The Ohio State University

Students who are considering transferring from another institution to The Ohio State University often have additional concerns about their previous coursework and about starting their major courses.  We try to address some of these concerns here.  If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to contact an advisor at meadvisor@osu.edu or (614) 292-0515. 

Previous Coursework

Most coursework taken at other colleges or Universities will transfer to OSU - however, it often does not correlate to a specific course at OSU.  In this case, students should have their previous coursework further evaluated before attending their orientation session.  Please see the file "Evaluation of Transfer Credit"  at the bottom of this page for more information. 

 www.Transfer.org

This website is a valuable tool for in-state transfer students who wish to see how their coursework at another in-state institution will correlate to OSU coursework.  Click on "Guest Login" and then on "Course Equivalency Guide", and follow the instructions. 

Application to the Mechanical Engineering Major

Admission to the mechanical engineering major is competitive, and is based on a student's secondary point-hour ratio (SPHR).  The SPHR is a student's point-hour ratio in the following courses or their equivalents:

• Math 151-153 and 254
• Chemistry 121 and 125
• Physics 131 and 132
• Engineering 181 and 183
• Mechanical Engineering 410

It is important for transfer students to note that although any of these courses taken at previous institutions will count towards your completion of the pre-requisite courses, only grades for coures taken at Ohio State will count as part of your SPHR.  For example, if a student transfers to Ohio State with credit for all of their math courses, both chemistry courses, the first Physics course, and Engineering 181 and 183, then their SPHR would be based on the grades in the two courses that they took at OSU: Physics 132 and ME 410.  All transfer students should discuss application to the mechanical engineering major when they meet with their undergraduate advisor at orientation so that they clearly understand what courses will be included in their SPHR when they apply to the major.

Receiving Transfer Credit for Previous Mechanical Engineering Coursework

Students seeking transfer credit for mechanical engineering coursework from the Department of Mechanical Egnineering should provide the following information to the Undergraduate Advising Office (N250 Scott Laboratory):

• Evidence that the student has completed the courses for which transfer credit is sought.  This evidence can be an official transcript or similar document.
• Course catalog description of the courses from the original institution.
• Syllabus for each course being evaluated.  Each syllabus must clearly indicate the topics that were covered in the course, the time devoted to different topics, the hours of lecture/recitation per week, the nature of any projects, and the frequency of exams and homework.
• Textbook for each course being considered.  Provide the actual textbook unless it is a book currently used at Ohio State. 
• Indication of the courses at OSU for which credit is being requested.  If the student does not believe that any course at OSU is equivalent to the course they took at their previous institution, indicate that "General Mechanical Engineering Credit" is sought.  Please note that the student should not submit material expecting the advising office or faculty to determine the equivalent courses.  If a student is uncertain for which courses to request credit, they should meet with an undergraduate advisor for assistance. 
• Students should gather the information above, and then submit these materials along with a "Request for Evaluation of Transfer Credit" form, available in the Undergraduate Advising Office. 
• Additional Information:
  • If the faculty evaluator is not familiar with the student's previous institution, he/she may ask for additional information such as course notes, copies of exams, project reports, etc.  Therefore, the student should be prepared to provide these if asked.
  • To receive credit for a course offered by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Ohio State, the student's previous coursework must be substantially equivalent to the requirements of the OSU course for which credit is requested.  Transfer credit for a specific OSU course will not be given when essential topics or laboratory work is missing from previous coursework, or when the previous coursework is not of the appropriate rigor. 
  • Traditionally, transfer students have difficulty obtaining credit for any mechanical engineering courses beyond the first thermodynamics course (ME 501).  If this is a concern, please contact an undergraduate advisor at meadvisor@osu.edu or (614) 292-0515 for more information.