College classroom

College classroom
“Become engaged. Become entangled.” (Read more faculty advice below.)

When you’re at Ohio State, learning happens everywhere – during internships, on study abroad trips, and while volunteering with your student organization. But the foundation of your academic life is built in the classroom. This is where you have the chance to meet and work with some of the best teachers and researchers in the world.

On the advice of faculty, we highly encourage undergraduates – including first-years – to visit instructors during office hours and get to know them. Let them get to know you. You never know when you’ll find a research opportunity or great job reference.

Undergrads Adam, Ray, and Ali talk about balancing academics with life outside the classroom.

Ohio State is one of the nation’s preeminent research and teaching institutions, thanks to the leadership of our exceptional faculty. The advantage to you is this: you’ll learn from teachers who are excited about their work and active in their fields.

View videos of faculty members working with undergrads in their fields.

Read faculty advice for success in the classroom.

“Become engaged. Become entangled. Sit in the front row. Meet your professors and get to know some of them. Every year, or quarter, have another professor you could ask for a letter of recommendation.”

“Get organized once you’re on campus. Impose a strong routine on yourself, and schedule time for studying and time for entertainment.”

“Meet other students in your major. Find a study-buddy.”

“Writing demands change just like any other subject. So as you move from high school to college, expect that your writing ability will have to grow.”

“Get enough sleep!”

“Make personal contact with faculty. Go out of your way. They’re real people. Most grads wish they had done this early on, in their first year.”

Thanks to the faculty: Ed Adelson, arts and sciences; Darry Andrews, mathematics; Andrew Heckler, physics; Wendy Hesford, English; Frank Schwartz, geological sciences; Rich Ugland, history

Freshman Seminars

Want to work closely with faculty right off the bat? Ohio State’s small, discussion-based Freshman Seminars provide an opportunity for first-year students to explore a scholarly topic alongside expert faculty. The seminars are a great introduction to topical issues and research in a wide variety of disciplines.

View recent Freshmen Seminar topics.

Literary Travels Across Africa
Women In Islam: The Secrets Of The Veil
Innovation And Entrepreneurship: Rocket Fuel For Creative Minds
Lost But Found: Shipwrecks, Plane Crashes, and “Deserted” Islands
Utilizing A Scientific Perspective In Evaluating Current Biology/Health Issues
Am I My Brother’s Keeper? Researching The Nanny State And Social Behavior

Class size

Ohio State, like all but the smallest colleges, has some large classes. But take comfort: our undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 19:1. So, even in your first year, most of your classes will be moderately sized.

First-year class size:

50 or fewer students: 73%
51 – 100 students: 15%
more than 100 students: 12%

Course work

Whether you are following an established major track, designing your own program, or taking the occasional elective just because it interests you (the kind of curiosity we strongly encourage), you’ll find the right courses – more than 12,000 of them – to support your direction.

To ensure that Ohio State graduates are well-rounded citizens of the world, they take three types of courses:

General Education courses: General Education courses provide the breadth of your academic experience.
Major courses: classes for your area of study; some are required, some are chosen by you to meet your specific needs and interests.
Electives: explore and experience as you like.

To explore courses, start with our Course Catalog, which you can find in the Academics section at buckeyelink.osu.edu.

Academic calendar

The University Registrar’s academic calendar shows exam days, university holidays, class start and end dates, and more.

College vs. high school

How is the college classroom different from high school? Here are five fundamental differences:

Dialogue vs. monologue

In college, class is a conversation between you, your peers, and your professor, where inquisitive minds come together to engage with new ideas.

Application vs. memorization

As a student at a major research university, you’ll have ample opportunity to take the knowledge you’ve gained in the classroom into the working world, applying and strengthening new skills.

Multiple vs. single perspective

Ohio State undergraduates come from across the United States and from over 80 countries. This gives the classroom a multicultural perspective, allowing people from diverse backgrounds to learn from each other.

Proactive vs. reactive

In college, it’s up to you to manage your time, keep on top of your studies, and select the opportunities and resources that are right for you. You have the freedom – and responsibility – to follow your own interests wherever they lead you.

Experiential vs. instructional

The college classroom could involve travel to foreign countries, internships, experiments in a laboratory, presenting research, volunteering, assembling a model, or putting on a production. Be prepared to learn in ways – and in places – you’ve never experienced before.

OSU Navigation Bar