Academic Policies and Procedures

All incoming first–year and transfer students on the Athens campus of Ohio University are required to participate in Bobcat Student Orientation to get acclimated to campus. They meet with faculty, administrators, and other students who inform them about University policies, academic requirements, and student services, as well as help them register for their first semester of classes. Orientation sessions for students entering fall semester are held in the summer, with each group coming to campus for a 1.5-day program. Information regarding this program is mailed in the spring to incoming students. Parents, guardians, families, and guests are encouraged to attend.

For students entering the University in a semester other than fall, a mandatory orientation and registration program will be conducted before the beginning of that semester. Information will be sent from Bobcat Student Orientation.

Further information about Bobcat Student Orientation is available from the Office of First-Year & Student Transitions, 740.593.1951 , or by visiting their website.

Regional Campuses

Students attending a regional campus will participate in an orientation session specific to their campus. Further information about regional campus orientation is available from the appropriate regional campus. Please check the website for the appropriate regional campus.

Online Students

Students completing online learning at OHIO are required to complete an online orientation module.

Alcohol/Sexual Assault Education

Athens Campus

All students who have earned fewer than 30 credit hours must complete Alcohol Edu for First Year Students and Sexual Assault Prevention for Undergraduates. Detailed information about these courses will be provided at Bobcat Student Orientation. Failure to successfully complete these online courses will prevent registration for classes for future semesters.

Regional Campus

If you are relocating to the Athens campus from a regional campus of Ohio University and have fewer than 30 credit hours, you must take the courses.

Additional information about AlcoholEdu and Sexual Assault Prevention is available from the Health Promotion at Baker University Center 339, 740.593.4007, or healthpromotion@ohio.edu.

Registration Information

Registration

As noted above under Bobcat Student Orientation, if you are an incoming first–year or transfer student, you will receive assistance with registering for classes, along with other information during orientation.

Continuing students are required to meet with their academic advisors prior to registering. All continuing undergraduate students will have an academic advising registration hold placed on their record and to register for an upcoming semester, the student must meet with their academic advisor to have their hold released. Students may register during the priority registration period, where each student is assigned an enrollment appointment time at which point the student may register (or any time after that time), provided their advising hold has been released and no other holds exist that prevent registration. It is recommended that you contact your advisor in advance of your enrollment appointment time to schedule an advising appointment. If you are pursuing more than one major then the hold must be released for each major in advance of registering.

If you take a fall or spring semester off from classes then you are considered a Re-enrolling student. Re-enrolling students should visit the University Registrar web page at: www.ohio.edu/registrar/register#re-enrolling or contact the Office of the University Registrar, 740.593.4191 .

If you are a continuing or re-enrolling student at Ohio University, you should follow procedures for using the registration system. The procedures are available online at: www.ohio.edu/registrar/how-register.

Ohio University is committed to our veterans and military affiliated students. We fully comply with the Veterans Benefits Transition Act of 2018 and no adverse actions (late fees, denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) will be taken against students who receive Veterans Educational Benefits due to late payments by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Furthermore, a covered individual will not be required to borrow additional funds because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement of a payment to be provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.*

*Text added on 9/27/23 due to a requirement from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Late Registration

Registration is not permitted after the Friday of the second week of the semester (in the case of some individual classes, after the first day) for classes that meet the full semester. All registration procedures should be completed by the Friday of the second week of the semester.

In cases where late registration is necessary, you will be charged a retroactive registration correction fee beginning the day after the Friday of the second week of the semester, unless late changes are the result of University delays, as determined by the university registrar. The fine is $150.

OHIO Identification Card

During the orientation process you will be given information about obtaining an Ohio University identification card. On the Athens Campus, ID cards can be obtained and replaced at the Bobcat Depot, Baker University Center 112. Each regional campus also has a designated site for issuing ID Cards, typically in their IT or Student Services area. Contact your specific campus for more information.

This card, which is validated by your registration, gives you access to campus services, including your meal plan, Bobcat Cash account, the exterior doors to your residence hall, recreation facilities, athletic events, library privileges, printing services, and Campus Care.

Lost cards should be deactivated immediately to ensure the lost card is not used to access your residence hall, meal plan, or debit accounts.

The initial card is issued free of charge. Cards that need to be reissued due to a change in legal name, preferred name, or PID number will be issued free of charge, provided you return your old card when the new one is issued. Lost or damaged cards will be subject to a replacement fee. A re-enrolling student who was previously issued an ID card will be charged a lost card fee if a new card is required due to loss of the original card.

Ohio University ID card replacement fees are:

Email (your University account)

Please check your Catmail (login required) regularly for official University correspondence. Notifications of grades, schedules, and billings are sent to your University email address. Many Ohio University departments and professors depend on your University email for both announcements and assignments. We recommend that you do not forward your University email account to another email address; doing so may result in not receiving important messages from the University.

If you receive an email that appears suspicious, you can visit the Phish Bowl or forward the email to security@ohio.edu to verify if it is a hacking attempt.

If you have problems accessing your email or have questions, view email help information or visit help.ohio.edu to submit a ticket or to contact the IT Service Desk.

Multi-Factor Authentication

After you enroll in classes, you will set up multi-factor authentication. With multi-factor authentication, you’ll be prompted to verify your log-in on your phone when you access any online application requiring your OHIO email and password. This way, if your password is compromised, you’ll be alerted if someone is trying to log in as you. All students are required to enroll in multi-factor authentication to protect sensitive information from security threats.

Updating Personal Information

You must report any changes in your personal data to the Office of the University Registrar. This includes changes in legal name, Social Security number, and birth date. Requests for changes/corrections in name, Social Security number, or birth date must be accompanied by documentation verifying the correct information as required by the registrar’s office. These requests should be sent to Registrar Services, first floor, Chubb Hall, Athens, OH 45701 or fax to: 740.593.0216.

Preferred name and pronoun(s) may be reported and updated online by accessing MyOHIO Student Center. Your preferred name will be used in lieu of your legal name wherever the legal name is not required. For example, your preferred name will be used in the learning management system, on faculty class rosters, on DARS, on advisee lists, and in the online directory. For more information, please visit www.ohio.edu/registrar/preferred-names-faq. Your pronoun(s) may be reported so others do not need to make assumptions about your gender identity.

Address, telephone number, cell phone number, and emergency contact information can be updated online by accessing MyOHIO Student Center. NOTE: International students in F–1 or J–1 status are required to use MyOHIO Student Center to update their addresses with Ohio University to meet immigration reporting requirements. Please note that, as a student, if you provide the University with a cell phone number (public or private) and you are an Athens campus student, you will be subscribed automatically to the emergency communication system. If you are a regional campus student, please check with your regional campus student services office about emergency communications.

Effective Fall Semester 2023-24: If you are not living in University housing, you are required to update or confirm your current living address each semester. You will be prompted to update or confirm this address in advance of each semester and you are expected to keep this address current if you move during the semester. For more information, please see official University Policy 12.022 Student Address.

Effective Fall Semester 2023-24: All students are required to confirm or update their emergency contact(s) name and phone number each semester. You will be prompted to update or confirm this information in advance of each semester. You may update it at any time. For more information, please see official University Policy 12.023 Student Emergency Contact Information.

Enrollment Information

Course credit earned at Ohio University is designated in semester hours. Normally a semester credit hour will be awarded for a minimum of 750 minutes of formalized instruction that typically requires students to work on out-of-class assignments an average of twice the amount of time as the amount of formalized instruction (1,500 minutes). It is acknowledged that formalized instruction may take place in a variety of modes. One hour of credit shall be awarded for a total of 1,500 minutes laboratory instructional time.

Student Standing (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior)

Your student standing—or year in college—is determined by your total number of semester hours earned. Freshmen have completed 0 to 29.9 hours; sophomores, 30 to 59.9; juniors, 60 to 89.9; and seniors, 90 or more.

Student Enrollment Status

Student enrollment status for undergraduate students is defined as follows:

Course Load

As an undergraduate student, you will usually carry a course load of 15–20 semester hours, even if you are on academic probation. For tuition purposes, a course load of 12–20 semester hours is assessed full-time comprehensive fees by the University. If you receive financial aid, veterans educational benefits, or are a student athlete, you must carry a minimum of 12 semester hours to be considered eligible. If you are an international student in F–1 or J–1 status, you must enroll for a minimum of 12 semester credit hours to meet immigration reporting requirements. For most scholarships, you must enroll for and earn a minimum of 15 semester hours. Note that completing 15 hours per semester for two semesters per year for four years makes a total of 120 semester hours—the minimum total required for a baccalaureate degree from Ohio University.

If you register for fewer than 12 semester credit hours, you will be assessed part–time fees for the semester. If you register for more than 20 hours, you will be charged an additional fee for each hour over 20. The registration system will warn you if you attempt to register for a course that causes the total academic hours to exceed the maximum. You must receive permission from your college student services office or regional campus student services office to register for more than 20 academic hours in a semester. If you are granted permission to exceed the maximum hours, this will be communicated to Registrar Services for processing and final enrollment in the course(s). Please note that if you withdraw from a class after the first two weeks of the semester the course remains on your academic record with a withdrawn grade and you are responsible for paying for it.

Veterans Educational Benefits. If you are an undergraduate student planning to receive veterans education assistance, you must register for at least 12 semester hours for full benefits to be awarded. For more information about veterans benefits, contact:

The Brigadier General James M. Abraham—Colonel Arlene F. Greenfield Veterans and Military Student Services Center
Baker University Center, Suite 350
740.566.VETS (8387)
veteranscenter@ohio.edu

Student Athletes—Maintaining Eligibility. As a student athlete, after your first academic year in residence or after one season of eligibility in a sport, eligibility for competition shall be determined by your academic record in existence at the beginning of the fall semester or at the beginning of any other regular term of that academic year. Eligibility is based on satisfactory completion of at least 24 semester hours of academic credit prior to the start of the athlete’s second year of collegiate enrollment (by the beginning of the third semester). Only six hours may be taken in the summer to satisfy the 24 hour rule. You must earn a minimum of 18 semester hours during all subsequent years of enrollment and hours earned in a summer semester cannot be used to fulfill the 18-hour requirement. Additionally, six semester hours of academic credit must be earned the preceding regular academic semester for which you were enrolled full-time at any collegiate institution.

You must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours to be eligible for practice or competition. Additionally, students entering their second year of enrollment must maintain a minimum accumulative grade point average of 1.8, students entering their third year of enrollment must maintain a minimum accumulative grade point average of 1.9, and students entering their fourth or subsequent year of enrollment must maintain a minimum accumulative grade point average of 2.0 to be eligible for competition.

You must declare a major by the beginning of your third academic year and have completed at least 40 percent of the specific degree program requirements. By the beginning of your fourth year, 60 percent, and by the beginning of your fifth year, 80 percent of the specific degree program requirements must be met.

Declaring a Major

You may declare a major when you apply as a freshman or transfer student by selecting the program on the application form. If you are undecided about a major, you may enroll as an undecided major in University College or another college.

Some programs of study have more selective admission requirements than those set by the University in general, and admission to the University does not grant automatic admission into those programs. Consult the college in which the major is offered or the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for further information on limited or selective admission policies for freshman or transfer students.

Change of College or Program

If you are in an undecided major and wish to declare a major, or if you would like to change your major program, contact the college in which the major program is offered to see if you meet the entry requirements and discuss your plans with a staff person.

Sometimes a change in major program will necessitate changing to another college (e.g., from Arts and Sciences to Fine Arts). You must make application for an update of program in the student services office of the college to which you would like to be admitted. The change must be processed through the student services office by the final Friday before the last day of classes for a semester (the specific date is published in the Official Academic Calendar ), or you will remain enrolled in the initial college for that semester. You must fulfill degree requirements of the college into which you change. Please note the following:

Double Majors and Dual-Degrees

Students choose a double major or dual (second) degree for a variety of reasons including personal interest in the subject matter, development of knowledge and skills required for further education or for a career, or preparation for graduate or professional school. Talk to your assigned advisor about the feasibility of pursuing a double major or dual degree and to discuss specific requirements.

You may pursue multiple programs simultaneously in one or more colleges. Pursuing multiple majors that lead toward the same degree within the same college is a double (or triple) major. For example, completing a major in accounting and a major in marketing will result in a single degree, the Bachelor of Business Administration. Completing a major in accounting and a major in mathematics (two majors in two colleges) results in two degrees, the Bachelor of Business Administration and the Bachelor of Science and is an example of dual-degrees.

  1. To complete requirements for two baccalaureate degrees, you must meet the requirements for both degrees and must complete a total of 135 semester hours of college work, with a minimum of 45 semester hours 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 all of the degree requirements, including the residence requirement, of each major.
  2. If you have met the requirements for two degrees, as stated above, and want to have the degrees conferred in successive semesters, you may do so without further credit or residence. For example, one degree may be conferred at the end of one semester and application made for the second degree in a subsequent semester. Alternately, you may have both degrees conferred in the same semester. One diploma is provided for each degree earned.

To declare a second major or dual-degree, contact the college in which the major program is offered to see if you meet the entry requirements and to discuss your plans with a staff person.

Declaring a Minor or Certificate

You may declare a minor or certificate by contacting your college or regional campus student services office. Minors are available to any student pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Ohio University. Certificates are available to students pursuing either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree at Ohio University. Each minor requires a minimum of 15 semester hours and each certificate requires a minimum of 12 semester hours. The detailed requirements for minors and certificates are included in this catalog.

Changing Your Class Schedule After Classes Begin

Note the terminology used in explanations of the deadlines that follow:

Semester: any semester, including the 14–week summer semester

Session: any seven–week summer session

In the case of flexibly scheduled classes (classes that meet for fewer days than a semester or session), the deadlines are prorated. Deadlines to add, drop, and withdraw from individual classes are published in Course Offerings and students may find these deadlines in MyOHIO Student Center by clicking the calendar icon. Contact Registrar Services, first floor, Chubb Hall, 740.593.4495 , or registration@ohio.edu for additional information about deadline dates.

You may add a class, drop a class, or correct your registration by accessing MyOHIO Student Center before the semester or session begins. However, adding certain classes after classes begin requires permission from the instructor and is prohibited after the Friday of the second week of the semester. Dropping any class after the Friday of the tenth week of the 14-week semester or the last instructional day of the fifth week of the seven-week summer session is prohibited except by petition through your college’s student services office. (See “Drops” below.) International students in F–1 or J–1 status considering changes to their class schedules that result in less-than-full-time enrollment (12 credits) must see an advisor in International Student and Scholar Services before processing the changes.

Adds. You may add a class via MyOHIO Student Center only through the Friday of the first week of the semester or session. However, please note that departments or individual instructors may close registration for their classes prior to Friday of the first week of the semester. After the Friday of the first week and through Friday of the second week of the semester, you may add a class only with instructor permission. If a student is trying to register for a class and is not able to get into it via the MyOHIO Student Center, they might be able to request permission to get into the class. Generally, they must first attempt to register for the class before requesting permission, after which time they will see a “Request Permission” link. After the student completes the request, the instructor is notified to approve or deny the request. If approved, the student will be notified to finish enrolling using the MyOHIO Student Center. The entire process is online. The process will not bypass waitlists, holds, enrollment appointment times, or other restrictions. You may add a class for which you have not met the requisite only by receiving the instructor’s permission to take the class. More information is available at www.ohio.edu/registrar/class-permission.

After the Friday of the second week of the semester (Friday of the first week of the session), your schedule becomes official. Your final tuition charges are based on your enrollment as of the deadline.

Drops. You may use MyOHIO Student Center to drop any class except your last class (see “Canceling Registration or Withdrawing from the University” below) through the Friday of the second week of the 14-week semester or the Friday of the first week of the session. Classes dropped will not appear on the student’s academic record.

If you drop hours through the Friday of the second week of a semester (Friday of the first week of a session), you are entitled to a 100 percent refund of the reduction if the change results in a reduction of registration fees, provided you are not dropping all hours (see “Canceling Registration or Withdrawing from the University” below). Changes made after the deadlines will result in no refund. If you are receiving financial aid, a change in enrollment status might result in your having to repay programs from which you received aid. (See Refund of Fees in the Fees section for more information.)

Withdraws. You may use MyOHIO Student Center to withdraw from any class except your last class (see “Canceling Registration or Withdrawing from the University” below) after the Friday of the second week of the semester (Friday of the first week of a session) and through the Friday of the tenth week of the semester (last instructional day of the fifth week of the session). However, the classes remain on your academic records with grades of WP (Withdrawn Passing), WF (Withdrawn Failing), or WN (Withdrawn Never Attended), and they continue to be used in the calculation of tuition and fees. WP, WF, or WN grades do not affect the student’s grade point average.

After the Friday of the second week of the semester (Friday of the first week of a session), your schedule becomes official. Your final tuition charges are based on your enrollment as of the deadline. If you withdraw from the University or reduce your course load after the deadline, you must still pay the full tuition fees, and your classes will remain on your academic record with WP, WF, or WN grades.

Dropping or withdrawing from a class is prohibited after these deadlines, but under very exceptional circumstances, you may petition your college in writing to make an exception. Your reason must be substantial. Fear of earning a low grade in the class is not considered to be an exceptional circumstance.

Only in extreme instances, in which circumstances beyond your control make you unable to have your registration in order by the end of the Friday of the second week (or Friday of the first week) of the semester/session deadline, will the University consider making an exception to this policy. Even then, such decisions are made by a review panel and require that formal documentation, such as a doctor’s statement, be submitted to the Tuition Appeal Review Panel. The student services office in your college or regional campus can help you present an appeal to the review panel.

Canceling Registration or Withdrawing from the University (Dropping All Classes)

Cancellation Before Classes Have Begun. Cancellation of registration is defined as dropping all classes before the first day of classes. This is determined by the earliest start date of any of your classes taken during the session/semester. This includes all classes for which you are registered on all (one or more) campuses. You may cancel your registration by accessing MyOHIO Student Center, or you may call or visit the registrar’s office or the student services office of your college or regional campus to request a cancellation of your registration. An adjustment of your tuition and fees is made according to the schedule in the “Refund of Fees” section. Canceling registration for a semester does not prevent a student from registering for a future semester. International students in F–1 or J–1 status must see an advisor in International Student and Scholar Services before canceling their registration or withdrawing from the University.

Withdrawing After Classes Have Begun. Withdrawing from the University is defined as dropping all classes on or after the earliest start date of any of your classes, and no later than the day before the last day of classes, as determined by the earliest end date of any of your classes, for the semester or session. Note: this includes all regular Ohio University classes for which a student is registered for a given semester, whether on one campus or more than one. This does not prevent a student from registering for a future semester. Withdrawal is not permitted on or after the last day of classes. You cannot withdraw from the University using MyOHIO Student Center. You should contact your college or regional campus student services office to request to withdraw. When the request has been approved by the college or regional campus student services office, you may receive an email to finalize your withdrawal. Once you finalize your withdrawal it will be processed by the Office of the University Registrar, which updates your academic records to reflect the withdrawal. International students in F–1 or J–1 status must see an advisor in International Student and Scholar Services before canceling their registration or withdrawing from the University.

Withdrawal between the first day of classes and the Friday of the second week of the semester (Friday of the first week of a session) results in an 80 percent tuition and fees reduction.

Medical Withdrawal. A withdrawal for medical reasons may result in a registration hold being placed on your records, and, if a hold is placed, to re-enroll you will have to request clearance from the Dean of Students. When the clearance is approved, the hold will be released.

Multiple Consecutive Withdrawals. Two or more consecutive withdrawals may be cause for placement of a registration hold on your record by the registrar or your academic dean. A petition to release this hold would be considered by your academic dean.

Military and Military-Affiliated Students Affected by Deployment or Permanent Change of Station (PCS). When a student, or the parent, spouse, or partner of a student is called to active military duty, or receives a short-notice PCS assignment, it often is not possible for the military or military-affiliated student to have anticipated the effect this has on their enrollment status. Therefore, faculty and staff are encouraged to be as flexible as possible with the students who wish to make arrangements to complete coursework for credit. Please see Policy 12.060 for available options.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees will automatically adjust when the class schedule is adjusted. Tuition and fees will not reduce for classes dropped after the stated drop deadline (refer to the Academic Calendar for drop deadlines or the academic calendar for each class in MyOHIO Student Center).

Your change in enrollment status might affect financial aid eligibility. (See the Fees and Financial Aid sections for further information.)

Tuition Appeals. A student who withdraws during the semester may be eligible and petition for a tuition adjustment, if exceptional circumstances exist. You should consult with the student services office of your college or regional campus to determine, if you may be eligible for a tuition adjustment. To request an adjustment, you must complete a Tuition Appeal form and, in the case of a withdrawal for medical reasons, have your physician or other service provider complete the Medical Documentation form. A tuition/fee adjustment, if approved, will be based on the information you submitted with the Tuition Appeal form and your class attendance record.

Completed tuition appeals and, if applicable, medical documentation forms should be submitted to the student services office of your college or regional campus. Additional information and forms required for the tuition appeal are available online at www.ohio.edu/provost/apfap/appeals-tuition.

Class Attendance Policy

The weight given to class attendance in determining your grade is an academic matter; therefore, all instructors are responsible for their own attendance policies. Although your instructor will state specific attendance requirements during the first week of classes each semester, the University does expect you to attend and participate in classes regularly.

Excused Absences. Although instructors’ policies govern how excused absences will be handled in their classes, certain absences are considered legitimate by the University. These include illness, death in the immediate family, religious observance, jury duty, and involvement in University-sponsored activities. Students returning to a class after a legitimate absence can expect their instructor’s assistance within the limits of the instructor’s established attendance policy.

If you are returning to classes after a legitimate absence, you can expect your instructors’ assistance within the limits of their established attendance policies. In cases of legitimate absencessuch as illness, death in the immediate family, religious observance, jury duty, involvement in University-sponsored activitiessome accommodation (e.g., makeup work, excused absences, change of grade computation) will be arranged subject to previously announced limitations. There are occasions where the size or nature of the course makes it necessary to set limits on the number of excused absences or the availability of makeup work, particularly for exams or special events such as field trips or outside speakers. Such limitations will be explained in the instructor’s statement of attendance policy at the beginning of each course.

If you are involved in scheduled activities that might conflict with your class schedule, check with your instructor as early as possible to clarify that there will be no conflict with the policy.

You may document reasons for your absence as follows:

If your grade has been affected by a legitimate absence or absences that your instructor does not excuse, you may appeal through the normal grade appeal process (first through the instructor, then the department chair or school director, and then the dean of your college). If satisfaction is not achieved through this process, the dean may appoint a faculty committee of five members, including the chair or director of the department or school in question, to consider your case and render a decision. The decision of this committee is not subject to further appeal.

Dropping Nonattending Students. If you miss the first two meetings of a class where the meetings are fewer than 80 minutes or the first meeting of a class where the meeting is 80 minutes or longer, the instructor has the option of not admitting you to the class, whether or not you are registered for it. If you miss the first two meetings (or first meeting if 80 minutes or longer), check with your instructor to verify your status in the class. If you have not been admitted, you will need to drop the class through MyOHIO Student Center. Note: If the instructor does not admit you to the class, you must drop the class from your schedule through MyOHIO Student Center. Otherwise, you will receive an FN (failure never attended), or an FS (failure stopped attending) for the class at the end of the semester. FN and FS grades count in your GPA the same as F grades (0.0 grade points).

Ohio University Policy 40.003 Interim Reasonable Accommodations of Sincerely Held Religious Beliefs and Practices. You may be absent for up to three days each academic semester to take holidays for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system or participate in organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or other religious or spiritual organization. There shall be no academic penalty as a result of a student being absent as permitted in this policy. You shall be provided with alternative accommodations with regard to examinations and other academic requirements missed due to an absence of faith or religious or spiritual belief system, if both of the following apply:

  1. Your sincerely held religious belief or practice severely affects the your ability to take an examination or meet an academic requirement.
  2. You provide the instructor with written notice of the specific dates for which the you require alternative accommodations not later than fourteen days after the first day of instruction in a particular course.

The instructor shall accept without question the sincerity of your religious or spiritual belief system. An instructor shall keep requests for alternative accommodations confidential. An instructor shall schedule a time and date for an alternative examination, which may be before or after the time and date the examination or other academic requirement was originally scheduled but shall do so without prejudicial effect. Instructors are required to include in each course syllabus a statement regarding this policy, including the general procedure for requesting accommodations. Students may notify Equity and Civil Rights Compliance of any grievance with regard to the implementation of this Policy 40.003.

Auditing

You may register to audit classes, which allows you to preview or review courses without receiving a grade or semester hours. Classes taken for audit count in calculating tuition, but they do not carry credit or count toward financial aid eligibility. Audited courses will appear on your official transcript but will not affect your GPA or semester hours earned. Audited courses will not count toward any graduation requirements.

Your instructor may set up specific requirements for auditing the class, and if you do not meet the requirements, you may be removed from the class at your instructor’s discretion with a grade of WP, WF, or WN. Be sure to discuss your auditing status with your instructor at the first class meeting.

A student interested in taking a class under the audit grading option should register for the class, then contact the student services office in their college or regional campus student services office (by the Friday of the second week of the semester) to request that a course be taken for audit. A regular grade course may NOT be changed to audit option and audit course may NOT be changed to regular grade option after the Friday of the second week of the semester (Friday of the first week of summer session).

Senior Citizens 60–Plus Program

Ohio State Law (Section 3345.27 of the Ohio Revised Code—House Bill 147—effective March 30, 1999) permits the qualifying student to attend any state college or university without paying “tuition or matriculation” fees. (Course fees, technology fees, laboratory fees, etc., are the responsibility of the student and will not be waived.) This program is available for regular classroom and online undergraduate courses offered on the Athens and regional campuses, and only if space is available in the class. Registration will be processed only after priority registration for other students is completed. “Qualifying student” is defined as “any person who is 60 years of age or older and who has resided in the state for at least one year.” Under this provision, the student has two options:

Option A—Noncredit. The qualifying student who wishes to participate in classes, but not for credit, asks permission of the instructor to sit in on the class. The student should complete the Sixty Plus Program form, obtain appropriate signature(s), and return the form to the Office of the University Registrar or regional campus student services office with proof of age and Ohio residency.

Option B—For Credit. The Option B procedures are for the qualifying student who wishes to earn credit for the tuition-free courses. The academic load under this arrangement for a given term must be less than full time. In addition to being a “qualified student” as described above, the student’s family income must be “less than two hundred percent of the federal poverty guideline, as revised annually by the United States secretary of health and human services in accordance with Section 673 of the ‘Community Services Block Grant Act,’ 95 Stat. 511 (1981) 42 U.S.C.A. 9902, as amended, for a family size equal to the size of the family of the person whose income is being determined.” The student should complete the Sixty Plus Program form and follow the instructions for processing as described on the form.

Sixty Plus Program forms can be obtained at Registrar Services, 1st floor, Chubb Hall or online at www.ohio.edu/registrar/forms.

Visiting

You must be a registered student or approved under the Sixty Plus Program to attend classes at Ohio University. If you are a full–time student, you also have the privilege of visiting classes for which you have not registered specifically, if you obtain the instructor’s permission ahead of time.

Classroom Privacy

Observation and evaluation of any classroom (including online) by any observer or evaluator requires prior notification and mutual agreement of the class instructor and the observer or evaluator, and notification to all students in the class. Recording of classroom activities by any electronic means, by students, other faculty, University administrators, or others, requires permission of the instructor. All students in a class must be informed, if permission has been given for a class to be recorded.

Taking Graduate–Level Courses

As an undergraduate student, you are not eligible to take graduate courses (courses numbered 5000 or above) for credit unless you participate in one of the following programs:

Honors Tutorial College (HTC). Students in HTC may complete graduate courses for credit. Graduate courses (courses numbered 5000 or above) will automatically become part of their undergraduate records (transcripts and DARS reports). If the HTC student wants the graduate course(s) to become part of his/her graduate record, he or she must contact the HTC to complete the appropriate application form. This paperwork should be completed prior to the semester in which graduate credit is sought.

OHIO Honors. Students in the OHIO Honors program may take a maximum of three graduate courses during their junior and senior years (i.e., after earning 60 or more semester hours of undergraduate credit). Hours earned in these courses will count toward total hours required for the undergraduate degree only; the grades will be calculated into the undergraduate GPA. Registration in graduate courses requires permission from the instructor. Participation in this option is at the discretion of the department or school. Qualified students can be registered by obtaining permission from the Director of OHIO Honors or his or her designee and submitting the approval form to the registrar’s office for processing.

Departmental Honors. Students in a recognized departmental honors program may take a maximum of three graduate courses in their major departments/schools during their senior years (i.e., after earning 90 or more semester hours of undergraduate credit). Hours earned in these courses will count toward total hours required for the undergraduate degree only; the grades will be calculated into the undergraduate GPA. Registration in graduate courses requires written permission from the instructor. Participation in this option is at the discretion of the department or school. Students process this special registration by obtaining permission from the departmental honors coordinator and submitting the approval form to the registrar’s office for processing.

Graduate Credit for Seniors. If you are an Ohio University student, or a well–qualified senior attending another university, and within six hours of completing all requirements for a bachelor’s degree, you might be eligible for graduate study as a senior. You must have an overall GPA of at least 2.5 and obtain written permission from the graduate chair of each department/school offering the graduate courses and from your college student services office. Permission to take such courses does not constitute admission to a graduate degree program. If you are admitted as a senior for graduate credit, you will pay undergraduate fees and will not be eligible for graduate assistant or graduate scholarship support. Generally, no more than two graduate courses may be taken in this way, and graduate courses will not fulfill any undergraduate requirements. The graduate credit becomes part of your graduate record only; it does not affect your undergraduate course requirements, hours earned, or GPA.

The Senior for Graduate Credit application should be completed and submitted to the Graduate College prior to the start of the semester for which that status is sought.

Request this option through the Graduate College, 102 Grosvenor, before registering.

Early Admission to a Graduate Program. Based on superior undergraduate performance, you may qualify for early admission to a graduate degree program. You must have an overall GPA of at least 3.5 and must have completed all undergraduate requirements, except the total credit hour requirements, by the time you enter the graduate degree program. You also must obtain permission from your department/school, the department’s/school’s graduate committee, and the student services office of your undergraduate college. Once admitted, you may enroll in graduate classes for graduate credit. These classes can be used to satisfy both graduate degree requirements and undergraduate total credit hour requirements, but the hours and grades are part of your graduate record only. Apply through the Graduate College, 102 Grosvenor, before registering. If you qualify, you pay graduate fees only and are eligible for graduate assistant or scholarship support.

Students in the Honors Tutorial College also must complete the HTC Combined Degrees form as part of the application for early admission.

Accelerated Graduate Pathways (AGPs). Some exceptionally well-qualified undergraduate students may obtain conditional admission to a graduate program and begin graduate coursework during their undergraduate careers through an Accelerated Graduate Pathway. Each Accelerated Pathway maps a relationship between one or more undergraduate programs of study and a graduate program. In some cases, graduate course credit may be applied to both graduate and undergraduate requirements.

ADMISSION. Students must have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours to be conditionally admitted into a graduate program through an Accelerated Graduate Pathway. A minimum of 75 undergraduate credit hours must be completed before graduate courses may be taken for graduate credit. Individual graduate programs may require a higher minimum number of hours before admission and/or the commencement of graduate coursework.

A minimum accumulative GPA of 3.2, or a minimum accumulative GPA of 3.0 with at least a 3.5 GPA on the most recent 30 hours of coursework, is required for conditional admission to a graduate program through an Accelerated Graduate Pathway. Individual programs may set higher admissions standards.

Each graduate program defines its own additional admission criteria and processes for students applying through an Accelerated Graduate Pathway.

Removal or voluntary withdrawal from an AGP does not prevent a student from applying to begin the graduate program after receiving the bachelor’s degree. Final admission to the graduate program after the bachelor’s degree is conferred is subject to all university-wide policies for graduate admissions. For more information about these policies, see the Graduate Catalog.

EARNING GRADUATE CREDIT. To receive graduate credit for graduate courses taken before completing the bachelor’s degree, students must qualify in at least one of the following ways: meet the criteria for Senior for Graduate Credit; obtain Early Admission to a graduate program; be accepted into an approved program’s Accelerated Graduate Pathway; or be enrolled as a student in the Honors Tutorial College. (HTC students must request graduate credit prior to registering for their graduate courses; otherwise, the graduate courses will be part of their undergraduate record and GPA only). Students who wish to begin taking graduate courses through an AGP must first sign an Advising & Risk Acknowledgement Form. This form certifies that the student understands that taking graduate courses for credit will result in a permanent graduate transcript and that graduate classes will not affect eligibility for the Dean’s List, Graduation with Latin Honors, or undergraduate probation status. It also certifies that the student is responsible for any impact on financial aid eligibility as a result of their course enrollment.

Courses taken for undergraduate credit and courses taken for graduate credit require separate registration processes. The AGP will identify which courses are eligible for graduate credit before completion of the bachelor’s degree. Students with conditional admission to a graduate program through AGP may register for these courses with the permission of the instructor and their AGP advisor.

Students may not earn more than 16 hours of graduate credit prior to the conferral of the bachelor’s degree. This limitation does not apply to HTC students.

DUAL UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE CREDIT. AGPs may allow specific courses taken for graduate credit to also count toward specific undergraduate requirements, including 1) specific undergraduate course requirements; 2) elective hours in the major or college program of study; or 3) the 120-hour minimum university graduation requirement. A maximum of 9 graduate credit hours may be applied to undergraduate degree requirements of any kind.

Only courses listed in the student’s AGP may satisfy requirements for the bachelor’s degree, and these courses apply only to the undergraduate program of study specified in the AGP. If a student changes undergraduate programs to one that is not part of the AGP, it is possible that the graduate courses will count only toward the 120-hour university minimum hours required.

Graduate (5000-level) sections of dual-listed 4000/5000-level classes taken for graduate credit will always appear on undergraduate DARS as a substitute for the 4000-level equivalent. Only the first 9 hours of graduate credit may count toward degree requirements, however.

Graduate credits also satisfying undergraduate requirements will not affect the undergraduate GPA. However, if the undergraduate degree program requires a minimum course grade to satisfy a degree requirement (e.g., B- or better), that minimum applies to graduate courses as well as undergraduate ones.

STANDARDS OF WORK. Undergraduate students earning graduate credit through an AGP must maintain an accumulative GPA of 3.0 in both their undergraduate and graduate coursework. If either the graduate or undergraduate GPA drops below a 3.0, conditional admission to the graduate program will be rescinded and the student will no longer be eligible to earn graduate credit through the AGP. The minimum accumulative graduate GPA applies to any number of attempted credit hours.

(Normal graduate academic probation generally does not apply until a student has attempted 9 hours of graduate courses.)

No course with a grade below C (2.0) may be used to satisfy any graduate degree or certificate requirement. Individual graduate programs, schools, departments, or academic colleges may establish more rigorous standards. Repeating a graduate-level course or taking it again will not remove or replace a grade from a previous attempt.

ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS. Students in an AGP are expected to make timely progress toward degree completion. Conditional graduate admission will be rescinded for undergraduate students who fail to earn credit or a PR grade in OHIO courses for three consecutive semesters (including summer). Individual graduate programs, schools, departments, or academic colleges may establish more rigorous standards for continuous enrollment before the completion of the bachelor’s degree (e.g., enrollment each fall and spring).

Students conditionally admitted to a graduate program through an AGP are normally expected to matriculate and enroll in the graduate program after the bachelor’s degree is conferred with the next available admit term (i.e., when students would normally begin the program following regular post-bachelor’s admission). To maintain their admission, they may defer enrollment only with the permission of the graduate program.

Final Examinations

Final examinations for classes are held during a formal period at the end of the academic semester. You are required to take the examinations according to the schedule published by the Office of the University Registrar, which is available online at www.ohio.edu/registrar/final-exam-schedule.

Each final examination is scheduled for two hours. Final examinations are given in the regularly scheduled classroom unless the instructor is giving a combined sections examination. Instructors will notify students in courses having combined sections examinations of the time and location of the classroom where the examination will be given.

If a combined sections examination conflicts with a regularly scheduled examination, the instructor of the combined sections examination will schedule an alternate time with those students affected by the conflict. When a student finds a conflict between two combined sections examinations, the student will report to the instructor in charge of the first of the two as listed in the combined sections final examination schedule before the opening of the examination period. This instructor will plan a special examination for the student. If a student has an additional conflict, the student will report to the instructor in charge of the second of the two courses as listed in the combined sections final examination schedule. The instructor will arrange for an examination in this course at another time during the examination period.

Students will not be required to sit for more than three final examinations in one day. Should a student be scheduled for more than three examinations in one day, the student may seek relief from the instructor with the examination scheduled latest in the day. This process must be initiated and completed by the 13th week of the semester. The instructor will provide an examination for the student at a mutually agreed on time during the examination week.

The final examination for departmental honors work must be taken before the opening of the regular examination period. Consult your departmental honors program coordinator for more information.

Transfer Credit

Institutional Transfer

Institutional Transfer. While all public colleges and universities are required to follow the Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy, independent colleges and universities in Ohio may or may not participate in the Transfer Policy; therefore, students interested in transferring to independent institutions are encouraged to check with the college or university of their choice regarding transfer agreements.

Conditions for Transfer Admission. Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy dictates that graduates with associate degrees from Ohio’s public institutions of higher education and a completed, approved Ohio Transfer 36 module of general education requirements shall be admitted to a public institution of higher education in Ohio, provided their cumulative grade-point average is at least 2.0 for all previous college-level courses.

Further, these students shall have admission priority over graduates with an out-of-state associate degree and other transfer students with transferable and/or articulated college credit.

The Policy further clarifies that:

  1. Associate degree holders who have not completed the Ohio Transfer 36 from an Ohio public institution of higher education will be eligible for preferential consideration for admission as transfer students as long as the institution’s admission criteria, such as the minimum academic standards, space availability, adherence to deadlines, and payment of fees, are fairly and equally applied to all undergraduate students.
  2. In order to encourage completion of the baccalaureate degree, students who are not enrolled in or who have not earned an Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degree but have earned 60 semester or 90 quarter hours or more of credit toward a baccalaureate degree with a cumulative grade-point average of at least a 2.0 for all previous college-level courses will be eligible for preferential consideration for admission as transfer students as long as the institution’s admission criteria, such as the minimum academic standards, space availability, adherence to deadlines, and payment of fees, are fairly and equally applied to all undergraduate students.
  3. Students who have not earned an associate degree or who have not earned 60 semester or 90 quarter hours of credit with a grade-point average of at least a 2.0 for all previous college-level courses will be eligible for admission as transfer students on a competitive basis.
  4. Incoming transfer students admitted to Ohio University shall compete for admission to selective programs, majors, and units on an equal basis with native students.

Admission to Ohio University, however, does not guarantee a transfer student admission to all majors, minors, or fields of concentration.

Once admitted, transfer students shall be subject to the same regulations governing applicability of catalog requirements as native students. Furthermore, transfer students shall be accorded the same class standing and other privileges as native students based on the number of credits earned. Transfer students must complete all residency requirements.

Transfer Probation. Applicants whose cumulative GPA on coursework completed at other postsecondary institutions is below 2.0 can, in some cases, be considered for admission to an Ohio University campus under “Transfer Probation” status.

A transfer student must provide all required documentation for admission, including official transcripts from all previous postsecondary institutions attended, to the Ohio University official responsible for approving transfer probation admission before receiving a decision. Applicants who qualify will not be permitted to register or enroll for classes at Ohio University until all transcripts have been submitted. Applicants cannot be considered for transfer probation status while currently enrolled at another institution.

Final approval for admission is granted by University College. Successful transfer probation applicants will be admitted as an undecided major in University College.

Applicants with 40 or fewer transfer deficiency points can be considered for transfer probation admission if they meet either condition 1, 2, or 3 as specified below:

  1. They have never been dismissed from a postsecondary institution;
  2. They have been dismissed from a postsecondary institution only once and at least 12 months have elapsed since that dismissal; or
  3. They have been dismissed more than once from any postsecondary institution and at least 24 months have elapsed since the last dismissal.

If an applicant with more than 40 transfer deficiency points has not attended a postsecondary institution for at least four years, he or she can be considered for admission under “Transfer Probation Fresh Start” on a case-by-case basis by regional campus admissions offices, Undergraduate Admissions, and University College.

A combined 2.0 cumulative GPA must be earned on all courses attempted at Ohio University and all other postsecondary institutions previously attended to move from non-degree transfer probation to regular degree-seeking status.

To be admitted to a regular degree program, students must meet the college and major admission standards for their intended major. Transfer courses successfully completed in accordance with the Ohio Department of Higher Education Transfer and Articulation Policy, for which accredited college-level credit is awarded, will be added to the student’s Ohio University transcript once final admit status is approved. Transfer probation students who do not earn at least a 2.0 GPA each semester while on transfer probation status will be dismissed from the University for a period of at least four years.

Transfer probation students can be dismissed after their first semester at Ohio University if the semester GPA is below 2.0. If dismissed, transfer probation students can be reinstated only if they either have their record adjusted such that it removes the basis for the dismissal decision, or they successfully petition the dean of University College for readmission. Petitions are likely to be successful only under extraordinary circumstances. Students admitted initially under transfer probation must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA on all Ohio University and previous transfer coursework to be eligible to graduate from Ohio University. Transfer probation students must meet all University, college, and major requirements for graduation, including residency requirements.

Options for Receiving Credit

Several methods of receiving Ohio University credit for work previously completed or for general knowledge and experience are available. For further information on any of the following, visit the Transfer Your Credits web page or contact:

University Examiner
Chubb Hall 120
1 Ohio University Drive
Athens OH 45701–2979
740.593.4100

Advanced Placement (AP). The State of Ohio, working with public institutions of higher education, has initiated policies to facilitate the ease of transition from high school to college as well as between and among Ohio’s public colleges and universities. State policy includes:

  1. Students obtaining an Advanced Placement (AP) exam score of 3 or above will be awarded the aligned course(s) and credits for the AP exam area(s) successfully completed.
  2. General Education courses and credits received will be applied toward graduation and will satisfy a General Education requirement if the course(s) to which the AP area is equivalent fulfill a requirement.
  3. If an equivalent course is not available for the AP exam area completed, elective or area credit will be awarded in the appropriate academic discipline and will be applied towards graduation where such elective credit options exist within the academic major.
  4. Additional courses or credits may be available when a score of 4 or 5 is obtained. Award of credit for higher score values varies depending on the institution and academic discipline.
  5. In academic disciplines containing highly dependent sequences (sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics—STEM) students are strongly advised to confer with the college/university advising staff to ensure they have the appropriate foundation to be successful in advanced coursework within the sequence.

Scores must be sent directly from the College Board to Undergraduate Admissions.

Detailed information about the AP program is available from high school guidance offices or by contacting the College Board, Box 593, Princeton, NJ 08540.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP). The Ohio Department of Higher Education in collaboration with public institutions of higher education has established policy that guarantees college level credit for students who achieve qualifying CLEP exam scores.

Ohio University will allow credit for satisfactory performance on the CLEP subject matter examinations, provided you take the examinations before you formally enroll in the University. Credit will not be awarded for CLEP exams taken after your enrollment in the University. The University does not award credit for scores achieved on the CLEP general examinations. Policies on credit for test scores are subject to change; check with Undergraduate Admissions for current information.

Detailed information about the CLEP program is available from high school guidance offices or by contacting the College Board, Box 593, Princeton, NJ 08540 or the College Board website.

International Baccalaureate (IB). The State of Ohio has developed a policy granting course credit to a student who has successfully completed an International Baccalaureate diploma program. Ohio University will award up to 9 semester hours of credit for each IB higher level examination graded 5 or above. Credit is not awarded for subsidiary examinations. An official transcript of results received is required for credit consideration. For further information, contact Undergraduate Admissions.

Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Level (A-Level). Students who have successfully completed Advanced Subsidiary or Advanced Levels (A-Levels) in a British-based curriculum may receive credit based on their exam results. Ohio University considers awarding up to eight semester hours of credit for each A-level examination with a grade of D or higher. Up to four semester hours of credit may be considered for Advanced Subsidiary exams on a course-by-course basis. An official score report and copy of the exam syllabi are required to consider credit transfer.

Project Lead the Way (PLTW). Ohio University will grant college-level credit for secondary school students from certified Project Lead the Way (PLTW) schools who satisfy the necessary requirements. For further information, contact Undergraduate Admissions.

Excelsior College Examinations (ECE). Ohio University will award credit for nursing-based Excelsior College Examinations (ECE) where a grade of C or above is earned. In order to receive credit the student must be enrolled in one of OHIO’s degree-seeking nursing programs. The credit awarded is based on recommendations made by the American Council on Education (ACE). Only ECE exams that are backed by ACE recommendations will carry transferable credit. In most cases, the equivalent coursework will be general in nature and will not satisfy specific course requirements.

Prior Learning Assessment and Course Credit by Examination. You also may be able to earn credit without attending formal classes through two opportunities offered through OHIO’s Office of Instructional Design. Prior learning assessment (also referred to as portfolio-based assessment) is designed to provide credit for college-level experience gained through employment or other experience.

You follow a specific process to compile a portfolio of learning that is reviewed by appropriate University faculty members and assigned a credit value. Course credit by examination allows you to study or review a given subject and be tested on the subject within six months of enrollment, after which a letter grade is assigned and credit is awarded based on performance on the examination. Prior learning assessment and course credit by examination may be available on request; each request is evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine if the option is appropriate to meet the student’s goals. These options are not eligible for financial aid. More information is available at the Prior Learning Assessment Program website. (See also OHIO Online information in the catalog.)

Credit for Armed Forces Courses. Some courses, training, and experience provided by the armed forces may earn college credit. Ohio University makes determinations related to credit for military service based on statewide Military Transfer Assurance Guides (see Military Transfer Assurance Guides information in the catalog) and the ACE Military Guide, published by the American Council on Education. Blanket credit is not granted for military service. Veterans who served after October 1, 1981, must submit official documentation for credit consideration: Army, Marine Corp, Navy, and Coast Guard must submit a Joint Services Transcript (JST); Air Force veterans must submit a Community College of the Air Force transcript. In some cases, education through Department of Defense (DOD) schools may not appear on an official military course transcript. In these cases, official transcript(s) from the appropriate DOD school should be submitted. Additional alignments for military experience is articulated through Military Transfer Assurance Guides (MTAGs).

State policy requires public institutions of higher education to ensure that appropriate equivalent credit is awarded for military training, experience, and coursework that meet the baseline standards and procedures according to the Ohio Revised Code.

For additional information, or for instructions for personnel who served before October 1, 1981, contact Undergraduate Admissions at 740.593.4100.

Credit for Training Programs. Some courses offered by business and professional organizations are considered the equivalent of college courses, and you may receive transfer credit, subject to department or school approval, by presenting transcripts or certificates of completion from the training program. The ACE National Guide, published by the American Council on Education, and statewide Industry-Recognized Credential Transfer Assurance Guides (see Industry-Recognized Credential Transfer Assurance Guides information in the catalog) are used to determine what credit can be granted. Contact Undergraduate Admissions for further information.

Transferring Credit from Other Colleges and Universities

Acceptance and Application of Transfer Credit. In most cases, college-level courses successfully completed at a regionally accredited institution of higher education will transfer to Ohio University, subject to review by Undergraduate Admissions in accordance with the Ohio Department of Higher Education Transfer and Articulation Policy.

Specifically, transfer credit will be accepted for successfully completed (as defined below), college-level courses from institutions of higher education that are accredited by regional accrediting commissions that have been recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. For purposes of this policy, institutions accredited by national or professional agencies that are recognized by CHEA, but not also accredited by a regional accrediting commission, will be considered non-accredited.

The sending institution will determine which courses are college-level on the basis of three standards: 1) the course is not remedial or developmental; 2) the course carries one or more credit hours; 3) the hours of the course are eligible to count toward graduation at the sending institution.

The Ohio Articulation and Transfer Network outlines the following policies for the transfer of credit among Ohio public institutions of higher education:

  1. In accordance with the Ohio Department of Higher Education Articulation and Transfer Policy, Definition of Passing Grade and Appendix E, transfer credit will be accepted for all college–level courses completed successfully in and after fall 2005 from Ohio state–assisted institutions of higher education.
  2. Students who successfully completed Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degrees prior to fall 2005 with a 2.0 or better overall grade-point average also receive credit for all college-level courses they passed.
  3. Acceptable course credit transferred without a specific grade from the sending Ohio institution—as in the case of college-level credit earned through credit by exam, for example—will be treated as a “passed” course in the transfer process.
  4. Transferred courses earned at a state-supported institution located in Ohio that do not meet statewide guarantee equivalencies, such as TAG or Transfer Module requirements, or specific programmatic requirements, or which have no equivalency at Ohio University shall transfer as free elective credit. However, some programs or degrees have limitations on the number of such courses which can be counted toward a program/degree, or there may be a limit to the fields in which these credits may be taken. In these cases, policies and procedures for the application of credit shall be equitable for native and transfer students. Ohio University does not award credit for the same course more than once. In the event that a student transfers two or more external sources of credit that equate to the same Ohio University internal course(s), the student can only receive credit for one instance of the internal course(s).

Effective summer semester 2022-23, Ohio University accepts transfer courses completed at all CHEA recognized regionally accredited institutions in which grades of D+, D, or D- are earned, regardless of when the course was completed. Prior to the summer semester 2022-23, courses taken at a private or out-of-state institution or taken from an Ohio state-assisted institution of higher education, prior to the fall of 2005, in which a D grade was earned and not applied toward an earned associate degree, was not transferable to Ohio University unless the course met the following two conditions:

  1. The course was a specific prerequisite (as stated in the previous school’s catalog) for a later course that was taken in the same department; and
  2. A grade of C- or better was earned in the later course.

Remedial courses and English courses taught in non-Anglophone countries are not transferable.

Grades in the Transfer Process. Effective summer term 2010-11, Ohio University records grades for all acceptable transfer courses with “T” preceding the grade earned on the student’s academic record and the Degree Audit Report System (DARS).

Effective fall quarter 2005-06, Ohio University accepts and applies transfer courses from Ohio public institutions in which grades of D+, D, or D- are earned and effective summer semester 2022-23, Ohio University accepts and applies transfer courses from all CHEA recognized regionally accredited institutions in which grades of a D+, D, or D- are earned, regardless of when the course was completed.

Prior to summer quarter 2010-11, these courses reflected a “TD” grade on the student’s academic record and DARS (per Ohio Department of Higher Education policy to ensure the equitable treatment of transfer students across Ohio’s public institutions of higher education). The number of hours of credit earned at each institution is recorded on the permanent record, but no grades are recorded. Transfer students, therefore, enter Ohio University with no GPA on their Ohio University academic records.

Prior to fall quarter 2005-06, D+, D, or D- grades were not transferable. However, if a student earned a D+, D, or D- in a course that was a specific prerequisite (as stated in the academic catalog of the prior school) to a course in which the student earned a grade of C- or better, then the course in which the D+, D, or D- was received was accepted for credit earned, and the “T” was recorded on DARS.

Transfer of Nontraditional Credit. Credits earned at a state-assisted institution located in Ohio through pass/fail options, credit by examination, prior learning assessment, and by other nontraditional methods will be applicable to the equivalent courses when available at Ohio University. If there are no equivalent courses and if the courses are not applicable to the statewide guarantee equivalencies, Transfer Module, General Education requirements, or specific programmatic requirements, the courses will count as free electives. However, some programs or degrees have limitations on the number of nontraditional credits which can be counted, or there may be a limit to the fields in which these credits may be taken. In these cases, credit shall be applied for transfer students in the same manner as for native students.

In most cases, nontraditional credit earned at independent Ohio institutions or institutions outside Ohio will not be transferable.

Awarding of Credit. In most cases, credit is awarded only after admission to the University as a degree-seeking student and upon receipt of official transcripts. Shortly after you have been accepted for admission, Undergraduate Admissions will provide you with access to your online transfer credit evaluation report. That report will contain information on courses equated automatically within OHIO’s student information system. Professional transfer credit evaluators will be responsible for making any remaining course evaluations and communicating those equivalencies with you.

Transferring Technical College Credit. If you have completed an associate degree from an Ohio Department of Higher Education-approved Ohio college, you will be able to transfer credit for all the general education coursework you have successfully completed, in accordance with the Ohio Department of Higher Education Transfer and Articulation policy. Most programs will also allow a limited amount of credit for technical courses to be applied as elective credit toward graduation requirements. Additional pathways for transferring technical credit is available through Career-Technical Assurance Guide alignments (see Career-Technical Assurance Guides entry below) or the One Year Option (see One Year Option Credit Award entry below).

Responsibilities of Students. To maximize transfer credit application, prospective transfer students must take responsibility for planning their course of study to meet both the academic and non-academic requirements of Ohio University.

Students are responsible to investigate and use the information, advising, and other available resources to develop such a plan. Students should actively seek program, degree, and transfer information; meet with an advisor from both the current institution and Ohio University to assist them in preparing a course of study that meets the academic requirements for the program/degree to which they plan to transfer; use the various electronic course/program transfer and applicability database systems, including the Credit Transfer tool web resources; and select courses/programs at their current institution that satisfy requirements at Ohio University to maximize the application of transfer credit.

The Ohio Department of Higher Education recommends students identify early in their collegiate studies an institution and major to which they desire to transfer. Furthermore, students should determine if there are foreign language requirements or any special course requirements that can be met during the freshman or sophomore year. This will enable students to plan and pursue a course of study that will better articulate with the receiving institution’s major.

Appeals Process. A student disagreeing with the application of transfer credit by Ohio University may appeal the decision. Typically, that process involves submitting course descriptions, syllabi, and other supporting materials detailing the content of the course in question. If the appeal is denied, the student may appeal to the academic college administration. A student may further appeal through the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost. If a student’s appeal is denied after all appeal levels within Ohio University have been exhausted, the student may appeal to the state-level Articulation and Transfer Appeals Review Committee. The Appeals Review Committee shall review and recommend to institutions the resolutions of individual cases of appeal from transfer students who have exhausted all local appeal mechanism concerning applicability of transfer credits at receiving institutions.

Ohio Transfer 36. The Ohio Department of Higher Education’s Articulation and Transfer Policy established the Ohio Transfer 36 (formerly the Ohio Transfer Module), which may be a subset or the entire set of a public higher education institution’s general education curriculum in Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS) and baccalaureate degree programs. Students in applied associate degree programs may complete some individual Ohio Transfer 36 courses within their degree program or continue beyond the degree program to complete the entire Transfer Module.

The Ohio Transfer 36 contains 36-40 semester hours of course credit in English composition (minimum of 3 semester or hours); mathematics, statistics and logic (minimum of 3 semester hours); arts and humanities (minimum of 6 semester or hours); social and behavioral sciences (minimum of 6 semester hours); and natural sciences (minimum of 6 semester hours). Oral communication and interdisciplinary areas may be included as additional options. Additional elective hours from among these areas make up the total hours for a completed Ohio Transfer 36.

Courses for Ohio Transfer 36 should be 1000-level or 2000-level general education courses commonly completed in the first two years of a student’s course of study. Each public university and technical and community college is required to establish and maintain an approved Ohio Transfer 36.

Ohio Transfer 36 course(s) or the full module completed at one college or university will automatically meet the requirements of individual Ohio Transfer 36 course(s) or the full Ohio Transfer 36 at another college or university once the student is admitted. Students may be required, however, to meet additional general education requirements at the institution to which they transfer. For example, a student who completes the Ohio Transfer 36 at Institution S (sending institution) and then transfers to Institution R (receiving institution) is said to have completed the Ohio Transfer 36 portion of Institution R’s general education program. Institution R, however, may have general education courses that go beyond its Ohio Transfer 36. The Ohio Transfer and Articulation policy additionally codifies that non-equivalent courses which were used to satisfy the general education requirements at the receiving institution may be applied toward the general education requirements at the discretion of the receiving institution.

Students who complete the minimum requirements of the Ohio Transfer 36 at another college or university prior to enrollment in a degree-seeking program at Ohio University will receive transfer credit equivalent to fulfilling Ohio University’s BRICKS general education requirements in Foundations (excluding the Advanced Writing component, which requires completion of TME 002 Second Writing), Pillars, and Arches.

Students may be required, however, to meet additional general education requirements specified by colleges, degrees, or programs. For example, a student who transfers a TME 002 Second Writing course is said to have completed Advanced Writing for Ohio University’s general education program. However, colleges, degrees, or programs may require students to complete an additional Advanced Writing course specified by college, degree, or program requirements.

State policy initially required that all courses in the Ohio Transfer 36 be completed to receive its benefit in transfer. However, subsequent policy revisions have extended this benefit to the completion of individual Ohio Transfer 36 courses on a course-by-course basis.

When the sending institution has not posted completion of the Ohio Transfer 36 on the student’s transcript, Ohio Transfer 36 courses will apply toward general education requirement on a course-by-course basis. Individual Ohio Transfer 36 courses completed at state-supported institutions located in Ohio that meet state guaranteed equivalences for the Ohio Transfer 36 areas of distribution yet have no course equivalency at Ohio University shall transfer as meeting select requirements for Ohio University’s general education (BRICKS) requirements as follows:

Ohio Transfer 36 Category

BRICKS Category

BRICKS Component