Home

College of Design Policies

Undergraduate Policies

Critical Requirements and Milestones

For more information about critical requirements, including the milestone, see http://design.asu.edu/students.

Critical Requirements

A new or transfer student who has been admitted to the university and has selected a college major is admitted to the program of his or her choice. Each student must meet all critical requirements including the milestone at the end of the second semester. For international students whose native language is not English, TOEFL scores are required.

Milestone

Passing the milestone at the end of the second semester is competitive. Consult the requirements of each major for details. Students who are interested in more than one program must meet the milestone requirements for both and must submit separate applications and portfolios, as required by the program. Transfers requested past the second semester are considered only if vacancies occur, and such transfers are limited to students with equivalent course work who are competitive with continuing students. Students who do not meet the critical requirements but pass the milestone are not dismissed from the university and may transfer to other programs.

Transfer Credits

While the university accepts credits transferred from other accredited institutions, transfer credits are not applied to specific degree programs until reviewed and accepted by the appropriate academic units. Transfer course work must be equivalent in both content and level of offering. In addition, a review of samples of work (portfolio format) from previous studio classes is required to receive credit for studios. Students who change majors to transfer into the college or one of its program areas must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50.

Change of Major

Current ASU students who wish to change majors to one of the college’s degrees must have a cumulative ASU GPA of 2.50 or higher.

Academic Advising

While the college provides academic advising, it is ultimately the responsibility of each student to fulfill academic and program requirements. Advising and record keeping for students majoring in architecture, landscape architecture, graphic design, housing and community development, industrial design, interior design, urban planning, and the B.A. in design studies are the responsibility of a college academic advisor, located in CDS 115. General career advising is available from all faculty members. Administration of program requirements is the responsibility of the head of the academic unit and the dean.

Appeals Procedures

Academic appeals and requests for variances are typically made to the student's advisor and then, if necessary, to the head of the appropriate academic unit, the College Standards and Appeals Committee, and finally, the dean. A student who feels unjustly treated in academic or other matters relating to his or her career as a student may contact a college academic advisor or may take the grievance to the college ombudsperson.

Academic Standards

A student in any of the college's programs is placed on probation when he or she fails to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00. Students on probation must observe rules or limitations the college imposes on their probation as a condition of retention. If, after one semester on probation, the overall GPA is not at least 2.00 and the conditions of probation have not been met, the student is disqualified for a minimum of two full academic semesters; however, students whose cumulative GPA is below 2.00, but are still in academic good standing according to university standards, are ineligible to major in a College of Design program, but may be eligible for majors in other colleges at ASU. A disqualified student may attend summer sessions at ASU to raise their cumulative GPA. If a 2.00 or higher cumulative GPA is achieved upon completion of summer course work, the student may petition the college for early reinstatement. Appeals may be made to the college Standards and Appeals Committee; see an academic advisor for the necessary appeals forms. There are also other options available for immediate reinstatement for qualified students; see an academic advisor to discuss these options. For more information, see Retention and Academic Standards.

Students must earn a grade of “C” (2.00) or higher in studio courses in order to progress to the next studio in sequence. If a student is already registered for the next studio, and has earned a grade of “D” or “E” in the prerequisite studio, the student will be administratively dropped from the subsequent studio.

Retention Standards

Students who have passed the milestone are placed on probation when any of the following occurs:

  • Failure, incomplete or withdrawal from any required course.
  • A semester GPA below 3.00.
  • A grade of “D” (1.00) or “E” (0.00) in a design studio, a design laboratory or a design lecture.
  • Violation of the university's Code of Student Conduct or any admission agreement.

Students on probation must observe rules or limitations that the college or academic unit places on their probation as a condition of continuation. Students may be removed from a program (but not necessarily the university) when any of the following occurs:

  • The requirements imposed are not met or the probationary semester GPA is below 3.00 after one semester on probation.
  • Failures or withdrawals in required courses are not resolved at the next offering of the course.
  • They fail or withdraw from required sequential courses.
  • Incompletes in required sequential courses are not completed before the first day of class of the next semester.

A student removed from a program is not guaranteed reinstatement in the program even if probation requirements or requirements placed on readmission are fulfilled. Appeals may be made first to the appropriate academic unit and, if necessary, to the college Governance and Grievance Committee. For more information, see Retention and Academic Standards.

Incompletes

Students are responsible for contacting the instructor regarding the process of requesting and fulfilling an incomplete. Tardiness in contacting the instructor may result in a failing grade. Students must obtain official “Request for Grade of Incomplete” forms at http://design.asu.edu/students/forms.shtml. The completed form must include a justification, a listing of requirements that have not been fulfilled and a proposed schedule of completion. The instructor reviews the request, proposes modifications if necessary, and submits a copy of the request to the appropriate office. An incomplete in any course that is a prerequisite for sequential courses automatically denies enrollment in subsequent courses or could result in the student being administratively dropped from a subsequent course if they are already enrolled in it. For more information, see Incomplete.

Withdrawals

University withdrawal regulations apply to all courses. In addition, because the college’s curricula are modular and sequential and because space in the programs is limited, a student is expected to progress through the curriculum with his or her class. Withdrawal from a required critical-requirements course automatically places a student on probation. Withdrawal from a required course after the milestone in a required sequence automatically removes the student from the program beginning the subsequent semester. For more information, see Grading System.

Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit

The only courses accepted toward graduation with a grade of pass/fail or credit/no credit are internships and field studies.

Graduate Policies

Advising

Architecture

Students should consult the school’s Web site at http://design.asu.edu/sala/index.shtml for general information about the programs and admission procedures. In addition, a graduate coordinator is available for professional advising. For more information, call 480-965-3536 or send an e-mail to sala.grad@asu.edu. For information about the undergraduate program and for undergraduate advising, send an e-mail to design.advising@asu.edu.

Design

Preadmission information, advising, and continued support are provided by the coordinator of the program. General information can be found on the program’s Web site at http://design.asu.edu/sdi/index.shtml. For additional information, send an e-mail to design.grad@asu.edu.

Planning

Students should consult the school’s Web site at http://design.asu.edu/planning/index.shtml for general information about the program and admission procedures. The school’s student coordinator provides admission information, general program information and general advising. The school’s director and MUEP program coordinator provide professional advising and continued support. For more information, call 480-965-7167, or access the school’s Web site at http://design.asu.edu/planning/index.shtml.