SWITCHING INTO ENGINEERING

Are you at Ohio State, but not yet enrolled in the College of Engineering? Students wishing to change into the Civil or Environmental Engineering Pre-Major from outside of the College of Engineering should email Liz Riter (riter.7@osu.edu) or Barry Tolchin (tolchin.5@osu.edu) expressing your interest in switching.

If you are hoping to change pre-majors next semester, please schedule an advising appointment prior to the start of final exams this semester. Students will receive the Change to Engineering Pre-Major request form at the end of this advising appointment.

View more information about changing into the College of Engineering, including deadlines and eligibility.

Application to Major: CIVIL ENGINEERING

Admission to the Civil Engineering major is by application only and is in accordance with the College of Engineering enrollment management plan approved by the University Council on Academic Affairs. 

Effective Spring 2021, the College of Engineering will implement an admission to major process that will utilize one application for all engineering programs. This new process goes beyond the traditional grade metric and incorporates a multi-factor review through which the voices and stories of all of our aspiring engineering students can be told. 


HOW WILL STUDENTS BE ADMITTED TO THE MAJOR?

Students will be admitted based on background and thought that demonstrate:

  • Capacity to understand basic engineering principles and apply them in a variety of settings
  • Informed desire for an engineering discipline
  • Appreciation for inclusion, collaboration, leadership, and integrity
  • Drive to acquire and apply knowledge to enrich one’s life, work, community, and society

Recognizing the challenges in meeting the demand and space availability in popular majors, applicants will choose three majors of interest. As engineering pre-majors, students will have the opportunity to explore multiple majors through both their coursework and opportunities to engage with faculty, academic advisors, and peers.

Students will learn how different engineering majors can lead to similar career outcomes and be supported to make choices with intention and good information. Each year, the university directly enrolls, into engineering, the number of students matching the total capacity of our engineering majors. In principle, we have a place in a major for every pre-major we enroll. 


HOW DO STUDENTS APPLY TO THE CIVIL ENGINEERING MAJOR?

Students will select and apply to three majors of interest (ranked in order of preference), during the semester that eligibility courses are completed. This process usually occurs during the second semester of enrollment.

The process requires students to:

  • Verify their coursework
  • Respond to three short essay prompts (about 250 words each)

Students will address their interest in the three selected majors, their experiences working with teams and life experiences that influenced their decision to pursue engineering. The essay prompts will be made available to students during their first semester of enrollment during their Engineering Survey course.


WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION CONSIDERATION?

Students must meet the following criteria by the end of the semester in which they are applying:

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING REQUIREMENTS

Enrolled in the College of Engineering as a pre-major (Students enrolled outside the college should first follow the Change to Engineering Pre-Major process.)
Cumulative Ohio State GPA of 2.0 or better
Credit for Calculus II through completion of MATH 1152, MATH 1172, or MATH 2162 (or equivalent)
Credit for the Fundamentals of Engineering Sequence through completion of ENGR 1182 and ENGR 1282H  or  ENGR 1186ENGR 1187, and ENGR 1188        

CEGE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

(Credit for science or technical courses(s) depending on each program applied for)

Students interested in Civil Engineering must earn credit for PHYSICS 1250 or CHEMISTRY 1210.

View program requirements for other engineering majors can be HERE.