Graduate candidacy

At the approximate midpoint of each graduate student’s course of study, the student must pass a faculty review for candidacy. To be reviewed, the student must have met all requirements for the program up to that point with a grade-point average of at least 3.0 in the major.

In the candidacy review, a faculty committee assesses the student’s complete body of work, as well as the student’s readiness to continue in the program and succeed in the field upon graduation. Reviews are structured according to the discipline and degree program, assessing evidence of the student's knowledge and literature of the discipline; mastery of research and design methodologies; and technical, conceptual, and aesthetic proficiencies. Academic performance, as demonstrated by individual course grades, also serves as an indication of the student’s readiness to proceed to candidacy. Students who experience academic difficulty should consult with their department chair or graduate coordinator. Additional guidelines for the candidacy review can be found on the graduate advising website in MySCAD.

Students who do not pass the review for candidacy during their initial attempt may request a second review. Any student who does not pass the second review may not be allowed to continue in the program.