ORIENTATION @ SENR

Congratulations! You're so close to becoming an official BUCKEYE. You'll find orientation is an exciting time.
	SENR students clean up the Olentangy River as Earth Day activity!

During orientation, you will:

• Have your first academic meeting
• Find out what it means to be a student in the School of Environment and Natural Resources
• Schedule classes for autumn quarter (we'll help you through the entire process)
• Look at the big picture of degree planning -- to mkae sure you get the m ost out of your college education
  

Looking over the following information will be helpful to you as you prep yourself for orientation.

An Ohio State Degree

The School offers a B.S. in Environment & Natural Resources degree. For freshmen and transfer students with less than 45 earned hours (beginning in Autumn 2007), this degree requires a minimum of 181 hours. A significant portion of hours for your degree are drawn from a wide range of challenging general education university requirements known as General Education Curriculum (GEC). In order to earn a degree from The Ohio State University, students complete coursework in five areas:

• University requirements (GEC)
• SENR Core requirements
  
• Major requirements
• Major Option requirements
• Electives
  

The Scheduling Session

Reviewing information and making course decisions can be overwhelming. We promise you won't be alone in this process.

Our school and other Ohio State staff members will be available during this session to help you with your academic planning and course scheduling.  The two key advisors in the room will be:

Mark Giese, School Secretary
Susie Burks, Academic Advisor

We'll be more than happy to answer your specific questions. Our goal is to make the scheduling process as easy as possible. We want you to make the best decisions about your courses - take ones that let you explore your interests and expand your horizons.

Schedule Input
After you complete the final draft of your schedule during the first advising session on day one, you will answer a few questions about the pre-orientation materials we share with you on this site. When you're satisfied with your schedule, we'll collect it and you'll have the rest of the evening to grab dinner and attend evening activities.

Academic advisors will take your schedule outlines and enter them into the computer system after you leave. They will print off your final schedule and bring it to you on day two.

Now that you have read an overview of what happens during orientation, you can see how important and valuable it will be to have a "jump-start" by reviewing key course descriptions and making preliminary choices.

What will you schedule during orientation?
During your Academic Information Session on day one, you will complete your schedule request for autumn quarter - in other words, you'll outline the classes you want to take. Your schedule will likely consist of four classes including FAES 100: University Survey.

Why four courses? One of the biggest shifts from high school to college is the ratio of class time to homework/study time. In college you are expected to spend the majority of the time mastering course material outside the classroom.

A general rule of thumb: To earn a C in a class you must spend at least two hours of study time outside of class for every hour you are in class. For example:

The time commitment per week for this example is 16 hours in class and 32 hours outside the classroom. That adds up to 48 hours, which is equivalent to a full-time job. Remember, this calculation is merely to earn a C.  Higher grades will require a more extensive time commitment.

Let's look now at the composition of a potential schedule.

Class 1: FAES 100
Every student enrolled in the School of Environment & Natural Resources takes FAES 100: University Survey in their first quarter.  This course is taught in collaboration with our home college here at OSU, which is the College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.  You will attend lectures with the other students in the college and have separate recitation sections once per week to focus on SENR topics.

Class 2: ENR 201
Most students in an SENR major will take ENR 201: Introduction to Environmental Science, in the Fall quarter (or their first quarter of enrollment).  The exception will be students in the ENR Scholars program, who will take a clustered English 110 course together during Fall Quarter in lieu of ENR 201, which is taken Winter quarter instead.

Class 3: Math
The math class you take will depend upon the results of the on-line math placement test you took prior to Orientation, classes you completed at the post-secondary level, or applicable AP credit.

Class 4: Chemistry or GEC
The first science course that SENR students will take is chemistry. You may schedule Chemistry dependent on your major and math placement (see below).  If ineligible for the chemistry course you need in Fall quarter, you will schedule a GEC course; we will ask you to select a course from categories such as Humanities or Social Sciences, with back-up choices in case your first choice is full or in conflict with one of your required courses.

Students majoring in Environmental Science or Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife are required to take Chemistry 121; you must be eligible to take Math 150 (Placement codes M or L) in order to take this course.  In some cases it may not be possible to schedule this course immediately due to availability, so a back-up course in the GEC will also be selected.  If you place into math courses lower than 150 you will need to wait and schedule Chemistry 121 another quarter, and schedule a GEC instead.

Students majoring in Environmental Policy & Management or Parks, Recreation & Tourism have a choice of chemistry sequences.  For Chemistry 121, see above; for Chemistry 101, you must have a Math Placement Code of R, N, M, or L, or credit for Math 104.

Class 5 (optional):
If you are an incoming freshman, it is recommended that you consider taking a Freshman Seminar course as an elective.  These courses are one or two hour, small discussion courses taught by leading faculty on a wide variety of interesting topics, and are only available to freshmen.  You’ll get a list of open seminars during your scheduling session.

A note on English Composition
English 110 is a first-year composition course required of all freshmen. Most SENR students will take English 110 winter quarter. The exception will be students in the ENR Scholars program, who will take a clustered English 110 course together during Fall Quarter in lieu of ENR 201, which is taken Winter quarter instead as another clustered course.

A Note on Foreign Language
The SENR curriculum does not require completion of a foreign language.  However, having skills in another language can be good career preparation; if you decide to pursue a language, it will count toward your degree as elective hours for most SENR majors.  If you want to continue studying the language you took in high school, your class selection will be determined by a placement exam taken on campus during orientation. If you are considering learning a new language you can sign up for level 101, assuming the course is available. Please consult an advisor during orientation about foreign language classes, especially if you have a foreign language admissions condition.

Sample Schedules
A standard schedule consists of 15-17 credit hours per quarter. A credit hour translates roughly to one hour per week in the classroom. Most of the courses you will schedule during your first quarter will be four or five credits each. FAES 100: University Survey is one credit hour.

The courses below are examples of the ones you can choose from based on your interests and goals. All of these courses meet the university requirements and thus count toward graduation. An entire list of options can be found on the next page and we encourage you to read all of the course descriptions. While your final schedule will include only one or two choices, please make certain you have a list of at least four classes (not including math) that you bring to orientation. This range of class choices will help you schedule in case there are time conflicts or changes in course selection. Details regarding class times will be described during the on-campus orientation.

Sample Schedule for Environmental Science or Forestry, Fisheries & Wildlife

Sample Schedule for Parks, Recreation & Tourism or Environmental Policy & Management

These sample schedules are merely places to begin. We will help you design your final list during your academic session on campus. Remember to let the advisors know if you have any special areas of interest so they can help find the right classes for you.

Courses Taken at Other Colleges/Universities
If you took college-level courses while in high school or at another college or university, it is your responsibility to submit official transcripts immediately after the completion of the course(s). You must request the institution where the courses were taken send your official transcript to Ohio State at:

The Ohio State University
Office of Admissions
Enarson Hall
154 W. 12th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210-1390

Ohio State's Transfer Credit Center will then evaluate the credit and inform you of the results. If you need to have any course(s) further evaluated this should be done before you come to orientation (especially math). This process is explained when you receive your transfer credit evaluation. If you have not received a Transfer Credit Evaluation by the time you are ready to attend orientation please bring a list of courses taken with you, including credit hours and grades, so you can provide complete information to those assisting you at orientation.

How will you schedule courses during orientation?
During orientation, you will receive a variety of materials that you will use to schedule classes. These include the following:

Registration Worksheet
You will use a registration worksheet to write down your course selections.
After the Day 1 scheduling session is complete, an advisor will take this worksheet back to the office for entry into the University computer system. You will receive a final copy of your schedule during the Day 2 academic session.

Course Offerings Bulletin
The Course Offerings Bulletin lists all of the undergraduate courses that may be offered at Ohio State during the academic year. In the Course Offerings Bulletin you will find brief course descriptions, information on credit hours and prerequisites as well as the addresses and phone numbers of academic departments.

You will receive the most current copy upon your arrival on campus; it is recommended that you keep this copy throughout your time at OSU. Click here for an online version.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Quetions)

Why do I have to take a math course my first quarter?
All majors at Ohio State will require the completion of a level of math. Each major will require a different level of math. We ask that you enroll in math your first quarter so that you keep your options open. It is easier to complete math right after high school than wait a year and pick it back up again. The less you use math the tougher it is to retain. If you have a major, or majors, in mind, please let an advisor know and we will direct you to the most appropriate math course.

Why can't I take English my first quarter?
Each fall there are about 6,000 students entering the university. In order to provide the highest quality instruction and to ensure availability, the English department is staffed to offer about 2,000 seats per quarter in English 110 (First Year Composition) for fall, winter and spring quarters. Not every college and major takes English their first quarter. SENR students (along with Business and many other colleges) take English in the winter. Other colleges, such as Engineering and all the health professions majors, take English in the spring.

Should I take a foreign language my first quarter?
SENR does not require a foreign language.  If you placed in level 102 or higher on the placement test and want to continue that language, we recommend you consider taking the language if available. You don't want a big gap between your years of foreign language and it may be easier to complete the language right after high school. If you take a foreign language you keep all your options open, and it will count towards your degree as elective course work.

If I want to take a foreign language do I have to take the same one I took in high school?
No. There are over 30 different languages available at Ohio State (including sign language). You are welcome to take any language in which you are interested.

What is this CFAES Survey class?
Every student at Ohio State enrolls in survey their first quarter. Each college will have their own version of survey. This class is designed to introduce you to the university and its policies and procedures, the School of Environment & Natural Resources, your major, and the college as well. For SENR students, this course is taught by staff in the School and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

Do I have to take survey class my first quarter?
Yes. All students must take survey their first quarter.

Is survey class a "blow-off" class?
No. Survey class will help you understand your major curriculum as well as university policies and procedures and get you acclimated to the university through different assignments, enabling you to be successful while at OSU.  Attendance is mandatory and the class is graded A through E, and thus affects your GPA.

Can I take more than three classes and survey my first quarter?
We recommend 3 classes and survey your first quarter because of the study time associated with each class. An OSU quarter is 10 weeks long and that time goes by quickly. You will be adapting to college life and it is very important that you do well academically your first quarter. We feel that 3 classes and survey will be an adequate load to carry and will let you devote the necessary time to each class while at the same time letting you enjoy all the other activities college makes available.

What's an easy class to take?
The degree of difficulty of a class is a very personal thing. A class that is easy for you may not be easy for me. We discourage you from building your schedule based simply on the perceived difficulty of your classes.  We will assist you in designing a course schedule that is balanced in the type of material you will be learning and the study workload you will have.

Tips for a Successful Scheduling Session
Expand your academic horizons. Be curious! Take a course that stretches your knowledge base. Consider something you haven't experienced before such as Medieval and Renaissance Studies or Slavic culture.

Be flexible. If you limit your time options you will limit your course options.
Do not make assumptions about a course based on the name of the department. Read the course descriptions available on this website and consult an advisor during orientation.
Have back-up courses that interest you. Come to orientation prepared with at least four choices in case there is a time-conflict with some of your selections.

Have fun and enjoy your Ohio State orientation!

We hope you have found this web page helpful. We truly believe that by having read this page and completing the worksheet, you have increased your chances of having a more productive scheduling session.

We look forward to meeting you in orientation. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us.

Contact Information

The School of Environment and Natural Resources

210 Kottman Hall
2021 Coffey Road
Columbus, OH 43210-1085
614.292.2265