SCAD automatically registers incoming students for first-quarter classes after the enrollment fee has been paid. Class schedules can be viewed in MySCAD prior to the start of the quarter. Schedules are tentative and subject to change. Students will have the opportunity to make changes if needed.

A typical first-term first-year schedule includes three classes and usually consists of a general education lecture course (such as English, Communication, Art History, etc.) and two foundation studies studio courses (such as Design Thinking and Process, Sketching and Drawing, Color in Context, etc.) All first-term first-year students will also be registered for First Year Experience, a course designed to assist students in becoming acclimated to university life at SCAD.