Certificate completion requirements
Graduate candidacy
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. Current students may pursue a certificate by contacting their staff adviser. Additional coursework may be required to earn a certificate concurrent with a degree.
At the approximate midpoint of each graduate student’s course of study, the student must pass a faculty review for candidacy. In order to be reviewed, 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. In the candidacy review, the faculty assesses 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. Reviews are structured 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, 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 or graduate coordinator. Additional guidelines for the candidacy review can be found on the graduate studies website in MySCAD. Students who do not pass the review for candidacy during their initial attempt may have a second review. Any student who does not pass the second review may not be allowed to continue in the program.
Bachelor’s degree graduation requirements
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND POLICIES
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Bachelor’s degrees are awarded to students who have earned a minimum of 180 quarter hours (equivalent to 120 semester credit 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 (may include eLearning and study abroad). Students must complete all academic requirements for undergraduate majors and minors before beginning a SCAD graduate degree. Bachelor’s degree students must complete the application for graduation at least two quarters before they complete their degree requirements. The graduation application is required whether or not the student plans to participate in a commencement ceremony. In Atlanta, Hong Kong and Savannah, a commencement ceremony is held at the end of spring quarter. Students who plan to participate in the commencement ceremony must complete all degree requirements no later than the summer quarter following the ceremony. Students should note that course offerings may be limited in the summer. Students who would like to participate in the commencement ceremony must apply by the deadline posted in MySCAD. At graduation, bachelor’s degree students may be awarded academic honors based on their cumulative grade-point average during 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 averages 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 Students enrolled in B.F.A. programs in art history and architectural history are required to complete a thesis as part of their graduation requirements. Students register for the thesis course at the end of their program and are expected to complete the thesis by the end of the final enrollment term. Students who do not finish their theses by the end of the term may request a grade of incomplete subject to the temporary grade of incomplete policy.
SCAD.EDU / POLICIES
Five-year completion limit for graduate degrees The completion limit for graduate degrees is five years, including ESL, intensive graduate-level coursework, and/or required undergraduate courses, if assigned, as well as final project, portfolio or thesis. If, for any reason, the student does not complete the program within the five-year period, the student must petition to the office of graduate studies for continuation under the current program of study.
Master’s degree graduation requirements In order to graduate, students seeking master’s degrees are required to be continuously enrolled (at least two quarters 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 gradepoint average in the major area of study. To graduate with a double major or dual degree, graduate students must fulfill all requirements of each major. Specific completion requirements may vary according to the degree program and may require a thesis, 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 posted in MySCAD. 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 (equivalent to 30 semester credit 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 (equivalent to 60 semester credit hours) in an M.F.A. program of study. M.A. and M.F.A. students who were assigned intensive coursework upon