Academic Progress

Students in danger of not passing a course at mid-semester may receive mid-semester warnings from the appropriate faculty member. Students are advised to seek assistance from their faculty advisor and/or the Director of Advising.

Academic Notice

Students who complete less than two-thirds of credits attempted in a semester are placed on academic notice and are advised of this status in a letter from the Director of Advising. Only courses in which the student receives a passing grade are considered completed. Grades of Withdrawn, Incomplete, No Credit, and F (Failure) designate courses that are not completed. Students are no longer on academic notice when they successfully complete two-thirds of the credits attempted the following semester.

Academic Probation

If students on academic notice fail to successfully complete two-thirds of the credits attempted in the next semester, they are placed on academic probation and advised of this status in a letter from the Director of Advising. Students should make an appointment with Advising before registration to discuss the process for recovery from probationary status. Students on academic probation must pass two-thirds of the credits attempted in the following semester.

Academic Dismissal

If students on probation fail to successfully complete two-thirds of the credits attempted in the next semester, they are subject to academic dismissal. The student may choose to meet with the Director of Advising to discuss the dismissal. A student who has been dismissed from the college for academic reasons may appeal the decision by presenting a well-reasoned letter to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Departmental Probation and Dismissal

All departments have internal standards for academic dismissal from a major/concentration. Each department provides a probationary period of at least one semester for students who have fallen below departmental standards.

Departmental Probation
Students are informed of departmental probation in a written notice presented during a meeting with appropriate faculty members and the department chair. At that time, the Director of Advising is notified of the student's probation and receives all pertinent information from the department.

Departmental Dismissal
Students on departmental probation are notified in writing by appropriate faculty and the department chair of either recommendation for departmental dismissal or lifting of departmental probation. This notice is given immediately following the student's end-of-semester review. The recommendation for departmental dismissal is forwarded to the Director of Advising, who reviews the evidence for dismissal and notifies the student of the decision in writing.

Students dismissed from a department have the right to appeal through the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Students who have been dismissed from two departments are subject to academic dismissal from the college.

Departmental Standards

Art Education
Art Education students must earn a B- or better in each art education course as a prerequisite for AE300 Saturday Studios Prepracticum I. A B- in Prepracticum I is required to be eligible for student teaching. Students who fail to earn a B- may repeat the course once; students who fail the course a second time are subject to dismissal from the department.

Art History
An Art History student must maintain a minimum B- average in the major. A student who falls below this average is subject to dismissal from the department.

Communication Design
A student whose work remains poor after two mid-semester reviews and whose average is below C+ in the concentration is considered for dismissal from the department. Departmental faculty and the student discuss such action.

Every consideration is given to special personal circumstances hampering the student's progress. After reviews, a student may be advised, to repeat a semester, to repeat a year, to change concentrations, or to take supporting courses. In all cases, faculty advising focuses on action that can best help the student graduate with a good standard of work.

A student who has been dropped from the department for poor performance can reapply with an improved portfolio. If the portfolio and a discussion with the student demonstrate ability and commitment, the student may be readmitted to the department.

Environmental Design
A student whose work remains poor after two mid-semester reviews and whose average is below C+ in the concentration is subject to dismissal from the department.

Every consideration is given to special personal circumstances hampering the student's progress. After reviews, a student may be advised to repeat a semester, to repeat a year, to change concentrations, or to take supporting courses. In all cases, faculty advising focuses on action that can best help the student graduate with a good standard of work.

A student who has been dropped from the department for poor performance can reapply with an improved portfolio. If the portfolio and a discussion with the student demonstrate ability and commitment, the student may be readmitted to the department.

Fine Arts 2D
Any Fine Arts 2D student who receives more than one no credit in any semester or two no-credit grades for the same course (fine arts elective or requirement that is repeated) is considered for dismissal from the department. Such students meet with their advisors and the department chair to review the situation. The advisors, along with department chair, determine whether these students may be allowed to continue on probation or are dismissed from the department.

Fine Arts 3D
Any Fine Arts 3D student who receives one no credit in a FA3D department required course in any semester, or two no-credit grades for the same FA3D department required course (repeated) is placed on probation in the department. Such students meet with their advisors and the department chair to review the probational situation. If the student fails another required FA3D course while on probation, the advisor, along with the department chair, may then determine whether the student may be allowed to continue on probation or be dismissed from the department.

Media and Performing Arts
If a student is judged by a faculty member to be continually working below the expected level, he or she is asked to leave the department. Students are warned verbally and in writing; students are informed of dismissal verbally and in writing. Re-admission after dismissal is left to the discretion of the department faculty and chair.

Attendance
During the first week of classes, faculty state clearly their expectations for performance and attendance, their method of recording attendance, and their expectations for makeup work and examinations, which may become necessary due to the absence of either party.

All students must attend the first day of classes for which they are registered to reserve a place in the course. If a student cannot attend because of illness or other emergency, he or she must call the appropriate department assistant before the first class meeting to inform the faculty member of their absence. A student who misses the first meeting of a class without notice may be dropped from the roster by the instructor.

Students are expected to attend all classes. Faculty have the right to assign an "F" or "NC" grade to a student who attends less than 80 percent of the meetings of any course.

Absence
If a student must miss a class, he or she should notify the department assistant, who notifies the faculty member. For prolonged periods of absence, the student should notify the Director of Advising and specify reasons for the absence. Advising informs the student's faculty of the absences.

Concentrations and Majors
Massachusetts College of Art + Design offers four majors: Art History, Art Education, Design, and Fine Arts. It offers twenty-one concentrations within these major areas: Art History, Art Teacher Education, Studio Education, Community Education, Museum Education, Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation, Architectural Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, Ceramics, Fibers Glass, Metals, Sculpture, Painting, Printmaking, Film/Video, Photography, and Studio for Interrelated Media (SIM).

Dual Concentration/Dual Major
Students who choose a dual concentration complete the requirements of two concentrations within the same department. An example is photography and SIM in the Media and Performing Arts Department. Fine Arts 2D and 3D Departments do not permit dual concentrations.

Students who choose a dual major complete the requirements of two concentrations in different majors and departments. Examples include painting (Fine Arts 2D) and art history (Critical Studies), ceramics (Fine Arts 3D) and photography (Media and Performing Arts).

Whether it is feasible to combine majors or concentrations depends on the particular areas of student interest. Students may need to speak with the chairs of relevant departments to determine whether additional semesters of study are required to complete both programs.

Open Concentrations
An open concentration is available to the exceptional student with a clear sense of direction. The student must complete three semesters of a concentration and then write a detailed proposal, including a curriculum outline. The advisor, the chair of the student's current concentration, and the Director of Advising must approve the proposal.

Minor
Eighteen credits of course work that follows a prescribed sequence constitutes a minor. The Fine Arts 3D department offers students minors in all five concentrations.

Change of Concentration
The college permits one change of concentration during a student's academic career. Students accepted as advanced transfers must complete one semester in the department to which they were accepted before they can change concentrations. Students who want to change concentrations must complete a Change of Concentration form (available in the Registrar's Office) and obtain the signature of the current faculty advisor, the department chair of the new concentration, and Advising. The student must file the form before registration for the semester in which the change will take effect. A change of concentration may require additional semesters of work to complete the degree. Students are encouraged to visit the Advising Office to discuss how a change of concentration affects their academic progress.

Students who want to change concentrations a second time must submit a new form and meet with the Director of Advising, the faculty advisor, and the chair of the new department.

Directed Study
Directed Study offers seniors the opportunity to pursue a clear, specific project in a Critical Studies area. In addition to the Directed Study form (available in the Registrar's Office), students must provide a description of the project, a bibliography, and schedule six meetings with the faculty member supervising the project. Students may take only one directed study per semester, and not more than two directed studies will count toward the degree. In exceptional circumstances, the Director of Advising may approve junior or sophomore students to undertake directed studies.

Directed Study forms, with faculty and the chair's signatures, should be submitted to the Registrar during registration and not later than the Add/Drop deadline.

Independent Study
Juniors and seniors who have a specific studio project which cannot be accomplished within the structure of a course may arrange to work with a faculty member on an independent basis. The Independent Study form (available in the Registrar's Office) includes a description of the project. Students may take only one 3-credit independent study each semester, and no more than four independent studies will count toward the degree.

Independent Study forms, with faculty and the chair's signatures, should be submitted to the Registrar during registration and not later than the Add/Drop deadline.

Course Assistantship
A course assistantship allows qualified sophomores, juniors, and seniors to assist a faculty member with whom they have studied previously. Duties may include set up, assisting with demonstrations and critiques during class meetings. Course assistants may not grade students. Students may register for only one 3-credit course assistantship each semester, and no more than two such assistantships may count toward degree requirements.

Students selected by faculty to be course assistants submit a Course Assistantship form with the faculty and chair's signatures to the Registrar during registration and no later than the end of the Add/Drop period. Students who are performing a Teaching Assistantship should follow Independent Study procedures.