Getting Started in your Graduate Program

There are several items to take care of before classes begin. In addition to finding housing, moving in, and picking up financial aid disbursements (if you have not authorized direct deposit), you should complete the following:

Please go to your student Applicant Center, and click on Accept/Decline to officially accept your admission to the program. 

• Look for the Admissions heading
• Find a list of links that include (1) application status, (2) Accept/Decline and (3) Student Center
• Select the Accept/Decline link

All information from the university will be communicated via email or through a secure website, including grades, fee statements, confirmed class schedules, etc. Your LastName.# is also the username you will use to access student information online and log into campus and Glenn College computers.

Once you have officially accepted enrollment in the program, you will be able to activate your Ohio State username and university email account by going to my.osu.edu. Full details on how to activate your username and email can be found on this OCIO page. Alternatively, call (614) 688-HELP (4357) to set up your account over the phone.

Program plans for the in-career MA, MPA, MPA-DC and online MPAL are available on their individual program websites. While the Glenn College coursework is relatively flexible, if students plan to deviate from the program plans, they are highly encouraged to contact their academic advisor to ensure they are taking courses in an appropriate order and that courses will be offered in the semesters in which students plan to take them. You can find the name of your assigned advisor on the right-hand side of your Student Center.

Students are responsible to know and observe the registration and payment deadlines, available on the Registrar’s website and the Graduate School website. Students provisionally admitted to Ohio State must submit the final official transcript(s) from the institution(s) where they completed a degree or required coursework. Students should request that the transcripts be sent directly to the Graduate Admissions Office. Failure to do so will result in a hold on their account, preventing current and future registration.

The deadlines for course changes, additions and drops are published each semester under “Important Dates” on the University Registrar’s webpage.

Carmen Canvas (often referred to as “Carmen” and found at carmen.osu.edu) is Ohio State’s learning management system, and all classes that you take will have a Carmen page.  Instructors may use Carmen for a variety of activities, so check the site regularly. Students can also download the “Canvas Student” app for mobile phones which gives you access to your courses on Carmen.

To receive a BuckID, you must be registered for classes. You may make an appointment to get your BuckID at the Ohio Union (3040 Ohio Union, 1739 N. High Street). The office is open from 8:00am-5:00pm, Monday through Friday. You will need to bring a valid photo ID such as a state ID, passport, or driver’s license. Your BuckID is necessary to access the Page Hall computer labs at all times and to access Page Hall after business hours. This card is also necessary to obtain a parking permit.

Parking without a parking permit is not permitted in any university parking lot. Students may purchase an annual Ohio State parking permit at the CampusParc Customer Service Center located in the South Campus Gateway at 1650 N. High Street. Customer Service Center Hours are 7:30am–4:30pm, weekdays. Annual permits may also be purchased online. Please refer to CampusParc for full details about permit eligibility and prices.

CampusParc also offers various shorter-term options for surface-lot and garage parking. Please contact CampusParc with any questions about these options.

To view tuition and fee information for different enrollment types and credit hours, please visit the University Registrar and click on the “Tuition and Fees” link on the left menu and look under “Graduate and Professional” student tuition and fee tables.

Along with tuition (resident and non-resident) and general fees, there are several additional mandatory fees each semester:

• Student Activity fee- supports on-campus entertainment, cultural and arts events, etc.
• Recreational fee (assessed at 4+ credit hours of enrollment)- gives students full member benefits to the various recreational sports facilities, including the RPAC and the Adventure Recreation Center
• Student Union facility fee
• COTA fee- allows students to use their BuckID as a bus pass on city buses
• Glenn College Learning Technology Fee

Review a full explanation of fees.

In addition, regularly admitted graduate students must select or waive enrollment in both the Student Health Insurance and the Student Legal Services fee. The default selection for both is “enroll,” so students must actively go in and waive these fees if interested in doing so by the annual deadline (one week prior to the start of autumn semester).

The above fees, except for the Glenn College Learning Technology fee, are not covered by fee authorizations (generally associated with fellowships and graduate assistantships), which cover instructional fees, general fees, non-resident fees and Learning Technology fees. Students do not receive paper statements of account in the mail; students should check their statement of account online and observe all payment and registration deadlines. Tuition and fees must be paid at least seven days prior to the start of each academic term to avoid late penalties.

To pay fees, please visit BuckeyeLink. Under the “Students” tab, click on “Account Inquiry (Statement of Account).” Students may also visit the Office of Financial Services with the Student Services Center at the Student Academic Services Building [281 West Lane Avenue, or call (614) 292-0300 or (800) 635-8944].

You should buy your textbooks prior to your first class. Copies for all Glenn College textbooks are available for purchase through the Ohio State Barnes and Noble Bookstore (1598 N. High Street, (614) 247-2000). To find out which textbooks are required for each course, and to purchase these textbooks, visit the Barnes & Noble Ohio State Bookstore.