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Resources and Policies
As a division of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Professional and Continuing Education (PCE) provides a variety of resources for students in conjunction with the College. Students enrolled in a Continuing Education class may take advantage of academic, financial, and other resources and benefits as they apply.
Download the PCE Student Handbook
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
MassArt assists all qualified students who are in need of accommodations related to a disability. If you feel you meet these requirements and need assistance, please notify the Continuing Education office.
Health Insurance
If you are enrolled in a Certificate or Graduate Program and are registered for 9 or more credits, you will be billed for student health insurance unless you provide proof that you have comparable health insurance.
On Campus Resources
Policies
Course Cancellations
PCE reserves the right to cancel any course that does not meet minimum enrollment requirements or for other unforeseen circumstances. PCE generally notifies students by email or phone, but due to the timing of the cancellation, may not be able to reach students before the first class. It is advisable to check with PCE as to the status of the class at ce@massart.edu or 617.879.7200.
PCE also reserves the right to make changes in course scheduling, faculty and course content.
Refund Policy
To request a refund, complete an Add/Drop Form and drop it off in the PCE Office, email or fax it to PCE by the appropriate deadline. Please note the following:
- No drops are accepted by telephone
- Continuing Education must have the request in writing by the deadline
Non-credit classes
Students will receive a full refund if the class is dropped one week prior to the start date of the class. After that no refunds will be issued.
Credit classes
Students will receive a full refund of all tuition and fees if the course is dropped before the second class meeting day. For example, for a class starting on a Tuesday, the drop must be processed no later than 11:59 p.m. of the Monday before the second meeting. After that no refunds will be issued.
Refunds are issued after the add/drop period and may take up to 6 weeks.
Email requests for refunds should be sent to ce@massart.edu.
If PCE cancels a course due to low enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances, registered students will receive a full refund.
Academic Policies
Courses for Credit
Studio foundation courses may be taken for undergraduate credit only. Other for-credit courses can be taken for graduate credit with additional/different requirements as specified by the faculty. Courses numbered 500 or above may be taken for graduate credit only.
High school seniors may consider taking 100-level courses for credit. Students under age 18 must obtain permission of the instructor.
Auditing
Students who register for a credited course as an audit (i.e., for no credit) are encouraged to participate in all course activities, but will not receive formal evaluation of performance--meaning, there is no grade. A no-credit registration may be changed to a for-credit registration before the second class meeting.
Grades
Semester grades are only available through the Colleges daVinci system. Login to davinci@massart.edu with your NetID. If you are unable to log-in please contact Tech Central at 617.879.7888 or visit the Tech Central Office on the third floor of the Design and Media Center. Questions? Please email davinci@massart.edu.
The College has a dual grading system. All foundation year courses are pass/no credit. After the first year, some departments give letter grades and other departments give pass/no credit, depending on which system best serves the department's goals.
Departments that use letter grades:
- Art Education
- Art History
- Communication Design
- Environmental Design
- Liberal Arts
Departments that use pass/no credit:
- Fine Arts 2D
- Fine Arts 3D
- Media and Performing Arts
- Studio Foundation
Students in pass/no credit courses may request a written explanation of their performance in the class from their instructor by obtaining a Grade Clarification form from the Continuing Education office before the class ends. The form is kept on file. Students may request a copy of this form to be sent with their transcripts.
Courses taken for no credit do not appear on the transcript.
Independent Study
Students may apply for a 3-credit independent study if the desired course is not being offered. The student must develop a proposal in consultation with a faculty advisor and include a description of the project and proposed schedule of meetings. Proposals for independent studies must be submitted to the Continuing Education office in the first two weeks of the semester. Signature of the faculty member and approval of the Dean of Professional and Continuing Education are required before instruction and work may begin.
Transfer of Credit
Students who wish to transfer credits to another institution or to the MassArt BFA program are advised to consult with their registrar or dean prior to enrollment. Students accepted to Massachusetts College of Art and Design are placed in studio courses based on the strength of their application portfolios. Courses taken through the Continuing Education program at MassArt are subject to transfer credit review and restrictions.
Transcripts
Official transcripts are available for $10 each; unofficial for $5. Transcripts take two to five days to process.