To receive the Bachelor of Fine Arts or Bachelor of Arts degree, students must meet the requirements of the College of Art and take academic courses with other undergraduates. Work in art and design can be combined with studies in architecture, business, engineering, humanities, natural and social sciences, and the other arts. Students may take these courses for educational and intellectual enrichment or in direct correlation with their primary interests. 

Additional policies related to academics are listed in the University Policies and Undergraduate Policies sections of this Bulletin. Students are expected to be familiar with policies listed throughout the Bulletin; this reminder is intended as a courtesy.

Academic Standing (Process)

Satisfactory Academic Progress is demonstrated through completed credits and a minimum grade point average (GPA). Students are expected to proceed at a pace that enables them to finish their degree within an appropriate amount of time. For undergraduates, this is usually eight semesters, requiring a minimum pace of 66⅔% (number of credits earned divided by the number of credits attempted). Academic Standing statuses and standards are defined in the Undergraduate Policies section of this Bulletin. In support of those standards, the College of Art has certain practices to work with students in the statuses listed below.   

Academic Notice

To support a student on Academic Notice status, the Sam Fox School Associate Dean of Students Office may require the student to develop and follow an Academic Improvement Plan. To succeed, the student must understand the causes of their current situation, identify what needs to change, and implement those changes. The student may be required to meet regularly with the Associate Dean of Students to review progress.

Academic Time Away

Students placed on Academic Time Away are notified in writing of the status and of any requirements resulting from the status change, including the minimum number of semesters until they are eligible to request reinstatement. Students on this status are not allowed to enroll in any classes at Washington University during their Academic Time Away period, including courses offered by the School of Continuing & Professional Studies. Academic Time Away is not viewed as a punitive action. Rather, it is an academic pause applied when it is clear that something is interfering with a student’s ability to complete degree requirements. It is not in the student's best interest to continue unless they are able to apply changes that will allow them to make successful academic progress toward graduation.

First Appeal Option

A student who wishes to appeal their Academic Time Away status must present a written appeal within 48 hours of receiving notification stating the reason(s) why they believe their situation should be reconsidered. This statement must be sent as outlined in the notice of Academic Time Away. In this statement, the student must explain why the unsatisfactory academic performance occurred and, if they are allowed to return, what they would do differently. The student will then be given an opportunity to present their case in an appeal hearing. Failure to appear at an appeal hearing will be considered a withdrawal of the appeal.

The Sam Fox Academic Operations Manager is responsible for coordinating appeal hearings, which consist of a faculty committee of a minimum of three Sam Fox School faculty members. The Associate Dean of Students may attend as a non-voting member of the committee. The committee will have access to the student’s academic record, written appeal, any previous academic improvement plan, and any other information deemed relevant to the review. The student will have an opportunity to speak on their behalf and to answer questions posed by the committee. After the appeal hearing, the student is informed of the outcome in writing within 48 hours.

After deliberation, the faculty committee will make a determination based on a simple majority vote to either grant the appeal or to deny the appeal. If an appeal is granted, the student is reinstated for the upcoming semester and placed on Academic Notice. If the appeal is denied, all original terms of the original Academic Time Away remain in effect.

Second Appeal Option

The decision by a faculty committee may be appealed to the director of the student’s academic division on any of the following grounds:

  • New evidence of a substantive nature: New, significant evidence regarding factors affecting the student’s academic performance becomes available that was not available at the time of the original appeal hearing. Information is not considered new evidence if the student did not attend the original hearing or voluntarily withheld information during the original hearing.
  • Substantive procedural error: A specified procedural error or error in interpretation of university policies resulted in the student being denied a fair hearing, or the error prevented the faculty committee from making a fair decision.

Should the student wish to appeal the decision of a faculty committee, a written request must be sent within 48 hours of receiving the committee’s decision to the director of the student’s academic division. The written request should be of sufficient detail to stand on its own without accompanying testimony to permit the evaluation of the merit of the grounds for appeal. The director will determine whether there is sufficient basis to modify or uphold the original determination of the faculty committee. If the appeal criteria are not met, the appeal will be denied. The review method used to make a determination is at the discretion of the director.

The student is informed of the outcome of their second appeal option in writing. If an appeal is granted, the student is reinstated for the upcoming semester and placed on Academic Notice. If the appeal is denied, all original terms of the original Academic Time Away remain in effect.

Reinstatement After Academic Time Away

If a student on Academic Time Away would like to return to the university in the future, they must petition and be approved for reinstatement. There is no guarantee that a student on Academic Time Away will be allowed to return. If the student is granted reinstatement, they are placed on Academic Notice upon return. Failure to achieve and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress after reinstatement may result in a second status of Academic Time Away without an option for reinstatement.

Academic Integrity and Conduct

Students and members of the faculty of the university have an obligation to uphold the highest standards of scholarship. Plagiarism and other forms of cheating will not be tolerated. Academic integrity standards and practices are detailed in the University Policies section of this Bulletin. 

Appeal Processes

The dynamic and creative studio culture at the heart of the Sam Fox School strives to be safe and inclusive for all members of our community. Our faculty, staff, and students join together in their commitment to creating learning environments of mutuality and respect. When concerns or disagreements arise about conduct, grading, or other matters in the Colleges of Art and Architecture, policies exist for pursuing proper resolution.

Grade Dispute Policy

The Sam Fox School aims to provide each student with a fair assessment of their academic work and studio. Students have the right to dispute their overall course grade (not individual assignments) if they believe that grade does not accurately reflect the quality of their work. A grade dispute must be submitted to the faculty member who assigned the grade within 30 days of receipt of the grade. The Sam Fox School stresses that every effort to resolve such a dispute be made by the faculty and student involved. A student’s eligibility for advancement in sequential course work requires timely resolution of the grade dispute. If the student is a graduation candidate, the dispute process must comply with the Intent to Graduate submission deadlines set forth by the Office of the University Registrar or else the degree conferral will be delayed by one semester or until resolved.

In general, the dispute process will occur and be resolved as follows:

  1. The student presents their question about the grade in writing to the faculty member and clearly states the reasons for questioning the grade.
  2. The faculty member and the student review the grading procedures as stated in the syllabus and discuss the determining factors of the student’s grade.
  3. If the case is not resolved between the student and the faculty member, the student may put forth their complaint in writing with supporting evidence to the chair of the academic program, with a copy given to the faculty member involved with the dispute. The student should provide the course syllabus and all of the materials relevant to the assigned grade within two weeks of the complaint. If a conflict of interest exists between the student and the chair (e.g., the chair is teaching the course), the case will be referred to another chair in the Sam Fox School or to the director of the college.
  4. The chair of the academic program will review the materials. The chair will resolve the dispute by working with the faculty member and the student to arrive at a determination.

Integrity and Ethical Conduct

Washington University and the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts are committed to the highest ethical and professional standards of conduct and consider these to be integral to their mission of the promotion of learning. To maintain these standards, the university relies on each community member’s ethical behavior, honesty, integrity, and good judgment. Each community member should demonstrate respect for the rights of others, and each community member is accountable for their own actions. Washington University policies state that members of the university community can expect to be free from discrimination and harassment. Students, faculty, staff, and outside organizations working on campus are required to abide by specific policies prohibiting harassment, which are posted on the Compliance and Policies page of the university’s website. Should a situation arise in which a member of our community believes they have cause to file a grievance, there are two categories of grievance to consider: academic and non-academic. Academic grievances can either be when a student challenges a course grade or when a fellow student or faculty member feels a matter of academic integrity is at issue. Student grievances filed to challenge a grade that the student feels has been given incorrectly must follow the procedures outlined in the Grade Dispute Policy above. Academic integrity grievances must follow the procedures outlined in the University Policies section of this Bulletin.

Non-Academic Concerns

If a member of our academic community feels that the ethical and safe environment of the classroom has been compromised, for whatever reason, they may seek guidance through the school’s Faculty-Student Mediator. Students may also consult Washington University’s Grievance Policy and Procedures for Allegations by Undergraduate Students Against Faculty. In addition, University Resources available for support include the following:

Attendance

Regular attendance at all classes and studio meetings is expected. The instructor of each course is allowed to decide how many absences a student may have and still pass the course. Instructors are expected to give reasonable consideration to unavoidable absences and to the feasibility of making up work that has been missed. Students are expected to explain to their faculty the reasons for any absences and to discuss with them the possibility of making up missed assignments. 

In addition, Washington University has a policy for absences related to religious holidays (PDF).

Credits and Grades

Credits are assigned to courses based on measures of time in class and academic activities, and engagement between instructors and students, defined in the University Policies. Grade points per course are calculated by multiplying the number of credits of a course by the grade points earned. The Undergraduate Policies page details the grades and grade points in use.  

Audit

Studio courses in the College of Art cannot be taken with the audit option. With prior approval from their academic advisor, students may audit an elective course outside the College of Art if the instructor allows.

Incomplete Grades

Students who, following the last day for withdrawal from courses, experience medical or personal problems that make satisfactory completion of course work unlikely may request a grade of I (incomplete). Students in this situation must take the following steps:

  1. Contact the instructor before the final review or exam to discuss the request.
  2. If the instructor consents, complete an Incomplete Grade Petition signed by both the instructor and the student.
  3. Return the signed petition to the Sam Fox Office of Curriculum and Academic Operations for final approval.

The instructor is under no obligation to award a grade of I (incomplete).

Grades of I (incomplete) must be removed no later than 120 days after the final grade deadline. Upon failure to make up an incomplete grade within 120 days, the student will automatically receive an F in the course. Students will not be allowed to continue in courses that require prerequisites if the prerequisite has a grade of I (incomplete). A student who carries more than 9 credits of grades of I (incomplete) may be declared ineligible to re-enroll. 

F grades for a semester may be changed only through the last day of classes of the following semester. 

Pass/No Pass

A student may take one non-art course per semester on a Pass/No Pass basis (exclusive of courses that must be taken Pass/No Pass). Any additional courses taken Pass/No Pass in a given semester will not be counted toward the degree. 

Quality Grades

All courses in the College of Art must be taken for a quality grade, unless otherwise noted in the course description. Any course taken to fulfill the writing requirement must be taken with the quality grade option.

Undergraduate students in the College of Art must complete all required courses with a grade of C– or better. This includes any course taken to fulfill the writing requirement.

Students in the College of Art must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 to be eligible to graduate.

Digital Technologies

Technology plays a critical role in the educational experience. The College of Art is committed to the integration of relevant technology into the curriculum. Students are required to have a specified computer and software beginning with the first semester of study. Supplemental purchases (e.g., monitors, scanners, tablets) may be necessary as students advance and declare a major. Information is available on the Digital Technologies for Undergraduate Art & Design Students page of the Sam Fox School website.

Independent Study

Opportunities for independent study are available to undergraduate students in limited circumstances, such as a conflict which would affect a graduation timeline. Registration in an independent study requires the student to submit a written proposal and to obtain the approval of the sponsoring faculty, advisor, and program chair. Approved proposals must be submitted to the Sam Fox Office of Curriculum and Academic Operations by the semester course add deadline. Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered.

A maximum of 3 credits for juniors and seniors and of 1 credit for first-year students and sophomores can be taken per semester. Independent study cannot replace required courses.

A maximum of 9 credits may be applied to degree requirements from the following areas: physical education, lessons, and/or independent studies.

Internships

Students may elect to do an internship as part of their College of Art degree. An internship is a structured and supervised professional experience related to a major within the College. The maximum number of credits that can be earned per internship is 1 (50 hours or more). No additional credit is awarded for hours over 50. Students may only complete one internship per semester, including summer. Students may apply no more than three total internship credits toward their degree requirements. Grading is on a Pass/No Pass basis.

In order to be registered for an internship, a student must submit an approved "Learning Contract" prior to starting work. If the internship is in the fall or spring semester, the approved "Learning Contract" must be submitted before the drop/add deadline. Students must be enrolled for the internship during the same semester in which they complete the professional experience. Students cannot receive internship credit for an experience completed in a prior semester.

Students must submit an "Internship Performance Evaluation" from their supervisor within 30 days of completion. Students must also submit (within 30 days of completion) either a daily journal, a reflective essay (five pages), or a portfolio. The student's responsibility is to make sure that all paperwork and supporting documents are received by the Sam Fox Office of Curriculum and Academic Operations (Bixby Hall, Room 1), or credit will not be awarded. Please visit the Inside Sam Fox website for the necessary forms related to internships.

Interschool Transfer

Undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences, McKelvey School of Engineering, Olin Business School, or the College of Architecture may apply to transfer into the College of Art. Transfer requests must be made in Workday by the last day of final exams of the semester before the effective semester. It is strongly recommended that students meet with a four-year advisor in the Sam Fox School prior to registration to ensure that they know what classes to take the following semester and are given waitlist priority. Otherwise, enrollment in the required studios for the semester of entry may not be possible. All Washington University students must spend their first semester in the academic division that admitted them.

Minimum Criteria

The following requirements must be met for an internal (interdivision) transfer into the College of Art:

  1. Submit a portfolio of 10 to 20 images of the best and most recent artwork.
  2. Achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students with GPAs below 3.0 are required to meet in person with the associate dean of students in the Sam Fox School for an interview and academic record review.
  3. Present an academic record that supports the conclusion that the student will be able to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts or Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Art in a typical time frame. Depending on the student's level at the time of transfer, additional semesters and/or preapproved summer school may be required.
  4. Be in good academic standing.

Each application is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission into the College of Art.

Portfolio Requirements

The portfolio should consist of 10 to 20 pieces of artwork such as drawings, paintings, photographs, illustrations, videos, sculptures, storyboards, websites, or other types of relevant work in art and design. Work from any studio courses previously taken in the Sam Fox School must be included in the portfolio. Artwork should be submitted as high-resolution digital images no larger than 2 MB each. Students should include only one image per file. Detail images or alternate views of work may be included as individual files. Each file should be in .jpg or .jpeg format and labeled using the following format: Lastname Firstname_01.jpg (e.g., Smith John_01.jpg).

The portfolio must also contain a numbered image list that corresponds to the file names. For each piece, students should list the course in which it was made (if applicable), the title/assignment, the media used, the size, and the year of completion. The image list may be a .pdf or .doc file.

The images and image list must be uploaded to a folder that the student will be informed how to access.

To Begin the Transfer Process

  1. In Workday, request a change to your primary program of study and complete the Change Program questionnaire.
  2. Upload the portfolio and image list as instructed.
  3. Meet with the associate dean of students for an interview and portfolio review.

Pre-Matriculation Credit

Advanced Placement Credit

A maximum of 15 credits of pre-matriculation or non-Washington University transfer credit may be counted toward an undergraduate degree for those entering Washington University as first-year students. This includes Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and British A-Level exams. Credit cannot be granted for College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests.

Pre-matriculation credits count toward open/general electives. They do not count for Arts & Sciences distribution, second major, or minor requirements.

Registration in Special Programs

Military Training

Army and Air Force ROTC programs are available at Washington University. Credits earned in ROTC courses will count toward the student's 120 units for graduation as open electives.

WashU Continuing & Professional Studies Courses

Courses offered through WashU Continuing & Professional Studies do not count toward degree requirements.

Retention of Student Work

The College of Art reserves the right to hold a student's work(s) for exhibition purposes and holds reproduction rights of any work(s) executed in fulfillment of course requirements.

Study Abroad

Students have an opportunity to study in Florence, Italy, for a semester or over the summer term. The program leverages this unique location by inviting local artists, designers, and architects to serve as instructors and visiting lecturers; incorporating local sites into course assignments and studio projects; and arranging numerous excursions to nearby sites and cities. The Florence program works hand-in-hand with the School's curriculum to ensure that students can study abroad while earning required degree credits.

Undergraduate students are also eligible to participate in the university's study abroad programs. To receive academic credit for participation in a non-Sam Fox program, students must submit a written proposal and garner approval in advance. Students should contact the Special Programs Manager if they are planning to participate in a study abroad program to ensure that they are eligible and that credits will transfer. The Inside Sam Fox website's WashU Programs page has details about eligibility, credit policy, deadlines, and required proposal materials.

Students pursuing study abroad during the summer need to seek preapproval from the Sam Fox Academic Operations Manager's office as outlined in the Transfer Credit policy.

Transfer Credit

School Policy or Process

In addition to the Transfer Credit policies outlined in the Undergraduate Policies section of this Bulletin, the following apply to College of Art students:

  • A maximum of 15 credits of pre-matriculation or non-Washington University transfer credit may be counted toward an undergraduate degree for those entering Washington University as first-year students. A student wishing to transfer credit for courses completed at another institution must bring a full catalog description of the course(s) to the Sam Fox Office of Curriculum and Academic Operations for preapproval. 
  • Transfer credit cannot be used to fulfill Sam Fox major or minor requirements; it can only count toward the open elective or Arts & Sciences distribution requirements for the BA or BS degree. 
  • Students deferring admission or taking a gap year are not eligible to earn transfer credit.

Online Courses

The College of Art does not transfer credits for courses taken online.

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