Scholastic Standing

Scholastic standing is determined by a semester index, computed by multiplying grade value by credit hours for the course, and dividing the sum by total credit hours the student carried.

The following grades are used for final marks

Grad Grade Quality Points

Grade	Quality Points
A	4.0
A-	3.7
B+	3.3
B	3.0
B-	2.7
C+	2.3
C	2.0
C-	1.7
D	1.0
F	0

Grad Grade Value

Grade	Grade Value
IF	Incomplete converted to F
IN	Incomplete
IP	In progress
P	Passed
S	Satisfactory
WA	Authorized withdrawal
WD	Student-initiated authorized withdrawal
WF	Unauthorized withdrawal
Z	No grade
ZF	Missing grade converted to F

Grad Grade Value Desc

Grade	Grade Description
IF	IN grades not completed by the end of the next 15-week semester, converted to IF. IF is equivalent to an F.
IN	Incompletes are not assigned automatically; they may be assigned at the instructor’s discretion. Coursework must be completed within six weeks of the start of the following semester. IN is computed as an F until an appropriate letter grade is submitted. IN cannot become WD.
IP	Indicates that a student master’s thesis is in progress. Replaced by a letter grade when thesis is completed or by F if matriculation is not maintained.
P/F	A P grade is not calculated in the scholastic average, but credit is received and recorded on the academic transcript. An F grade will be calculated in the GPA.
S	S grade meets course prerequisite and graduation requirements, but is not calculated in GPA. S grade is available for remote semesters due to COVID.
WA	Authorized withdrawal. Carries no penalty: does not affect GPA.
WD	Student-initiated authorized withdrawal: does not affect GPA.
WF	Unauthorized withdrawal. Carries a penalty: is equivalent to an F in GPA.
Z	No grade reported by instructor at grade-processing deadline: does not affect GPA.
ZF	Z grades not changed to an academic grade by the end of the next 15-week semester, convert to ZF. ZF is equivalent to an F.

REPEAT POLICY 

1. A course with a grade of “F,” “WA,” “WD,” or “WF” may be repeated.
2. Internship (IC) courses may be taken a maximum of two times per degree program; only the first will count toward the degree requirements and the second iteration will apply to excess credit and not qualify toward financial aid.
3. If a student receives a grade of “F” or “WF” the original grade permanently remains on the official transcript.
4. If a student repeats the course, only the last grade earned will be included in the GPA, with the exception of internship courses.
5. A course originally taken for a grade cannot be retaken for a pass/fail grade.
6. A student who wishes to enroll in a third and final attempt of a course may do so only with the approval of the department chair or assistant chair of a student’s major.

Time to Completion Policy

1. Master’s Degrees

The timeline to completion begins on the date the student commences courses carrying graduate credit applicable to the degree program, and remains in place even if a student moves out of active enrollment for a period of time. In extenuating circumstances, students will be permitted one year in addition to the timeline to completion stipulated by their individual department to complete all requirements for the master’s degree.

The timeline for completion for graduate programs are as follows:

Timelines

Program	Full Time	Part-Time
Art Market Studies	3 semesters	5 years
Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management	N/A	2 years
Exhibition and Experience Design	3 semesters	5 years
Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, and Museum Practice	2 years	4 years
Fashion Design	2 years	N/A
Global Fashion Management	4 semesters	N/A
Illustration	3 years	N/A

Students must maintain matriculation during the year (two semesters, inclusive of the semester of readmission, if applicable) allotted for the preparation of the qualifying paper or thesis. During this year, students must complete, submit, and receive final approval for the thesis or qualifying paper in order to be deemed eligible for degree completion by the Office of the Registrar. Only students who have completed all requirements and are deemed eligible for graduation will be permitted to participate in SGS Commencement exercises.

3. Exceptions to Time Limits

The School of Graduate Studies may grant any reasonable exception to the above time limits prior to the expiration of the time limit. A request for an extension of time to complete degree requirements must be submitted in writing to the dean of Graduate Studies and include the following:

• Proposed plan of work
• Timeline for completing the degree
• Letter of support from the chair of the department
• Statement documenting the extenuating circumstances that justify the request for a time extension 
• Statement of the impact that the proposed extension would have on the validity of the student’s coursework and program. The dean will form a committee to review all documentation. This committee will recommend a decision to the dean of Graduate Studies.
• If the dean approves the request, the student must reapply for admission to the program. Upon reentering the program, the student is bound by the terms for completion of the degree outlined in the readmission application. Failure to follow the approved plan will result in termination from the degree program.
• If the dean of the School of Graduate Studies denies an extension of the time, the decision is final.

INCOMPLETE GRADE POLICY/GRADUATE COURSEWORK

• An incomplete (“IN”) grade is assigned at the instructor’s discretion.
• Instructors must submit final grades for incompletes to the Registrar’s Office within six weeks of the start of the following regular semester.
• When an “IN” is granted, the instructor will specify and communicate to the student a due date that is no later than six (6) weeks into the next 15-week academic term (fall or spring).
• “IN” converts only to a letter grade and cannot become a “WD” or a “WF.”
• If a grade for an incomplete is not completed/submitted within the appropriate time frame, the “IN” will roll into an “IF” at the end of the following regular semester.

ACADEMIC STANDARDS

The Office of the Registrar notifies students of their academic standing in writing via email at the end of the fall and spring semesters. Graduate students whose academic standing is academic dismissal may appeal the decision to the Faculty Senate Committee on Academic Standards. The academic standing appeal procedure is a formal request by the student seeking to appeal for an exception to the academic standing regulations as published in the college catalog and on the following website: fitnyc.edu/registrar. A student may appeal their status for three consecutive regular semesters following the decision of dismissal. 

Following are the criteria for academic probation or academic dismissal for the School of Graduate Studies:

• A student is placed on probation if his or her semester GPA is below 3.0.
• A student is not subject to academic dismissal at the end of his or her first semester in a degree program.
• A student will be dismissed from the college after two consecutive semesters with a GPA below 3.0 and with an overall cumulative GPA below 3.0.

If a student is dismissed at the end of a semester, but is preregistered for an upcoming winter or summer session, the student will not be permitted to continue in that session. The registration will be canceled and tuition refunded.

Students who have been academically dismissed from the college are permitted to take only non-credit-bearing courses offered through the Center for Continuing and Professional Studies.

Please see fitnyc.edu/registrar for complete details for the academic standing appeal process and a copy of the appeal form.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance shall be taken in all classes. The general policy with regard to student attendance in any class is determined by the instructor and is announced to the class at the beginning of each semester. Specific procedures for handling absences are detailed in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Manual.

On occasion, students are unable to attend a class session due to illness, accident, or other emergency. Students should contact their instructor(s) directly, via phone or email. If students are unable to reach their instructor(s), they should contact the instructor(s)’ academic department office(s). Extended absences from class should be substantiated by appropriate documentation.

No persons shall be expelled from or be refused admission as students of the college for the reason that they are unable to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirements on a particular day(s) because of religious beliefs.

Students unable to attend classes on a particular day(s) because of religious beliefs shall, because of such absence on the particular day(s), be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements.

It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and the administrative officials of the college to make available to students absent from school because of religious beliefs an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination or study or work requirements that they may have missed because of such absence on any particular day(s). No fees of any kind shall be charged for making available such equivalent opportunity.

In effectuating the provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of the faculty and of the administrative officials to exercise the fullest measure of good faith. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his or her availing himself or herself of the provisions of this section.

Any student who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administrative officials to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section shall be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the supreme court of the county in which the college is located for the enforcement of his or her rights.

It shall be the responsibility of the administrative officials of the college to give written notice to students of their rights under this section, informing them that each student who is absent from school because of religious beliefs must be given an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination or study or work requirements that he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day(s). No fees of any kind shall be charged by the college for making available to such student such equivalent opportunity.

OFFICIAL WITHDRAWAL

A student who voluntarily withdraws from the college should go to the Registrar’s office to begin the withdrawal process. Complying with this procedure will put the student’s record in good order and will facilitate readmission to the Fashion Institute of Technology if the student decides to return in the future or wishes to have transcripts of grades sent elsewhere. Title IV recipients must have an exit interview with a counselor from the office of Financial Aid before withdrawal.

MAINTENANCE OF MATRICULATION

To maintain matriculation, a degree candidate must register each semester following entry into a program for either (a) at least one approved course or (b) MM 701, maintenance of matriculation. If a student does not maintain continuous matriculation, or does not complete all degree requirements in the time allowed, that student will be required to apply for readmission to the program following the procedures and requirements listed in the catalog of the readmission year. If readmission is granted, the student will also be required to pay all delinquent maintenance of matriculation fees prior to being awarded the degree.

ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES

TRANSFER OF CREDIT

With the approval of the program chair, entering students may transfer up to nine (9) credits of graduate-level coursework from other accredited institutions and apply them toward the FIT graduate degree. All requests for transfer credit are made on a case-by-case basis.

Students already enrolled in FIT’s graduate programs may, with approval, take courses at other institutions and apply those credits toward their graduate degree, but in no case may a student apply more than nine (9) credits from other institutions toward their FIT graduate degree. Permission is granted on an individual basis and must be preapproved by the program chair.

INDEPENDENT STUDY

Independent study opportunities are available to students in the fall and spring semesters and refer to individualized instruction, which is provided in a tutorial manner outside of a regularly offered class schedule. Participating students work with their sponsoring faculty member to create a course of study and learning outcomes for the independent study and sign an Independent Study Agreement form (http://www.fitnyc.edu/registrar/forms/independent-study.php) to adhere to these learning outcomes. The faculty member assigns the credit value to the course based upon the anticipated learning outcomes and scope of work required during the course of the study.

For all graduate degree programs, a maximum of three (3) credits of independent study are allowed. Credits earned for independent study cannot be used as a substitute for a major-required course and can only be used for elective credit. 

Independent study requests are student-initiated and must be made in the preceding semester. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.5. Students must complete, sign, and submit the Independent Study Agreement form, in conjuncture with their sponsoring faculty member, by April 15 for fall semester, and November 15 for spring semester.

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

Students who are matriculated full-time in any of FIT’s master’s degree programs may take additional undergraduate elective courses each semester at no additional cost. However, undergraduate courses do not meet master’s degree requirements.