Academic Policies
Courses for Credit
Courses numbered 100 to 299 may be taken for undergraduate credit only. Courses numbered 300 to 499 are undergraduate credit courses that can be taken for graduate credit under special circumstances. For graduate credit, you must request the 300 to 499 level course as an independent study with additional/different requirements specifiied by the faculty. The Continuing Education office can provide you with more information and appropriate request forms. Courses numbered 500 or above may be taken for graduate credit only.
High school seniors may consider taking 100-level courses for credit. Students under age 18 must obtain permission of the instructor.
Auditing
Students who register for a course on an audit basis are encouraged to participate in all course activities, but will not receive formal evaluation of performance.
Grades
The college has a dual grading system. All foundation year courses are pass/no credit. After the first year, some departments give letter grades and other departments give pass/no credit, depending on which system best serves the department's goals.
Departments that use letter grades
Art Education
Art History
Communication Design
Environmental Design
Liberal Arts
Departments that use pass/no credit
Fine Arts 2D
Fine Arts 3D
Media and Performing Arts
Studio Foundation
Students in pass/no credit courses may request a written explanation from their instructor by obtaining Clarification of Evaluation form from the Continuing Education office before the class ends. The form is kept on file. Students may request a copy of this form to be sent with their transcripts.
Independent Study
Students may apply for a 3-credit independent study if the appropriate course is not being offered. The student must develop a proposal in consultation with a faculty advisor and include a description of the project and proposed schedule of meetings. Proposals for independent studies must be submitted to the Continuing Education office before the add/drop deadline. Signature of the faculty member and approval of the Dean of Professional and Continuing Education are required before instruction and work may begin.
Transfer of Credit
Students who wish to transfer credits to another institution or to the MassArt BFA program are advised to consult with their registrar or dean prior to enrollment. Students accepted to Massachusetts College of Art and Design are placed in studio courses based on the strength of their application portfolios. Courses taken through the Continuing Education program at MassArt are subject to transfer credit review and restrictions.
Transcripts
Official transcripts are available for $10 each; unofficial for $5. Transcripts take ten days to process. Forms are available in the Continuing Education office. Requests must be submitted in writing, signed by the student, and include name at time of enrollment, address, home/work telephone numbers, social security or MassArt ID number, and dates of attendance. E-mails and faxes are not accepted.