Certificate Program Policies
Guidelines
Applications for all Certificate Programs are accepted at any time during the academic year. Students who are interested or those who have questions about a particular certificate are urged to contact the appropriate Certificate Advisor.
Students who apply for acceptance must submit their completed application and a nonrefundable application fee of $25 for consideration.
Once applications are reviewed, students are notified via mail that they have been accepted as students in the Certificate Program. Application review is ongoing, year round for all Certificate Programs except Teaching Artist.
Certificate Student Orientation
Students who are accepted into the program will attend the Certificate Student Orientation, a program that is required for all new certificate students, at which they will meet their Certificate Advisor, various faculty and other students accepted into the program, receive their photo ID and register for their first semester courses.
Schedule of Courses
A curriculum grid accompanies each certificate and outlines the courses required to earn that certificate. Students are bound by the program requirements stated at the time they enter the program.
Students generally take anywhere from one to three years to earn their certificate. The pace is determined by the individual student’s needs and schedules; however, the curriculum grid has been ideally constructed for students taking two courses per semester, the recommended rate for progression within the program.
Please note that all courses include out-of-class assignments designed for certificate students only, requiring significant time commitments of at least 15 additional hours per course, per semester.
Academic Advising
Academic advising is designed to assist students in directing and completing their Certificate Programs by providing guidance through contact with an informed advisor. Information is also available in Continuing Education publications and on the Continuing Studies website.
Leave-of-Absence Policy
Candidates unable to enroll in courses for two or more consecutive semesters must apply for a formal leave of absence, valid for one year, by completing a Leave-of-Absence Form. Completed forms must be filed with the Certificate Advisor.
If written notice is not on file, the Certificate Advisor will classify the student as inactive. Students taking a leave of absence for longer than one academic year, or classified as inactive for one year, are subject to curriculum requirements at the time of re-enrollment, rather than as stated at the time candidacy was originally declared. Upon reentry into the program, students must pay a $50 reactivation fee.
Waiving Courses
Students in some programs may request advanced placement for studies completed at UArts or other institutions, or for independently acquired skills and experience. To waive courses, candidates make an appointment with their appropriate Certificate Advisor before their first semester in the Certificate Program. The Certificate Advisor reviews the student’s work for demonstrated ability in the course to be waived and grants permission for a waiver where appropriate. Up to two courses may be waived. Students must fill out a Course Waiver Form and pay a one-time $35 waived course fee, per course waived. Students enrolled in the Teaching Artist Certificate program may not waive any courses.
Priority Enrollment
Certificate students may register during a designated priority period preceding general registration. Students receive advance notice of course schedules and special procedures.
Students with priority status should enroll immediately at the beginning of the priority registration period to ensure their enrollment in their classes.
Academic Requirements
Certificate students must achieve a grade of “C “or better in each course in order to maintain their status. Students who earn grades lower than “C” must repeat the course. Eligibility for graduation requires students to successfully complete all program requirements within three academic years and complete their capstone final course.
Petition to Graduate
Students who have fulfilled all requirements for graduation must complete a Petition to Graduate Form. Completed forms must be filed with the Certificate Advisor. Student completing certificate program requirements in the fall must submit a Petition to Graduate Form by October 1, spring by March 1 and summer by July 1.Failure to return a completed form by the appropriate date may jeopardize the student’s timely graduation.
Graduates are eligible to participate in the annual ceremony held in spring each year.
UArts Alumni Association
Students completing Certificate Programs are eligible for membership in the UArts Alumni Association. Interested students are encouraged to call the Alumni office at 215.717.6139 or visit them online at www.uarts.edu/alumni for the most comprehensive and up-to-date list of alumni benefits.
UArts Continuing Studies Student Photo ID
A UArts Continuing Studies student photo ID is issued to all certificate students during the first week of class. This ID is required for access to all UArts buildings, the library, computer labs and facilities.
Computer Labs
All computer classes are held in UArts Mac platform labs. Labs are equipped with a range of Intel-based desktop computers that include 20" and 24" iMac Intel Core 2 Duos, as well as Dual-Xeon or Nehalem Mac Pros, all with a minimum of 2GB of RAM or greater. Some facilities are supplemented by the use of laptop systems in mobile carts outfitted with MacBooks.
Students in Digital Technology courses may use UArts general computing labs during open hours. Login information may be obtained from the instructor or CS office.
Career Services
Certificate Students are entitled to an advising session with UArts Career Services upon completion of the program. Students are also entitled to a username and password for unlimited access to the UArts online job board.
Certificate Student Activation Fee
Certificate students are required to pay a one-time, nonrefundable fee of $75 to cover all costs associated with the Certificate Program including advising, priority registration access, UArts CS student photo ID, computer lab access, UArts library borrower privileges, a UArts email account, graduation ceremony and certificate, as well as UArts alumni status and all associated discounts, upon completion of the program.
Course Registration
Students may register for courses by fax, by mail, in person or online; we do not accept registration over the telephone. To register, you must submit the completed registration form with payment in full. Payment may be made in the form of a check or money order payable to The University of the Arts or by credit card – American Express, MasterCard and VISA are accepted.
The University reserves the right to deny registration to any student based upon the student’s prior behavior or actions in a previous class, program or workshop at the University.
Student Code of Conduct
Any student may be dismissed from his/her class and the program if found to be disruptive or behaving inappropriately in class or on the University campus. Students dismissed from any UArts Continuing Studies program will be denied admission to future terms and programs.
Students in the Division of Continuing Studies are expected to adhere to the Continuing Studies Student Code of Conduct available on our website.
Student Responsibility
Each student is responsible for observing all regulations in the brochures and on the website of the Division of Continuing Studies that may affect academic progress, financial obligations, relationships with University authorities, transferability of credits and acceptance of credits for certification, as well as knowing regulations regarding withdrawals, refunds, deadlines, program changes and academic policy.
Course Fees
Course fees vary by class and are applied to the specific operational costs incurred by activities in certain classes, studios or labs. Payment of fees mentioned in course descriptions is required at the time of registration and is nonrefundable. Students may need to purchase other materials at their own expense in addition to those provided; supply lists will be available online one week prior to the start of classes and can be accessed by selecting the Syllabus link on the individual course page.
Course Cancellation
The University of the Arts reserves the right to cancel classes due to low enrollment. If a cancellation should occur, students will be notified prior to the start of classes and will have the option of taking another course or receiving a full refund.
Refund Policy
All refunds are less nonrefundable deposits and fees and calculated as follows:
- 100% refund less the $50 nonrefundable application fee for withdrawal five business days prior to the first class
- 80% refund less the $50 nonrefundable application fee for withdrawal fewer than five business days prior to the first class
- 50% refund less the $50 application fee for withdrawal between the first and second class
- 0% refund after the scheduled meeting of the second class
Academic Grievance
Students who have a concern or grievance regarding an academic matter are encouraged to discuss their concern directly with the instructor. If they are not comfortable presenting their concern in person, or are not satisfied with the outcome of the discussion, they should submit their grievance in writing to the instructor and send a copy to the Continuing Education Coordinator. The instructor must respond in writing to the student within five business days from the date in which a grievance is received. In the case of a grievance filed during winter or spring breaks, the clock will stop until the first day of the regular CE academic calendar. The Continuing Education Coordinator is available for consultation by the student, and must be copied on the instructor’s response. The Continuing Education Coordinator will rule on the case within 10 business days.
Non-Academic Grievance
Students are strongly encouraged to address all concerns to the Continuing Education Coordinator. If resolution is not possible after such dialog, the student should submit a letter or email describing the grievance to the Continuing Education Coordinator. Please note that non‐academic grievances must be filed during the semester in which the incident occurred. A student with a grievance pertaining to an academic matter should consult the Academic Grievances section for a full explanation of procedures in such cases.
Accreditation
Continuing Education courses at the University of the Arts are fully accredited by Middle States Association, National Association of Schools of Art & Design and National Association of Schools of Music. All courses in the program are approved for professional-level credit, which is typically recognized by government and industry for full or partial tuition funding or reimbursement. Course units and/or continuing education unit (CEU) values are listed with the course descriptions. Completion of the program shows evidence to a prospective or current employer of recent professional‐level training and development in the given field for career advancement and/or salary increase purposes.
Financial Aid
Continuing Education Certificate Programs do not qualify for financial aid or scholarships from the University of the Arts or federal student aid. However, educational loans may be available through private lenders not affiliated with the University.
Incomplete Grade
An incomplete grade may be granted only in extraordinary circumstances, either personal or academic, that prevent the student from completing coursework by the end of the semester.
Extraordinary circumstances include:
- Serious student illness, accompanied by a doctor’s certificate
- Extreme emergency, substantiated by written documentation
The grade “I” is given only when the completed portion of the student’s coursework is of a passing quality. To receive the grade of Incomplete, the student must obtain written approval from the course instructor, and their Certificate Advisor or the Continuing Education Coordinator prior to the conclusion of the semester. Incomplete grades not cleared by the end of the sixth week of the following semester will be automatically assigned the grade of “F.”
Transcript Requests
Transcript requests can be made online, in person and by mail. The cost for normal service is $5; additional fees apply for fax, emergency, FedEx and international service. Full details are available online at www.uarts.edu/academics/registrar.html#Transcript. All questions pertaining to transcript requests should be directed to the Office of the Registrar at 215.717.6420.
Third-Party Billing and Sponsored Students
Third-party billing is when a company or government/outside agency has established special billing arrangements to cover tuition and/or fees for students it sponsors. The University must receive an authorization from the sponsoring agency before third-party billing can be processed. All billing authorizations – which may be a letter, purchase order or voucher – must be on official agency letterhead and signed by an officer of the organization.
Payment by the sponsor must be made directly to the University; agreements where payments are sent to the student cannot be honored. All authorizations must include the term or dates that the authorization is in effect. Continuing Education cannot accommodate any restrictions or contingencies on the authorization. For instance, if the agency requires grade or transcript information before payment, the University cannot authorize third-party billing.
All sponsored students are required to complete a Tuition Repayment Agreement (promissory note) in order to be registered for the class and to initiate third-party billing. In the event of non-payment or partial payment by the third-party agency, the student will be charged for the unpaid amount. Third parties are invoiced after the class is confirmed to run. Payments must be made within 30 days of billing. If payment is not received within 30 days, the agency and the student will be notified, and the student will be billed for the unpaid amount as authorized on the Tuition Repayment Agreement. Any charges that are not paid by the sponsor are billed directly to the student.
University Libraries
The University libraries are central to the educational mission of the University, enabling and enriching every student's professional preparation and general education. Through the services the library staff provides, and through the materials it collects or to which it provides access, the University libraries seek to enhance teaching and improve learning, and to educate students in the arts to be successful and productive users of information.
Students are directed to contact library staff directly to receive the most current information regarding lending policies and hours of operation:
Albert M. Greenfield Library
Circulation Services: 215.717.6280
Reference Services: 215.717.6282 /215.717.6283
Visual Resources Collection
215.717.6290
Music Library
215.717.6293
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. 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.