III. Criteria for Admissionion into the H&CS Graduate Program - Return to Index

A. General Application Procedures.
          Applicants who seek admission to the Graduate School for graduate study in Horticulture and Crop Science must fulfill admission criteria established both by the Graduate School and by the Horticulture and Crop Science GSC. Application materials can be obtained from and must be submitted to the Admissions Office of The Ohio State University, 1800 Cannon Dr., Columbus, OH 43210; (614) 292-3980. Applications are accepted for any quarter, but applicants are encouraged to apply for Autumn admission. It is expected that most Horticulture and Crop Science graduate students will complete an MS degree before entering the PhD Program; however, under special circumstances and with permission of the GSC the MS degree can be skipped. The completion of three degrees (BS, MS, PhD) at Ohio State is discouraged. International students should consider Summer quarter admission, since this will permit them to gain some experience with American English before intensive coursework begins in Autumn quarter. Credentials of those who apply are evaluated without consideration of race, color, creed, sex, age, disability, or national origin.

B. Required Documentation.

• Graduate School application form
• Undergraduate Degree
• GRE
• 3 letters of reference
• Statement of Purpose
• TOEFL (non-English speaking international students only)

1. Graduate School Admission Application form.
2. An earned baccalaureate or professional degree from an accredited college or university, with prerequisite training required for graduate study in Horticulture and Crop Science.
3. Transcripts covering all undergraduate and graduate academic work undertaken prior to application. A GPA of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) or above on all previous undergraduate work and of 3.3 or above on all previous graduate work are generally required, although a trend toward academic improvement later in the undergraduate or graduate program may warrant conditional admission.
4. Graduate Record Exam scores for the General Test (Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical) are required for all applicants, and a ranking above the 50th percentile is preferred. Those students pursuing a MS Degree at OSU with the intention of completing PhD studies at another university are encouraged to take the GRE prior to graduation from OSU. Students wishing to compete for University Fellowships or OARDC Fellowships at OSU are required to submit GRE scores.
5. Three letters of recommendation, preferably on the standard form provided by OSU Graduate Admissions, from persons knowledgeable about the student's academic and/or research performance.
6. A statement of purpose. In a brief and focused description, the student's statement of purpose should give background information concerning the factors which have stimulated the applicant's interest in science in general, and particularly in the disciplines which comprise Horticulture and Crop Science. Please indicate which specific areas of specialization are most interesting to you as a possible focus for graduate research, and include information about previous undergraduate or graduate research experiences.
7. TOEFL and English Placement. The Department of Horticulture and Crop Science requires a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for all students whose native language is not English. A TOEFL score of 550 or above (or 213 computer TOEFL score) is recommended for admission. The requirement may be waived if the student has an earned a degree in an English-speaking country. Students whose native or first language is not English are required to take the English Placement Exam prior to their initial course registration at OSU. The exam tests oral/verbal, vocabulary, grammar and writing skills to determine which courses, if any, are needed in order to meet basic levels of communication skills.
   

C. Admission Status.

• Regular
• Conditional
• Provisional
• Graduate Nondegree at Large

1. Regular. Acceptance with regular standing is extended to students who have met the minimum requirements for admission and who have been accepted by the Department for work leading to a graduate degree. The minimum requirements for admission of students to the Graduate School at The Ohio State University are listed in Part I of the Graduate School Handbook.
2. Conditional. Acceptance with conditional status is generally extended to students who show potential for successful graduate work but have low scholastic standing. Students with a lower than 3.0 undergraduate GPA or lower than a 3.3 graduate GPA may be given conditional acceptance. Students accepted with conditional status must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the first 15 credit hours of graduate level coursework. Students admitted on a conditional basis because of low scholastic standing are not eligible for financial assistance until they receive regular graduate standing. Other factors which may necessitate enrollment under conditional student classifications include having obtained a degree from an unaccredited college or university, or having GSC-specified subject matter deficiencies.
3. Provisional. Acceptance with provisional status is extended to students whose verification of degree(s) or transcripts has yet to be completed or received.
4. Graduate Nondegree at Large. Under special circumstances, an applicant may be considered for admission as a graduate nondegree student by submitting appropriate documents to the Graduate School (or to the Graduate Admissions Office if an international applicant or applying by mail), as listed in the Graduate School Bulletin. This classification cannot be considered an alternative pathway to admission into the degree program. In line with Graduate School regulations, the GSC may later approve a transfer into the degree program of up to ten graduate credits earned while a student was enrolled in the nondegree status.

D. Exceptions and Special Circumstances.
          Requests for waiver of the admission requirements or applications for Part-time Graduate Student Status (enrollment of less than seven credit hours) will be considered. Students may apply for a transfer from another academic unit at Ohio State by completing the Request for Transfer of Academic Unit, which is available from the Graduate School. The GSC will require a copy of the original applications materials submitted by the student to their original unit, and information concerning the student's performance while enrolled in the Graduate School at The Ohio State University. The GSC will also require a statement of purpose from the student, indicating the reasons for seeking the transfer. If the GSC approves a transfer, it will also specify which courses already completed will count toward the graduate degree.

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