Academic Advising

An academic advisor is there to help you. In the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, we’re unique, because many faculty members are also academic advisors. Your academic advisor should be your first point of contact for questions related to:

• Your curriculum – they fully understand the requirements for your major as well as the general education requirements
• Connecting you to the resources here at Ohio State – they can offer you information and solutions for academic and other issues you may be experiencing. They can connect you to the appropriate resources here at OSU on everything from chemistry tutors, math help room, to counseling and consultation services
• Adding or dropping classes, general scheduling questions, making changes or substitutions in your program
• Questions/issues related to your academic program requirements

Agroecology Specialization

Agronomy Specialization

Horticulture Specialization

Plant Biosciences Specialization

Turfgrass Science Specialization

Students who fall below a 2.0 cumulative grade point average are considered to be in academic difficulty. Being in academic difficulty can lead to being placed on probation or dismissal from the university. Students may fall behind and struggle for a variety of reasons. It’s vital to address any issues you might have. Your academic advisor can help you sort through what is causing your academic difficulty, come up with strategies to improve your current situation and make decisions about whether remaining in a course is beneficial.


Students on academic probation are at risk of being dismissed and need to create a plan for improvement. You will need to meet with your academic advisor to discuss your academic progress and schedule your classes accordingly. Don’t wait; take action immediately!

The decision to dismiss a student from the university is made after serious consideration of the student’s circumstances and chances for academic improvement. There are no specific criteria for being dismissed (i.e. certain number of deficiency points or grade point average). Students that are dismissed will be notified of their status by letter via email.

A student must meet with an academic advisor before completing the Petition for Reinstatement. A student will be notified by letter of the decision on their reinstatement petition.

Deadlines to apply for reinstatement are as follows:


• Fall Semester – June 1

• Spring Semester – October 1

• Summer Term – February 1

The Office of the University Registrar has more detailed information on the reinstatement process.

• Enrolled Autumn 2022 & later: Sustainable Agriculture
• Enrolled Autumn 2021: Sustainable Agriculture 

• Enrolled Autumn 2022 & later:
  • Agroecology
  • Agronomy
  • Horticulture
  • Plant Biosciences
  • Turfgrass Science
• Enrolled Autumn 2021:
  • Agroecology
  • Agronomy
  • Horticulture
  • Plant Biosciences
  • Turfgrass Science

You can learn more about SPS curiculum for students enrolled prior to Autumn 2021 here

• Enrolled Autumn 2022 & later: Professional Golf Management
• You can learn more about PGM curiculum for students enrolled prior to Autumn 2022 here

A four year degree requires careful planning to complete. We’re here to help provide the guidance and support you need in order to succeed. Life happens, we understand that. There are many things that can impact your careful laid plans of getting your degree. Maybe you work while taking classes or choose to study abroad. What if you’re in the military or sign up for a valuable internship? All of these things can impact your degree plans. Notify your academic advisor of your circumstances and we can help you plan accordingly. 

Degree audits allow you to track your progress through your curriculum. We encourage you to run a degree audit every semester. Curriculum guides are another tool you can use to monitor your course requirements. The expectation is that students will take responsibility for their degree program, this includes planning appropriately and understanding the curriculum requirements.

• It may be best to complete the math and science requirements first. There are several major courses that require you to have the math and science foundation courses. Finishing these courses early can help you on track to complete your major requirements.

• Plan your schedule accordingly. Major courses are not typically offered every semester and sometimes are not offered every year. Keep in mind that many major courses require prerequisites that must be completed before you can sign up.

• Don’t overwhelm yourself! Be realistic about your ability to manage multiple math/science/or lab courses in one semester. These courses can be more time intensive and loading up on them in one semester may hinder your ability to succeed.

Use General Education courses as fillers when planning your schedule. General Education courses have multiple offerings each semester and can easily be added around your major courses. Some major courses may have to be taken in sequence. Since not all courses are offered every semester, make sure you give your major courses priority.
 

The Office for Disability Services collaborates with and empowers students who have disabilities in order to coordinate support services and programs that enable equal access to an education and university life.

In order to receive services from ODS, you must provide documentation of your disability from an appropriate professional. To the right of the screen is the Disability Verification Form to be completed by your treating specialist. Once completed and signed, please return the form to ODS for review.

For more information about Disability Services, visit their website here.

You may add classes to your schedule using online registration from the time your enrollment appointment begins through the first Friday of the semester.

If a course is full and you put yourself on the waitlist and a seat becomes available, you will only be added if the time is still available in your schedule. If you have scheduled another course at that time, you will not be added from the waitlist. The waitlist only functions through the first Friday of the semester, after that it shuts down and will no longer add students. The waitlist still appears after the first Friday, however it is no longer functioning. If you have not been added to the course by the first Friday, you will need to be proactive and contact the instructor to secure a seat in the class.

You may drop classes from your schedule using online registration from the time your enrollment appointment begins through the fourth Friday of the semester. After the fourth Friday, you will receive a W on your transcript indicating you withdrew from the course. The last day to drop a course is the 10th Friday of the semester. No course may be dropped after that date unless there are extenuating circumstances.

12 credit hours is full-time, you may schedule up to 18 credit hours, anything over 18 hours requires permission from an academic advisor and will incur additional fees.

Enrollment appointments are set by the Office of the University Registrar early in the semester for the following semester’s scheduling. You will find your enrollment appointment information in your student center on Buckeyelink. It is important to schedule your courses when your appointment begins. If you wait, classes will fill up. Scheduling may be prevented for the following reasons:

• A hold on your account
• Financial Responsibility Statement
• GPA is below a 2.0.
• Juniors and Seniors must meet with their advisor at least two weeks prior to the opening of their scheduling appointment. 

You can find details on how to complete your Financial Responsibility Statement here. If your GPA is below a 2.0, you must schedule an appointment with an academic advisor.

Completed course work must be transferred to Ohio State in order to apply it to your degree program. The Transfer Credit Center offers details on the transfer credit process including information on interpreting your transfer credit report and a list of the transfer credit coordinators in each department here at The Ohio State University.

Courses taken at a state college or university in Ohio are eligible to be transferred to The Ohio State University with a grade of D or better. Transfer courses and their grade will appear on your record as K credit. Example: If you received an A, it appears as KA. 

Courses taken out of state or at a private institution require a grade of C- or better to transfer. 

If you have questions about transferring credits, please contact your academic advisor. It’s important to have a syllabus or other relevant information from that the class or classes you took from another institution. This will help the process of transferring credit. You may have to contact the instructor for the course to gather the necessary information.