A Photo Tour of the Ohio State University

Ohio State University has many distinctions. It is among the top public universities in the country, and with around 55,000 students it is one of the country's largest universities. The Buckeyes frequently distinguish themselves in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference. OSU has impressive academic depth: the school has a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, and it is a member of the Association of American Universities for its strengths in research.

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The Ohio State University: University Hall

University Hall at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

The first stop on our tour of the campus is University Hall, one of OSU's iconic buildings. The university was founded in 1870, and the construction of the original University Hall began in 1871. The building first opened for classes in 1873. In 1971, 100 years after construction began, the original University Hall was demolished.

The current University Hall looks very much like the original building and occupies the same space on the edge of "The Oval," the central campus green. The new University Hall was first occupied in 1976. Today the building is home to several programs and offices:

  • The African-American and African Studies Departments
  • The Philosophy Department
  • The Women's Studies Department
  • The Greek and Latin Departments
  • The administrative offices for Arts and Sciences, the Humanities, and the Graduate School
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Enarson Hall: Undergraduate Admissions

Enarson Hall and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

Enarson Hall is a busy building at Ohio State University. Whether you are a U.S. resident or an international applicant, all undergraduate admissions are handled in Enarson. The building is home to Enrollment Services, Undergraduate Admissions, and International Undergraduate Admissions.

Enerson Hall will also be important to students once they enroll at OSU; the building is home to the First-Year Experience (FYE). FYE is a little different at every college, and at Ohio State the First Year Experience includes a series of programs designed to help students adjust to life at OSU, get connected to the university, and succeed academically.

Renamed after former OSU President Harold L. Enarson, the building was first put into use in 1911 and originally served as the student union.

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Fisher Hall and the Fisher College of Business

Fisher Hall and the Fisher College of Business
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business is located in the relatively new Fisher Hall. The ten-story building was completed in 1998 and named after Max M. Fisher, a 1930 graduate of the OSU College of Business. Mr. Fisher gave $20 million to the university.

In the 2011 U.S. News & World Report, the Fisher College of Business ranked 14th among all undergraduate business programs in the United States. The college ranked 14th for accounting, 11th for finance, 16th for management and 13th for marketing. Finance and marketing are two of the most popular undergraduate majors, and Fisher College also has a strong MBA program.

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Scott Laboratory at the Ohio State University

Scott Laboratory at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

This interesting looking building is Scott Laboratory, a $72.5 million complex that is home to the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Ohio State University. The building first opened in 2006 and houses classrooms, research labs, faculty and staff offices, teaching labs, and a machine shop.

In the 2011 U.S. News & World Report college rankings, Ohio State University's engineering school placed 26th among all U.S. institutions that offer doctoral degrees in engineering. Electrical and mechanical engineering are most popular among undergraduates.

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Fontana Laboratories: Materials Science at OSU

Fontana Laboratories at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

As an undergraduate materials science major, I had to include the Fontana Laboratories in my photo tour. Fontana Laboratories originally named the Metallurgical Engineering Building, is one of several buildings used by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Ohio State University.

In the 2011 U.S. News & World Report college rankings, Ohio State ranked 16th for materials science. Among undergraduates, materials science is not as popular as many other engineering fields at OSU, but prospective students should keep in mind that a small program will often mean smaller upper-level classes and more undergraduate research opportunities.

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Ohio Stadium at the Ohio State University

Ohio Stadium at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Acererak / Flickr

If you like the excitement of Division I athletics, the Ohio State University is an excellent choice. The Ohio State Buckeyes compete in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference.

Ohio Stadium has a long and rich history having been dedicated in 1922. When the stadium was renovated in 2001, its capacity was increased to over 100,000 seats. Home games draw huge crowds, and students can get football season passes for about 1/3 the price that the general public has to pay.

The Center for Cognitive Science and the OSU Marching Band are also housed in Ohio Stadium.

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Mirror Lake at the Ohio State University

Mirror Lake at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

For a continuously expanding university of well over 50,000 students, Ohio State University has done an impressive job preserving green spaces on campus. Mirror Lake sits at the southwest corner of "The Oval;" OSU's central green. During Beat Michigan Week, you just might find a bunch of students jumping into the lake's frigid waters.

In this photo, Pomerene Hall (left) and Campbell Hall (right) can be seen on the far side of the lake. Pomerene was originally the "Women's Building," and today it is used by the Office of Student Life. Campbell is an academic building that houses several departments within the College of Education and Human Ecology. You'll also find the Historic Costume and Textiles Collection in Campbell.

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Drinko Hall: The Moritz College of Law at OSU

Drinko Hall - The Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

Built in 1956 and expanded significantly in the 1990s, Drinko Hall is at the heart of the Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law. In 2010, the Moritz College of Law ranked 34th in U.S. News & World Report, and OSU reports that the class of 2007 had a 98.5% job placement rate. In 2008 - 2009, 234 graduate students earned law degrees from Ohio State University.

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Thompson Library at OSU

Thompson Library at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

Built in 1912, the Thompson Library is an impressive presence on the west end of "The Oval," OSU's central green. In 2009, an expansion and renovation of the library was completed. The Thompson Library is the largest in the state's university system, and the building has seats for 1,800 students to study. A reading room on the 11th floor has impressive views of campus and Columbus, and the main reading room on the 2nd floor overlooks The Oval.

Other features of Thompson Library include a cafe, wireless internet access, hundreds of public computers, quiet reading rooms, and, of course, extensive electronic and print holdings.

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Denney Hall at the Ohio State University

Denney Hall at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

Denney Hall is home to the Department of English. English is the most popular humanities major at the Ohio State University (followed by history), and in the 2008 - 09 academic year, 279 students completed their bachelor's degrees in English. OSU also has master's and doctoral degree programs in English.

Denney Hall also houses the office for Arts and Sciences Advising and Academic Services. Like many large universities, OSU's academic advising is handled through centralized offices staffed with full-time professional advisors (at smaller colleges, faculty advisors are more common). The office handles issues related to registration, scheduling, general education requirements, major and minor requirements, and graduation requirements.

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Taylor Tower at the Ohio State University

Taylor Tower at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

Taylor Tower is one of the 38 residence halls on the Ohio State University Campus. The thirteen-story building, like many of the residence halls, features a weight room, wireless internet, cable, kitchen facilities, study areas, a bike room, air conditioning, and other amenities. Ohio State has living and learning communities, and Taylor Tower is home to learning communities affiliated with Honors, Business Honors, and Allies for Diversity.

All university residence halls have quiet hours that run from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m Sunday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, quiet hours begin at 1 a.m. OSU has a clear code of conduct for the residence halls that addresses alcohol consumption, drugs, smoking, vandalism, noise, and other issues.

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Knowlton Hall at the Ohio State University

Knowlton Hall at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

Knowlton Hall's interesting design is appropriate. The building is home to Ohio State's Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture and the Architecture Library. Built in 2004, Knowlton Hall sits on the west side of campus near Ohio Stadium.

Ohio State's architecture programs graduate roughly 100 bachelor's students a year and slightly fewer master's students. If you're interested in pursuing an architecture degree, be sure to learn more from Jackie Craven, About.com's Guide to Architecture. Her article on choosing an architecture school is a good place to start.

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Wexner Center for the Arts at the Ohio State University

Wexner Center for the Arts at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

Built in 1989, the Wexner Center for the Arts is central to cultural life at Ohio State. The Wexner Center offers a wide range of exhibitions, films, performances, workshops, and other programs. The center has 13,000 square feet of exhibition space, a movie theater, a "black box" theater, and a video studio. One of the center's dominant features is the Mershon Auditorium which seats about 2,500 people. Students interested in film, dance, music, and theater will most likely be regulars at the Wexner Center.

Wexner also houses the university's Fine Arts Library and the one-of-a-kind Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum.

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The Kuhn Honors & Scholars House at OSU

Kuhn Honors & Scholars House at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

The Kuhn Honors & Scholars House and the adjacent Browning Amphitheater were built in 1926. The structures have an enviable location on the edge of Mirror Lake and The Oval.

Ohio State's Honors Program and Scholars Program are worth a close look by any students who want the type of rigorous and intimate academic experience that can be difficult to find at a university with more than 40,000 undergraduates. Both are for high-achieving students. The Honors Program is invitation-only, and selection is based upon a student's high school class rank and standardized test scores. The Scholars Program has a separate application. Perks of the Honors Program include special classes and research opportunities, while the Scholars Program emphasizes special living and learning communities on campus.

The Browning Amphitheater is used for a range of outdoor performances.

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Ohio Union at the Ohio State University

Ohio Union at the Ohio State University
Photo credit: Juliana Gray

Located on the east end of The Oval, OSU's Ohio Union is one of the newest additions to campus and a center of student life. The 318,000 square foot building first opened its doors in 2010. The $118 million structure is supported in part by a quarterly fee paid by all OSU students.

The building houses an expansive ballroom, a performance hall, a theater, dozens of meeting rooms, student organization offices, lounges, and numerous dining facilities.

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Grove, Allen. "A Photo Tour of the Ohio State University." ThoughtCo, Aug. 25, 2020, thoughtco.com/ohio-state-university-photo-tour-788557. Grove, Allen. (2020, August 25). A Photo Tour of the Ohio State University. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/ohio-state-university-photo-tour-788557 Grove, Allen. "A Photo Tour of the Ohio State University." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/ohio-state-university-photo-tour-788557 (accessed March 19, 2024).