Academic Policies

Metier Standing Policy

Metier Standing Review

Students' metier progress will be reviewed each semester by the students' mentor, program faculty and/or dean. Students whose performance includes two or more of the following criteria may be placed on metier warning, probation or suspension at the end of the semester and go into effect the following semester:

• Insufficient progress in achieving published program learning goals as described in the Academic Requirements section of the course catalog at https://calarts.edu/academics/registrar/academic-requirements 

• Failure to participate in program curriculum, scheduled exhibitions, screenings, rehearsals, performances, and productions. 

• Failure to participate in program expectations concerning attendance and engagement. 

• Unsatisfactory mentor reviews, mid-residency review and/or graduation review. 

• Inadequate and/or underdeveloped studio practice. 

• Failure to uphold academic honesty (including but not limited to cheating, fabrication, and plagiarism) and facilitating such misconduct. 

• Failure to perform at a minimum level of "P" in required metier course(s). 

• Unsatisfactory first year review, advancement-to-candidacy examination and/or concomitant formative portfolio review (applicable to DMA only).

Notifications

Letter of Concern

The School and Program may opt at any point to issue a letter of concern to students whose performance is indicating they will not meet artistic progress by the end of the semester, consequences of not satisfying those requirements, and may also recommend those students meet with their mentor and/or program director for assistance.

Placing Students on Warning, Probation or Suspension

Students placed on metier warning, probation or suspension shall be notified in writing by the dean explaining the reasons for the action, the requirements the students must satisfy in order to be removed from warning/probation/suspension, and the consequences of not satisfying those requirements. Notifications will be sent to the students' CalArts e-mail. Copies of the notice are sent to the mentor, Program Director, Provost, Registrar, Director of Financial Aid, and the Vice President for Student Experience.

Removing Students on Warning, Probation or Suspension

When students are removed from metier warning/probation/suspension, the school must send the students, the mentor, Program Director, Provost, Registrar, Director of Financial Aid and the Vice President for Student Experience written notice.

Dismissal

Once the Provost (or designee) acknowledges receipt of the notification, the dean sends the students a dismissal letter, which includes reasons for the action and information about appeal procedures, Notifications will be sent to the students' CalArts e-mail. Copies of the notice are sent to the mentor, Program Director, Provost, Registrar, Director of Financial Aid, and the Vice President for Student Experience.

Deadlines for Notification

Definitions of Metier Standing Stages

Metier Warning - Expectations for improvement and any restrictions on course choice, unit load and co-curricular activities associated with warning are defined by the School and Program in the notification letter, as are the required next steps to be removed from warning.

Metier Probation - Students on probation may not participate in study abroad or internship programs and are expected to focus fully on addressing the deficiencies that have led to probation. Additional expectations for improvement and restrictions on course choice, unit load and co-curricular activities may be defined by the School and Program in the notification letter, as are the required next steps to be removed from probation.

Metier Suspension - Suspension may be imposed for either a semester or a year (depending on program requirements). Students placed on suspension will be required to meet with the Institute Academic Advisor and their school dean (or designee) to determine the conditions for returning to CalArts; these conditions will be articulated in the notification letter, and will be monitored by the Registrar's Office.

Expedited Metier Suspension - The School must provide evidence from three criteria listed above; in the case of expedited suspension, criteria may include disorderly or disruptive conduct that interferes with the educational and artistic activities of others - including but not limited to studying, teaching, research, rehearsals, performances, and productions. The final determination regarding Expedited Suspension is made by the Provost (or designee). 

Dismissal - The dean submits written notification to the Provost (or designee) providing reasons and documentation in support of dismissal. The Provost (or designee) must approve the dismissal. Once approval has been granted, the dean will notify the students. The dismissal action will be noted on the students' permanent record.

Expedited Dismissal - The school must provide evidence from three criteria listed above. In the case of expedited dismissal, criteria may include disorderly or disruptive conduct that interferes with the educational and artistic activities of others - including but not limited to studying, teaching, research, rehearsals, performances, and productions. The final determination regarding Expedited Dismissal is made by the Provost (or designee).

Progression Through Stages of Metier Standing

Bachelor of Fine Arts Degrees & Certificates

1. Warning - Students who fail to make metier progress in a given semester are placed on warning.

2. Probation - Students on warning who fail to meet expectations in the following semester of enrollment will be placed on probation.

3. Suspension - Students who are currently or who have been placed on probation may be placed on suspension following any subsequent semester of unsatisfactory work.

4. Expedited Suspension - In some cases, Schools may determine that students' metier progress is so insufficient that suspension is necessary after a single semester of warning. 

5. Dismissal - Students who return to CalArts following a suspension may be dismissed from the Institute following any semester of unsatisfactory work.

6. Expedited Dismissal - In some cases, Schools may determine that students' metier progress is so insufficient that dismissal is necessary after a single semester of warning.

Master of Fine Arts Degrees & Master of Arts Degrees & Advanced Certificates

1. Probation - Students who fail to make metier progress in a given semester are placed on probation.

2. Suspension - Students who are currently or who have been placed on probation may be placed on suspension following any subsequent semester of unsatisfactory work.

3. Dismissal - Students who return to CalArts following a suspension may be dismissed from the Institute following any semester of unsatisfactory work.

4. Expedited Dismissal - In some cases, Schools may determine that students' metier progress is so insufficient that dismissal is necessary after a single semester of probation.

Doctor of Musical Arts

1. Probation - Students who fail to make metier progress in a given semester are placed on probation.

2. Dismissal - Students who are currently or who have been placed on probation may be dismissed following any subsequent semester of unsatisfactory work.

Student Records

The internal student records of the Institute will contain all notices of action taken in accordance with the policy on Metier Academic Standing. However, students' official transcripts will not reflect a metier warning/probation/suspension history if all requirements are fulfilled and the metier warning/probation/suspension, dismissal and reinstatement.

Financial Aid Eligibility

BFA or certificate students placed on academic warning will retain eligibility for financial aid for the one semester they are on academic warning. 

BFA or certificate students placed on probation will lose their eligibility for federal and state financial aid for the semester(s) on probation or extended probation. The student may appeal on the basis of injury or illness, the death of a relative, or other special circumstances. A written appeal must be submitted to the Director of Financial Aid before the start of the semester on probation/extended probation and it must explain why the student failed to make satisfactory progress and what has changed in the situation to allow the student to make satisfactory progress at the end of the semester of probation or extended probation. The Financial Aid Committee will review the request and notify the student, in writing, of the Committee's decision.