 101
Chemistry and Biochemistry: CHEM 121, 122, 123, 151, 152, 153
Environmental and Plant Biology: PBIO 100, 100L, 102, 109, 111, 114, 115, 209
Geography: 101, 202
Geological Sciences: GEOL 101, 120, 130, 208, 211, 221, 271
Physical Science: P SC 100, 100D, 101, 101L, 105, 105L, 121, 121L, 122, 121L, 123, 123L, 131, 140, 200, 205
Physics: PHYS 201, 202, 203, 251, 252, 253, 262
Social Sciences (2SS)
African American Studies: AAS 101, 202
Classical Archaeology: CLAR 211, 212, 213
College of Arts and Sciences: CAS 113
Communication Studies: COMS 351, 352, 353
Economics: ECON 103, 104, 105, 106, 240
Education—Early Childhood: EDEC 160
Geography: GEOG 121, 132
History: HIST 101, 102, 103, 200, 201, 315A
Human and Consumer Sciences Education: CONS 250
Journalism: JOUR 105
Linguistics: LING 270
Management: MGT 202
Media Arts and Studies: MDIA 105
Political Science: POLS 101, 102, 103, 150, 210, 230, 250, 270, 331
Psychology: PSY 101
Social Work: S W 102
Sociology: SOC 101, 201
Tier III Requirement
You are required to complete at least 4 hours in Tier III or Tier III–equivalent course(s). At least 2 of the 4 hours must be taken at senior rank (135 hours). This catalog contains a complete list of Tier III and equivalent courses available by going to Course Descriptions and placing T3in the keyword or phrase search or by clicking here . Approved courses are marked in the Course Descriptions section with T3 as the general education code. You may fulfill this requirement by taking at least 4 hours in Tier III–equivalent course(s) in your major; you should see your major adviser for information as to whether your discipline offers such a course or courses.
Like most universities, Ohio University requires that you be “in residence” for a certain number of credit hours in order to graduate. Some colleges have additional residency requirements, so check with your adviser or dean’s office to make certain all requirements are being met.
Residence credit is defined as any credit earned by regular enrollment at Ohio University on the Athens campus or any regional campus or by Ohio University Education Abroad, any approved student teaching, the Independent and Distance Learning Programs in the Division of Lifelong & Distance Learning, or any combination of these options.
Bachelor’s Degree
You must earn a minimum of 48 credit hours while enrolled at Ohio University, and you must earn a minimum of 50 percent of coursework taken to fulfill your major concentration in residence with resident credit as defined above. A college may require more than 50 percent of Ohio University credit to fulfill a major concentration or have other additional residency requirements for a given program.
If you begin graduate study at Ohio University before completing all requirements for a bachelor’s degree, your residency requirement will be reduced by as many hours as credit hours of graduate work completed. The number of hours subtracted also will be credited toward the residency requirement for a master’s degree, if the credit is acceptable in the program approved for graduate work toward a degree. Residence credits used for meeting requirements for one or more bachelor’s degrees may not also be used for meeting the residency requirements for the graduate degree.
The residency requirements apply even if you have been approved for graduation in absentia and are completing your last year in an accredited institution, except that the regulations apply to residence before you leave the University. (See the In Absentia section below.)
Associate’s Degree
You must earn a minimum of 30 credit hours while enrolled at Ohio University, and you must earn a minimum of 50 percent of coursework taken to fulfill your major concentration in residence with resident credit as defined above. A college may require more than 50 percent of Ohio University credit to fulfill a major concentration or have other additional residence requirements for a given program.
In Absentia
To be considered for in absentia status, you must obtain permission from the student services office of your college. If you have been approved for the senior – in absentia privilege, you must complete a full year’s work in an Ohio University–approved professional school and be eligible for advancement without condition to the second year to obtain your bachelor’s degree in absentia . In absentia programs involve preplanned curricula and cannot be arranged on an ad hoc basis. The in absentia privilege does not apply to graduate degree programs.
The official transcript from the school you attend must be submitted to the Office of Admissions, Chubb Hall 120, Ohio University, before the degree conferral date.
Earning a Second Degree
Second Bachelor’s Degree
If you plan to earn two bachelor’s degrees, you may meet the requirements either simultaneously or successively:
- To complete requirements for two degrees conferred on the same date, you must meet the requirements for both degrees and must have completed a total of 13 quarters of college work or its equivalent (208 hours), with a minimum of five quarters of residence, or the equivalent, at Ohio University. When the two degrees are offered by different colleges, you must declare a major program in both colleges and meet the residence requirement the quarter in which the degrees are to be conferred.
- If you have met the requirements for two degrees, as stated above, and want to have the degrees conferred in successive quarters, you may do so without further credit or residence. For example, one degree may be conferred at the end of one quarter and application made for the second degree in a subsequent quarter.
- If you want to earn a second bachelor’s degree after receiving the first, you must complete the requirements for the second degree and meet the residency requirement in the college offering the second degree. (See individual college requirements in each college’s section.)
Second Associate’s Degree
You cannot earn the same associate’s 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. 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. If an A.A. or A.S. has been completed previously, you will not be permitted to complete the A.I.S.
Associate’s Degree After a Baccalaureate Degree
Typically, the Associate in Individualized 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 director of degree programs in University College to seek permission to complete the A.I.S. degree. The Associate in Arts or the Associate in Science degree will not be granted if you have already earned a baccalaureate degree.
Graduation Procedures
Application
Candidates for graduation must make application and pay the application fee no later than the deadline listed in the academic calendar for the quarter in which graduation is planned. You can apply online at http://www.ohio.edu/registrar/ or receive assistance at Registrar Services, first floor, Chubb Hall or at your regional campus student services office. Questions about applying for graduation should be directed to graduation@ohio.edu . This application initiates the process that informs your college to check for fulfillment of degree requirements. The process culminates with the entry of the college, major, other concentrations (such as minor, dual certification in education, etc.), degree, and date of degree conferral on your permanent academic record. At the end of this process, your graduation grade point average, class rank, and eligibility for honors are determined. They then cannot be changed by completing additional coursework or retaking classes, although taking additional classes will affect your accumulative grade point average (GPA).
The application fee for all degrees is $50. If you fail to meet the requirements for graduation, you may reapply for the quarter in which you plan to complete the requirements. The fee for reapplication is $5. International students in F–1 or J–1 status are encouraged to see an adviser in International Student and Faculty Services during the quarter in which they plan to graduate to discuss their immigration status.
Graduation with Honor
The GPA requirements for graduation with honor are: cum laude (with honor), 3.5 to 3.749; magna cum laude (with high honor), 3.75 to 3.899; and summa cum laude (with highest honor), 3.9 to 4.0. The Latin honors notation will appear on your diploma and in the commencement program. Note: The commencement program honor notation for spring quarter graduates is calculated based on your most recent accumulative GPA prior to spring quarter. After spring grades are calculated the final honor is calculated and will appear on your transcript and diploma.
To be eligible for graduation with honor, you must complete a minimum of 48 hours of coursework with letter grades that affect your GPA in residence at Ohio University. Successful completion of a special honors program of study is noted in the commencement program and on your diploma. Graduation with honor does not apply to associate’s or graduate degrees.
Commencement Ceremony
If you are a candidate for spring quarter graduation, or if you have earned your degree during the preceding summer, fall, or winter quarter, you are eligible to attend commencement, held at the end of spring quarter.
Details concerning commencement will be sent to you after you have applied officially for graduation, provided you indicate your intention to attend the commencement ceremony at the time you submit your graduation application.
Commencement information is available online at http://www.ohio.edu/commencement/ . Direct any questions concerning commencement to the Office of University Events, 740.593.1762.