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Program Lengths

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NCAD is a year-round college with (3) 15-week semesters per 12 months.

  • September—December
  • January—April
  • May—August
Full-Time Programs Number of Credits Length
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) 134 (may not exceed 201 credits) 2,505 hours / 36 months / 4.5 academic years (9 semesters – may not exceed 13 semesters) *
Full-Time Programs Number of Credits Length
Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS) 63 (may not exceed 94 credits) 1,170 hours / 16 months / 2.0 academic years (4 semesters – may not exceed 6 semesters) *

Program lengths are not guaranteed and may be lengthened for various reasons including, but not limited to: course failure, suspension, program changes, course reduction or withdrawal.

The program grids are intended to give you an ideal schedule and broad overview of the curriculums. Course names, titles, sequencing, prerequisites, credit value, content, instructor assignment, and/or scheduling is subject to change.

Students who interrupt the program at any time will be considered to have withdrawn from the program and must reapply. NCAD’s accelerated and highly structured programs do not lend themselves to flexibility in terms of alternative scheduling due to students’ failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress.

*Ideally students should finish the program within the prescribed number of semesters (100% of program length), but in any event, cannot exceed 150% of program length.