All students who have declared their interest in mechanical engineering but have not yet been admitted to the major are designated as pre-major students. Pre-major students are woking toward the completion of the pre-requisite coursework for mechanical engineering. Because admission to the major is competitive, it is important that pre-major students closely monitor their SPHR (secondary point-hour ratio) and see their academic advisor if they experience any academic struggles.
On a lighter note, pre-major students are also encouraged to start exploring the opportunities available to them outside of their coursework, such as student project teams, the Engineering Co-op & Internship Program, or other University organizations. Also, pre-major students who are interested in planning ahead should visit our "Major Students" page for more information on about majoring in mechanical engineering, as well as information on undergraduate research and preparing for graduate or professional (medical, law, business) school.
In order to remain in good academic standing in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, pre-major students are required to maintain a minimum 2.00 quarter point-hour ratio (QPHR), cumulative point-hour ratio (CPHR), and secondary point-hour ratio (SPHR). Pre-major students who do not meet these minimum standards are eligible for deparmental probation. Repeated failure to meet these standards will result in dismissal from the department.
Our goal is for you to be successful, regardless of your major. In order to be eligible to apply for the mechanical engineering major, you need to maintain at least a 2.00 SPHR and CPHR (admission to the major, however, remains competitive and requires performance beyond these minimum numbers). In order to graduate from Ohio State, you need a 2.00 CPHR. Although it may see punitive, probation gives us the means to monitor students who are not meeting these standards, encourage you to resolve any difficulties, or guide you in a more appropriate academic direction.
If you are experiencing academic difficulties, we encougage you to see an undergraduate advisor before you find yourself in danger of being put on probation.
Admission to major in Mechanical Engineering is by application only and is in accordance with the College of Engineering enrollment management plan approved by the University Council on Academic Affairs. The Department of Mechanical Engineering limits major enrollment to 200 new students per academic year.
Deadline for Submitting Application
Pre-mechanical engineering students need to apply to the major no later than the quarter before they wish to start their required major courses (typically, a student's first required major course is ME 250).
To BEGIN Required Major Courses: Submit Application By:
Autumn Quarter 2nd Friday of Spring Quarter
Winter Quarter 2nd Friday of Autumn Quarter
Spring Quarter 2nd Friday of Winter Quarter
Students are eligible to apply during the quarter in which they are enrolled in the final courses which make up the secondary point-hour ratio (SPHR). A student's SPHR is his/her cumulative grade-point average in the following courses:
Chem 121 & 125, Physics 131 & 132, Engineering 181 & 183, Math 151 - 153 & 254, ME 410 (or eqivalents)
In addition, English 110 is also a pre-requisite for admission to the major. Students must pass English 110 with a C- or better to be eligible for admission to the major.
Criteria for Admission
All applicants must have a cumulative point-hour ratio (CPHR) of 2.00 or greater and an SPHR of 2.00 or greater in order to be considered for admission to the ME major. If demand for admission exceeds 200 students per year, admission to the major will be competitive and based on a student's SPHR. Admission to the major can be conditional based on successful completion of any "in progress (IP)" SPHR courses. The department deems successful completion to be a 2.0 point-hour ratio in IP SPHR courses.
Admission to the major is currently competitive. The SPHR cutoff varies every quarter based on the academic strength of the students who apply during that quarter.
During the 2007 - 2008 academic year, the SPHR cutoff ranged from 2.4 (AU07) to 2.68 (SP08). Our recommendation to students is to aim for an SPHR of 3.0, or a "B" average in the SPHR courses, in order to be competitive when they apply to the major. Students should monitor their SPHR closely by checking their degree audit after every quarter and see an advisor if they have concerns. Note that we cannot predict where the SPHR cutoff will be in future quarters, but give you this information so that you can be aware of past trends.
Notification
Students will be notified of their acceptance/denial to the major no later than the third Friday of the quarter via email. This is the official notification of acceptance/denial to the major.
Students denied admission may reapply subsequent quarters . There is currently no limit to the number of times that a student may apply to the major. Applications will not be retained, so a new application form will be required each time a student applies to the major. Students re-applying ot the major should first meet with one of the undergraduate advisors to discuss their situation.
Some students are very sure of their decision to major in mechanical engineering, and others wonder what mechanical engineering is really all about and if it's right for them. If you are part of this second group, you're in the right place!
We have a lot of information prepared for you to help show you what mechnical engineering is all about. One of the best resources is our Prospective Undergraduate Students page, where you can find information about mechanical engineering, the subjects you will study, and the specializations within the major.
There are also some very good online resources that provide extensive overviews of engineering and what you can expect life to be like as an engineer. Check out TryEngineering.org and The Sloan Cornerstone Career Center - these are two excellent resources that give you overviews of the various disciplines, profiles of current engineers, and lots more!