Programs of Study

The Savannah College of Art and Design exists to prepare talented students for professional careers, emphasizing learning through individual attention in a positively oriented university environment.

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• National Architectural Accrediting Board
• Council for Interior Design Accreditation
• Georgia Professional Standards Commission
• South Carolina Commission on Higher Education

Learn more about these organizations.

• American Academy in Rome
• Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education
• EDUCAUSE
• eLearning Guild
• Georgia Foundation for Independent Colleges
• National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
• Sloan Consortium
• Southeastern College Art Conference
• U.S. Distance Learning Association

Learn more about these organizations.

SCAD shall admit students of any gender, race, color, national or ethnic origin, and religion to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at SCAD. SCAD shall not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

SCAD shall make its nondiscrimination policies known to all segments of the general community served by the College, in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

The College provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, veteran status, or status in any group protected by applicable laws.  This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, transfer, leave of absence, compensation and training.

The College expressly prohibits any unlawful discrimination or harassment that affects tangible job benefits, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile work environment.  Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

SCAD offers accredited degree programs at locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia; and online via SCAD-eLearning. Coursework also is offered through SCAD-sponsored off-campus programs in various locations throughout the world, including the SCAD study abroad location in Lacoste, France. Full degree programs are not offered at SCAD-Lacoste. Students accepted to SCAD may request to study at one or more of these locations and online and may combine traditional and travel/study with online coursework. Hybrid courses and limited residency programs also are offered.

Application and admission policies and procedures are the same for all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by SCAD, regardless of location and modality. (See admission policies and procedures.) Qualified students are eligible to receive scholarships, fellowships, and federal and state financial aid. (See financial aid and scholarships.) Students may begin their study any quarter during the academic year and may choose to be residential or commuting students. Orientation is offered at the start of each quarter for all new students and provides information about academic programs and university resources.

Undergraduate programs embrace a wide range of major areas and are designed to challenge students to perform at a high level, preparing them for professional careers. A well-rounded curriculum provides students with core courses in foundation studies and general education leading to focused major programs emphasizing development of academic knowledge, technical and analytical skills, aesthetic sensibility, and the ability to express ideas visually and verbally. Students are expected to begin assembling a portfolio their first year and to maintain a collection of their finest work through graduation. To encourage academic and professional success, portfolios are reviewed and evaluated on a regular basis by faculty members. Students are expected to keep documentation of their work as appropriate to their major. Learn more.

Graduate programs at SCAD are designed for dedicated, self-motivated students who are committed to the pursuit of excellence through advanced study. Graduate curricula are structured to include knowledge of the literature of the discipline and to ensure ongoing student engagement in research and/or appropriate professional practice and training experiences. Graduate courses require students to analyze, explore, question, reconsider and synthesize old and new knowledge and skills. The graduate experience culminates in student teaching or in a thesis or final project demonstrating a mature and resolved body of work and/or research. Graduates are prepared to hold leadership positions, to enter a variety of professional disciplines, to teach, or to accomplish other personal and professional goals. Learn more.

Through off-campus travel/study programs in a variety of locations students may earn college credit while gaining a more vivid perspective on art, architecture and design.

Students must first apply and be accepted to SCAD before applying to study abroad at SCAD Lacoste or in any SCAD off-campus program. Students may attend Lacoste any quarter and should discuss with their staff or student success adviser how courses taken at Lacoste apply toward their course of study and meet degree requirements.

Tuition for off-campus courses is equal to that of other courses taken at SCAD. Additional program costs, including travel, housing and meals, vary according to program location and duration. Financial aid and scholarships are available and students may apply their existing scholarships and aid toward these fees. Orientation for SCAD Lacoste and off-campus programs is offered prior to travel.

Both undergraduate and graduate students are expected to follow the degree requirements of the course catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment at SCAD. Specific course requirements, including prerequisites, are updated in the catalog annually. Students are expected to adhere to changes to individual courses of study.

If the curriculum and degree requirements change during the five-year period after the student initially enrolls, the student may elect to follow the new degree requirements, but may not move to a catalog earlier than his or her catalog of entry.

If a student does not fulfill the degree requirements of the course catalog of entry within the five-year period, then he or she must follow the requirements of the catalog in effect at the end of that five-year period. Any graduate student who does not complete the program within five years must appeal to the office of graduate studies for an extension.

Students may be required to follow new degree requirements if courses required by previous programs have been eliminated from the course catalog; however, under no circumstances are students required to take any additional credit hours to earn the declared degree within five years of entry. Students who wish to double major or enroll in a minor must follow those requirements in the catalog they are following for their primary major.

Students admitted to SCAD may attend any SCAD location, but may only declare a major at a location where that program is offered. A list of programs by location is available online.

Academic advisement is provided to all students to assist in the development of their educational plans and career goals and to relate these goals to academic offerings at SCAD. The role of faculty members is invaluable in the student advisement process. Faculty members are recognized as the experts in their disciplines. Students are encouraged to discuss their program of study, course content and career development each quarter with their faculty adviser. The role of the staff and student success advisers is to augment and complement the work of the faculty advisers.

First-year freshmen are assigned a student success adviser at enrollment. When students declare a major, they are also assigned a faculty adviser from their major department. Transfer students are assigned a student success adviser upon enrollment and, when they are eligible to declare a major, a faculty adviser. Transfer students are required to discuss their program of study with their student success adviser their first quarter of enrollment and once a year thereafter.

Graduate students are assigned both faculty and staff advisers at orientation. Together, these advisers regularly provide assistance with course selection and professional development, and help guide students toward fulfillment of requirements for certificate or degree programs.

SCAD-eLearning students are assigned faculty and staff advisers, and SCAD-eLearning staff members also provide assistance to and serve as liaisons for online students. Students who must fulfill English as a Second Language requirements are assigned an ESL staff adviser, faculty adviser and staff adviser.

Undergraduate and graduate courses are taught on the quarter system, with most courses carrying five hours of college credit. A typical five-hour class meets for two and one-half hours twice weekly for a total of five hours weekly for 10 weeks. Students should expect to spend at least as much time working on assignments outside of class as they do in class. Students enrolled in eLearning courses should expect to devote as much time to managing course content and completing assignments as they do participating in the digital classroom. The academic year includes four quarters and students may enroll each quarter, including the summer quarter; however, course offerings may be limited in the summer.

Grades are assigned according to the following system of letter and quality points evaluation:
 

Letter grade		Quality points
		Undergraduate		Graduate
A Excellent		4		4
B Good		3		3
C Average		2		2
D Poor		1		0
F Failure		0		0

The following codes may appear on transcripts and do not affect a student’s grade point average.

W Withdrawal		T Transfer credit
I Incomplete		G Granted/Fulfilled Credit
S Satisfactory		U Unsatisfactory		N Audit

Graduate students receive no credit toward required conditional courses with a grade of C or below. Graduate students receive no credit for a grade of D or below in any course.

The office of the registrar is the official designated authority for determining full-time status for all students requesting enrollment verifications for insurance or any type of financial aid or loans. A full-time student, undergraduate or graduate, is defined as one who is registered for 15 quarter hours of credit per quarter. Students may register for a maximum of 20 quarter hours, provided they have maintained a grade point average of at least 3.0 during the previous quarter.

Only students who are properly registered for a class may attend that class. Students are not permitted to participate in classes in which they are not registered. Official enrollment is determined by the class roster. Students are responsible for ensuring that they are enrolled for each class in which they are participating.

Students are expected to participate in all scheduled classes and examination periods. Absences in excess of four class periods per quarter, or 20 percent of the course, result in a failing grade for the course. Tardiness, early departure or other time away from class in excess of 15 minutes is considered absence for the class period. Classes missed due to late registration are included in the overall absences permitted for the class.

SCAD-eLearning students are expected to log in each week and complete coursework according to a schedule that stipulates due dates and asynchronous online sessions for students and professors to meet, assess and critique work or expand upon discussion board postings. Students in SCAD-eLearning courses are expected to participate in all assignments, examinations and field trips or other special activities as directed by the professor. Attendance is determined by active login time and participation in required activities. Absences in excess of 20 percent results in the students receiving a failing grade for the course.

The student’s appearance and conduct should be appropriate and should contribute to the academic and professional atmosphere of SCAD. The university reserves the right at its sole discretion to withdraw the privilege of enrollment from any student whose conduct is detrimental to the academic environment or to the well-being of other students, faculty or staff members, or to the university facilities.

The first five business days of every quarter are designated the drop/add period when students may change their class schedules. Students are subject to a late registration charge if they have not registered prior to the first day of classes.

Students must attend the classes for which they are registered by the end of the drop/add period. Failure to do so results in the student being dropped from the class by the registrar’s office and being fined $500 by the bursar’s office.

After the end of the drop/add period and through the last day of the quarter, students may officially withdraw from a class. Students should note that withdrawing from a class after the drop/add period is not the same as dropping a class during the drop/add period. Withdrawal does incur a financial obligation for the portion of the class that has passed, but may entitle the student or lender to a refund of tuition paid for the remaining portion of the course. Withdrawal from one or more classes also may impact a student’s full-time status and alter financial aid eligibility. Students should consult with a financial aid counselor for information. Refund policies are listed under financial information.

To withdraw from a class, students should log on to their MySCAD account and submit the electronic withdrawal form which is then processed automatically and effective immediately upon receipt of the request by the registrar’s office. If for any reason the automated process is not available, students should contact the office of the registrar immediately. Withdrawals are final and students may not return to the same class from which they have withdrawn. Withdrawal from a class results in a grade of W and no credit is earned. Thus, it does not calculate into the student’s cumulative grade point average.

Students who stop participating in a class without officially withdrawing through the office of the registrar are considered in violation of the SCAD attendance policy and receive a grade of F for the class. A student who is withdrawing from SCAD altogether must complete a withdrawal form for each class in which he or she is registered, have an exit interview with a staff or student success adviser, officially drop any courses for which he or she may be pre-registered in the subsequent quarter, return his or her student identification card and, if residing in SCAD housing, return all room keys to the dean of students.

Currently enrolled degree-seeking, non degree-seeking or transient students who wish to enroll in a class, but do not want to receive a grade, may request through the registrar to audit the class, provided space is available. Auditing status is reflected by N on the grade report. Students must be eligible to register in the course they wish to audit. Degree-seeking students should consult a student success adviser before requesting to audit a class to determine the effect this may have on financial aid and scholarship status and awards.

Internships may be undertaken on a credit or non-credit basis and may be paid or unpaid. Typical internships place students with artists/designers or with organizations such as museums, advertising agencies, media production companies, theaters and architecture firms in the United States and abroad.

An undergraduate student seeking an internship for credit must have completed at least 90 credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0. A graduate student seeking an internship for credit must have completed at least 15 graduate level credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 and must have passed a conditional review, if applicable.

Prior to the quarter in which an internship is to be conducted for credit, students must submit to the registrar an internship application and liability waiver signed by the student, the faculty member and the internship supervisor. The application must show that the student will have adequate faculty and supervisor contact hours during the 10-week quarter when the internship is to take place. Graduate teaching internship applications should be planned one quarter in advance to allow students to attend a teaching workshop and prepare instructional materials.

Students must pay the necessary tuition upon submission of the internship application in order to complete registration for the internship for credit. At the culmination of the internship, the supervisor, the faculty member and the student must submit to the registrar the appropriate evaluation form showing successful completion of the internship.

Students may wish to earn credit through independent study that allows them to investigate a topic in depth or take advantage of particular resources. An independent study may not be used as a substitute for a course currently offered.

Proposals for independent study must be approved by a faculty member and the department chair and submitted to the registrar prior to the start of the quarter in which the independent study is to be conducted. Proposals should present evidence that the independent study involves approximately the same amount of time and faculty supervision as a required or elective course.

In order to complete registration of the independent study for credit, students also must pay the necessary tuition. Undergraduate students must have completed at least 90 credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 to participate in an independent study; graduate students must have completed at least 15 credit hours of graduate level courses with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.

SCAD reserves the right to cancel a class and change the schedule, location, or professor of classes at any time. Students are responsible for checking their schedule prior to the start of each quarter to apprise themselves of any changes.

An undergraduate or graduate student who wishes to attend another college or university as a transient student must first meet with his or her staff or student success adviser to ensure that the student is in good standing and that credits earned at the other institution would be equivalent in course content and level of instruction to SCAD. Also before applying for transient status or credit, students should consult with the office of financial aid to determine the impact of transient status on financial aid and scholarships. Undergraduate students may not transfer to SCAD more than a total of 90 hours of credit (including credit earned as a transient student) and the final 45 hours of any degree program must be taken in residency at SCAD. Approval for graduate level transient coursework is very limited.

In order to qualify for transient status, undergraduate students must have a minimum overall grade point average of 2.0; graduate students must have a minimim grade point average of 3.0. Students may not be on academic warning, academic probation or have been academically suspended.

After meeting with a student success adviser or staff adviser, students who meet the requirements for transient status should submit the proper form to the registrar’s office. Students must provide documentation of application and/or acceptance to the other institution, as well as a course description and/or syllabus for the class he or she is seeking to take. The course content and level of instruction of the other institution are then reviewed to determine whether or not the course would transfer and meet a specific course requirement or be counted as elective credit. This process may take up to two weeks. Upon approval of the student’s written request, the student receives a letter of good standing from the registrar’s office and may begin transient study.

Prior to the end of the quarter immediately following the completion of transient coursework, students must submit an official transcript of final grades from the other institution to the transfer admission office. In order to have the credit applied at SCAD, undergraduate students must earn a minimum grade of C for the transient course; graduate students must earn a minimum grade of B.

Students who have attended SCAD, but have not been enrolled at SCAD for at least five consecutive quarters, or have attended another college or university in the interim, must apply for readmission and meet current admission requirements. All readmission applications are evaluated on an individual basis by the Admission Review Committee. Any prior awards of financial aid and/or scholarships may or may not apply. Students should complete new FAFSA forms and re-submit any required materials to be considered for aid or scholarship awards. Current undergraduate students who do not register for classes for a period of five consecutive quarters are deemed inactive and must apply to for readmission. Upon readmission, students must follow the requirements of the current catalog.

International students attending a campus within the United States must follow the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services rules pertaining to online courses. The rules, which are outlined on page two of the I-20 visa, include the following regarding registration in online coursework: Registration in an online course is allowed, but 50 percent or more of classes taken in a quarter must be in a classroom (not online). Typically, this means international students could take only one online course out of a total of three courses. For more information on this or other academic matters related to international status, students should contact the SCAD office of international student services.

A student who has suffered serious personal illness or critical, emergency circumstances during the academic term, resulting in failure to complete all assignments by the end of the quarter may request a grade of incomplete. This request should be made through the appropriate school dean before the end of the quarter, explaining the reason and attaching documentary evidence of the illness or emergency circumstance. Students with a serious illness or emergency also should contact the dean of students as soon as possible.

If approved, the student is assigned a temporary grade of incomplete, and is required to complete the remainder of the unfinished work in a satisfactory manner by the mid-term of the following quarter. Approval of incomplete grades is at the discretion of the school dean. This decision is final. A temporary grade of incomplete automatically changes to an F if the required work is not completed satisfactorily by mid-term of the following quarter.

A student who has missed more than four class sessions, 20 percent, in a quarter is not eligible for a grade of incomplete, but may withdraw at any time after the end of the drop/add period and through the last day of the quarter.

A student is expected to make satisfactory progress toward his or her degree and is responsible at all times for knowing his or her academic standing and for fulfilling all requirements of the university by referring to published academic policies, regulations and standards and by consulting with the appropriate dean, department chair or adviser. It is the student’s responsibility to ascertain and meet course requirements, prerequisite requirements, graduation requirements, appropriate course sequencing and any other requirements of the university.

At the sole discretion of the university, a student may be placed on academic warning or probation, or may be suspended or dismissed for any reason deemed by SCAD officials to be in the best interest of the student or of the university as a whole.

Good Standing
For undergraduate students, good academic standing is defined by a 2.0 overall grade point average. For graduate students, good academic standing is defined by a 3.0 overall grade point average.

Academic Warning
An undergraduate student who earns a grade point average below 2.0 or a graduate student who earns a grade point average below 3.0 for any one quarter receives a warning that his or her academic status is unsatisfactory.

Probation
An undergraduate student who earns a grade point average below 2.0 or a graduate student who earns a grade point average below 3.0 for two consecutive quarters is placed on academic probation and is notified in writing by the registrar’s office. Students are required to abide by the terms of probation as outlined in their probation letter.

Suspension
An undergraduate student whose grade point average falls below 2.0 for three consecutive quarters is suspended from the university for one calendar year. After that time, the student may submit a written petition to the registrar to return to SCAD. The petition should include all potential justification for re-entry to SCAD, including, but not limited to, counseling, tutoring, medical treatment, or academic success programming. Reinstatement is not guaranteed.

If the student is reinstated, he or she returns on academic probation, must meet with a staff adviser prior to registering for classes and must complete an academic success program as outlined by the reinstatement committee. This may include the requirement to register for specific courses or a reduced course load.

A graduate student whose grade point average falls below 3.0 for three consecutive quarters is dismissed from SCAD.

Dismissal
A student who has been suspended and reinstated, and does not meet satisfactory academic progress during the first term of his or her return, is dismissed from the university.

Under all circumstances, students are expected to be honest in their dealings with faculty, administrative staff and fellow students. For purposes of this policy, the term faculty or faculty member includes any person engaged by the university to act in a teaching capacity, regardless of the person’s actual title. In speaking with members of the SCAD community, students must give an accurate representation of the facts at hand. Failure to do so is considered a breach of the Student Code of Conduct and may result in sanctions against the student, including suspension or dismissal.

In class assignments, students must submit work that fairly and accurately reflects their level of accomplishment. Any work that is not a product of the student’s own efforts is considered dishonest. Students must not engage in academic dishonesty; doing so can have serious consequences. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• 1. Cheating, which includes, but is not limited to, (a) the giving or receiving of any unauthorized assistance in producing assignments or taking quizzes, tests or examinations; (b) dependence on the aid of sources including technology beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems or carrying out other assignments; (c) the acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the college faculty or staff; or (d) the use of unauthorized assistance in the preparation of works of art.
• 2. Plagiarism, which includes, but is not limited to, the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. Plagiarism also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.
• 3. Submission of the same work in two or more classes without prior written approval of the professors of the classes involved.
• 4. Submission of any work not actually produced by the student submitting the work without full and clear written acknowledgement of the actual author or creator of the work.

If a faculty member suspects a student of academic dishonesty, the faculty member first discusses the concern with the student. If academic dishonesty is still suspected, the faculty member must notify the vice president for academic services (Savannah, eLearning) or the associate vice president for academic services (Atlanta) and submit all evidence. The vice president or associate vice president then appoints a designee to investigate the allegation. If, as a result, the investigator finds that academic dishonesty has occurred, the student is informed in writing of the sanctions to be imposed. The student has five business days from the date on the written notice within which to appeal the decision of the investigator. Students wishing to appeal should do so in writing to the vice president of academic services (Savannah, eLearning) or the associate vice president for academic services (Atlanta), including all pertinent evidence to support the appeal. An appeals committee then convenes to review the case. Findings are presented to the vice president for academic services or the associate vice president for academic services, who sends the student a decision in writing within 30 days of the written appeal. If no appeal is made, the student is assigned a grade of F in the course and the student forfeits the right to continue to attend the class in which the academic dishonesty occurred. Additional sanctions may also be imposed, including suspension or dismissal. A second charge of academic dishonesty results in dismissal from SCAD.

Students are encouraged to resolve any concerns they may have by directly contacting the office or persons responsible for the area relevant to the concern or complaint. If unsure about the proper way to address complaints, students should contact the ombudsman. As a neutral party, the ombudsman may seek additional information about the situation, assist with appropriate communication and mediate disputes.

If unable to satisfactorily resolve issues directly with the relevant office or persons or through the ombudsman’s office, the student may submit a formal written appeal by e-mail to the appropriate academic or administrative dean, or associate vice president, or vice president, or the Chief Academic Officer, according to the nature of the appeal. All appeals must be sent from the student’s SCAD e-mail account. Written student appeals must be submitted within 30 calendar days (five business days for academic dishonesty sanctions and three business days for Code of Conduct sanctions) and must include the student’s full name, student ID number, SCAD location, SCAD e-mail address and phone number. The appeal must be specific in describing the issue of concern: the date, time and place of any occurrence; the names of any persons involved, including any witnesses; details of any occurrence; other relevant information or documentation; and the desired outcome. All appeals must be signed or sent from the student’s SCAD e-mail account.

Complaint and appeal policies apply uniformly across SCAD locations and learning modalities. The university protects a student’s right to lodge a complaint or written appeal under these procedures and seeks to resolve all student concerns fairly and in a timely manner.

Academic appeals

Policy appeals
Academic policy appeals are written student requests to make exceptions to the university’s academic policies or to review academic decisions. Students should address all academic policy appeals to the Chief Academic Officer and submit them by e-mail. Once submitted, the student’s appeal is routed to the appropriate SCAD administrator for investigation. A decision from the CAO regarding the appeal is made in writing to the student within 30 calendar days following receipt of the appeal or receipt of additional information. The decision is final.

Grade appeals
Concerns regarding final grade assignments must be addressed directly with the faculty member issuing the grade or, if necessary, with the professor’s department chair. A review of the student’s grade is conducted to validate the grade assignment. The department chair and school dean must authorize any grade change due to numerical miscalculation by the faculty member issuing the grade. If, after this review, the student is not satisfied, he or she may file a written appeal with the vice president for academic services for Savannah or e-learning students or the associate vice president for Atlanta students. This appeal must include evidence of correspondence with all previous parties and should be submitted within 30 calendar days following the posting of the final grade. As with all academic appeals, the student’s grade appeal is routed to the appropriate college administrator for investigation. A decision from the vice president or associate vice president regarding the appeal is made in writing to the student within 30 calendar days following receipt of the appeal. The decision is final.

Student services appeals

Code of conduct and disciplinary action appeal
Appeals of judicial sanctions should be addressed in writing to the Atlanta or Savannah dean of students within three business days of the finding of violation or imposition of sanction.

Americans with Disabilities Act grievance
Students who wish to file a formal grievance must do so in writing within 30 calendar days of the alleged violation to the director of disability services, who convenes the ADA grievance committee to hear the appeal.

Sexual harassment grievance
Complaints may be initiated either in writing or in person to the vice president for student success by (a) signing and delivering a written complaint or by (b) presenting the complaint in person. In the event that the complaint is made in person, and the complainant decides to proceed formally, the complaint is reduced to writing during the meeting and signed by the complainant.

Financial appeals

  Financial aid
Students who receive a written notice of loss of financial aid due to unsatisfactory progress may appeal in writing to the director of financial aid. The appeal must be received within 30 calendar days of the date on the unsatisfactory progress notification letter. A decision regarding the appeal is made in writing to the student within 30 calendar days following receipt of the appeal or receipt of additional information. The decision is final.

Bursar appeals
Students with extenuating circumstances may appeal in writing to the bursar for refund or credit. Such appeals must be initiated during the quarter for which the refund or credit is requested. The bursar responds in writing to the student within 30 days of the date on the written appeal. The decision is final.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:

• 1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the date the Savannah College of Art and Design receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The registrar makes arrangements for access and notifies the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the registrar, the registrar shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed. That official makes arrangements for access and notifies the student of when and where the records may be inspected.
• 2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. A student who believes records are inaccurate or misleading should write to the registrar, clearly identify the part of the record he or she wants changed and document why it is inaccurate or misleading. If SCAD decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, SCAD notifies the student of the decision and advises the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding hearing procedures is provided to the student at that time.
• 3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the university in a supervisory, administrative, academic, research or support staff position (including law enforcement personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the university has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor or collection agent); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as disciplinary or grievance committees, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the university discloses a student’s education records to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll without the student’s prior consent. The university also discloses directory information in a student’s education record unless written notice is received from the student that the student does not wish to be included in the disclosure of directory information on or before October 1 of the current academic year. Written notice should be sent to the registrar’s office (registrar@scad.edu). Directory information includes the student’s name, address (including e-mail), telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, most recent previous educational agency or institution attended, and photograph.
• 4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures of the college to comply with the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

The name and address of the office that administers the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is as follows:

Family Policy and Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave. S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920
202.260.3887

Students may retake a course by registering for the course and paying tuition for that course again. While all grades remain on the transcript, the student only receives credit once for the course. Only the highest grade is calculated into the cumulative and major grade point average. Students should consult a student success adviser before retaking a course, as financial aid and/or scholarship awards could be affected.

To earn an undergraduate certificate, students must complete all courses required for the certificate, maintaining at least a 2.0 grade point average in those courses. To earn a graduate certificate, students must complete all courses required for the certificate, maintaining at least a 3.0 grade point average in those courses.

Bachelor’s degrees are awarded to students who have earned a minimum of 180 quarter hours of appropriate credit in an approved program of study with an overall cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher, as well as a 3.0 or higher in their major or concentration. Students pursuing a minor must earn a grade point average of 2.0 or higher in their minor program. To graduate with a double major, students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in each major and a minimum overall grade point average of 2.0. The final 45 hours of any degree program must be completed at SCAD.

Bachelor’s degree students must complete the application for graduation at least two quarters before they complete their degree requirements. Applications may be obtained from the office of the registrar where they are submitted for processing. Students who plan to participate in the graduation ceremony must complete all degree requirements no later than the summer quarter following the ceremony.

At graduation, bachelor’s degree students may be awarded academic honors based on their cumulative grade point average their last quarter before commencement. Since commencement is scheduled before final grades are submitted, the cumulative grade point averages of students who complete their graduation requirements spring quarter are based on their average the previous quarter. Students who have a cumulative grade point average below a specific honor level prior to commencement, but earn the required average after grades are calculated, have that honor indicated on their diploma.

Honors
Cum Laude 3.5 to 3.69 GPA
Magna Cum Laude 3.7 to 3.89 GPA
Summa Cum Laude 3.9 to 4.0 GPA

At the approximate midpoint of each graduate student’s course of study, the student must pass a review for candidacy. Students who have been assigned conditional courses must first complete those with a grade of at least a B or higher and pass a conditional review. Students who fail the conditional review may request in writing to take it again. Any student who fails the conditional review for a second time is not allowed to progress in that program of study to candidacy.

To be reviewed for candidacy, the student must have met all requirements for the program up to that point with a grade point average of at least 3.0 in the major. The final 45 hours of any degree program must be completed at SCAD.

In the candidacy review, faculty assess the student’s complete body of work, as well as the student’s readiness to continue in the program and succeed in the field upon graduation. The review determines the student’s qualifications for candidacy according to the discipline and degree program, assessing evidence of knowledge of historical methodology, logical thought and original ideas, as well as aesthetic considerations. Candidates should demonstrate strong fundamental art and design skills, performance skills, teaching skills, technical proficiency, and/or strong academic and research proficiency required of the discipline and degree program. Academic performance, as demonstrated by individual course grades, also serves as an indication of a student’s readiness to proceed to candidacy. Students who experience academic difficulty should consult with their department chair, graduate coordinator, or faculty adviser. Additional guidelines for the candidacy review can be found on the graduate studies Web site in MySCAD.

Students who fail the review for candidacy may request in writing through the department chair to retake the review. Any student who fails the review for candidacy a second time is not allowed to progress in the program.

Graduate students must maintain continuous enrollment until completion of all degree requirements. Continuous enrollment is defined as registering for a minimum of one course toward the satisfaction of degree requirements in at least two terms per academic year until the degree is attained or until the student withdraws by written notification to the office of the registrar.

Students who register for thesis and do not complete it by the end of the quarter receive a grade of incomplete. Students who have completed all other requirements for the degree except thesis must then register for Thesis 799 Continuing Thesis. Once a student is eligible to enroll in Thesis 799, he or she must register for the class each quarter (up to the five-year degree completion limit) until all degree requirements are met. Students enrolled in Thesis 799 maintain their official student ID card, and all rights and privileges afforded enrolled students, such as access to facilities and use of equipment and library resources. This policy applies to graduate students following the Fall 2008 catalog and thereafter.

In order to graduate, students are required to be continuously enrolled (at least two terms per academic year, including continuing thesis, up to the five-year limit), fulfill all requirements of the program of study, and maintain a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average overall as well as a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average in the major area of study. Specific completion requirements may vary according to the degree program and may require a thesis, student teaching, final project or portfolio appropriate to the course of study. The subject and nature of thesis projects vary among departments. Final projects and portfolio courses include a written component. See specific program requirements for each major. The final 45 hours of any degree program must be completed at SCAD.

The M.A. degree is awarded to students who have completed at least 45 graduate quarter hours in an M.A. program of study. The M.F.A. degree is awarded to students who have earned at least 90 graduate quarter hours in an M.F.A. program of study. The M.A.T. degree is awarded to students who have earned at least 60 graduate quarter hours in an M.A.T. program of study.

The M.Arch. professional degree is awarded to students who have completed at least 225 quarter hours in the professional M.Arch. program of study, which includes 180 undergraduate quarter hours and 45 graduate quarter hours. The M.Arch. postprofessional degree is awarded to students who have completed at least 45 graduate quarter hours in the postprofessional M.Arch. program of study. The M.U.D. is awarded to students who have completed at least 90 graduate quarter hours in an M.U.D. program of study.

Master’s degree students must submit the application for graduation at least two quarters before completing degree requirements. The application may be obtained online or from the student’s staff adviser and must be submitted to the adviser for processing. Graduation Applications are required regardless of ceremony participation. Students who plan to participate in the graduation ceremony must complete all degree requirements no later than the summer quarter following the ceremony.

Graduate students have five years from the start of their first graduate quarter to complete all program requirements, including final project, thesis and student teaching, ESL and conditional courses, if assigned. If, for any reason, the student does not complete the program within the five-year period, the student must petition the office of graduate studies for additional time and to request continuation under a current program of study. The office of graduate studies, in conjunction with the department chair, determines if additional time should be granted.

Students who wish to continue to take classes after completion of degree requirements should meet with a student success or staff adviser to discuss options for further study, such as the addition of a second major or continuation to a master’s degree program. To pursue a second degree, the student must apply through the admission office and be admitted to a new degree program, or apply to be admitted as non degree-seeking. Otherwise, classes are automatically dropped by the registrar. Financial aid and scholarship awards may be affected by continued enrollment after degree completion.

Students may request from the registrar’s office official transcripts of all coursework completed at SCAD. A fee is charged for most transcripts. Transcripts and portfolios submitted to SCAD as part of the application process become part of the permanent record of the student and cannot be returned to the student.

Students are expected to read all e-mail messages from SCAD officials and utilize their SCAD e-mail addresses for correspondence with faculty and staff. Students are expected to use the most current registration and academic forms and to use automated forms posted on MySCAD. If for any reason online forms are not available, students should contact the office of the registrar.

Physical injury and/or other medical problems, as well as loss of or damage to personal property resulting from fire, theft or other causes, are not the responsibility of the university. SCAD recommends that students carry personal insurance.

SCAD reserves the right to use samples of student work and photographs or video of students and their work in publications and on SCAD Web sites or other materials about the university. SCAD may request to purchase student work to be included in the permanent collection. Students are frequently invited to exhibit work in the SCAD galleries and in traveling exhibitions. Students also may be invited to sell their work through the SCAD galleries or through open studio nights held by the academic departments.

Students who create copyrightable work with the use of university resources and in furtherance of class projects while enrolled at SCAD grant to the university a royalty-free, non-exclusive, worldwide, transferrable and perpetual license to use the work (whether in its entirety or samples), together with photographs and/or video of students, for the promotion of and/or to advance the interest of the university. This includes the right to reproduce and distribute copies of the work, photographs and/or video. The complete policy on intellectual property is available online.

The Savannah College of Art and Design, Inc. is committed to providing an environment that supports the creative and teaching activities of its faculty, students and staff. While the primary focus of these activities is on the advancement of the university, works produced by such activities often have benefits beyond their academic intentions. This policy is intended to assist the university's faculty, staff, employees and students in identifying, protecting and administering intellectual property matters. Read the policy.