Academic Policies and Procedures

Change of Graduate Program

This policy is to guide CCS Graduate students seeking to change programs at the graduate level. Graduate students wishing to transition into an undergraduate degree should seek further guidance from the Admissions team and their Academic Advisor.

This policy refers to procedures for changing graduate degree subject disciplines, changing modes of study, and changing from one Graduate degree type to another (i.e. MA to MFA; MFA to MA).

Changing Graduate Degree Subject Discipline

MA / MFA Color and Materials Design

MA / MFA Transportation Design

MA / MFA User Experience Design

A student seeking to change from one of the above listed programs to another must do so by the first day of week 2 of the first semester, and must have been accepted by the receiving program chair.

Those seeking to change programs after this date, will be required to restart the program in the following academic year. Students cannot switch programs midway through the academic year. All in-person graduate degrees start in the Fall Semester. Students are unable to commence their studies in the Winter Semester.

MA / MFA Interdisciplinary Design

Graduate students can transfer into MA / MFA Interdisciplinary Design Studies at any time, with approval of Chairs and the Dean of Graduate Studies. A student seeking to transfer out of this program must do so by the first day of week 2 of the first semester, and must have been accepted by the receiving program chair. This does not apply to the MA in Art Education (see below).

MA Art Education

Students wishing to transfer into this program, or from it, will need to reapply through the Graduate Admissions Office.

Note: A student who is in the process of completing a CCS graduate degree and wishes to immediately start another in a different discipline, must apply through Graduate Admissions.

Changing Study Modes

MA / MFA Degrees (Design Programs)

All MA and MFA Design degrees are offered in both full- and part-time mode. However, only US citizens and permanent residents can study part-time. Eligible students can transfer from full-time to part-time mode, or vice versa through an approval process, and degree planning negotiation with the Program Chair and Academic Advisor.

MA User Experience Design (Online)

The MA in User Experience Design (Online) is structured and sequenced differently to the in-person MA degree. Transferring between these programs is not possible (a student may apply for direct entry to the MFA in Interdisciplinary Design Studies). International students taking this program must reside outside of the US.

Changing Graduate Degree Program (MA and MFA)

MA to MFA

A student may transfer from the MA to the MFA of the same program at any time during the first semester, with the approval of the program chair. Students transferring in the second semester will be required to complete specific courses for the MFA before starting their second year.

MFA to MA

A student may transfer from the MFA to the MA version of the same program at any time during the first semester. Students enrolled on the MFA may not transfer to the MA after the first day of week 2 of the Winter semester.

Graduation from the MA or MFA graduate design degrees requires the completion of a capstone project course(s). Capstone project courses cannot be replaced with other classes, including internships.

Two-year MA and three-year MFA in Transportation Design

A two-year MA and three-year MFA is offered in Transportation Design, providing a preliminary year of skills development. Students taking either the one-year MA or the two- and three-year MFA may change to the two-year MA under advice and guidance at any juncture deemed appropriate by the Department Chair. Students on the two-year MA may advance to the final year of the MFA, having met prerequisites with the agreement of the department chair.

Students on the two-year MA may not change to the one year MA. Students on the three-year MFA may not change to the two-year MFA.

Attendance Regulations for Graduation

Students must be enrolled and attending CCS* in the semester in which they plan to graduate (*unless on an online degree)

International Students

International Students are reminded that any change to their program of study, subject matter, degree type or duration needs to be reflected in their SEVIS record and printed on their I20 Form. Please contact the Global Engagement Office within 10 days of any change for an updated I20 Form, and to officially report the change. global@ccsdetroit.edu

Graduate Student Readmission

Graduate students returning to College for Creative Studies (CCS) after an absence of more than two consecutive academic years or students who seek readmission after suspension, must complete the Application for Readmission. Please check the Graduate Student Readmission Policy for further details.

Transfer of credit earned outside of CCS

Please refer to the Graduate Credit Transfer Policy.

Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements for Graduate Students

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility for Federal Direct Loans is determined by an analysis of family resources calculated by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To receive Federal Direct Loans from the College, students must:

Be accepted for enrollment in a graduate degree program.
Maintain satisfactory academic progress.
Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
Be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours (for Direct Loans).
Have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent.
Not owe a refund on previous Title IV funds received or be in default on any federal student loan.

For more information, visit studentaid.gov.

CCS also awards scholarships based on merit. Students may qualify for these scholarships based on the strength of their admission application and required documents at the time of admittance to the College. No additional application is required for these scholarships.

Students receiving tuition assistance from their employers will have their tuition scholarship reduced accordingly.

Duration of Eligibility

Full-time students may receive financial aid for a maximum of three years (six semesters) of full-time awards. Half-time students are eligible for a maximum of six years (12 semesters) of half-time awards. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Double Majors

Students seeking a double major must meet studio requirements for both majors. Courses, including foundations (18 credits), liberal arts (42 credits), studio electives (9 credits), and general electives (6 credits) as part of one major, may be used, when appropriate, to satisfy the requirements of the second major. 75 credit hours may be shared between the two majors.

Each plan for the major must be developed in consultation with and approved by a Department Chair. Students wishing to declare a double major must complete the Double Major Declaration form that is available in the Academic Advising and Registration Office (AARO). Students must submit the completed form to AARO with the approval of the second major’s Department Chair. One of the majors must be designated as the primary program of study on the form.

Second Major After Graduation

Students may complete a second major after graduation by applying through the CCS Admissions Office. Requirements from the first major are evaluated, and when appropriate, foundations, studio, and liberal arts coursework from the first major may be applied to the second major. Admitted transfer students are sent a potential Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE) and curriculum chart via email shortly after being admitted. The TCE outlines which courses have been accepted for transfer credit and how they apply toward your CCS degree.

Repetitions

When a course is repeated, the higher grade will be used in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average. Any course, or its equivalent approved course, may be applied only once toward fulfillment of any and all degree requirements, including elective credit. Courses taken at other institutions are not subject to the repeat policy. Work from previous attempts at the course cannot be reused in future attempts without written approval from the faculty member teaching the repeated course. Federal regulations specify that a student may only receive financial aid for a repeated course once after a passing grade has been earned.

Assigning Academic Credit

College for Creative Studies uses credit hours as a general measure of academic work and progress toward degrees at both the Undergraduate and Graduate level. The College’s use of credit hours complies with standards established by our accrediting bodies and is consistent with generally accepted practices of peer institutions across the nation.

At CCS, one credit hour represents an average of at least three hours of work each week for a period of 15 or 16 weeks. Most classes offered award three credit hours upon successful completion, hence an average of at least nine hours per week of classroom and outside work, totaling 135 hours in a 15-week semester is expected.

For studio courses, three credit hours represents six hours of class time with an average of at least three hours of work outside of class each week.
For lecture classes, including Liberal Arts, three credit hours represents three hours of class time with an average of at least six hours of work outside of class each week.
Workloads may vary from class to class, depending upon the period during the semester, but students should expect to commit to an average of at least nine hours of classroom and outside work per week for every three credit hour class taken.

During a 15 or 16-week semester students enrolled in a three credit hour independent study or a three credit fully online course are expected to commit to at least nine hours of work per week or 135 hours. Summer courses that are offered in a condensed term are scheduled to have the same number of classroom hours as a lecture or studio class of equal credit would have over a 15-week semester. Likewise, the weekly expectation of outside of class work is adjusted so that the classroom and outside work totals at least 135 hours.

Students in the undergraduate program may complete more than 3 hours of effort per credit during an elective internship, a CCS travel class or Directed Teaching.

Departmental Review Attendance

The academic programs at CCS are designed to challenge students, prepare them for careers in the visual arts and design, and provide them with opportunities to express their ideas through visual and verbal presentations. At least once each academic year, students are expected to participate in a departmental review. Students who do not attend the review at the scheduled date and time and have circumstances the are beyond their control, should immediately contact the department. Documentation regarding the circumstances may be required from the student. The department will reschedule the review at a time mutually agreeable for the department and student. Students who do not attend their scheduled review and do not make arrangements with the department to reschedule are ineligible to register for the next semester. If a student has registered, he, she, or they will be removed from the registered courses. A departmental hold will be placed on the student’s record until the matter is resolved with the department.

Areas of Emphasis and Minors

Emphasis

An emphasis is a required focused area of study within a major and is part of the 60 credits required for the major courses within an undergraduate program. Enrolled students are required to meet the current emphasis credit requirements, which range from 12 to 30 credits depending on the major and emphasis.

The following undergraduate departments have a required area of emphasis:

Major	Emphasis Area Options
Advertising Design	Advertising or Copywriting
Craft & Material Studies	Ceramics, Glass, Fiber & Textiles or Metalsmithing/Jewelry
Fashion	Fashion Design or Fashion Accessories
Entertainment Arts	Animation, Concept Design, or Game

The emphasis appears on the final official transcript but does not appear on the diploma.

Minors

Liberal Arts and Studio minor options are available to undergraduate level students. A Studio Minor is an area of study outside the major that provides students the ability to customize their studies by gaining knowledge and proficiency in a different discipline. A Liberal Arts Minor is a focused area of study within the Liberal Arts subjects.

Studio and Liberal Arts minors require 15.0 credits to complete. A list of available minor options is published on the CCS Website and provided with the associated form (see the Liberal Arts Minor Declaration Form and/or Studio Minor Declaration Form) that can be found on the Campus Offices site under the Academic Advising and Registration Office. Students must consult with the Department Chair of the minor for detailed information and minor expectations. Some minors are customized based on students’ interest and/or skill. Designated major departments will allow a minor within the same major if the minor’s emphasis (or specialized area of focus) is “different” from emphasis outlined in the major. Example: Transportation Design major can minor in Automotive Clay Modeling; Crafts/Ceramics major can minor in Crafts/Glass; Entertainment Arts/Animation major can minor in Entertainment Arts/Game, etc.

Declaring a minor is not required to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Minors can only be attempted while pursuing a BFA and cannot be attempted post graduation.
Once a minor is added to the student’s record, all requirements for the existing minor must be satisfied in order to graduate (along with the general degree requirements).
Adjustments to minor requirements are based on department approval.
Adding a minor may extend the expected graduation timeline and students should consult with an Academic Advisor to review degree timeline details.
Some limitations or restrictions may apply when choosing a minor within the same major department.
Minors appear on the final official transcript but do not appear on the diploma.

Transfer Credits for a Minor

A maximum of six (6.0) transfer credit earned from an accredited institution may be applied to a minor in any area of study. Students may be asked to submit documentation or work samples for transfer credit requests in question. See Transfer Credits – Undergraduate policy for additional details.

Credit Sharing

No more than nine (9) credits between the general degree requirements and the minor can be shared. Credit sharing is not automatic and should be discussed with an Academic Advisor to confirm steps and/or requirements for placement. Department Chair approval may be required for courses that are not pre-approved for placement. Credit sharing can be applied to General Electives without Department Chair approval. See section on “Adding Multiple Minors” for policy on credit sharing with more than one minor.*

Adding a Minor

Students must sign and submit the appropriate minor form to the Department Chair of the minor. A Liberal Arts Minor Declaration form must be signed by the Liberal Arts Department Chair. A Studio Minor Declaration form must be signed by the Department Chair of the studio minor. Completed forms must be submitted to the Academic Advising & Registration Office for processing and to officially add the minor to degree requirements. Once a minor is added to a student’s degree program, all major and minor credits must be satisfied in order to graduate. It is the student’s responsibility to 1) complete all required minor credits or 2) initiate a request to remove the minor if no longer planning to attempt the credits.

Students close to graduation must have all minor forms completed and submitted before applying for graduation (see Academic Calendar for deadlines).

Adding Multiple Minors

Students may choose to minor in multiple Studio/Major Departments or Liberal Arts subject areas (or a combination of both). A minor form is required for each intended minor. “Credits Sharing” and “Transfer Credit for Minors” will apply to each minor separately (as outlined in above policies). Additionally, up to 9.0 credit hours can be shared “between minors”, if applicable or due to “like” courses.

Credit Sharing with More than One Minor:

Share max of 9.0 credits between minors is allowed
- up to 9.0 credit hours can be applied/shared from the 1st minor with the 2nd minor, if courses are applicable.
- Up to 9.0 credit hours can be shared with the major/general degree requirements.
- Remaining credits for the minor(s) must be fulfilled with courses different from any attempted credits within the major/general degree requirements and cannot be shared.

Removing or Changing a Minor

A minor may be removed at any time if a student no longer wishes to pursue the minor or satisfy the requirements. Students must indicate their intent to drop the minor on the appropriate Minor Declaration Form. Department Chair signature (of the removed minor) is not required on the form.

If a student wishes to switch to a different minor, the Department Chair of the new minor will evaluate the student’s course work for placement or transferability of any courses previously taken or in-progress. The new minor should be indicted on the Minor Declaration form and the Department Chair of the new minor must sign the form to change the minor. The completed form must be submitted to the Academic Advising & Registration Office to have the minor removed.

If credits were taken/completed towards the “removed” minor, students should meet with an Academic Advisor to discuss courses that no longer apply to degree requirements.

Students who are graduating and intend to remove (or add) a minor, must do so prior to submitting the application for graduation (see the Academic Calendar for deadlines).

Dean’s and President’s List

Undergraduate students who complete a minimum of 12 credits during a given semester with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.50 to 3.799 are placed on the Dean’s List. Undergraduate students who achieve a GPA of 3.80 or above are placed on the President’s List. A notation will be placed on the student’s transcript for each semester that Dean’s List status is achieved.

Academic Probation and Suspension – Undergraduate Students

Academic progress is monitored at the end of each semester. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 to be considered in good academic standing.

If a student has less than a cumulative 2.0 GPA, he/she/they is placed on academic probation for a period of one semester. If the student fails to achieve a 2.0 cumulative grade point average at the end of the academic probation semester, he or she is suspended from the College.**

Grade Point Average Requirement For Art Education Majors

In the Art Education program it is the student’s responsibility to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 at the end of each term. Additionally, teacher candidates must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.70 in Art Education courses. Only grades of “C” or better will be accepted in required art education courses. If a student receives a grade of “C-” or below they must retake the course to obtain a grade of “C” or better. Students not meeting the Art Ed GPA requirements should meet with the Chair and the appropriate instructor to evaluate progress and identify areas for support. Additionally, the Center for Tutoring and Writing is available for all students seeking assistance with any course content. The higher grade is always recorded for purposes of calculating cumulative GPA.

Notification of Unsatisfactory Academic Progress

Students who do not meet the College’s academic standards will be notified, by the Registrar, in writing via a letter sent to the preferred address on file. This letter will provide information about the requirements for students placed on academic probation or the process for readmission if the student has been suspended from the College.

Academic Probation Policy

*Exceptions to credit load restrictions will be determined upon review.

Academic Suspension Policy

Students suspended for failing to meet the cumulative GPA requirements, must adhere to the “academic suspension restrictions”. Students on academic suspension have the option to appeal by submitting an application for readmission to the Academic Advising & Registration Office (see full details under Appeal Process for Readmission).

Students suspended for disciplinary reasons or who have exhausted appeal submissions, will not be considered for reinstatement through an academic appeal process.

Academic Suspension Restrictions

Students on Academic Suspension are restricted from the following as long as the suspension status is active:

Registration of any CCS Course(s), including non-credit and/or continuing education courses.

Use of Campus facilities. Students with “I” grades and previous approved campus access, will need to contact the assigning Instructor to confirm alternative options for assignment completion (outside of CCS facility use).

Living in or maintaining CCS Housing and/or Meal Plans. Contracts will be canceled or deactivated until the suspension status is resolved. The CCS Housing Office will confirm all exit and cancellation procedures.

Student Aid may be discontinued and loan repayments may be required after 6 months away from college. The Financial Aid Office will verify Student Aid status and requirements.

Veteran, dependents and/or GI Bill benefits will not be certified. VA Certifying Official will confirm additional requirements.

**Academic Suspension Exceptions:

Students who do not obtain the minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA, but have achieved the following at the end of the probation semester, may be granted “Continued Academic Probation” by the Registrar’s Office for displaying substantial improvement:

1) successfully completed 67% of attempted credits in the probation
semester (and)

2) obtained a semester GPA of 2.0 or higher at the end of the probation
semester.

**Students granted “Continued Academic Probation” must also confirm status of Financial Aid eligibility before choosing to enroll in the approved semester. Satisfactory Academic Progress (including cumulative GPA requirements) is evaluated to determine Financial Aid.

Students granted “Continued Academic Probation” will be required to follow the probation policy requirements for an additional semester. Students who do not meet the cumulative GPA requirements at the end of the semester, are suspended from the college.

Appeal Process for Academic Suspension

Students who have been confirmed and notified of their suspension may appeal their “academic suspension” from the College by submitting the following to the Academic Advising & Registration Office:

Submit Application for Readmission:
- For readmission to a Winter term, must reapply by October 31 deadline
- For readmission to a Fall term, must reapply by July 31 deadline
Submit Explanation of Suspension
Pay $50 Readmission Fee

Appeals should be based on circumstances beyond the student’s control such as, injury or illness, death of a relative, or other special circumstances. The appeal must explain the failure to make satisfactory progress and what has changed that will allow satisfactory progress in the future (address the problems that led to the academic suspension and put forth the case outlining success upon returning to CCS). This information must be provided in the “Student Explanation” section of the Application for Readmission.

The faculty Academic Performance Committee will review appeal submissions during the next academic semester. After the review is completed, students will receive a letter from the Registrar’s Office, on behalf of the Academic Performance Committee, stating the outcome of the appeal hearing.

Appeal Approved

A student who successfully appeals the status of suspension and whose appeal is granted will be placed on “Continued Academic Probation” and will be required to follow all standard probation requirements in addition to requirements outlined by the Academic Performance Committee. Academic Progress is reviewed again at the end of the Continued Academic Probation semester, in which the student must meet the academic standards.

If a student fails to meet the academic standards after the appealed suspension, the student is returned to the status of suspension indefinitely and dismissed from the college.

Graduate Credit Transfer Policy

Updated June 2024

All transfer credits are evaluated for relevance to the College’s programs and policies. Grades earned at another institution are not factored into the calculation of cumulative grade point average at CCS. The College makes every effort to ensure you get credit for your past graduate-level work, subject to the following conditions:

Coursework taken in the United States must have been completed at a college or university accredited by one of the following regional associations of schools and colleges—Middle States (MSCHE), New England (NECHE), Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Northwest (NWCCU), Southern (SACSCOC), Western (WASC)—or by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). International programs and institutions with non-regional accreditation will be evaluated on an individual basis.
For coursework completed outside of the United States, College for Creative Studies requires all transfer students to obtain a professional course-by-course evaluation of all college or university-level work from a professional credential evaluation service like National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) membership.
Courses noted on a transcript as transferred from prior institutions will not be considered for transfer credit. An official transcript must be submitted to CCS from any institution(s) attended before transfer credit can be awarded.
Courses awarded transfer credit are recorded in permanent academic records. Grades of approved courses are not factored into the calculation of a student’s cumulative grade point average at CCS.
Credit will not be awarded for undergraduate level coursework.
Approval of transfer credit is at the discretion of program chairs, following, if applicable, a review of the applicant’s portfolio, or other relevant works. Courses must meet the majority of the learning outcomes required by the equivalent course at CCS to be approved.
The number of possible credit transfers for each program is as follows:
- For the MFA in Interdisciplinary Design Studies, students may transfer up to 30 credits) from a graduate program towards the 60 credits required to complete a two year MFA. For all other MFA degrees, students can transfer up to 9 credits.
- For all MA design degrees, students can transfer up to 6 credit hours from a graduate program towards the 30 credits required to complete the one-year MA.
- Note: A limited number of transfer credits to the MA in Art Education is possible if directly aligned to the learning outcomes of any online courses being replaced. Transfer credit is not possible in lieu of summer residence classes.
- Eligibility for additional credit is determined on a case-by-case basis and will depend on factors such as the alignment of the transferred coursework with the CCS curriculum, the academic rigor of the courses, and the demonstrated proficiency of the student in those subjects. Students should contact the Program Chair to initiate a comprehensive evaluation of their previous coursework.
Up to 3 courses (nine credits) completed at the Graduate level as part of a CCS Bachelor of Fine Arts program may be applicable for transfer upon approval.
Transfer credits may be awarded for courses with a grade of B (3.0) or higher and completed within 10 years of the time of application.
Courses taken at an institution on a quarter or term academic calendar are converted to semester hours before being applied to CCS course requirements.
CCS must receive all official final transcripts, along with any supporting documentation or portfolio artifacts required for evaluation and placement of transfer credit
- before the end of the student’s 1st week of classes (for new/incoming students)
- within a month of completing the course(s) intended for transfer (for current students)

Frequently Asked Transfer Questions

What Is An Official Transcript?

Only transcripts mailed directly from your previous institution(s) to CCS, as well as transcripts sent directly to you and forwarded to CCS in the original sealed envelope, are considered official. Transcripts received by CCS from a certified digital document service such as Parchment or Clearinghouse are all considered official.

What If My Previous College Was On a Different Academic Calendar?

For in-person programs, CCS operates on a semester academic calendar of two fifteen-week long terms. Colleges operating outside the US, as well as those utilizing alternate units of credit, such as a ‘unit’ or a ‘quarter hour’- an academic calendar consisting of 3-4 main terms spanning 10 to 11 weeks per year- will need to be assessed to determine transferability. Since ‘quarter hour’ terms are shorter, a quarter ‘credit hour’ will require less instructional time. For this reason, students seeking transfer credit from intuitions that operate on a quarter-hour calendar (or other alternate structure) may have their courses combined to equal the instruction time and learning outcomes required in the equivalent CCS course.

*The low residency MA in Art Education utilizes the 8 week summer semesters for resident courses. The MA in User Experience Design (Distance Ed) operates with 8 compressed 7-week terms for accelerated completion.

How Long Will It Take To Complete My Degree?

In-person MA and MFA degrees are offered in full- and part-time mode. A full-time MFA degree may be completed in two years, and typically takes four years in part-time mode. The MFA in Interdisciplinary Design Studies can be taken in half that time if 30 credits are transferred (see above). A full-time MA degree takes one year to complete, two years in part-time mode.

The MA in Art Education is a low-residency program lasting 26 months. It runs over seven semesters (including three short summer semesters). Students attend campus for four weeks each July.

The MA in User Experience Design (Distance Ed.) is fully online, and takes 18 months to complete. It comprises 8 condensed 7-week courses for accelerated learning.

New students seeking clarification on time required to complete their degree at CCS should follow up with their Academic Adviser and/or Department Chair after receiving their Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE). Current students should meet with their Academic Adviser to review their degree audit for an understanding of remaining requirements and time required to complete them.

What If I Want To Change Majors

Students wishing to change their graduate design major, or mode of study, should refer to the Change of Graduate Program Policy.

What Happens To My Transfer Credit If I Change My Major?

Students should express their intent to change their major before finalizing enrollment. This allows the admissions office to re-evaluate all potential transfer credit for application to the student’s new major prior to enrollment.

If a current student decides to change majors at CCS, the transfer credit granted upon initial enrollment will undergo re-evaluation by the Program Chair. All relevant courses completed at CCS will be applied toward the student’s updated degree requirements. However, courses previously transferred to CCS may potentially fulfill an elective requirement, but if they no longer fulfill graduation requirements will default to an ‘Other Courses’ category, remaining in the student’s academic record but not counting towards degree completion. If students feel they have previously completed coursework that should be considered after declaring a change of major, it is the student’s responsibility to initiate this review and provide any required documentation or work examples to support the placement of credit.