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Graduate

Graduate Admission Requirements


SCAD encourages applications from students who demonstrate successful completion of appropriate coursework on the undergraduate level and adequate preparedness to undertake graduate-level study. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree or should anticipate completion of a bachelor’s degree before enrollment in the graduate program. All applicants are evaluated individually according to previous educational experience and level of achievement.

Graduate students apply for and are accepted into specific disciplines. Students who wish to change from one discipline to another must meet all admission requirements for the new discipline.

Applicants who have earned a five-year NAAB-accredited Bachelor of Architecture degree may apply to the professional Master of Architecture degree program or to the postprofessional Master of Architecture degree program. Applicants who have earned a non-NAAB-accredited undergraduate degree in architecture or have earned an accredited undergraduate degree in another discipline may be admitted into the professional Master of Architecture program with required undergraduate prerequisite courses. Such applicants are required to take a minimum of 90 credit hours to complete the professional Master of Architecture program.

All graduate degree applicants should review the graduate candidacy and completion requirements in the academic programs and policies section.
GraduateGraduate

1. Completed application for admission.
2. Nonrefundable application fee.
3. A bachelor's degree or its equivalent.
Applicants must submit an official transcript/mark sheet from each college/university attended. Prior to enrollment at SCAD, proof of completion of the bachelor's degree (or its equivalent) must be received by SCAD. All transcripts/mark sheets must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation.

SCAD uses the standards established by the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers to determine the equivalent academic achievement of a bachelor’s degree. Transcripts are evaluated to determine the conferment of bachelor’s degrees from institutions that are approved by the U.S. Department of Education and hold regional accreditation, or have appropriate specialized or programmatic accreditation, or have been evaluated and proven to have comparable course content and level of instruction to the Savannah College of Art and Design, or are recognized by the ministry of education or equivalent agency in the applicant’s home country. Course content is evaluated by comparing the curricula of other institutions with that of SCAD and assessing whether or not foundation studies, general education and major discipline courses are comparable to those offered at SCAD. Level of instruction is evaluated by comparing the percentage of faculty at other institutions who hold graduate and terminal degrees with the percentage of faculty at SCAD who hold graduate and terminal degrees. Applicants whose bachelor's degrees are conferred by institutions that are not approved by the U.S. Department of Education and/or do not hold regional accreditation, or do not have appropriate specialized or programmatic accreditation, or have not been evaluated and proven comparable in course content and level of instruction to SCAD, or are not recognized by the ministry of education or equivalent agency in the applicant's home country, are required to take the GRE and submit official scores to SCAD.
4. Demonstration of English proficiency for students whose first language is not English.
Demonstration of English proficiency for students whose first language is not English. (Not required for permanent residents of the United States.)

English is the medium of instruction for all classes at SCAD. In addition to meeting or exceeding all other SCAD admission criteria, applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency by providing official minimum scores on one of the following:
  1. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) minimum scores: (SCAD code 5631)
      2. a. 550 on the paper-based test
      b. 85 on the Internet-based test with minimum subject scores of:
        i. 23 speaking
        ii. 24 writing
        iii. 20 listening
        iv. 18 reading
  2. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) minimum score of at least 6.5.
  3. American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), "high advanced" score on the writing proficiency portion of the test and "advanced" score on the oral portion.
  4. GRE minimum score of 500 on the verbal section. (SCAD code 5631)

For applicants whose native language is English, or whose academic transcripts show extensive study in an institution in which English is the language of instruction, no additional proof of English proficiency is required.

Applicants who meet or exceed all other SCAD admission requirements, but do not demonstrate English proficiency through minimal TOEFL, IELTS, ACTFL or SAT scores, may be admitted to the SCAD English as a Second Language (ESL) program. These students must take a SCAD English language proficiency test to be placed in the appropriate level of ESL. Students must satisfactorily complete the ESL program through Level IV prior to advancing into any academic course of study at SCAD and must continue taking ESL through satisfactory completion of Level VI.
5. Recommendations.
Three recommendations are required and may be written by professors, advisers, supervisors or community leaders who have had immediate contact with the applicant and who have knowledge of the applicant's level of commitment and history of achievement. Recommendations should address attributes such as the applicant's creativity, initiative, motivation, character and achievements, thus assessing the applicant's reasonable potential for success as a student at SCAD. Recommendations may not come from friends or family members.
6. Statement of purpose.
The statement should be a 500- to 750-word overview of the applicant's academic and professional accomplishments and should demonstrate a high level of interest in and a highly developed understanding of the discipline. The applicant should describe qualifications for graduate study and should state intended focus, as well as personal and professional goals.
7. Portfolio, audition or writing submission.
The portfolio should be specific to the intended course of study, should represent the applicant's best work examples and should demonstrate a high level of craft presented as professionally as possible. The portfolio, audition or writing submission is scored according to a rubric relevant to the intended course of study and type of submission. See graduate portfolio, audition and writing guidelines.
8. Résumé.
The résumé should document educational credentials as well as professional and other employment such as internships or field experience in the intended area of graduate study, and should list commissioned works, exhibitions, performances, publications, honors, memberships, interests and activities, including volunteer work.
9. For applicants to the Master of Arts in Teaching.
GPA of at least 3.0 in undergraduate major and qualifying test scores of one of the following: passing on the Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators, a minimum combined critical reading and mathematics score of 1000 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, a minimum combined English and mathematics score of 43 on the ACT, a minimum combined verbal and quantitative score of 1030 on the Graduate Record Examination.
10. GRE scores.
While not required of most applicants, submission of GRE scores is strongly encouraged for applicants to architectural history, art history, arts administration, cinema studies and postprofessional Master of Architecture degree programs. Performance on the GRE may assist in demonstrating adequate educational preparation and ability to succeed in academic coursework at the graduate level.       

Applicants whose bachelor's degrees are conferred by institutions that are not approved by the U.S. Department of Education and/or do not hold regional accreditation, or do not have appropriate specialized or programmatic accreditation, or have not been evaluated and proven comparable in course content and level of instruction to SCAD, or are not recognized by the ministry of education or equivalent agency in the applicant's home country, are required to take the GRE and submit official scores to SCAD. (SCAD code 5631)
11. Additionally, if applicable, any other documents or materials required to obtain a student visa.
Official certification of sources and funds. Copy of the first page of the applicant's passport (requested, but not required). A copy of the first page of the passport for any dependent accompanying the student also is requested. These documents are used to verify correct spelling of names, correct birth dates, and other information vital to student registration.
12. Personal or telephone interview optional.
May be scheduled by contacting the admission department.

Exceptions to the general rules of admission may be made for applicants of unusual motivation and ability. Application materials cannot be returned.

ContactContact Admission

  • admission@scad.edu
  • Hong Kong/Savannah/eLearning: 800.869.7223 or 912.525.5100
  • Atlanta: 877.722.3285 or 404.253.2700
  • Admission Admission

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