Transfer Students

At LCAD, we aim to support your educational journey by offering a clear transfer credit policy. LCAD accepts a maximum of 60 units from other accredited institutions. We welcome transfer credits from colleges or universities accredited by federally recognized accreditation associations, including but not limited to:

• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
• National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)

We recognize two types of transfer credits:

• Studio Courses in Art and Design
• Liberal Arts Courses in Humanities, Sciences, Social Sciences, and Art History

International transfer is considered on a case-by-case basis with the student providing an English translation of the foreign transcript and an evaluation of the transcript into the American semester unit system. All international transcripts must be submitted to IERF, WES, ECE, ACEI and Span Tran for conversion into US equivalents. There is a separate fee and time requirement for this service. Please visit their websites and plan accordingly.

Students wishing to transfer from institutions that are not approved by an appropriate accrediting organization, or the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) may submit a portfolio for review of specific coursework and transcripts for academic work. Upon completion of the review, the student may be granted a maximum of 12 units of transfer credit, including both studio and liberal arts (up to 15 units from an approved atelier).

We understand that various unforeseen circumstances can affect a student’s estimated graduation date. Factors such as changing a program, enrolling in courses outside of the academic plan, taking fewer units than prescribed, and failing or repeating courses can all contribute to such changes.

While we strive to facilitate a smooth transfer process, we cannot guarantee that all units will transfer or that transfer students will complete their program in fewer than four years. Additionally, completing coursework at a community college does not ensure that a student will transfer to LCAD as an upperclassman.

It is important to note that students with an AA degree certification are still subject to LCAD’s transfer policies. If you have previously earned an undergraduate degree, please contact our transfer specialist for specific guidance. The final determination of transfer status will be made by LCAD’s Registrar’s Office and the Chair of your major.

For further questions, please reach out to your transfer specialist at [email protected]. We are here to support you throughout your transfer process.

While there is no minimum number of transfer units required to be considered a transfer student, students may transfer up to 24 credits of Studio Art/Design. Please note that this information is provided as a guideline and final determination of course transferability is made by the Office of the Registrar.

A Transfer Portfolio is submitted for each studio art course you wish to be considered for transfer. Because it serves a more specific purpose, a Transfer Portfolio will likely be different from the Admissions Portfolio and will be submitted after you’ve been accepted to the program. You may include images previously submitted in your Admissions Portfolio.

Grade Requirement

All course transfer eligibility is dependent upon a minimum final grade of a C or better, pass/fail courses will not be considered.

Please see the following detailed information regarding transferring studio courses

Studio Art Credit for Professional Work Experience

In addition to credit for prior college courses, students may also be granted a maximum of 12 studio art credits based on professional work experience verified through a submitted portfolio (combined credits not to exceed 60 credits in total). Contact [email protected] for details on the formal submission process.

Depending on your major, a minimum of 42 Humanities, Sciences, and Art History credits are required to graduate with a BFA. While there is no minimum number of transfer units required to be considered a transfer student, students may transfer up to 36 credits of Liberal Arts. Please note that this information is provided as a guideline and final determination of course transferability is made by the Office of the Registrar.

Grade Requirement

All course transfer eligibility is dependent upon a minimum final grade of a “C” or better, pass/fail courses will not be considered.

Please see the following detailed information regarding transferring Liberal Arts courses

LCAD accepts credit for AP and IB for Humanities, Sciences, and Art History using the following guidelines.

• Advanced Placement (AP) credit is awarded with an official score of 4 or 5. Official exam reports must be sent directly from CollegeBoard.org.
• International Baccalaureate (IB) credit is offered for Higher Level Humanities and Sciences courses with a score of 5, 6, or 7. Official IB exam results must be sent directly from IBO.org or from the awarding institution.

Please see the following AP Transfer Credit Chart for a list of course exams that are accepted for credit.

LCAD has relationships with many local community colleges, please refer to the guidelines listed for details on articulation agreements.

• Santiago Community College
• Pasadena Community College
• Santa Monica College
• Saddleback Community College
• Fullerton College
• Citrus College

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