Grading System

All courses are graded Pass (P), Low Pass (LP), or Fail (F). Credit will be given for any passing grades (P or LP). No credit will be given for a grade of F. For each School of Architecture course, faculty members issue written evaluations of each student. These evaluations remain part of the student’s permanent record but are not included on transcripts.

Course Changes

It is the student’s responsibility to maintain an accurate course schedule in the Registrar’s Office. Any change (drop or add) to the schedule agreed upon at registration should be reported immediately. No adding of courses will be permitted after the second week of any term. A student may drop a course, without grade reporting, up to six weeks from registration. After six weeks from registration until the last day of classes in each term, a student may withdraw from a course. At the time the student withdraws, the notation “Withdraw” will be entered onto the transcript. Course withdrawal forms are available online on the School of Architecture's website, https://www.architecture.yale.edu. Between the end of classes in each term and the beginning of the examination period, no student will be permitted to withdraw from any course. If the instructor of a course reports to the registrar that a student has not successfully completed a course from which the student has not formally withdrawn, a grade of F will be recorded in that course.

Class Cancellations

The School of Architecture does not typically cancel classes because of adverse weather conditions. Individual classes may be canceled by instructors on occasion, and makeup classes are scheduled.

Portfolio Requirement

All students working toward an M.Arch. degree must maintain a digital portfolio of work done in studio courses. Demonstration of professional development acquired outside of School through experiences, such as self-directed research, fellowships, or paid employment, must also be included in the portfolio and identified separately. As such, this necessity of demonstrated professional engagement qualifies international students to participate in Curricular Practical Training (CPT). This portfolio is reviewed by the Design Committee as a way of evaluating the student’s progress.

While the student’s School portfolio may emphasize the best work of the student’s choice, it must also provide comprehensive coverage of the student’s work, including each studio project for every term the student is enrolled. Students are encouraged, but not required, to supplement their design studio work with projects from other courses. Such work may be accommodated in a separate section of the portfolio or in a second portfolio.

The portfolio must include the student’s name, program, date, and a passport-sized photo on the title page. Each project should be clearly labeled, stating the name of the project, term, date, and instructors.

The digital portfolio must be submitted (uploaded as a pdf) for evaluation at the end of the fourth term for M.Arch. I students and at the end of the second term for M.Arch. II students and before graduation for all M.Arch. students.

To receive a diploma, graduating students are also required to submit to the School an exact copy of their digital portfolio. This copy will be placed in the University Archives, where, upon receipt, it will be open to all researchers.

Interim Progress Evaluations

After the end of a student’s fourth term in the M.Arch. I and second term in the M.Arch. II programs, the Design Committee will evaluate these students for consideration for promotion to the remainder of their program. At their discretion, the Design Committee, based upon their evaluation, may require a student to submit a reworked portfolio at a later date and/or take courses that are not in the normal sequence, take additional course(s) beyond those normally prescribed in order to graduate, take a Required Leave of Absence, or withdraw from the School. Submission of portfolios is required for this review.

Refer to the School’s Academic Rules and Regulations for further details regarding academic evaluation.

Final Progress Evaluation Review

In addition to the completion of degree requirements, in order to graduate, all M.Arch. students must pass a final review conducted by the Design Committee. This final review uses a student’s portfolio as a basis for discussion on the student’s general design progress. Students who fail the final review may be asked to submit a reworked portfolio at a later date and/or take courses that are not in the normal sequence, take additional courses that may delay graduation, take a Required Academic Leave of Absence, or withdraw from the School. Submission of portfolios is required for this review.

Commencement

Attendance is required at Commencement exercises for all degree candidates. Special permission to be excused must be obtained from the dean.

Leaves of Absence

Students are expected to follow a continuous course of study at the School. Students may be granted leaves of absence for periods up to, but not to exceed, one year. Such leaves may be for further career development (professional or scholarship activities) or for personal (such as financial), medical, or parental reasons.

Requests for nonmedical leaves must be submitted to the Rules Committee no less than three weeks before the end of the term immediately preceding the term of the intended leave. Those granted leaves must file formal notice of return two months before the end of the term immediately preceding the return to the School. In all cases, leave requests are subject to review and approval of the Rules Committee, which will, in turn, consult with the appropriate faculty and administration offices of the University. Students are eligible for a personal leave after satisfactory completion of at least a full academic year of study. Students are eligible for a medical or parental leave any time after matriculation. Students should not assume requests for leave will be automatically granted.

Students who for medical reasons must take a leave of absence are required to get a written letter from a physician on the staff of Yale Health indicating that they are required to withdraw from their academic work. This letter will go to both the registrar and the chairperson of the Rules Committee. Upon requested re-entry into the School, such students must provide a letter from their doctor stating that the cause of their leave has been remedied. In addition, before re-registering, a student on medical leave must secure written permission to return from a physician at Yale Health. The date of return from a medical leave of absence must be discussed with and approved by the dean to allow for successful completion of course work and requirements.

The School of Architecture reserves the right to place a student on a mandatory medical leave of absence when, on recommendation of the director of Yale Health or the chief of the Mental Health and Counseling department, the dean of the School determines that, because of a medical condition, the student is a danger to self or others, the student has seriously disrupted others in the student’s residential or academic communities, or the student has refused to cooperate with efforts deemed necessary by Yale Health and the dean to make such determinations. Each case will be assessed individually based on all relevant factors, including, but not limited to, the level of risk presented and the availability of reasonable modifications. Reasonable modifications do not include fundamental alterations to the student’s academic, residential, or other relevant communities or programs; in addition, reasonable modifications do not include those that unduly burden University resources.

An appeal of such a leave must be made in writing to the dean of the School of Architecture no later than seven days from the effective date of the leave.

An incident that gives rise to voluntary or mandatory leave of absence may also result in subsequent disciplinary action.

Students on a leave of absence are not eligible for financial aid, including loans; and in most cases, student loans are not deferred during leaves of absence. Therefore, students who receive financial aid must contact the Financial Aid Office prior to taking a leave of absence. International students who apply for a leave of absence must consult with the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) regarding their visa status.

Although students on a leave of absence are not eligible for the use of any University facilities normally available to enrolled students, they may continue to be enrolled in Yale Health by purchasing coverage through the Student Affiliate Coverage plan. In order to secure continuous health coverage, enrollment in this plan must be requested prior to the beginning of the term in which the student will be on leave or, if the leave commences during the term, within thirty days of the date of determination. Coverage is not automatic; enrollment forms are available from the Member Services Department of Yale Health, 203.432.0246.

Students on leave who do not return at the end of the approved leave, and do not request and receive an extension from the chairperson of the Rules Committee, are automatically dismissed from the School.

U.S. Military Leave Readmissions Policy

Students who wish or need to interrupt their studies to perform U.S. military service are subject to a separate U.S. military leave readmissions policy. In the event a student withdraws or takes a leave of absence from Yale School of Architecture to serve in the U.S. military, the student will be entitled to guaranteed readmission under the following conditions:

1. The student must have served in the U.S. Armed Forces for a period of more than thirty consecutive days;
2. The student must give advance written or verbal notice of such service to the registrar and the chairperson of the Rules Committee. In providing the advance notice the student does not need to indicate an intent to return. This advance notice need not come directly from the student, but rather, can be made by an appropriate officer of the U.S. Armed Forces or official of the U.S. Department of Defense. Notice is not required if precluded by military necessity. In all cases, this notice requirement can be fulfilled at the time the student seeks readmission, by submitting an attestation that the student performed the service.
3. The student must not be away from the School to perform U.S. military service for a period exceeding five years (this includes all previous absences to perform U.S. military service but does not include any initial period of obligated service). If a student’s time away from the School to perform U.S. military service exceeds five years because the student is unable to obtain release orders through no fault of the student or the student was ordered to or retained on active duty, the student should contact the registrar and the chairperson of the Rules Committee to determine if the student remains eligible for guaranteed readmission.
4. The student must notify the School within three years of the end of the student’s U.S. military service of the intention to return. However, a student who is hospitalized or recovering from an illness or injury incurred in or aggravated during the military service has up until two years after recovering from the illness or injury to notify the School of the intent to return.
5. The student cannot have received a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge or have been sentenced in a court-martial.

A student who meets all of these conditions will be readmitted for the next term, unless the student requests a later date of readmission. Any student who fails to meet one of these requirements may still be readmitted under the general readmission policy but is not guaranteed readmission.

Upon returning to the School, the student will resume education without repeating completed course work for courses interrupted by U.S. military service. The student will have the same enrolled status last held and with the same academic standing. For the first academic year in which the student returns, the student will be charged the tuition and fees that would have been assessed for the academic year in which the student left the institution. Yale may charge up to the amount of tuition and fees other students are assessed, however, if veteran’s education benefits will cover the difference between the amounts currently charged other students and the amount charged for the academic year in which the student left.

In the case of a student who is not prepared to resume studies with the same academic status at the same point where the student left off or who will not be able to complete the program of study, the School of Architecture will undertake reasonable efforts to help the student become prepared. If after reasonable efforts, the School determines that the student remains unprepared or will be unable to complete the program, or after the School determines that there are no reasonable efforts it can take, the School may deny the student readmission.