Enrollment at CIA has three components: course scheduling, tuition payment, and completion of required paperwork. These components must be completed each semester before students will be considered enrolled in each semester at CIA. Failure to complete these requirements by the end of the registration period (first week of classes) results in students not being permitted to enroll late and not able to attend classes.
Enrollment Status
Students who have been admitted to study toward the BFA degree are considered “matriculated” students. Individuals in the process of meeting admission requirements and those whose objective is not a degree are classified as “special” or “nonmatriculated.”
Students may enroll as full-time (minimum of 12 credit hours per semester), part-time (fewer than 12 credit hours in a semester) or on a special non-degree basis. Any desire to change enrollment status should be discussed with an academic advisor in Academic Advising. A change from full-time to part-time or non-degree status may affect eligibility for scholarships and/or financial aid.
Certification of Enrollment
The Registrar is responsible for certification of enrollment and verification of degrees awarded. Documentation needed to prove enrollment status is available at the Registrar’s Office or by emailing [email protected] via CIA student email.
Registration
All students must register regardless of the financial aid being received or anticipated. Students may not attend classes until their financial obligations to CIA have been satisfied. Course scheduling for the upcoming semester for continuing students occurs in April for fall semester and November for spring semester. Academic advisors are available to assist in course scheduling. Scheduling courses means that the tuition bill and other registration materials will be available to students on myCIA. Students who have registered and are in good standing may use their CIA library card between semesters.
Students with transfer credit, AP, IB, or other college-level coursework should consult with Academic Advising during the summer to determine if any adjustments should be made to their first semester schedule of classes. Students who enter CIA as transfer students will have their transcript(s) evaluated for determination of transfer credits and year placement.
The Registrar’s Office reserves the right to Administratively drop students from courses, if necessary, due to low course enrollment, course cancellation, or other administrative necessities.
Adding, Dropping or Withdrawing from a Course
Students may add or drop courses through myCIA until the fifth day of the term. Students who wish to take more than 18 credits in a semester must see an academic advisor to determine eligibility. No refunds or additional charges will be incurred if students remain within 12 to 18 credit hours per semester. See the refund policy in Section 2: Financial Matters.
Students are not permitted to register for courses with time conflicts. Dropped courses will not appear on the transcript. Courses from which students withdraw between the end of the drop/add period and the end of the withdrawal period appear on the transcript as a “W” (weeks 2 through 10 of the term). Student related medical exceptions, as determined by the Dean of Students Office, may warrant a “W” course grade. “W” course grades do appear on official transcripts and are considered non-punitive. See Academic Calendar for specific dates. If the course withdrawal takes place after the midterm grades are recorded, a “W” will appear on the transcript and the mid-term grade will be recorded.
Course withdrawal forms must be completed and are available from Academic Advising. The form must be signed by the Student, the Registrar, and an academic advisor. Withdrawal after the 10th week will not be permitted unless there are extenuating circumstances.
It is the student’s responsibility to be sure that they meet all graduation requirements and are aware of all College deadlines. Those who are unsure about dropping or withdrawing from a course are highly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor before taking that action. If the course from which a student withdraws is required in their curriculum, the course must be repeated.
Withdrawing from a course may affect current or future scholarship and/or financial aid eligibility. The student should contact the Office of Financial Aid for guidance on this point. It may also delay their graduation date.
Class Standing
Students are assigned class standing based on the number of credits earned.
First-Year students have earned less than 30 credits. Second-Year students (sophomores) have earned 30-59.9 credits. Third-Year students (juniors) have earned 60-89.9 credits. Fourth-year students (seniors) have earned 90+ credits.