Information about how biology and zoology courses from other schools transfer to OSU is found in OSU Transfer Course Search Tool and outlined in more detail below. If a course is not found in the course search, or students have a concern about a course articulation found there, they should consult with their academic advisor. It may be that the course should be submitted with materials to the OSU Office of the Registrar for Transfer Course Reevaluation for major or general education requirements or to Integrative Biology for prerequisite overrides. Students studying abroad on OSU programs should review the study abroad articulation information for how their program courses may count or be reviewed.
OSU Admissions articulates transfer biology courses as outlined below. Updates to articulations are done by using the OSU Office of the Registrar Transfer Course Reevaluation form.
Baccalaureate Core or Core Education
Transfer courses do not need to be listed as a specific OSU general education course to count for a general education category. Any course listed with a * symbol in the OSU Transfer Course Search Tool or MyDegrees counts for a Baccalaureate Core requirement. Any course with a + symbol in the OSU Transfer Course Search Tool or MyDegrees counts for the new Core Education requirements.
Direct Articulation
If a course or series of courses is listed in the OSU Transfer Course Search Tool as articulating directly to an OSU course(s) it will count for that requirement in any OSU program.
LDT
Any course that is lower division (100-200 level at OSU) but does not match a specific OSU course will articulate as LDT (Lower Division Transfer). Students can consult with their advisor to determine if LDT courses can be used for program requirements.
LD1
If a course is listed in the OSU single course search as LD1 it is taught at the same level as the non-majors BI 101, BI103, or Z 102 courses here at OSU, but it is not equivalent to any of these specific courses.
LD2
If a series of courses is listed in the OSU single course search as LD2 it is equivalent to the BI 221Z, 222Z, and 223Z (22xZ) if the entire listed LD2 series (and labs) are taken before transferring to OSU. Complete LD2 series will also work for the online BI 204, 205, 206 (BI 20x) series for online majors that include that series.
Some important criteria for approval of courses as being equivalent to the BI 221Z, 222Z, and 223Z Principles of Biology courses (which also work for the BI 20x series) include:
- Is it a course for science majors?
- Does it have a laboratory?
- Does it cover all of the content of the OSU 20x or 22x series?
It is rare that terms match up perfectly between other schools and OSU, and students who switch schools before completing an full LD2 series may need to take all or much of their biology series at OSU after transfer.
UDT
Any course that is upper division (300-400 at OSU) but does not match a specific OSU course will articulate as UDT (Upper Division Transfer). Students can consult with their advisor to determine if UDT courses can be used for program requirements.
ABRD
Any course taken on an OSU program abroad that can be directly articulated will show as a specific OSU course. Other study abroad coursework that does not match a specific OSU course will articulate as ABRD, though historical designators (LDEA, UDEA, OINT) are still found in some cases. Students can consult with their advisor about how study abroad courses may or may not work for program requirements.
