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Admissions → Transfer Students
Transfer Credit Guidelines
Planning to transfer to MassArt? Learn about the unique nature of MassArt’s curriculum, requirements, and transfer credit policies.
MassArt accepts a maximum of 60 transfer credits; a maximum of 36 studio art credits and a maximum of 24 liberal arts credits. All students must complete at least 60 credits at MassArt to earn a BFA degree.
Students placement level – as a first-year, sophomore, or junior – is determined based on completed coursework comparable to MassArt’s first-year Foundation and major studio requirements. Placement is determined by both transferable credits and portfolio evaluation.
Commonly Transferred Courses
Studio Foundation (First Year Pre-requisites) Equivalencies:Completion of these required courses will impact students’ placement level.
| MassArt Course | Equivalent Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SFDN 181: Studio for Drawing | Intro to Drawing, Drawing I, Basic Drawing, Drawing from Observation, Figure Drawing | 3 |
| SFDN 182: Visual Language | Color and Design, 2D Foundations, Elements of Design, Digital Design Concepts | 3 |
| SFDN 183: Form Study | 3D Design, 3D Foundations, Elements of Form, Sculpture, Ceramics | 3 |
| SFDN 191: Time | Intro to Video, Elements of Time, Intro to Animation, Audio Media, Motion Graphics | 3 |
| SFDN 185: Drawing Projects | Drawing II, Advanced Drawing, Figure Drawing, Drawing electives | 3 |
| SFDN Elective: Any studio art or design elective | Any 100 level or higher studio art or design elective | 3 |
| HART 101: Toward a Global History of Art | Art History I, Art History II, Prehistoric to Early Renaissance Art, Renaissance to Contemporary Art | 3 |
| LALW 100: Thinking, Making, Writing | English Composition I, College Writing I | 3 |
| FRSM 100: First-Year Seminar | English Composition II, College Writing II | 3 |
Liberal Arts, History of Art, and Studio Elective Equivalencies
These credits will not affect students’ placement level.| MassArt Course | Equivalent Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LALW Electives: Literature, Writing, or Film Criticism elective (6 credits required/ 18 transfer max) | Any 100 level or higher Language, Literature, Writing, or Film Studies course | 3 |
| Social Science elective (3 cr required/18 transfer max) | Any 100 level or higher Social Science course | 3 |
| Math/Science elective (3 cr required/15 transfer max) | Any 100 level or higher Math or Science course | 3 |
| History of Art elective (3 cr required/15 transfer max) | Any 100 level or higher History of Art and Design course | 3 |
| Additional Studio electives (not major required courses): A maximum of 36 total studio art credit, including Foundation and major requirement courses are eligible for transfer. | Any 100 level or higher Studio Art or Design course | 3 |
- The College accepts a maximum of 60 transfer credits, a maximum of 36 Studio Art Credits & a maximum of 24 Liberal Arts/History of Arts Credits
- Students are required to spend at least two years and earn a minimum of 60 MassArt credits in order to earn a BFA
- A letter grade of C or better must be earned in a 100-level course or higher with comparable credit hours in order to receive credit
- The number of overall credits that transfer will not necessarily determine which level a student is placed
Studio art credit and transfer placement The number of transferable studio credits (not liberal arts) earned at previous post-secondary institutions determines the level at which you are eligible to enter as a transfer student.
Admissions and Faculty Review Committees will evaluate your portfolio, course descriptions, and college transcripts when awarding credit. Portfolios should demonstrate skills gained in previous studio courses.
All MassArt students begin in the first-year Foundation Program. Students must complete the Foundation year (or comparable coursework at a previous institution) before beginning in their chosen major as a sophomore. The required Foundation year is designed to give students a strong foundation in studio art and design and set you up to succeed in any major you choose.
View MassArt’s course equivalency guide for a list of MassArt’s Foundation required courses and examples of equivalent courses students can take at other institutions to fulfill MassArt’s Foundation, Liberal Arts, and History of Art requirements.
Liberal Arts and History of Art Credit Though additional Liberal Arts/History of Art courses (beyond the Foundation requirements) will not determine your placement level; they may still transfer, pending they meet our credit requirements. Classes must be comparable to MassArt courses in order for credit to transfer.
- If you’ve earned a score of 3, 4, or 5 in Advanced Placement examinations, you are eligible to receive transfer credit at MassArt. These credits can be applied towards studio electives, liberal arts electives, or History of Art electives.
- The only AP course equivalent to a specific, required MassArt course is AP Art History. An exam score of 4 or 5 is required to receive transfer credit for MassArt’s HART100: Intro to Western Art requirement.
- International Baccalaureate (IB) scores of a 6 or 7 at the higher level are eligible for transfer elective credit.
- Before enrolling at MassArt, make sure to submit your official exam scores to the Office of Admissions for review.
Before starting in your chosen major at MassArt, students are required to complete the Foundation year. If you haven’t finished any college-level studio courses, you’ll enter as a Foundation student, and it’ll likely take 4 years to earn your degree from MassArt.
If you’ve completed or are currently enrolled in roughly half of the Foundation requirements, you’re eligible and encouraged to apply for the spring semester.
To be eligible, students must have completed or be currently enrolled in:
- at least three college-level studio courses including:
- one drawing class
- one class comparable to Visual Language (such as Two-Dimensional Design, Design and Color Theory)
- at least two liberal arts classes including:
- one 100-level or higher English Composition class
- one history of art class
Students who do not meet these prerequisites should apply for the fall semester.
View MassArt’s course equivalency guide for a list of examples of equivalent courses transfer students can take at other institutions to fulfill MassArt’s Foundation, Liberal Arts, and History of Art requirements.
Students who have completed coursework comparable to MassArt’s Foundation program may be eligible to transfer in as sophomores in their chosen program.
If students have completed additional studio coursework related to their chosen major, they may be eligible to transfer in as a second-semester sophomore or first-semester junior. Faculty will review student credentials (including portfolio and transcripts) to evaluate sophomore level transfer credit for and determine student placement level.
