Professional Studies Policies for Non-Matriculated & Graduate Students

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Additional Policies for Non-Matriculated (Non-Degree) Students & Programs 

Non-matriculated students include: students who have their bachelor’s degree and are taking additional coursework in preparation for applying to a graduate program; students interested in applying graduate credits towards Masters Equivalency Programs; students taking graduate coursework to fulfill PA-certified teachers professional development requirements; and students who wish to remain non-degree seeking but are interested in enrolling in coursework for personal fulfillment.  Non-matriculated coursework is designated by an “NM” in the course number (ex. ETEC 500NM).

Registration
Registration is accepted until a course reaches capacity, or until the first day of class, whichever comes first.  We recommend registering at least two weeks in advance of a course's start date to ensure that you receive all the information regarding the class ahead of time. 

Non-matriculated students can register and pay online.  Alternatively, students may register by submitting a registration form, including payment in full or deposit (deposit information below).  We also accept registration by phone. 

Payment Options
Payment can be made online by credit card (American Express, MasterCard, or VISA via PayPal). We also accept check or money order made payable to the University of the Arts.  A $50 fee will be charged for any returned checks. 

Deposits
Professional Institute for Educators non-matriculated students may register with a deposit of $50 per course plus course fees, all nonrefundable.  Students registering with a deposit must pay by credit card. The remaining balance will be charged 21 days prior to the start of the class. Students registering 21 days or less prior to the start of the class cannot pay by deposit.  Deposit option is not available for Summer Music Studies courses.  Please use the registration form to register with a deposit.

Back to School of Professional Studies General Policies

This is not a contractual document. The University of the Arts reserves the right to change any curricular offering, policy, faculty assignment, or financial regulation described on this website. The University of the Arts gives equal consideration to all applicants for admission and scholarships and conducts all educational programs, activities, and employment practices without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, or disability.

Additional Policies for Matriculated Students (Graduate Degrees & Certificates) 

Matriculated programs earn students an official credential in their chosen program of study from the University of the Arts.  These programs require official application and acceptance before registration is permitted.  Matriculated program options include the MM in Music Education, MEd in Educational Program Design, MEd in Educational Technology and graduate certificates in the areas of Educational Technology, Inclusion, and the Arts.

Registration

Matriculated students will receive a University of the Arts student account upon acceptance to the program which will permit them to register online for courses via Student Self Service.

Financial Aid 

Federal financial aid is not available for these programs. Please contact Student Financial Services to discuss options for alternative and/or private loans at (215)717-6170.

Academic Advising Self Service — Student Planning

The Student Planning module within Self Service is the hub for course offerings, advising and registration. Self Service allows you to do the following:

** Self Service login

** Student Planning Module resources

Matriculated students are assigned an advisor.  The student is required to meet with their advisor at least once each semester to discuss the student’s academic program. Students are encouraged to seek out the advisor as soon as any difficulties begin to occur.

Transfer Credits

A maximum of six-credits of graduate coursework may be transferred from accredited institutions outside of the University and/or non‐matriculated graduate credit earned from the University of the Arts toward the MM and MEd programs.

A maximum of three-credits of graduate coursework may be transferred from accredited institutions outside of the University and/or non‐matriculated graduate credit earned from the University of the Arts toward graduate certificate programs offered by the Professional Institute for Educators.

Credits may be applied toward the graduate degree or certificate requirements upon approval of the Program Director. All transfer credits must be graduate‐level classes or upper‐level undergraduate classes taken for graduate credit at an accredited college or university, and the student must have earned a grade of B‐ or higher. Additional information, such as syllabi, may be requested in order to determine course content applicability. Only credits are transferable, not grades.

Academic Standing

A student’s academic standing is determined at the end of the fall and spring semesters on the basis of attempted semester credits and cumulative grade point average. To retain good academic standing, graduate students must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 for graduate students and meet all minimum grade requirements of their major program.

The minimum grade requirement per course for MEd and graduate certificate students is a grade of C or higher.

The University periodically reviews the student’s cumulative record in order to ensure good academic standing. A student’s normal and satisfactory progress toward degree requirements for their program is of primary concern in determining academic standing. When the University notes problems in academic performance that may jeopardize a student’s standing, the student will be notified.

Students who have received an Incomplete will not have their academic standing evaluated until the seventh week of the following semester when final grades are due.

Grade Point Average Requirement (GPA)

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for good standing and for graduation for MEd and graduate certificate students. If a student is unable to achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0, they will be placed on probation. The student must then bring their cumulative GPA back to at least 3.0 by the end of the next semester or face dismissal from the program.

Mandatory Enrollment Terms

MEd and graduate certificate students are required to take a minimum of two courses per academic year.  Students must enroll in a minimum of one semester per academic year. 

Leave of Absence

Only students in good academic standing may request a Leave of Absence.  A leave of absence constitutes as two consecutive semesters during which the student is not enrolled in the MEd or graduate certificate program courses.  A leave may be granted only once within a 12-month period. MEd and graduate certificate students will be permitted to be away for one semester without official notification to the University. However, if the student elects to continue their leave into a second consecutive semester, the University must be officially notified or the student will automatically be withdrawn. If a student plans to be away for more than two consecutive semesters, a leave cannot be granted and the student must instead withdraw from the University and apply for readmission at the time they wish to return. Students who have withdrawn, but seek readmission within no more than two semesters will receive priority consideration for readmission over students who have been separated from the University for a longer period of time. 

The “effective date” is the date of separation from the University that will be noted on the transcript. For medical leaves of absence, the Dean of Students sets this date based on the history of a student’s medical condition.

If the student does not register for the term following the end of their leave of absence but wishes to resume their studies at a later date, the student must apply for readmission.

If a student is granted a leave of absence for a future semester but is subsequently placed on probation for the current semester, the leave of absence will be converted to a withdrawal. The student will be notified, in writing, of their conversion to “withdrawn” status by the Office of the Registrar. Students who are converted to a “withdrawn status” must apply for readmission through the Office of the Registrar in accordance with the policies described in the University catalog.

Conferral of Degrees + Diplomas

The Office of the Registrar confers degrees three times each year, with graduation dates of August 31, December 31, and following completion of the spring term in May. Commencement Ceremonies take place once a year in May and are administered by Student Affairs.

Students who are conferred degrees in August or December are welcome to participate in commencement ceremonies the following May.

Students should review their degree audit before registration closes during their final semester to confirm they will complete their degree requirements by the conferral date for which they petitioned to graduate. The Office of the Registrar is available to answer questions concerning degree audits and degree completion.

The availability of diplomas for pick up or mailing varies by the time of year. Contact the Office of the Registrar for more information.

Degree Candidacy + Completion

Each graduate student’s progress within their discipline, as well as their thesis proposal, will be reviewed by a Graduate Committee upon reaching the midpoint of their program. The committee will formally determine a student’s eligibility as a degree candidate and if the student is ready to continue toward development and completion of the thesis or graduate project.

To be certified for a degree, a graduate student must:

  • Submit a Petition to Graduate, with the Office of the Registrar

  • Fulfill all degree requirements within degree completion time limit

  • Satisfy the minimum residency requirements

  • Achieve a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA

Degree Completion Time Limit

Graduate students enrolled in the MEd in Educational Program Design have seven years from the date of matriculation to complete their degree requirements.

Graduate students who have not met the requirements for graduation within the time allotted may be subject to new degree requirements as determined by the School Director and the Office of the Registrar on a case-by-case basis.

Graduation Fee

The graduation fee is a one-time, non-refundable fee applied to a student’s account after they petition to graduate.  The fee is assessed regardless of a student’s intent to participate in commencement.  See the UArts course catalog's tuition and fees page for more details.

Petition to Graduate

The submission of a Petition to Graduate notifies to the Office of the Registrar that a student intends on having completed all requirements for their program upon completion of the term for which they petition. Petitions are submitted via the student’s MyUArts Record account during the final year of their study.

The petition notifies the Office of the Registrar of a student’s intention to graduate, how the student wishes their name to appear on their diploma, the address where the diploma should be posted if it is not collected from the Office of the Registrar, and the term for which a student expects to complete their degree requirements.

Meeting the requirements for graduation is the student’s responsibility. If a student fails to complete their degree requirements by the completion of the term for which they petition a new petition must be submitted. If a student needs to make a correction to a previously submitted petition they may complete a new petition via MyUArts Record, which will replace the previous instance.

Back to School of Professional Studies General Policies

This is not a contractual document. The University of the Arts reserves the right to change any curricular offering, policy, faculty assignment, or financial regulation described on this website. The University of the Arts gives equal consideration to all applicants for admission and scholarships and conducts all educational programs, activities, and employment practices without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, or disability.

Questions?

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Contact Professional Studies
pie@uarts.edu | sms@uarts.edu
School of Graduate & Professional Studies
(215) 717 - 6006

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