« Return to Academic Policies REGISTRATION - Registration occurs prior to each semester; for the fall semester in April, and for the spring semester in November.
- In preparing for registration, students consult with their faculty advisors, who help them assemble schedules for the semester and who give final approval to all course selections.
- The meeting with the faculty advisor does not constitute registration. It is the student’s responsibility after meeting with an advisor to register either online or in person for the course selections listed on their advising form.
- Once registration closes at the beginning of a semester, all students participating in a course, whether enrolled for credit or audit, must be officially registered.
- Students who are not officially registered for the course will not be permitted to attend.
Late Registration A late-registration fee of $35 will be charged to any student who has not completed registration by the first day of term. Late registration may jeopardize a student’s chance of obtaining his/her desired course schedule. Place Holder Credits During registration some students have trouble finding courses that fit in their schedules. As a result, they may not be able to register for the 12-credit minimum (nine credits for graduate students) necessary to maintain full-time status. In order to maintain full-time status for financial aid purposes, the Office of the Registrar may register students for temporary “place holder” credits. Students with place holder credits are expected to register for the needed additional course(s) immediately as online registration remains open through the first two weeks of each semester. Students with place holder credits will receive email alerts and reminders to complete their schedules from the Office of the Registrar. If the student does not register for additional coursework, by December 1 for the spring semester or August 1 for the fall semester, the place holder will be deleted. At that time, a list of non-full-time students with this status will be generated for the office of Student Financial Services. This may cause changes in status of the financial award and student bill. Under no circumstances will a place holder remain on the student’s schedule after the Drop/Add period ends. Matriculated Students Matriculated students are those who have applied, been accepted, and enrolled in a degree program at The University of the Arts during the semester for which they were admitted. Course credits completed prior to matriculation at the University will not necessarily be accepted into the degree programs. Students seeking degrees may enroll for part-time or full-time study. Continuing Education Credit The University of the Arts Continuing Studies courses provide knowledge and essential skills in specific fields and are taught by highly qualified faculty with in-depth experience in their subject areas. Continuing Studies courses at The University of the Arts may be applicable to degree programs at the University. Credit is awarded based on a review of the student’s Continuing Studies transcript and portfolio. Non-matriculated Students The University of the Arts permits those who have not applied to a degree program at the University to register as non-matriculated students. Non-matriculation study provides those who already hold a high school diploma or higher degree the opportunity to pursue additional college-level instruction or study with a specific professor at the University of the Arts. Permission from the department, division, or school is required to enroll as a non-matriculation student and students must provide an official transcript evidencing high school diploma, equivalent, or higher degree. Non-matriculated students may enroll for a maximum of 11.5 credits per semester and may not audit any classes. Credits earned by non-matriculated students may be used toward a degree program at The University of the Arts with permission of the department responsible for that program. Non-matriculating students who are simultaneously enrolled, or have plans to enroll at another institution, may transfer credits to that institution, however, acceptance of those credits for transfer is subject to the approval of the other institution. To enroll as a non-matriculated student, please contact the Office of the Registrar. Application are available on registrar.uarts.edu or in person at the Office of the Registrar. Non-matriculated students must request permission from the department chairperson or director for each course in which they wish to enroll. Tuition for non-matriculated students, and registration is dependent upon department approval to register and availability of space in the desired course. Non-matriculated students are otherwise governed by all the rules and regulations that apply to matriculated students, including submission of proof of high school graduation prior to enrollment. Full-time Credit Overloads Students wishing to take more than a full time load in a semester must obtain permission from the dean of their college. Factors such as grade point average and progress in meeting degree requirements will be considered in granting permission for an overload; students are expected to be in good standing and have a 3.0 GPA. Overload credits are subject to additional charges at the standard credit rate. Registration for a credit overload must be done in person in the Office of the Registrar. To register the student must submit a completed drop/add or advising form, indicating the course(s) that will trigger the overload, and including their college dean’s signature clearly noting “credit overload approved” on the form. Full-time Status - Graduate Students Graduate students are considered full time if enrolled in 9 – 18 credits a semester, with the exception of students enrolled in the MFA in Studio Art program who are considered full time if enrolled in at least 4.5 credits during the fall and spring semesters and 12 credits during the summer term as per their program requirements. Tuition for part-time graduate students is charged on a per-credit basis. International students must normally maintain full-time status for visa purposes. See the Director of International Student Affairs for specific information concerning all visa policies. Full-time Status - Undergraduate Students Full-time undergraduate students are defined as those who are enrolled in 12 – 18 credits a semester. Tuition for part-time undergraduate students is charged on a per-credit basis. International students must normally maintain full-time status for visa purposes. See the Director of International Student Affairs for specific information concerning all visa policies. Student Class Level and Course Load A student’s class status is determined by the number of credits earned, regardless of the number of semesters of enrollment or the student’s standing in his or her major program. Class status is a factor in determining financial aid eligibility and is one indicator of academic progress. Class standing is also used to prioritize scheduling during registration. Undergraduate class status is determined as follows: U1: up to 29.5 credits
U2: 30-59.5 credits
U3: 60-89.5 credits
U4: 90-123 credits
U5: more than 123 credits Graduate status is determined as follows: G1: up to 17.5 credits
G2: 18 or more credits Credit Duplication No courses, including graduate courses, used to satisfy undergraduate degree requirements may be counted again toward graduate degree requirements. Multiple Degrees - A student who has completed one degree and wishes to matriculate in another does so by applying to the new program through the Office of Admission.
- A student may not receive two different master’s degrees from the same program; i.e., he or she cannot pursue both the MA in Art Education and MAT in Visual Arts.
- A student may earn up to two master’s degrees at the University, either simultaneously or sequentially.
- If a student is admitted into a second degree program, and six credits are shared between the two programs, the student may transfer a maximum of six additional credits toward the degree from an accredited institution.
- Students in the MFA in Studio Art program who wish to pursue a second graduate degree will be charged the regular graduate tuition rate in the semesters in which they are pursuing two degrees.
Undergraduates Enrolled for Graduate Credit 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: - The student must have completed the Junior level in major coursework.
- The graduate credits must be over and above the credits required for the bachelor’s degree and may not be applied to that degree.
- The student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.
- Permission is granted by the department chairperson/director and dean of the college.
- 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.
Leave of Absence There are two types of Leave of Absence: Medical and General. Medical Leave of Absence A Medical Leave of Absence is granted to students who wish to apply for a leave due to a medical condition. An approved Medical Leave of Absence indicates that a student may return to classes at the end of his/her leave once appropriate medical documentation has been received and verified by the Dean of Students. General Leave of Absence A General Leave of Absence is granted to students who wish to take time away from school for personal reasons of a non-medical nature. Process A student may request either type of Leave of Absence by obtaining a Leave of Absence Form, available on registrar.uarts.edu or in person at the Office of the Registrar. Only students in good academic standing may request a Leave of Absence - undergraduate students who maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative and semester grade point average (GPA). A leave may be granted only for one semester within a 12-month period, with approval granted by the Dean of Students. If a student plans to be away for two consecutive semesters, a leave cannot be granted and the student must instead withdraw from the University and apply for readmission at the time they wish to return. Students who have withdrawn, but seek readmission within no more than two semesters will receive priority consideration for readmission over those students who have been separated from the University for a longer period of time.
A leave of absence for a semester already in progress will not be granted after the tenth week of the semester. If a student wishes to leave prior to the end of the tenth week and the request is approved, he/she may withdraw from the current semester courses, with the leave taking effect in the current semester only. In this instance, the student will be subject to the grading, withdrawal periods, and withdrawal refund policies listed elsewhere in this catalogue. If a student wishes to depart after the tenth week of the semester, he/she must withdraw from the University.
For both leaves the “effective date” is the date of separation from the University that will be noted on the transcript. The Dean of Students sets this date based on the history of a student’s medical condition for a Medical leave of absence, when deemed appropriate.
If the student does not register for the term following the leave’s expiration, but wishes to resume his/her studies at a later date, the student must apply for readmission following the reapplication guidelines in this catalogue.
If a student is granted a leave of absence for a future semester, but is subsequently placed on probation for the current semester, the leave of absence will be converted to a withdrawal. The student will be notified, in writing, of his/her conversion to “withdrawn” status by the Office of the Registrar. Students who are converted to a “withdrawn” status must apply for readmission through the Office of the Registrar in accordance with the policies described in this catalogue.
The following is required to obtain a leave of absence: - The student obtains a Request for Leave of Absence form from registrar.uarts.edu or in person at the Office of the Registrar.
- The student obtains approval from his/her department chair/director.
- The student obtains clearance from the University Library.
- The student obtains clearance from the Office of Student Financial Services.
- The student obtains approval from the Dean of Students, who will return the completed form to the Office of the Registrar.
Withdrawal from a Course A student may withdraw from a course with a W (Withdrawal) grade from the last day of the registration period through the last day of the tenth week of the semester. The withdrawal form must be signed by the student’s advisor and submitted to the Office of the Registrar prior to the deadline. After the end of the tenth week a W grade is possible only under unusual circumstances such as an accident or severe illness, which must be documented. Permission to withdraw under such exceptional circumstances must be given by both the student’s advisor and college dean. A student who wishes to withdraw from all classes must initiate an official withdrawal or leave of absence from the University as outlined in this catalogue. If a student withdraws from all classes and does not officially withdraw from the University or take a leave of absence, he/she may be administratively withdrawn from the University or dismissed in accordance with Academic Standards policies. Withdrawal from the University A student may withdraw from the University by initiating an official withdrawal process with the Office of the Registrar. Students who withdraw prior to the beginning of the fall, spring or summer semesters, or prior to the end of the registration period, do so without academic penalty. Official Withdrawals after the registration period, but prior to the end of the tenth week of the respective fall or spring semester or second week of the respective summer session, will result in the notation of the grade “W” (Withdrawal) for all courses. Students are not permitted to withdraw without academic penalty from the University after the end of the tenth week of a fall or spring semester or second week of a summer session, except when non-academic extenuating circumstances exist, in which case documentation (by a physician or a counseling professional) must be presented and approval of the Dean of Students must be obtained. Students who have withdrawn and who wish to resume their studies at a later date must submit a Reapplication Form to the Office of the Registrar and pay the readmission fee. The following procedure should be followed to obtain official Withdrawal from the University: - The student obtains a withdrawal from the University Form from the Office of the Registrar’s or in person at the office.
- If the student does so in person, the Office of the Registrar will advise the student to obtain all approvals on the form.
If the student withdrawing from the University is not physically on campus, the Office of the Registrar will accept a letter signed by the student or an e-mail from the student’s UArts e-mail account. After processing the withdrawal, appropriate departments will be notified. Non-attendance in classes or non-payment of tuition does not constitute grounds for withdrawal. The University does not recognize non-attendance in classes or non-payment of tuition as the equivalent of withdrawal. If the student has not officially withdrawn, and does not attend classes, he/she will be administratively withdrawn prior to the next semester. Hardship Consideration A student who experiences extraordinary, unforeseeable circumstances beyond his or her control may file a request to be granted a retroactive withdrawal from the University. A committee comprised of members of the academic, financial, and student affairs functions of the University renders decisions on such hardship requests on a periodic basis. Hardships under consideration by the committee typically fall into one of two categories: a major health crisis in the life of the student or a death or catastrophic illness in a student’s immediate family. Students granted a retroactive withdrawal due to an extraordinary hardship are granted W grades in all classes for the given semester. It is important to note that the effective date of a student’s withdrawal and the unique details of that student’s financial aid and payments to date will determine the degree to which the student’s tuition and housing charges can be refunded. In the event that the University grants a retroactive withdrawal, the University is required to refund all federal aid that was received on the student’s behalf for the given semester. Therefore, any student who receives a tuition refund check for overpayment in the semester for which they are seeking a retroactive withdrawal must be aware that any and all distributed moneys will be rescinded as a result of the retroactive withdrawal, and thus may require repayment. Process:
A hardship request must be filed with the Dean of Students no later than the end of the semester following the semester in question and must include the following: - Application for Hardship Status: this form is available on the portal and in the Student Affairs Center in Gershman Hall.
- Personal Statement of Hardship: the student must submit a narrative account of his or her hardship conveying accurate details including relevant dates and a description of how the circumstances impacted the courses in which he or she was enrolled at the time.
- Supporting documentation from official, qualified professionals: type-written correspondence on official office letterhead from a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist or other relevant, objective, licensed healthcare professionals must accompany the hardship request. The death of a parent/guardian requires submission of a death certificate and/or published obituary.
To appeal a decision made by the committee, the student must submit all related materials to the Provost within 90 days of the decision. Readmission Written appeal for reinstatement as a degree candidate requires submission of a completed readmission form, available on registrar.uarts.edu or in person at the Office of the Registrar, and a $50.00 readmission fee. Requests for readmission are reviewed and considered by the admitting dean, departmental representative, and appropriate administrative offices and can take up to four weeks for processing. The major department reserves the right to require transcripts, letters of recommendation, an additional portfolio review, or audition. Credit for courses taken seven or more years prior to the date of readmission will be re-evaluated in conjunction with degree programs currently offered. Academic units may choose not to accept courses regardless of when they were completed for credit toward the degree. Final determination on the readmission application will be made by the dean of the college and the decision applies only to the semester listed on the readmission form. If the student is accepted and does not return for that semester, the student must reapply. In the event of academic or other dismissal, a readmission application will not be considered until a full academic year has elapsed. Readmitted students will carry the cumulative GPA that was in place at the completion of the last semester attended at UArts. Please also note that previous censure any academic standards committee will apply to a readmitted student. |
