Academic Progress
Satisfactory Academic Progress
In accordance with federal regulations, ArtCenter enforces a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy, which applies to all students receiving financial aid.
The Financial Aid office monitors academic progress at the end of every term. Students who do not meet minimum standards may lose financial aid eligibility.
Students who are found to be abusing their financial aid privileges by misrepresenting their academic status, and therefore violating federal or state law or College policies, may be subject to more severe penalties.
To receive any financial aid funding, including ArtCenter scholarships, students must meet these minimum standards:
Undergraduate Students
2.50 GPA and successful completion of 67 percent of credits attempted for Federal Student Aid and a 3.0 GPA for scholarships. The maximum total credits attempted cannot be more than 150 percent of a specific degree program’s published length.
Graduate Students
3.00 GPA and successful completion of 67 percent of credits attempted. The maximum total credits attempted cannot be more than 150 percent of a specific degree program’s published length.
Scholarship Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
The Financial Aid Office monitors the academic progress for scholarship recipients. Undergraduate students must maintain a 2.5 grade point average. Graduate students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average. Scholarship Satisfactory Academic Progress is measured at the end of each semester. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below the standard are given one “warning” term and one “probation” term. Failure to bring the GPA up will result in the forfeiture of scholarship awards. Students may be able to appeal to have their scholarship reinstated for one semester on a probation status. If an appeal is not approved students will permanently lose their scholarship.
Grading
A grade and corresponding grade points are assigned after the completion of each class. The grade points determine term and cumulative GPAs. The term GPA indicates academic progress for the term. The cumulative GPA is an average of all term GPAs and is used to determine scholarship eligibility, status and recommendations for degrees and honors.
A student’s GPA is calculated beginning with the first term of study. Classes taken prior to enrollment are not included in this calculation. The GPA is computed by multiplying the semester hours of each course attempted by the grade points earned in the particular course and then dividing the total number of hours attempted excluding those hours for which a non-computed grade is recorded. All Grade Point Averages include only courses attempted at ArtCenter.
ArtCenter uses the following grading system:
| A+, A | Excellent | 4.00 |
| A- | 3.75 | |
| B+ | 3.50 | |
| B | Good | 3.00 |
| B- | 2.75 | |
| C+ | 2.50 | |
| C | Fair | 2.00 |
| C- | 1.75 | |
| D+ | 1.50 | |
| D | Poor | 1.00 |
| D- | Failure | 0.75 |
| F | 0.00 | |
| F* | Failure (repeat) | Not included in GPA |
| N | Non-attendance Failure | 0.00 |
| N* | Non-attendance Failure (repeat) | Not included in GPA |
| W | Withdrawal | Not included in GPA |
| CR | Credit | Not included in GPA |
| NC | No Credit | 0.00 |
| I | Incomplete | 0.00 |
| IE | Incomplete Extended | 0.00 |
| S | Satisfactory | 0.00 |
| U | Unsatisfactory | 0.00 |
| M | Missing | 0.00 |
| P | Pass | Not included in GPA |
| NP | No Pass | Not included in GPA |
Grade Changes
Grades are considered FINAL when submitted by the faculty and can only be changed to correct an error in grading or to change an official Incomplete grade to a final grade. Students CANNOT submit or redo work after the end of the term unless an official Incomplete grade has been approved. The deadline for changing an Incomplete grade is Friday of Week 14 of the term following the term when the course was taken. The deadline for changing an incorrect grade is Friday of Week 6 following the term when the course was taken.
Incomplete Grade
The I grade (Incomplete) can only be given by an instructor when a student, who is doing otherwise acceptable work (only one or two assignments need completion), is unable to complete a course because of illness or other conditions beyond the student’s control. A request for an Incomplete grade will not be approved for excessive absences, non-attendance or failure to meet satisfactory progress in the class.
All Incomplete grade requests must be approved by the instructor and the Department Chair. Unfinished work must be completed with the same instructor except under extenuating circumstances. Instructors may not grant Incompletes unless the student presents an official Incomplete Grade Request form by Friday of Week 14 of the term.
The student must present the completed work to the instructor by the agreed date. The incomplete course must be finalized by Friday of Week 14 of the term following the Incomplete request.
Instructors must submit a Request for a Grade Change form to the Enrollment Services office by Friday of Break Week 1 following the extension term. Failure to complete the work by the deadline will result in the grade earned at the time of the Incomplete request.
The deadline for requesting an Incomplete is Friday of Week 14 of the term in which the course is taken. Requests for an Incomplete will not be approved after final grades have been issued.
Once an Incomplete has been assigned an F grade, no further grade revision will be allowed, and students will be required to repeat the course if the major requires it. Students receiving an Incomplete will be ineligible to enroll in any subsequent course that uses the Incomplete course as a prerequisite until the student has successfully passed the course.
Students receiving I grades are not eligible for the Provost’s List in the term they receive the I grade. Students on academic probation are not eligible to receive an Incomplete grade.
Non-Attendance Grade
Students failing a course due to non-attendance will receive an N (Non-attendance Failure) grade for the course. The N grade has the same GPA impact as an F grade, but specifically indicates that nonattendance was the cause of the failure. As is the case with F grades, students may repeat a course in which they received an N to replace it in the cumulative GPA. The original N grade must still appear on the transcript, but it will be denoted with an asterisk (*) to show that it has been repeated in a subsequent term, and the GPA will be adjusted to reflect the repeated course’s grade.
Pass/Fail Grade
Courses graded “Pass” will not be included in the student’s GPA. Courses graded “Fail” will be included in the student’s GPA.
Academic Conditions
Academic Probation and Academic Dismissal: Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate degree students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher. Students will be placed on academic probation when their cumulative GPA drops below 2.50. Students will be removed from academic probation when their cumulative GPA returns to 2.50 or higher.
Students have two terms to raise their cumulative GPA to 2.50 or higher. Students who do not raise their cumulative GPA to 2.50 or higher within the required two terms (see exception for extended probation below) will be placed on academic suspension. Students on academic suspension may not apply for readmission for one year (i.e., they cannot be enrolled for at least three complete consecutive terms). Students on academic suspension may not attend classes and are subject to a ban from campus and permanent dismissal if they are found to have violated campus rules, College policies or the Student Code of Conduct.
Students will be placed on extended probation after two terms on academic probation if their term GPA is 3.00 or higher but their cumulative GPA remains below 2.50. They may remain on extended probation while maintaining a term GPA of 3.00 or higher until their cumulative GPA is raised to 2.50 or higher.
Academic suspension is a one-time action. Students who re-enter or who are readmitted are placed on extended probation. Undergraduate students who do not attain the required 2.50 cumulative GPA or 3.00 term GPA within one term following their re-entry or readmission are placed on academic dismissal.
Academic dismissal is considered a terminal action, and students who are placed on academic dismissal are not eligible for readmission.
All academic suspension and academic dismissal actions are considered final on the Friday before the start of the next term. Grade changes that occur after the Friday before the start of the next term will not alter the academic suspension or academic dismissal action for that term.
All academic probation, academic suspension and academic dismissal actions are permanently noted in the student’s transcript. Students on academic probation or extended probation cannot receive an Incomplete grade in any of their courses.
Academic Probation and Academic Dismissal: Graduate Students
Graduate students can be placed on academic probation for failing to maintain the required cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher. Students will be removed from academic probation when their cumulative GPA returns to 3.00 or higher.
Students have one term to raise their cumulative GPA to 3.00 or higher. Students who do not raise their cumulative GPA to 3.00 or higher within the required one term are placed on academic suspension.
Students on academic suspension may not apply for readmission for one year (i.e., they cannot be enrolled for at least three complete consecutive terms).
Academic suspension is a one-time action. Readmitted students who do not attain the required cumulative GPA of 3.00 in the allotted time are placed on academic dismissal. Academic dismissal is considered a terminal action, and students placed on academic dismissal are not eligible for readmission.
All academic suspension and academic dismissal actions are considered final on the Friday before the start of the next term. Grade changes that occur after the Friday before the start of the next term will not alter the academic suspension or academic dismissal action for that term.
All academic probation, academic suspension and academic dismissal actions are permanently noted in the student’s transcript. Students on academic probation cannot receive an Incomplete grade in any of their courses.
English as a Second Language (ESL) Probation
If a student with third-term standing has enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) but not passed the course, they will be placed on ESL Probation. A student who fails ESL twice will be placed on ESL Suspension. In order to return to ArtCenter after an ESL suspension, students must pass an oral and written exam, administered by the Director of Writing, and submit official transcripts from a regionally accredited college showing a grade of C or better.
Transcripts must demonstrate that students have been enrolled in a full-time, multi- skills English language course of study for at least one term.
Dismissal
ArtCenter reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to dismiss students for violations of academic or student conduct policies.
Change of Major
Change of Major requests must be approved by the Department Chair of the new major. Students will be required to submit their portfolio to the Chair of the new department. A change of major may require additional terms of study to complete a degree.
The deadline to submit a Change of Major form to Enrollment Services is prior to the first day of a new term. Change of Major forms are available from the Enrollment Services office.
International students who change their majors must meet with the International Student Advisor in the Center for the Student Experience to have a new, updated I-20 to reflect the change of major.
Portfolio Review
To help ensure that all students make appropriate progress in their studies while at ArtCenter, the College has instituted a mandatory portfolio review process for all students.
Each department has established its own system of portfolio review, specifying at which points in a student’s program the review process will take place. The review process identifies areas of needed development so that a program of remedial coursework and activities can be designed to help students achieve their objectives. Portfolio reviews serve as important developmental milestones for students; a student’s failure to participate fully in the review process may result in dismissal.
Students should check with their Department Chairs for scheduling and procedures for portfolio review.