After a student has matriculated at OSU, he or she may petition the University and the College of Engineering to accept vocational-technical courses. Upon approval of the college and the University, as many as 24 credits may be accepted toward engineering requirements only. The first year of all degree programs are very similar. Students are advised to select a major by the start of their sophomore year if they plan to graduate in four years. If they are planning a five-year program, reaching a decision by the start of the sophomore year is not as critical.
Students can graduate in four years.
However, most students find the engineering program of 204 credits too rigorous to master in that period. Additionally, the pace of a four-year program in engineering does not allow students to take many courses outside the engineering curriculum or to engage in many student activities. On the average, students take 4.8 years to graduate in engineering. Unless students are exceptional, they are advised to plan a five-year program. Since each student's goals are different, there is no single answer to this question.