Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Undergraduate Programs in the OSU Computer Science and Engineering Department

Graduation Procedures

CSE and CIS majors should read and follow carefully the procedures for graduation described in this document. Failure to follow the specified procedures may prevent students from graduating on time even if all the curricular requirements have been met.

[Note: This is a preliminary document. If you notice any errors or omissions, please email neelam@cse.ohio-state.edu. ]

BS CSE Majors:

  1. The application to graduate must be completed and submitted three quarters in advance of the intended graduation date. Information about deadlines as well as the complete graduation application package are available at this College of Engineering page.
  2. Once you have completed all the forms in the package, take all of them to the CSE Advising Office. One of the advisors in the Advising Office will check the forms and make sure that all requirements are satisfied.
  3. Next, you should take the graduation application form to your faculty advisor for his or her signature. (If you do not know who your faculty advisor is, the Advising Office will be able to tell you.) Ideally, you should have consulted with your advisor about which particular courses to take for the elective portion of your particular tech elective option. If you did not do that, be prepared to explain to your advisor why you chose the particular courses you did and how they fulfill the requirements.
  4. Once the faculty advisor has signed your graduation application form, go back to the Advising Office. Assuming that all the requirements are satisfied, including completion of the exit survey (see next item), the Advising Office will forward your graduation application to the College of Engineering.
  5. One of the graduation requirements for BS CSE majors is to take the exit test. Please check with the Advising Office to sign up for this test which is offered once a quarter, typically on the evening of the second or third Tuesday of the quarter. Another requirement is to complete an on-line exit survey. This will be done at the same time as the exit test.
  6. If after submitting your graduation application, you wish to make changes, for example, in the courses in your tech electives, you may have to complete additional forms. Check with the Advising Office.
  7. If you have any questions about any of this, contact the Advising Office.

BS CIS and BA CIS Majors:

  1. The application to graduate must be completed and submitted one quarter before graduation. (The ASC rules allow students to apply in the quarter of graduation. But applying in the previous quarter will allow students to discover any holes in their curriculum, such as courses that they should have taken but have not, and give them time to complete all the requirements. If a student applies during the quarter of graduation and discovers problems at that time, the student may be forced to postpone graduation.)
  2. The Major Program portion of the application to graduate must be obtained from the departmental Advising Office. The other forms that must be completed will be in the graduation application package that you should obtain from the ASC Office. That package may also include a Major Program form, but do not use that; use the one from the departmental Advising Office
    Note that ASC (Colleges of Arts and Sciences) requires that students earn a C- or better for each course listed in the major. This requirement cannot waived by the department or by the faculty advisor.
  3. Once you have completed the Major Program form, take it to the Advising Office. One of the advisors in the Advising Office will check the form and make sure that all Major Program requirements are satisfied.
  4. Next, take the Major Program form to your faculty advisor for his or her signature. (If you do not know who your faculty advisor is, the Advising Office will be able to tell you.) Ideally, you should have consulted with your advisor about which particular courses to take for the elective portion of your particular tech elective option. If you did not do that, be prepared to explain to your advisor why you chose the particular courses you did and how they fulfill the requirements.
  5. Once the faculty advisor has signed your Major Program form, complete the remaining forms in the graduation application package, and make an appointment with a counselor in the ASC Advising Office to submit your graduation application. That person will check your entire application and make sure that all the requirements are satisfied and if they are, will accept your application. Also check ASC's preparing to graduate page.
  6. If after submitting your graduation application, you wish to make changes, for example, in the courses in your tech electives, you may have to complete additional forms. Check with the Advising Office.
  7. If you have any questions about any of this, contact the Advising Office.
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