Registration Policies

i. Introduction

The Office of the Registrar serves students, faculty, staff, and alumni through course scheduling and registration, degree audits and graduation certifications, academic record keeping and reporting, enforcing FERPA compliance requirements, and coordinating academic warning and final grading processes. This office can assist on matters concerning registration, add, drop, and withdrawal procedures, course substitutions, immunization requirements, transcripts, and enrollment verification requests. Change of address, e-mail, and/or telephone number should be reported to the Office of the Registrar immediately.

Course registration for each semester occurs at dates announced during the prior semester (see Academic Calendar). All degree students must register for courses in advance during these dates, unless a significant issue prevents them from doing so. In that case, students should discuss the problem with their academic advisor, program director, chair, or the director of academic advising during the scheduled period of advising and registration and notify their department in writing. Later changes to advanced course registration are not penalized up to the add/drop deadlines during the semester in question, but initial advanced registration is important.

Because course cancellations due to low enrollment are determined 2-7 days in advance, students must register for all courses they intend to take no less than seven days before the first class, in order to ensure the maximum number of course offerings for all students. The same deadline ensures that priority is given to degree and certificate students before others are admitted.

ii. Registration

Students are responsible for registering properly and meeting tuition deadlines. Students should confirm their enrollment on MyCorcboard. Students unable to access their MyCorcboard accounts should contact the Office of Information Technology at help_desk@corcoran.org. Incomplete registration forms will not be processed, and students may be held responsible for any academic or financial consequences that may result. Incomplete information includes, but is not limited to: incomplete course information including course codes and section letters, missing course pre-requisites or departmental approval, Social Security or student ID numbers, student signature, and/or advisor signature. In addition, students may not register for courses which have time conflicts. Students must also clear all outstanding bills and financial obligations, including library fees, and overdue books prior to registration. The Corcoran reserves the right to make adjustments to a student’s schedule for administrative purposes to ensure that students have the best possible access to courses needed to fulfill degree requirements.

iii. Schedule Adjustment

After initial registration, students need to file Add/Drop/Withdrawal form to make any schedule changes, including adding, dropping, or withdrawing from classes, changing class sections, and/or changing credit status within a class. Add/Drop/Withdrawal forms are available online at www.corcoran.edu, the Office of the Registrar, and at the Georgetown campus. These forms must be complete, signed by the appropriate advisor(s), and submitted to the Office of the Registrar. In the event that their primary advisor is unavailable, students may consult the chair or program head, or the director of academic advising.

Students can add classes during the first two calendar weeks following the first day of classes. Course additions made after that two-week period require written permission from the dean of enrollment and are only allowed under extraordinary circumstances. Students who report that they attended classes but were not on the official class roster after the last day to add will not receive retroactive credits. The last day to drop classes without a refund is five calendar weeks after the first day of classes. All classes for which a student is enrolled following the last day to drop will remain part of the student’s permanent academic record.

The last day to withdraw from classes with a grade of W is 10 calendar weeks after the first day of classes. A grade of W is not calculated into the student’s GPA, and students may re-enroll in withdrawn courses during a different semester. Retroactive withdrawals following the withdrawal deadline require written permission from the dean of enrollment and are only allowed under extraordinary circumstances.

After the withdrawal deadline, an F will be assigned for non-attendance. In order to avoid this notation, students who have extenuating circumstances which will require absences or missing assignments may wish to consider requesting an Incomplete (see Incomplete policy section for more information).

IV. CREDIT HOURS

Academic credit is determined by semester credit hours, which are defined by the U.S. Department of Education and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. (A credit hour by definition is 50 minutes long; a clock hour is 60 minutes long.) Credit applies to two types of courses: studio classes centered on student creative activity, and academic classes involving lectures or seminars in art history and the arts and humanities.

In studio classes a semester credit hour represents at minimum three hours of student work per week for 15 weeks. As a rule, a three-credit studio course consists of 4.5 hours of class time and 4.5 hours of studio time outside of class per week. In academic classes, a semester credit hour represents at minimum one credit hour of class time and two hours of additional study for 15 weeks; a three-credit course typically meets for 2 hours 45 minutes a week for 15 weeks. Additional study outside of academic classes includes but is not limited to reading, writing, and attending exhibitions and lectures, as required.  Seminars given in the studio departments follow the semester credit hour definition of academic classes.

For study-away courses and those involving travel, class time is often supplemented by cultural experiences such as visits to museums and architectural sites. A semester credit hour in these cases is counted as 30 clock hours of instruction and supervised experiences in the presence of a faculty member. A three-credit course for study away thus requires a minimum of 90 hours of study and cultural experiences.

v. Repeating Courses

Undergraduate elective studio courses and academic special topics courses (in which the content rotates from semester to semester) may be repeated once for credit. Other academic courses may not be repeated for credit. Graduate students need permission from their chairs or program director in order to earn repeat credit for use graduate studio electives. Repeated courses (ie. any course, independent study, or internship that has the same course code) are applied to the student’s plan upon receipt of a completed course substitution form by the Office of the Registrar. All grades earned from repeated courses factor into students’ GPAs.

vi. Auditing Courses

Undergraduate Policies

Full-time degree students who wish to audit a credit course may do so as long as their academic load, including the credit hours the auditing course normally carries, does not exceed the maximum full-time load of 18 credits. Bachelor’s students exceeding this credit limit must pay for each credit that exceeds 18 credits. Students may audit only one course per semester. Audited courses do not satisfy any degree requirements, financial aid requirements, or minimum enrollment requirements for F-1 status.

Graduate Policies

Under certain conditions and with approval, graduates students may register to audit courses. In addition to the $250 audit fee, students are responsible for any lab fees associated with a course.

Auditing requires the approval of the student’s chair or program director, as well as the chair or program director of the department offering the course, if different. All audits are on a space-available basis, according to priorities set by the College. Audit requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and in the event multiple audit requests are made by one individual, that individual will get priority status for one audit course per semester. It is the policy of the College that the number of students enrolled in the course for credit will be greater than the number of auditors and that the learning needs of “for credit” students will take precedence.

Audits have no bearing on completion of degree requirements. The option to audit applies to classroom and studio courses, but not to situations such as field experience, internship, study abroad, or study away courses. Auditors should register during the normal registration period, and before the start of the class. To appear on a student’s transcript as an audit, auditing students must follow the same attendance rules that apply to students taking the class for credit.

The instructor will establish the class expectations where students registered for credit study side by side with auditors. For example, auditors may be expected to do assignments, or not; to participate in critique of student work, or not; or to participate actively in discussions or interactive activities or not.

VII. Continuing education + NON-CREDIT COURSES AND WORKSHOPS

The Continuing Education department offers a limited number of 1.5 credit and intensive 3 credit courses. Additional tuition or fees may be charged to degree students enrolling in intensive courses offered through the Continuing Education department. Intensive 3 credit courses offered through the Continuing Education department will indicate in the course description that approval of the continuing education department is required prior to registration. Degree seeking students who wish to take a 1.5 credit course must request approval from the continuing education department prior to registration by emailing ceadvisor@corcoran.org.

Non-credit courses (those not offered for credit) are not available for audit and are subject to the standard tuition and fees associated with the course. Degree students wishing to register for non-credit courses must follow the standard process for registration and must seek advisor approval. Non-credit courses cannot be applied toward completion of degree requirements.

VIII. COURSE CODING Key

0000-0999 Non-credit courses
1000-4999 Undergraduate level courses
5000+ Graduate level courses

Course prefixes: AA-Aspiring Artists, AH-Art History, AS-Arts and Humanities, BG-Botanic Gardens, BK-Art and the Book, CR-Ceramics, DE-Design, DM-Digital Media, DR-Drawing, ED-Art Education, EX-Exhibition Design, FA-Fine Art, FN-Foundation, GD-Graphic Design, ID-Interior Design, JE-Jewelry, PD-Pre-College, PH-Photography, PJ-Photojournalism, PR-Printmaking, PT-Painting, SL-Sculpture, TR-Transfer course.

ix. Independent Study

The College believes it to be in the best interest of its students to follow a course of study based on the published curriculum, which provides a network of collaborative exchange and feedback that is one of the strengths of a creative education. Nonetheless, it recognizes that students have individual needs and ambitions that sometimes cannot be accommodated within the current course listings. The Corcoran’s Independent Study Contract is a means of permitting individualized creative activity and research under conditions that are meant to maximize its benefits for the student.

Degree students may receive credit for independent study outside of the classroom only if it is approved by their department, supervised by a faculty member, and meets the conditions of the college’s Independent Study Contract. To receive approval under the terms of an Independent Study Contract, an independent study must meet the following standards:

• The content of the independent study cannot substantially duplicate that of any existing course listed as currently active. This includes courses that might easily be taken at participating Consortium colleges and universities in the Washington, D.C., area.
• The independent study must take place outside of the classroom and outside of the student’s currently scheduled classroom hours.
• Total hours spent on the independent study must meet the minimum requirements for the number of credits contracted to be received. (See credit hour policy for details.) The majority of these hours will consist of student research and/or creative activity; contact hours with faculty are assumed to be only a small proportion of the total.
• The student must prepare a statement of intention and a work plan that is agreed to by the student’s department chair or program head. The chair or program head will then assign a faculty member to supervise the student.
• A faculty member must supervise the independent study. Supervision means assigning and monitoring learning goals and objectives, meeting with a student at least five times a semester, and assessing the student’s performance, including grading. Supervision can be accomplished by face-to-face meetings and/or by Internet exchanges such as email.
• The student’s department shall determine that the proposed Independent Study is of substantive value to the student’s educational goals and interests.
• Both the chair or program head of the student’s department and the chair or program head of the faculty member’s department must approve the Independent Study Contract. They will forward it to the Office of the Provost, which grants final approval and forwards the Contract to the Registrar.
• Independent Study Contracts must be approved and recorded by the Registrar by the deadline for registration for the semester in which the independent study will take place.

Baccalaureate degree students may take no more than nine credits of Independent Study and graduate students not more than six over the course of their studies. Independent Study is not available to Associate degree students or to Foundation-level BFA and BA students.

If an Independent Study is to be used as a substitute for a required course, its content, scope, depth, and learning expectations must equal or exceed those of the required course.

Independent Study is normally either 1.5 credits or 3 credits in scope, and is coded numerically according to the level of the student (28xx for sophomores, 38xx for juniors, etc.). The content of the study will determine the course code used, not the student’s major. For example, an Independent Study in art history by a senior photojournalism major will be coded AH48xx.

x. Course Substitution

Course substitutions are available to students who need to either take a class outside of the Corcoran College of Art + Design as transfer credit to make up a requirement or to take a substitute course within the College in place of a requirement. In all cases, approval is needed from the student’s academic advisor and the chair or program director, or the dean of students, or the director of academic advising and the signed course substitution form must be recorded with the Office of the Registrar before the student may take the substitute class. Course substitution approvals are revoked if the student does not complete the approved coursework within the specified semester.

If a class is taken at another institution (outside of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area) the student must make arrangements with the visited institution to have an official transcript mailed directly to the Office of the Registrar immediately after the coursework is completed and graded. Credits cannot be evaluated for transfer until an official transcript is received. A satisfactory grade must be earned for a course to be accepted for transfer credit (B or better for graduate students and C or better for undergraduate students). Graduate students may transfer only graduate level courses. See section on Transfer Credit Evaluation for additional details.

If the substitute course is taken at another participating Consortium institution, a separate cross-registration process is required. See the section regarding the Consortium for a list of participating institutions, eligibility requirements, policies, and registration procedure.

Permission to take a course elsewhere will not be approved for a course that the student has attempted at the Corcoran and earned an unsatisfactory grade. Because graduate courses are generally specialized, students should not assume that courses at another institution will cover the same material as at the Corcoran, even when descriptions are similar.

xi. Transfer Credit Evaluation

Transfer Evaluation Procedures

Students may receive transfer credit for courses taken at another institution or at the Corcoran prior to matriculation, under certain proscribed conditions. Transfer credit evaluations for courses taken prior to matriculation, including work completed at the Corcoran, are completed by the Office of Admissions in consultation with chairs or program directors if needed. Granting of transfer credit is at the ultimate discretion of the Dean of Enrollment. Petitions to change the decisions of the Office of Admissions should be directed to the Dean of Enrollment.

Courses taken after matriculation but outside the Corcoran must be approved in advance by the student’s departmental chair or program director. This includes participation in mobility programs, study away programs, and individual courses completed at other institutions. Cross-registration in Consortium institutions follow a distinct set of policies (see “Educational Partnerships and Programs” section of the Student Handbook for details). Credit is awarded once an official academic transcript is received or, in the case of Corcoran-sponsored courses, when grades are recorded.

Standards for Transfer Credit

Courses for which transfer credit is sought must meet the level of quality of coursework given at the Corcoran and be germane to the college’s curricular requirements or electives. Only courses for which a grade of “C” or better was earned are considered.

Courses evaluated for transfer from other college and universities, as well as Advanced Placement Tests and International Baccalaureate Exams, are converted to semester hours in accordance with the credit-hour minimum standards outlined elsewhere. Receipt of a satisfactory transcript from a collegiate institution accredited by an agency or association recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education, or its overseas equivalent, is necessary for all transfers of credit, and all such courses must have been taken within ten years of the transfer-credit request.

Credit for coursework done at the Corcoran under the auspices of one program may be applied to another program at the Corcoran provided it meets the requirements of the second program and has not been used in attaining a prior degree at the same or higher level.

Transfer Credit Maximums

Undergraduate

For associate’s degree students, a maximum of 30 credits of transfer coursework can be considered towards degree requirements. Bachelor’s degree students may transfer up to 72 credits from prior coursework completed at other institutions. Of those credits, undergraduate students may not transfer more than nine from outside the Corcoran after matriculation, unless authorized by the department chair or dean. In addition, all minimum residency requirements must be met (see section on graduation requirements for more information).

Graduate

For graduate students, a maximum of nine credits of transfer coursework can be considered towards degree requirements. Of these nine potential transfer credits, no more than six credits can be taken after Corcoran matriculation unless authorized by the program director. In addition, all minimum residency requirements must be met (see section on graduation requirements for more information).

XII. CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT IN MULTIPLE PROGRAMS/MAJORS

Other than the BFA/MAT joint degree program, the Corcoran does not offer the option to enroll concurrently in more than one program (e.g. degree and Continuing Education certificate), or to double major within a degree program.

xIII. Leave of Absence and Withdrawal Policies

Leave of Absence

At the discretion of the College, a student is permitted to take one Leave of Absence (LOA) for up to one academic year (i.e., two consecutive semesters) provided that he/she will be making no academic progress during that semester. The year of LOA must be continuous and cannot be separated by other semesters of academic activity.  There is no fee for LOA.

A student cannot take a LOA if he/she has any Incompletes or ungraded work pending, and a student cannot transfer in any credits completed elsewhere while on leave (i.e., the student cannot take a LOA to take a course elsewhere with plans to transfer in the credits).

During a LOA the student is not entitled to use the services of the college and will not have access to the library or other campus resources or activities.

To request a LOA, the student must submit a Leave of Absence form (obtainable from the Office of the Registrar, director of academic advising, or the dean of students) that indicates the semester(s) for which leave is requested and a brief explanation for the leave request. A student on LOA for one semester can add a second consecutive semester of leave by submitting a written request for an extension of leave to the dean of students, dean of enrollment, or director of academic advising.                                               

Medical Leave

In addition to standard LOAs, a student can request leave for a medical condition that will prevent him/her from making academic progress. Medical documentation may be required to process request for Medical Leave, and Medical Leave is not limited to two semesters in the way a standard LOA is, nor do semesters of Medical Leave need to be consecutive.

Military Leave

Active military personnel can receive Military Leave if they are being deployed or otherwise have their studies interrupted by their military service commitment. For more information about leave for medical or military reasons, please contact the dean of students, dean of enrollment, or director of student support and retention.

Official Withdrawal

Students who wish to withdraw voluntarily, through official withdrawal, from the Corcoran College of Art + Design’s degree program must do the following:

1. Schedule an appointment with the dean of students, the dean of enrollment, or the director of student support and retention for an initial discussion and receipt of the Corcoran withdrawal checklist.
2. Meet with the director of financial aid to determine how a withdrawal will affect their financial aid eligibility and/or payment status, and to complete a financial aid exit interview.
3. Meet with the student accounts manager to settle all due Corcoran payments and other financial matters.
4. Meet with Library staff to ensure that all library items are returned and overdue fees and/or replacement fees are paid.
5. Submit the signed withdrawal checklist for final approval to the dean of students or the dean of enrollment for review during exit interview.

Withdrawal will not be official until all above requirements are met. Students who stop attending classes before their withdrawal is official will receive an F in all classes, and will be subject to administrative withdrawal and/or academic dismissal. Students should refer to the drop and withdrawal refund schedule to determine any owed charges, fees, or housing charges upon withdrawal. Withdrawn students will lose access to academic or administrative facilities or services. These include, but are not limited to, studio and classroom space, computer labs, library, and parking.

Financial Withdrawal

Students who have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the Corcoran College of Art + Design for the current and/or previous semesters are subject to registration cancellation and administrative withdrawal.

Medical Withdrawal

Students who are unable to attend class regularly or fulfill course requirements for health reasons are subject to administrative withdrawal, and must notify the dean of students or the director of student support and retention.

Non-Enrollment Withdrawal

Students who have not enrolled for three semesters and who have not officially withdrawn from the College are subject to administrative withdrawal. Application for readmission is required for consideration for future degree enrollment for any type of withdrawal.

Return of Title IV Funds

If a recipient of Title IV funds (federal aid) withdraws before the end of a semester, federal regulations require that the Corcoran calculate the amount of Title IV funds “earned” by the student. The Corcoran uses a pro-rata schedule, whereby the percentage of earned aid is based upon the days the student was scheduled to attend (minus any scheduled breaks) up to the date of withdrawal. Any and all unearned portions of Title IV federal aid must be returned to the respective Title IV programs. These unearned funds are referred to as overpayments. The maximum grant overpayment that must be repaid is 50% of the grant funds that were received or that were scheduled to be received. Students may make repayment arrangements with the Corcoran or contact the Department of Education. If you have any questions about your Title IV funds, you may call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at (800) 433-3243.

EXAMPLE: If a student completes 10% of the semester, then 10% of that student’s federal aid is considered earned, while 90% is considered unearned and is thus returned to the respective Title IV programs from which the funds originated. However, be advised that as soon as 60% of a semester has been completed, there are no federal funds that are considered unearned.

The Title IV programs covered by these regulations at the Corcoran are to be refunded in the following order:

     Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan
     Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
     Federal Perkins Loan
     Federal PLUS/Graduate Plus Loan
     Federal Pell Grant
     Federal Academic Grant
     Federal SEOG
     Iraq Afghanistan Service Grant

In accordance with federal regulations, the responsibility for repaying unearned aid may be shared by the Corcoran and the student in proportion to the aid each is assumed to possess. The Corcoran’s share is the lesser of: (a) the total amount of unearned aid or (b) Institutional charges multiplied by the percentage of aid that was unearned. The student’s share is the difference between the total unearned amount and the Institution’s share. In the case of scenario (a), whereby the Corcoran’s share is the total amount of unearned aid, then the student would not owe anything.

Refunds

If any of the earned funds were not received by a student at the time of the withdrawal, he/she may be due a post-withdrawal disbursement. In this case, students may choose to decline some or all of the loan funds in order to avoid incurring additional debt.

Readmission after Withdrawal (Non-Dismissal)

Students who wish to be reinstated after a withdrawal as noted above must reapply through the Admissions office. Upon re-enrollment, students who left on probation will have to meet the criteria defined in the academic standing section in order to remain enrolled.

NOTE: The Corcoran’s refund policy is separate from the Title IV refund policy. Students should contact the Office of Student Accounts if federal funds were returned or credited to cover tuition costs; students should also contact the Office of Student Accounts to pay any uncovered institutional charges. Students may also be required to repay other federal, state or private student financial aid programs based on the terms and conditions associated with those programs.