General Education (GE)
The Ohio State University's General Education (GE) program allows students to steer their education, offering unparalleled freedom in shaping an educational journey that aligns with individual aspirations and goals. The GE empowers students to take control of their unique and intentional academic experience, allowing them to choose courses that not only serve their interests but also support their future ambitions.
With a focus on simplicity and customization, the GE outlines a streamlined yet flexible pathway to a degree, enabling students to craft an education that is as distinctive as they are.
General Education Pathway
Most Buckeyes start and finish with Bookend courses, a "Launch" seminar to prepare for success and a "Reflection" seminar to review academic and personal growth. Transfer students experience a "Connection" seminar to ease transition into the Scarlet and Gray life. Between Point A (Launch/Connection) and Point B (Reflection), the pathway is tailored by each student to best serve their personal passions.
Opening Bookends
Launch Seminar (GenEd 1201) for first-year students
Introduces students to the broad goals of the GE and the skills needed to succeed.
Connection Seminar (GenEd 2601) for transfer students
Connects prior experiences with current and future goals and plans in a customized course for transfer students.
Foundation Courses
Introduce students to a variety of academic disciplines to better understand different ways of analyzing and understanding the world.
Students take one course in each of the seven distinct categories.
Themes Courses
Help students develop a deeper understanding of complex topics that are vital to addressing major 21st-century questions.
All students are required to take Citizenship for a Diverse and Just World plus additional coursework in a theme of their choosing.
Students will take one 4-credit course per theme or two 3-credit courses (courses must be from a different subject area). One course from each theme can overlap with the major (if applicable).
Closing Bookend
Reflection Seminar (GenEd 4001)
Students document and reflect on their academic and personal growth. Also prepares students to explain to potential employers what skills and knowledge they gained from college.
Read more about the GE Structure
GE Information for Advisors
Embedded literacies
Some of the key competencies previously in the GE have been shifted to the major program as embedded literacies. These competencies advanced writing, data analysis and technology are now embedded in courses within the major program, providing opportunities for students to develop specific communication, statistical and technological skills relevant to their academic discipline. Students encounter these embedded literacies as they take required coursework within their major program.
GE Requirements
Students enrolled before autumn 2022
Students who enrolled to the university prior to autumn session 2022 will complete the Legacy GE and major curriculum that was in place at the time that they matriculated.
Certain programs of study, for accreditation purposes, will be unable to continue offering the Legacy GE and major curriculum after AU22.
Students who matriculated prior to the autumn 2022 semester (or who transfer to Ohio State in AU22) who declare one of those programs during or after autumn 2022 will need to complete the new GE requirements.
Transfer students
Impact on students
Ohio State is committed to ensuring that implementation of the GE would not adversely affect any student’s progress toward degree completion. The university offers a petition process for students who have been working toward transitioning to Ohio State between the autumn 2022 and summer 2024 sessions. Students who have demonstrated a prior commitment to completing an Ohio State program of study by completing at least 30 hours of Legacy GE coursework can request permission to complete the Legacy GE and major program if their advisor determines that such a change supports their progress toward degree completion. This is not possible in those programs where the Legacy GE has been discontinued due to accreditation requirements.
Transfer credit
Students will still be able to use classes.osu.edu to identify whether an approved course equivalent at another university will meet a specific GE requirement.
Information about Ohio State's transfer credit policies, as well as a link to the university's Quick Equivalencies document, can be found on the University Registrar's website.
Ohio State's Degree Audit team is currently working on coding program requirements into uAchieve and will ensure that the updates are pushed to Transferology once the builds are complete.
Some key competencies such as writing, data analysis and technology are now embedded in courses within the major program, providing opportunities for students to develop specific communication, statistical and technological skills relevant to their academic discipline. As a result, some previously approved course equivalents may need to be reassessed. Students planning to transfer to Ohio State should save copies of their syllabi in case they need to provide documentation of the content for a completed course.
GE Information for Students
Transfer Students
Search for your program to schedule an advising appointment
Transfer Course Equivalency Information
Transferology
AP, IB, and other examination credits
Ohio Transfer 36, Associate of Arts, and Associate of Science Completion
Undergraduate students who enter Ohio State having completed an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from a regionally accredited institution or having completed the Ohio Transfer 36 (OT-36) before their first degree-seeking term will have certain requirements within their General Education marked as satisfied. It may take a semester for transfer credit, including these General Education equivalencies, to appropriately fulfill a students' s degree audit. Students are expected to have Ohio State-approved courses or their equivalents to meet major-level requirements and will still need to complete 5-8 credits within the Ohio State General Education:
- Bookends (1-2 credit hours): These courses introduce and act as a capstone for student academic experience. Transfer students may take a 1-credit integrated Bookend, but students matriculating as new first-year freshmen are expected to take standard Launch and Reflection courses (Gen Ed 1201, 4001, respectively).
- Theme coursework (4-6 credits total) in Citizenship for a Diverse & Just World. Courses taken elsewhere that articulate with approved Citizenship courses can count, but this requirement will not be satisfied by category matching OT-36 courses in e.g., Arts and Humanities, Natural Sciences, or Social and Behavioral Sciences.
Resources for students
Run a degree audit
Schedule Planner video
Class Search video
Classes.osu.edu video