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General Education Requirements · College Requirements · Major Requirements · CSCC Degree Program · Electives · Course Selection · 
Cross Registration in Central Ohio · CSCC Transfer Agreements

Because of the varying requirements for degrees amongst different colleges and universities, and within universities between colleges and majors, students and the public sometimes become confused as to what courses will apply or count towards a degree. This confusion can lead students to make costly mistakes in course selection if they have to take additional courses to make up deficiencies. Understanding university, college or school, and major requirements can help students avoid such errors. Understanding these requirements will also help you understand and appreciate Columbus State degree requirements.

General Education Requirements

In the Preface to your textbook, there is a brief introduction to the terms Liberal Arts, Liberal Studies, and General Education. Following the long Liberal Arts tradition of education in Europe and the United States, General Education is a body of course work which all colleges and universities deem essential to the development of a well-educated individual. [A "university" is an institution made up of a number of degree granting "colleges" or "schools."] General Education is usually divided into the large categories of Language Study, both native and foreign, the Humanities, Mathematics, the Social and Behavioral Sciences, the Biological and Physical Sciences, and the Fine and Performing Arts. Many colleges still include Physical Education and Religious Studies in their General Education requirements

General Education has been deemed so important in the United States that accrediting associations and state governments, which approve a college's right to award degrees, have mandated that a certain number of hours in General Education be required of all authorized degree programs. Columbus State falls within the supervision of the North Central Association of Colleges and Universities Accrediting Agency and the Ohio Board of Regents. The Board of Regents defines the General Education requirements of all state supported colleges and universities. In 1991, the Ohio Board of Regents established the Ohio Transfer Module requiring all state supported colleges to accept any approved Transfer Module as meeting a minimum of 54 to 60 quarter hours (36-40 semester hours) of General Education at each state college. Many private colleges in Ohio have also agreed to accept the Transfer Module.

The Ohio Transfer Module mandates that colleges require a certain number of hours in each of the following categories:

English Composition
Mathematics and Logical Analysis
Arts and Humanities
Biological and Physical Sciences
Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Each state college must submit all courses included in the Transfer Module to a statewide review committee for approval. Once approved, all state colleges and participating private colleges must accept that Transfer Module as meeting the requirements of every college. At Columbus State the Transfer Module is the General Education Core curriculum. Students who complete this core curriculum with grades of `C' or better are guaranteed the acceptance and application of all courses taken at every state college in Ohio to that college's General Education Requirements.

Most state colleges in Ohio accept the further recommendation of the Board of Regents that all courses completed with a `D' or better within a completed Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree be accepted and applied to additional General Education requirements at each college. For instance, The Ohio State University accepts all approved courses completed with a `D' or better provided the student has completed the Columbus State Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree program, and has achieved a minimum 2.0 Grade Point Average.

College Requirements

In addition to general education requirements mandated by state or other governing agencies, college and university faculties also establish requirements specific to that institution. These may include specific mathematics, foreign language, physical education, history, or fine arts requirements. Colleges with religious affiliations usually require certain religion courses. Degree granting schools or colleges within a university often have specific requirements of their own, beyond those of the university, as specified by their own accrediting or governing agencies and as approved by their faculties.

Major Requirements

Major requirements are usually the easiest to understand. These are the specific courses designated by the faculty for a major course of study within a college. Most major courses are taken during the junior and senior years of study.

The Columbus State Degree Program

The Columbus State Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degrees were designed to maximize the transfer and application of course work to the requirements of all of the colleges in Central Ohio. The Core Curriculum in Communication Skills, Mathematics, Biological and Physical Sciences, Humanities, and Social and Behavioral Sciences meets all of the criteria of the Ohio Transfer Module and has been approved by the faculties of the colleges listed on page 5 as meeting specific general education and college requirements at each of those institutions. Because the Core Curriculum has also been approved by the Board of Regents as the Transfer Module for Columbus State, the Core also transfers and will be applied to the requirements of all state supported institutions in Ohio.

As a student at Columbus State, following the Core Curriculum is the safest assurance that the courses you take will apply to requirements wherever you may decide to complete your baccalaureate degree. Because the Ohio Transfer Module has attracted national attention, your course work will also be accepted and applied to most colleges' requirements throughout the United States.

Within the Core Curriculum, you need to make some decisions based upon transfer and major plans. Beyond the Core Curriculum, you will complete the Associate's degree by selecting elective courses, which will apply to additional college and major requirements at baccalaureate institutions.

Electives

Depending on your high school background and your intended major, you may need to take elective courses to meet additional requirements for the baccalaureate degree. For instance, most colleges require varying levels of foreign language proficiency. If you had little or no foreign language preparation in high school, you may need to use most of your electives for foreign language study at Columbus State. Or, if you are planning a career in Engineering or the Physical Sciences, you may need to concentrate on mathematics and sciences in your elective choices.

Select your electives by using the guides provided in this workbook and the college catalogs from the colleges you may wish to attend. Most colleges in the state have transfer admissions offices with personnel who will also help you in selecting your electives. Increasingly, colleges have Internet Home Pages that can link you to college and major requirements, as well as provide you with comprehensive information about the college.

Course Selection

Since courses in mathematics, languages, and the sciences are usually sequential, you should begin taking them as soon as possible. When choices are not clear to you, seek the advice of a Columbus State faculty member in your chosen major area of study. Faculty should be able to advise you as to which courses are most important at this stage of your academic career. In selecting electives the best course of action is to follow the Core Curriculum.

Cross Registration in Central Ohio

In some cases, students may want to begin taking courses at other institutions before completion of their studies at Columbus State. In Central Ohio this is possible at no extra cost through the Higher Education Council of Columbus Cross Registration (HECC). Contact the Records and Registration Office to obtain approval for participation in cross-registering.

Columbus State Transfer Agreements

Columbus State has established transfer agreements with the following institutions:

A.A. & A.S. Degrees to B.A. & B.S. Degrees:

University of Akron
Antioch College
Capital University
Central State University
Franklin University
Mount Carmel School of Nursing
Mount Vernon Nazarene College
Ohio Dominican College
Otterbein College
The Ohio State University
Shawnee State University
University of Toledo
Wilberforce College

2+2 Agreement for All Degree Programs:

Central State University
DeVry Institute of Technology
Franklin University
Mount Vernon Nazarene College
Otterbein College
Shawnee State University
Wilberforce University

A.A. & A.S. Degrees with Transfer Module Completion to B.A. & B.S. Degrees:

Bowling Green State University
Cleveland State University
Kent State University
Miami University
Ohio University
Youngstown State University

Guaranteed Admission to all Graduates of Columbus State with A.A., A.S., or A.A.S. degrees

University of Akron
Central State University
Otterbein College
Shawnee State University
Wilberforce University

Technology specific agreements for A.A.S degrees have been established with the following:

Circleville Bible College

Accounting Technology
Business Management Technology
Early Childhood Development Technology
Nursing Technology

Mount St. Joseph College

All A.A.S. degrees in Health and Human Services
All A.A.S. degrees in Business and Public Services

Devry Institute of Technology

Accounting Technology
Business Management Technology
Computer Programming Technology
Electronic Engineering Technology

Ohio University

Hospitality Management to Hotel & Food Service Management

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Aviation Maintenance Technology

University of Cincinnati

A.A./A.S. to B.S. in Urban Planning and Urban Studies
Chemical Dependency to Addictions Major, Sociology

Florida International University

Hospitality Management to Hotel and Food Service Management

University of Rio Grande

A.S. to B.S. in Mathematics

Miami University

Electronic Engineering Technology
Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology
Mechanical Engineering Technology

The Ohio State University

A.A.S. in Nursing to B.S. in Nursing
Mechanical Engineering to Industrial Tech Education
Mechanical Engineering to Welding Engineering

The University of Toledo

Electronic & Electro-Mechanical Engineering to Computer & Information Sciences in Engineering

Mount Carmel College of Nursing

A.A. or A.S. Pre-Nursing to B.S. in Nursing
A.A.S. in Nursing to B.S. in Nursing

Abbreviation Key
AA=Associate of Arts AS=Associate of Science AAS=Associate of Applied Science 
BA=Bachelor of Arts BS=Bachelor of Science