Academic Options

Print this Page

Independent Study offers a matriculated student the opportunity to initiate individual research or advanced projects that are beyond the limits of the standard curriculum, with limited supervision. Independent Study is available to Junior and Senior undergraduate students who have a minimum 2.5 GPA and to graduate students in good standing. To enroll in an Independent Study, the student must follow these guidelines:

1. Obtain an Independent Study Form from the Office of the Registrar.
2. Prepare a proposal and identify a University of the Arts faculty member having expertise in the area of investigation who is willing to serve as the course advisor. With the consultation of the course advisor, complete the Independent Study Form, which must include a semester plan for the course of study, indicating the number of credits being taken and the evaluation criteria. The form must be signed by the course advisor and the student’s department chair/school director.
3. Present the approved Independent Study Form at registration or within the Drop/Add period, along with your registration or Drop/Add form. The course number for an independent study is the department code (the course advisor’s department) and course number “999” (Example: FAPR 999).
4. Each Independent Study may be taken for one to three credits in Liberal Arts, 1.5 to six credits in CAD, and one to six credits in CPA and CMAC.
5. The student is responsible for documenting the content of the Independent Study work to other institutions or outside agencies.
6. Students cannot elect the Pass/Fail or Audit options for Independent Study.

Independent Study cannot fulfill major requirements. Independent Study may serve as free, studio, and liberal arts electives, depending on the topic of investigation. Students cannot apply more than 12 total credits of independent study towards their degree requirements.

Credit for an Independent Study cannot be reduced or increased after the student has registered.

Independent study by graduate students is governed by the policies listed above with the following exception:

The course number for graduate independent study is the department code (the course advisor’s department) and course number, e.g., GRPR 690.

Internships allow matriculated graduate students and undergraduate students in their Junior or Senior year to earn academic credit while working in their chosen field. Internship courses are scheduled during the fall and spring semesters and, with special permission from their dean and department chair/director, during the summer. To register for an internship, see the course bulletin and the appropriate department for current offerings. Internship courses are graded on a Pass/Fail basis.

Students who intend to enroll in Summer Internships and receive academic credit for the experience must pre-register in the spring for a summer semester. It is the responsibility of students wishing to take summer internships to identify faculty who are willing to sponsor and are able to supervise their work. Summer internships cannot be added to the schedule once the internship has begun. Up to three credits of a summer internship may be taken at no tuition charge.  Additional credits above the three credit maximum will incur charges at the per credit tuition rate.

Students may not apply more than six internship credits toward their degree requirements, with the exception of students who major in Dance or Theater. For detailed information please see the Internship section of the Art and Design section of this Catalog, and the course descriptions in this catalog.

The University offers minors and concentrations for undergraduate degree candidates who wish to focus on a specific discipline through organized electives. Please refer to the college sections of this catalog for information about offerings, eligibility, prerequisites, and course requirements. You may also contact the departments directly for additional information.

Students wishing to include a minor as part of their undergraduate program should be advised that some major/minor combinations may not be completed, thus it is not always possible to complete a minor, and there are no penalties for starting a minor and not completing it. Students are not permitted to continue pursuit of the minor once all degree requirements have been met. All University minors are governed by the following guidelines:

1. Students must meet eligibility requirements, which may include a satisfactory grade-point average, prerequisites, and departmental portfolio review.
2. An intent to complete a minor is declared by filing the completed Minor Declaration Form with the Office of the Registrar. The forms are available in the Office of the Registrar.
3. A student may not major and minor in the same program, except where indicated.
4. Courses applied to the minor may only be applied towards elective requirements.
5. All minors require a minimum of 15 credits, with the exception of E-Music for Music majors. Generally, no substitutions to the minor requirements are allowed. In exceptional situations where substitutions are granted, they must have the approval of both the major and minor program advisors.
6. The requirements of the minor must be completed prior to graduation.
7. A student pursuing a minor may be required to complete more than the minimum number of credits required to complete the undergraduate degree in order to also complete the minor.
8. Minors are available only to undergraduate students.

The University encourages students to take courses outside their major department and college. To facilitate this goal, the University offers a wide selection of courses that are open without prerequisites. Students may select from introductory electives and non-major courses. In general, upper-level courses will have specific prerequisites, which must be satisfied prior to registration. Students interested in these areas are advised to contact the department chairperson or school director regarding specific course offerings and prerequisite requirements.

1. In courses taken on a Pass/Fail basis, the standard letter grades of “A” to “C” are converted to “OP” by the Registrar. A grade of “C-” to “F” is recorded as “OF.”
2. The Pass/Fail grading option must be selected prior to the end of the Drop/Add period; no change from Pass/Fail to a regular grade or a regular grade to Pass/Fail may be made after that deadline.
3. Grades of “OP” or “OF” are not computed in the grade-point average.
4. The Pass/Fail policy stipulates that the instructor is not to be informed as to who is enrolled on a Pass/Fail basis.
5. Availability of this option is limited to a total of nine credits in Liberal Arts courses or studio electives during the student’s undergraduate career. Pass/Fail courses may not include First Year Writing, Introduction to Modernism, any Independent Study course, or any required discipline history course.

Undergraduate students who wish to enroll in a graduate course must have Junior status (U3), a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and permission of the instructor to enroll in the course.

Private instrumental/vocal lessons for non-majors may be taken for elective credit (1.5 credits, seven hours of instruction per semester) with permission of the Director of the School of Music. An additional fee is required.

Audited courses are an excellent mechanism for students to refresh their skills and/or understanding of a topic without the pressure of pursuing a grade. Audited courses carry no credit and do not satisfy degree requirements. An audited course may not be repeated for credit. Therefore, students may not audit a required course unless the course requirement has already been satisfactorily met as dictated by their degree requirements. Regular tuition rates are charged for audited courses, and they are included in the full-time tuition charge. Audited courses will be indicated on the transcript with a grade of “AU” and may be registered for until the end of the Drop/Add period.

Study abroad, domestic mobility, and exchange opportunities are available through programs hosted or coordinated through regionally accredited U.S. institutions or through direct application to a foreign institution. The selection of a program should be made carefully, as it may have implications for financial aid, transferability of credits, progress in the major and the completion of degree requirements.

Students interested in study abroad should meet with the Director of Study Abroad Programs to discuss issues such as program selection, timing, and feasibility, and to receive guidance on the necessary processes. Those who choose to participate must complete the Petition for Approval of Study Abroad, available through the portal, the Office of the Registrar, or the Liberal Arts Office. Approval of this petition serves several purposes: it maintains the student’s status at UArts as an active degree candidate; it documents the approval of off-campus coursework for transfer credits; and, when applicable, it registers the student for the place-holder credits necessary to the financial aid allocation process.

In order to complete the Petition, the student must consult with the Dean of the Liberal Arts Division for approval of credits to satisfy Liberal Arts requirements, and with his or her academic chair/director for approval of courses to satisfy requirements in the major. The Petition is complete only when both have indicated their approval. It must be submitted to the Study Abroad Program office, with a required statement of purpose, by the following dates:

For study abroad in the fall semester:

• Statement of Purpose received by March 20
• Application received by March 30

For study abroad in the spring semester:

•  Statement of Purpose received by May 1
•  Application received by May 10

Approval of the Petition will permit a student to register for Study Abroad credits for that semester during the normal registration process. The Student Financial Services office will be informed of the student’s intent to study abroad so that his or her financial aid package will be defined appropriately.

While the Petition is for study abroad at a particular, affiliated program with which the University has a formal tuition and billing arrangement, it does not constitute acceptance by the affiliated program itself. Each affiliated program defines its own application process and timetable. The Study Abroad Office will provide information and assistance as needed.

Students who have submitted an approved Petition for Study Abroad remain active degree candidates at UArts during their semester abroad and may receive the financial aid for which they are eligible. Please note that in cases where the student prefers to register and pay tuition at the overseas host institution, the student must request a Leave of Absence or Withdrawal from UArts, and must fill out a Petition for Transfer Credit to ensure that the courses being taken will keep the student on track for graduation.

Once a Petition for Study Abroad at an affiliated institution is approved, a student

1.    is assured that he/she will maintain UArts student status during the semester abroad and thus eligibility for appropriate financial aid support;
2.    will be registered for a minimum of 12 credits of off-campus study using the appropriate Study Abroad course number (EX 999);
3.    will be billed for tuition and fees by UArts. UArts will then pay up to that same amount toward the tuition and fees of the host institution. If the cost of tuition and fees at the host institution is greater than tuition and fees at UArts, the student is responsible for the difference. He or she is also responsible for the costs of travel and housing for the study abroad program.

Once the student’s official transcript from the off-campus institution is received and processed, the student’s UArts transcript will indicate the credits earned at the off-campus institution as long as they meet UArts transfer guidelines. Please refer to the Transfer Credit Policy for more information.
 

The University of the Arts and University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (USP) have an exchange program that allows students from both universities to take advantage of their courses and special facilities. The agreement allows students from all three colleges to take one course a semester at the University of the Sciences. Paying regular UArts tuition, students may take up to 18 credits of course work at the University of the Sciences over six semesters, which count in all regards as UArts courses. 

The USP courses that are available cover a broad range of subjects – the sciences, foreign languages, the social sciences, history and political sciences, computer science and mathematics, and business and marketing. In addition, exchange students have full access to the USP library, an athletic center with gym, strength training equipment and a three-lane 25-yard pool. 

The University of the Sciences students wishing to participate can locate course sections offered at UArts by going to this address.

For more information, contact the Office of the Dean in your college or that of the Director of your program or school.

A student in the final year of the bachelor’s degree program may take a maximum of six credits of graduate courses toward a master’s degree, subject to all of the following conditions:

1. The student must have completed the Junior level of the major.
2. The graduate credits must be over and above the credits required for the bachelor’s degree and may not be applied to that degree.
3. The student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better.
4. Permission is granted by the department chairperson/director and dean of the college.
5. No more than a total of six credits, taken either as a UArts undergraduate or non-matriculated student, or taken at another college or university, may be applied to the graduate program.