Policies and Procedures

The ACX Student Guide is a complete guide to ACX's policies, procedures and important information. Download the guide (PDF), or pick one up in the ACX office.

Student ID Cards

ACX Student ID cards are available to enrolled students by request. If you would like an ID card, please call, email or stop by the ACX office during regular office hours.

Adding or Dropping a Course

For 14-week courses, the last day to add a course to your schedule is the first Friday of the term.

If it is necessary to drop any or all of your courses, you must notify ACX in writing or by dropping the course online. Program changes may be submitted by email, in person or online.

See Refund Policy for important dates and refund percentages. The effective date of the drop is the day the in-person or online add/drop request is received, not the last day of your attendance in the course. Failure to drop a course officially will result in a failing grade for that course.

If you decide to withdraw (or are dismissed) from a course, your tuition will be refunded according to the refund schedule below. If you have not paid all tuition and fees, you may owe a balance to ArtCenter regardless of when you withdraw.

Online

Log in to your account using your ArtCenter username and password, then go to “My Account” and “Add/ Drop Classes.”

By email

To drop a course, download a Change of Program form (PDF), fill it out, sign it, and email it. You may also request a Change of Program form from the ACX office via email or by calling 626 396-2319. It is your responsibility to follow up with the ACX office to ensure that we received your email. Your emailed Change of Program form must include the following information:

• Student’s full name
• Student ID number
• Name of the course(s) being dropped (including course number and section number)
• Student’s signature
• Submission date of the request

In Person

If you would like to drop a course in person, our office is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12pm-6pm.

Refund Policy

Tuition refunds are based on the date your online or signed program change request is received in the ACX office. Program changes may be submitted by email, or in person.


The refund schedule is:

Summer 2024  10–14 week courses

For shorter courses, if you drop a course before the first day of the class, you will receive a full refund.

The refund policy for shorter courses is:


Four-to seven-week courses

One-to seven-day courses

If you are enrolled in a shorter workshop or a course that begins after the first week of classes, consult the ACX office for the refund schedule.

Please note: we cannot process emailed or in-person add/drop requests on Saturdays, Sundays or campus holidays when the ACX office is closed.

Refunds will be processed within six weeks after the start of the term.

Course Changes and Cancellations

ACX reserves the right to cancel any class, limit class size, change times or substitute instructors for those listed in the class schedule as deemed necessary. Class cancellations will not be announced until the end of the registration period. If ACX cancels a class you have registered for, you will receive a full refund.

Course Credit

Course credit is awarded for completion of all ACX courses, with the exception of certain specialized noncredit workshops. The number of credits given is listed next to each course title. Inquiries regarding the transferability of credits to another institution should be directed to that institution.

Transferable Courses

Some foundation courses offered at ACX parallel the content of those offered in ArtCenter’s full-time bachelor’s degree program. These courses are marked as transferable in the course description and are eligible for transfer to the College’s degree program with a grade of B or better. Students applying to the degree program may carry these credits with them, depending upon the major to which they are applying, and the transfer policy in effect at the time of admission. Students should select courses based on the appropriateness of the course to their chosen goals and not necessarily based on transferability.

Current ArtCenter Degree Program Students: ACX course credit will NOT transfer toward your degree. Grades, however, will appear on ACX transcripts.

Grades

ACX grades will be posted online to your ArtCenter student account. To access your grades, go to: https://inside.artcenter.edu/

Login to your account using your ArtCenter username and password;
Under the Academics menu, select Records, then My Grades.

Letter grades (A–F) are assigned to classes with units listed. A grade of "N" may be given to students who fail a course due to non-attendance (Non-Attendance Failure). The N grade has the same GPA impact as an F grade, but specifically indicates that non-attendance was the cause of the failure. As is the case with F grades, students may retake a course in which they received an N to replace it in the cumulative GPA. The original N grade must still appear on the transcript, but it will be denoted with an asterisk (*) to show that it has been repeated in a subsequent term, and the GPA will be adjusted to reflect the repeated course’s grade.

Note: ACX students are required to register and pay the full course tuition (and any required lab or materials fees) in order to retake a course.

If you believe you have an incorrect grade, first verify with Enrollment Services at 626 396-2314. If you believe you received an unfair grade, you may petition the instructor for a change. Grade Change forms can be obtained from the ACX office and must be signed by the instructor. All requests for grade changes must be submitted within 90 days of the end of the term in question.

Transcripts

Official transcripts may be requested from ArtCenter’s Enrollment Services office at Hillside Campus. Email EnrollmentServices@artcenter.edu or call 626 396-2314 for details. Transcript fees are as follows:

• Unofficial                  $2 per copy
• Official                      $5 per copy
• Rush                         $20 per copy
• Overnight                 $30 per copy

Nondiscriminatory Policy

ArtCenter has a longstanding commitment to providing equal opportunities, and will not engage in any unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law. 

Inquiries may be referred to ArtCenter’s Director of Title IX Compliance and Programs, brittany.raygoza@artcenter.edu, 626 396-2340. Inquiries may also be referred to the Office of Civil Rights at 800 421-3481.

Disabilities Policy

ArtCenter Extension (ACX) coordinates assistance regarding reasonable accommodations for ACX students with disabilities and ensures disability law compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and state and local requirements regarding students and applicants with disabilities. Under these laws, no otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall be denied access to or participation in the services, programs and activities of the College.

Any ACX students who require disability-related accommodations are encouraged to contact the ACX Director during the registration period, at least two weeks before the start of the term. Students who are currently attending an ACX course and are newly diagnosed with a disability are encouraged to contact the Director immediately. Students are responsible for making their needs known in a timely fashion and for providing current medical documentation. Students not requiring accommodation do not need to make their disabilities known.

Pets and other animals are restricted on ArtCenter's Campus with the exception of service and support animals as defined by the ADA. Individuals who work with service and support animals shall not be excluded from ArtCenter's facilities or activities. A digital copy of the complete Disability Policy and/or the policy and the form required to register your Service and Support Animals on campus are available here.

For questions regarding student disability support, required documents and the Disability Policy, please email the ACX office, or schedule an appointment by calling the ACX Office at 626 396-2319.

Academic Honesty Policy

We assume that ArtCenter students have a basic understanding of the principles of academic honesty. However, the following guidelines should assist students in clarifying behaviors that are not acceptable to the ArtCenter community.

1. Plagiarism occurs when another person's ideas, language or image is borrowed or stolen and is not properly acknowledged. When presenting written materials, words of another must be placed within quotation marks and a reference to the source provided. If material is paraphrased or restated in the student's words, a reference to the source must also be provided.
2. We assume that artists and designers commonly draw on other artists' work for reference and inspiration or to make a commentary on that artist's work. We encourage this type of exploration. However, there is fine line between "drawing inspiration" from a piece and making a literal copy. When a student represents a literal copy of another artist's work as his or her own, this is considered plagiarism.
3. Cheating is defined as accepting or giving aid to another during a written exam or for a written report unless authorized by the instructor or accepting or giving aid to another for an individual studio project unless authorized by the instructor. This includes representing another person's work as one's own or buying or selling written or visual work to be turned in for a class. Students may not submit the same work for more than one assignment without the written permission of BOTH instructors.
4. No students may disclose or exploit the ideas of another without that student's express written permission.

ArtCenter will deal with violations of these academic honesty codes on an individual basis. A committee comprised of faculty and administrators will listen to all cases. If the group is convinced of the individual's intention to deceive, the student may be suspended or dismissed.

Dismissal Policy

At its sole discretion, ACX reserves the right to dismiss or refuse enrollment to any student or anyone acting on behalf of the student whose conduct fails to comply with the policies, rules and standards of ArtCenter College as listed below in the Student Code of Conduct. Additionally, ACX reserves the right to refuse enrollment to any student who owes a past due balance to ACX or ArtCenter College of Design.

Student Code of Conduct

It is the intention of the Student Code of Conduct to clarify certain standards of behavior by students and by adults acting on their behalf that are essential to ArtCenter’s educational mission and its community life. Unacceptable behaviors include, but are not limited to, those described in this Code. Students and adults acting on their behalf are expected to comply with all laws and to respect the right and privileges of all other members of the ArtCenter community and its neighbors.
 

Prohibited Conduct

Prohibited conduct includes but is not limited to the following:

1. Intentionally or recklessly causing physical or psychological harm to any ArtCenter community member, yourself or to any person on College premises or at College activities either on or off campus, or causing reasonable apprehension of such harm. This includes, without limitation: computer, telephone, social, racial and sexual harassment or assault; verbal or written threats; stalking; intimidation; and verbal and physical abuse or harassment.
2. Intentionally or recklessly interfering with normal College or College-sponsored activities, including but not limited to studying; teaching; research; College administration; judicial proceedings; or fire, police, or emergency services.
3. Failure to comply with the directions of College officials acting in performance of their duties, including but not limited to staff, faculty and Campus Security officers. This includes verbally threatening, abusing or harassing any of the above in the performance of his or her duties.

Engaging in any of the above conduct may result in dismissal from the College or in the inability to participate in ACX.