Requirements for Degree Completion

Time Requirements

Full-time students must complete all requirements for their degree within four years from the original date of matriculation; part-time students must complete all requirements within eight years from the original date of matriculation. After the period expires, students must reapply through Admissions and have their credentials reevaluated. Courses taken 10 or more years ago are subject to reevaluation and must be approved by the appropriate department chairperson or academic dean in order for students to receive credit toward their degree.

Requirements for the Associate Degree

To qualify for the Associate in Applied Science degree, candidates must be matriculated (officially admitted to degree status); satisfactorily complete the credit and course requirements prescribed for their majors, related areas, and General Education; achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 for all work completed; receive the recommendation of the faculty; and submit a graduation application.

For more specific course requirements, consult the Degree Programs and FIT's General Education requirements.

Requirements for the Baccalaureate Degree

To qualify for the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, students must be matriculated (officially admitted to degree status); satisfactorily complete the credit and course requirements prescribed for their majors, related areas, General Education, and Liberal Arts; achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 for all work completed; receive the recommendation of the faculty; and submit a graduation application. 

For specific course requirements, consult the major pages and FIT's General Education requirements.

Matriculation Status Policy

Nonmatriculated students (i.e., students enrolled in at least one course but not admitted into a degree program) seeking admission to a two-year associate or baccalaureate degree program at FIT should note the following:

• No more than 30 credits taken at FIT in nonmatriculated status may be applied to a two-year associate or baccalaureate degree.

Nonmatriculated students seeking admission to a one-year associate degree program should note the following:

• No more than 15 credits taken at FIT in nonmatriculated status may be applied to a one-year associate degree.

FIT Residency Requirements

To earn a two-year associate degree, students must complete at FIT a minimum of 30 credits as required by the major.

To earn a one-year associate degree, students must complete at FIT a minimum of 30 credits as required by the major.

To earn a baccalaureate degree, students must complete at FIT a minimum of 60 credits as required by the major. However, if students have already earned an appropriate FIT associate degree, they must complete at FIT a minimum of 30 upper-division credits as required by the major.

At least 50 percent of the major and related area coursework must be taken in residence at FIT.

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 Policy Manual, available online at fitnyc.edu/rightsandresponsibilities.

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 appropriate 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, 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 students who are 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 their 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 students who are absent from school because of religious beliefs must be given an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, 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 by the college for making available to such students such equivalent opportunity.

Official Withdrawal

The official withdrawal procedure applies to all full- and part-time degree students leaving the college and withdrawing from all classes and is processed by the Registrar's Office. Complying with the official procedure ensures that student records are maintained in good order and will facilitate readmission to FIT or expedite sending transcripts to other schools. Title IV recipients must have an exit interview with the financial aid office before withdrawal. Specific procedures are available online on the Registrar's website: fitnyc.edu/registrar/withdrawal.php.