Extension Policies

Effective Fall 2023

• Mask Policy: Medical grade masks are strongly recommended in all indoor spaces. Exceptions include the Student Health and Wellness Center and the common spaces in the Residence Hall and in the Park West apartments, where indoor masking is still required.
• Masks are available at Campus Safety & Security, at the front desk of Ahmanson, and at other locations across campus. More information and all locations can be found at https://www.otis.edu/covid-19-response-hub/mask-vaccination-policy

 

Vaccinations: Starting June 1, 2023, the COVID-19 vaccination will be strongly recommended, rather than required, for students, faculty, and staff.

COVID-19 vaccines help protect people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying. As with other vaccine-preventable diseases, you are best protected from COVID-19 when you stay up to date with the recommended vaccinations. LACDPH has aligned with the CDC recommending that “up to date” with the COVID vaccine means everyone aged 6 years and older receive one (1) updated Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 bivalent vaccine, regardless of whether you have received any of the original COVID-19 vaccines.*

We pride ourselves on being a community of care at Otis College. Please ensure not only your health and safety but that of all of your fellow Otis Owls by adhering to this new indoor masking requirement. The COVID-19 Hub is accessible on the Otis.edu home page and is continually updated with the most recent information on the virus and the College’s response to any developments.

Students who wish to drop their course can do so directly via their student portal or by emailing extension@otis.edu. If the drop is requested 7 days or more from the start of the course the student will receive a full refund. If the drop is requested within the week of the course starting the student will receive a 50% refund or a full deferral. No refunds will be awarded once a course has its second class meeting.

*All ceramics courses, courses in the metal or woodshop, and other select shops/labs courses are not eligible for a refund.

This policy does not apply to Summer of Art or Summer Youth Camps. Please see the refund schedule policy for Summer of Art or Summer Youth Camps for more information.

Dropping or withdrawing from any Otis College Extension course, will have specific implications on a student’s registration status as indicated below.

Drop = has no bearing on transcript, does not appear on permanent record Official Withdraw (W) = becomes part of the student’s permanent record but is not included in grade point average and doesn’t count towards certificate completion. Unofficial Withdraw (UW) = equivalent to an F In order to qualify for the intended status, the deadlines outlined below must be adhered to.

Drop policy (dropping before the 2nd class meeting)

Students must officially drop a class through the Student Portal. Students have until the second class meeting to drop before the deadline passes for non-workshop courses. Only those who drop before the drop deadline, are eligible for a partial course cost refund based on the refund policy.

 

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Withdrawal Policy (Dropping after the 2nd Class Meeting, Before the 4th)

After the drop deadline, a student may officially withdraw from a course through their student portal. A grade of "W" is assigned. The grade of "W" has no effect upon the grade point average. Failure to complete a course does not constitute an official withdrawal, nor does notifying the instructor. Students who do not meet the withdrawal requirements or do not make their request by the withdrawal deadline, will receive a failing grade. No refunds are awarded to students who withdraw from a course.

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Summer of Art Only

All drop requests submitted after the drop deadline and before the withdrawal deadline, will automatically be processed as withdrawals. Withdrawals are not eligible for any type of refund.

 

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Transfer policy

Students may transfer from one class to another through the student portal. Students have until the end of the second class meeting. Transfers must take place based on equivalent course hours/credit; for ex. if you are enrolled in a 30 hour course, you may transfer into another 30 hour course. Transfers after the first class are subject to approval by the extension office/instructor. If a course is cancelled by the extension office you will have 5 business days to transfer; after that time, an automatic refund will be issued to you.

For Extension adult courses that meet for 30 hours or more, a grade of “Pass” will be awarded if the following requirements are met:

• Class meeting attendance of 80% or more.
• Successful and timely completion of all required assignments and course activities
• Satisfaction of any additional requirements as stated in the course syllabus

In the event that the above minimum requirements are not met, a grade of “No-Grade” will be assigned.

Only a grade of “Pass” will count towards completion of the certificate program.

The following are grade options for certificate coursework:

• P Pass
• NG No Grade
• W Withdrawal: Indicates official withdrawal. The “W” grade becomes part of the student’s permanent record, but is not included in the grade point average. Students must withdraw by the deadline noted on the Registration Status Schedule.
• I Incomplete: Indicates an agreement with the College to extend the grading deadline. Given only in extreme circumstances with the approval of the instructor and the Dean of Otis Extension. Work must be completed within 4 weeks of the end of the semester in which the Incomplete grade was granted; otherwise, a final grade of “UW” will result.
• UW Unofficial Withdrawal: Indicates that a student has “unofficially” withdrawn. The “UW” grade is equivalent to an “F” when calculating the grade point average.

The following are grade options for Extension Pre-College courses, Summer of Art, and concurrent BFA courses for college credit (30 hours or more):

• A Excellent
• B Good
• C Average
• D Poor
• F Failure
• W Withdrawal: Indicates official withdrawal. The “W” grade becomes part of the student’s permanent record, but is not included in the grade point average. Students must withdraw by the deadline noted on the Registration Status Schedule.
• I Incomplete: Indicates an agreement with the College to extend the grading deadline. Given only in extreme circumstances with the approval of the instructor and the Dean of Otis Extension.. Work must be completed within 4 weeks of the end of the semester in which the Incomplete grade was granted; otherwise, a final grade of “UW” will result.
• UW Unofficial Withdrawal: Indicates that a student has “unofficially” withdrawn. The “UW” grade is equivalent to an “F” when calculating the grade point average.

The following discounts are available for Extension program offerings. Discounts cannot be combined unless otherwise specified below. Please check individual course web pages for specific eligibility.

To apply a discount towards a course, please follow these steps:

1. Add the course to your cart by clicking "Add to Cart."
2. Click “Checkout” to complete the transaction.
3. In the Cart, if a discount is available for a course, check the "Apply a discount" box under the tuition fee option.
4. A pull-down menu will appear and choose the qualifier discount.
5. To enter a discount code, select “Coupon Code Discount”—a blank field will appear; enter the code in that field.

For questions, please contact Extension at 310-665-6850 or extension@otis.edu.

Otis Extension offers additional discounts for external partners, including LAX Coastal Chamber members. For further information, please contact Extension at 310-665-6850 or extension@otis.edu.

Certificate Courses Grading Model (the table below illustrates the conversion from numerical score to the P/NG grades awarded to students enrolled in courses offered at certificate level)

College Credit Grading Model (the table below illustrates the conversion from numerical score to standard letter grades awarded to students enrolled in courses offered at college credit level) Only applies to student enrolled in High School, Concurrent, BFA Independent Study or Summer of Art Courses

Otis College reserves the right to cancel, reschedule or combine classes; to change instructors; to increase or decrease class size, and to alter curricula. It also reserves the right to deny any student permission to enter or continue course of study.

If a class is cancelled or rescheduled, you may request a transfer, or be awarded either a full refund or deferral of tuition and fees based on the situation.

Otis College of Art and Design is committed to supporting the continuing education needs of our teachers. Full-time K-12 teachers from Culver City Unified School District, Los Angeles Unified School District and other LA County districts and schools, as well as Career Technical Education (CTE) Arts, Media, and Entertainment (AME) teachers throughout California are eligible to waive tuition on most Extension courses that meet for at least 30 contact hours. Acceptance is subject to approval and is contingent upon available space on a first come first served basis. Priority enrollment goes to full paying students before students applying for a tuition waiver can be considered. Alternatively, qualified students may elect to enroll in a course for a reduced tuition (approximately equal to 50% discount) to be guaranteed a space in the class.

Please note that teachers are responsible for a $30 fee that covers registration and student accident insurance, as well as lab fees (as applicable) and their materials/supplies.

To apply for a Teacher Tuition Waiver, you must provide:

1. A letter of confirmation with verification of current FULL-TIME or CTE AME employment status. All submissions must be a pdf on school or district letterhead and MUST be signed by a supervising school or district administrator. (Per LAUSD: LAUSD employees must obtain employment verification by accessing the LAUSD Employment Verification form online.) Otis College Extension accepts both employment verification forms and letters on school or district letterhead, signed by a school or district administrator. For questions, please contact extension@otis.edu or 310.665.6850.
2. A completed Tuition Waiver Form including course title and start date from the specific course web page. Note: any missing or incorrect information may result in the delay or rejection of the registration. Students are limited to one request per term. 
3. Payment of required fees. Due upon notification of acceptance.

Process:

1. Submit the above required documents.
2. Upon successful submission, applicants are placed on a waiting list pending approval until a decision is made. Decisions are typically made 1-3 days prior to the start of class.
3. Once a decision is made, an Extension staff member will notify the applicant by email and/or phone.
4. Approved applicants will be charged for applicable fees; payment must be completed in order to be enrolled in a course.

Otis College of Art and Design is committed to supporting the creative skill development of high school students within the Southern California region. Culver City Unified School District and other LA County high school students may be eligible to waive tuition for Extension Teen Programs courses.

Acceptance is subject to application approval and is contingent upon available space on a first-come, first-served basis. Priority enrollment goes to full paying students before students applying for a tuition waiver can be considered.

Please note that students are responsible for any applicable lab fees and purchasing their own materials/supplies.

To apply for a High School Student Tuition Waiver, high school students must provide:

1. A completed Recommendation to Attend form. (Must be requested by contacting extension@otis.edu or 310.665.6850.)
2. A completed Tuition Waiver Form including course title and start date from the specific course web page. Note: any missing or incorrect information may result in the delay or rejection of the registration. Students are limited to one request per term. 

Process:

1. Submit the above required documents.
2. Upon successful submission, applicants are placed on a waiting list pending approval until a decision is made. Decisions are typically made 1-3 days prior to the start of class.
3. Once a decision is made, an Extension staff member will notify the applicant by email and/or phone.

Due to funding regulations, no substitute documentation will be accepted.

For more information, contact extension@otis.edu or 310.665.6850.

Certificate program requirements from a non-Otis institution may be satisfied through partial credit from a certificate taken at another accredited institution. Courses will be evaluated individually based on:

• Comparable content of course
• Passing grade of C or more
• Comparable program learning outcomes of the Certificate

Students may transfer as much as 50% of required courses; credit will apply towards the satisfaction of an Otis Extension certificate program. Students should submit a transcript representing relevant courses; syllabi and course description for relevant courses; documentation of the original certificate program; and meet with an Extension counselor for a transfer review evaluation.

Certificate course requirements may be satisfied through previous coursework at another institution, a portfolio, or demonstrable professional experience. Students must meet with a counselor in advance to waive course requirements. If transferring course credit from another institution, students must submit official transcripts and have received a grade of “C” or better. In the event that a course is waived, it must be replaced by an elective to ensure that the prescribed number of courses have been satisfied at the College.Students may waive as much as 25% of required courses.

Students who wish to enroll in a course after the first class meeting must contact the Extension office at least two business days prior to the second meeting of the class. Late enrollment is at the discretion of the instructor and Extension office and is not guaranteed.