Part of the rigour of the BFA programmes offered by the School involves the way the work and performance of its students are evaluated. Depending on the structure and nature of individual courses, students may be continually assessed, examined or a combination of both.

Examination implies that your performance and the quality of your work are evaluated on a specific, determined occasion, under the requisite pressure and conditions. To the contrary, assessment, by nature, means that your work is appraised over time, an exercise which nevertheless comes with its own pressures. Under assessment, emphasis is placed on a consistency of effort and upon the need to maintain or improve upon the standard of your work over a sustained period of time.

Studio/workshop subjects usually do not require sitting for a formal examination. Rather, faculty members schedule the review of projects and portfolios during the Revision and Examination Period. Please refer to your syllabus for each subject you undertake for the portfolio/final project reviews. Reviews are normally carried out in group critiques and individual meetings with faculty.

Broadening & Deepening Electives (BDE) and ADM academic subjects such as history, culture, or writing subjects require sitting for an examination. Refer to the examination timetable and syllabus in each BDE academic subject you are undertaking for specific information on examinations.

With both assessment and examination, grades and grade points are assigned as follows:
The following non-letter grades can also be used for up to 12 AUs:

S - Satisfactory / U - Unsatisfactory

[ Grade Point x AU for Subject 1 ] + [ Grade Point x AU for Subject X ] + .....
[ AU attempted in a year ]

[ Grade Point x AU for Subject 1 ] + [ Grade Point x AU for Subject X ] + ....
[ Total AU attempted in all the semesters so far ]

The requirements for graduation are as follows:

1. Successful completion of the prescribed academic unit requirement as set out by the
   course curriculum.

2. A minimum CGPA of 2.0 is required at the end of the final semester of study.

For the AUs requirement and Study Year classification, please refer to this link Academic Calendar and Academic Structure (via Student Intranet)

To be eligible for the award of a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from NTU, a student must fulfill the following conditions​

Satisfactory Academic Standing

The criteria for Satisfactory Academic Standing in any given semester are:

• Maintaining a minimum CGPA of 2.0 Completing at least 75% of the normal AU workload.
• Students with poor standing are subjected to the following performance review:
  
  - Academic Warning, if the CGPA falls below 2.0 for any given semester.
  
  - Academic Probation, if the CGPA falls below 2.0 for the following semester.
  
  - Academic Termination, if the CGPA falls below 2.0 for the third, consecutive semester, or at the end of the final semester of study.

The university has the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) Option to encourage students to read a range of courses to widen their knowledge and not be unduly concerned about the grades that impact on the Honours classification. 

More information about the S/U Option is obtainable from this page (via Student Intranet).

Under the S/U Option, students may declare courses from a specified category to be excluded from the CGPA computation and to be graded “S” (Satisfactory) or “U” (Unsatisfactory) instead. Students have to declare the courses to be graded S/U before the start of examinations for the semester.

For ADM students, they may exercise the S/U Option for up to a maximum of 12 AUs of graded courses taken as GER – Prescribed Electives (applicable to students admitted before AY2021) and/or Unrestricted Electives/Broadening and Deepening Electives in the course of their Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) programme.


Other important points to note of the S/U Option include:

• All courses read on the S/U basis will be excluded from the computation of CGPA and hence has no impact on the Honours classification.
• A course will be indicated as “S” if the final grade obtained is a “D” or better, otherwise a “U” grade will be assigned.​
• For courses read on the S/U bases, AUs are earned only if a student attains a “Satisfactory” grade. The “Unsatisfactory” grade will be recorded on the official transcript but the AUs for the course will not be credited towards the degree fulfillment.
• Once a course has been placed under the S/U option, repeated attempt(s) of the same course will also fall under the S/U option.
• All Minor and Second Major courses are excluded from the S/U option.
• For the award of a degree, a BFA student must fulfill all the programme AUs requirements and should have earned at least 134 AUs (for students admitted in AY2018-20) or 130 AUs (for students admitted in AY2021 onwards) inclusive of transfer credits, satisfactory and pass credits, of which a minimum of 69 AUs must be graded courses.
• The Honours classification will be based on the CGPA that is computed from all the graded courses.
• Students who have queries relating to the S/U Option may refer to the following staff:

  A/P Gray Hodgkinson Associate Chair (Academic)​ [email protected]​

  Mrs Julie Lim Assistant Director (Undergraduate Programmes) [email protected]​

S/U Declaration Periods for AY2023-2024

Minor Declaration Period for AY2023-24

Minor Filing Period for AY2023-24

Minor Link:  https://www.ntu.edu.sg/education/degree-programmes#Content_C109_Col03

Second Major: https://www.ntu.edu.sg/education/degree-programmes#Content_C109_Col02

S/U Option Link (via Student Intranet):  SSO Login (ntu.edu.sg)

Up to 6 letter-graded courses that do not make the pass grade on first attempt in the Freshmen Year will be excluded from GPA computation.  This applies to examinable and non-examinable courses taken in the student’s first 2 semesters of study in NTU, including adjoining Special Terms.

GPA exemption is not applicable for courses with fail grade taken on the second or subsequent attempts in the Freshmen Year.

The unused quota of 6 courses will lapse after the Freshmen Year.

Students are not eligible for promotion to the next study year if their CGPA is nil arising from GPA exemptions, even if they meet the AU criteria.

The grades for all attempts, including those exempted from GPA computation, will remain on the transcript.

For more information, please refer to Point 6.4 of Academic Structure

The Dean’s List is compiled on a yearly basis.  The top 5% of the cohort, subject to attaining a minimum YGPA of 4.50 and the specified AU of graded courses by curriculum type taken in NTU in the academic year, is eligible for the Dean’s List.  Full-time single degree students have to complete at least 16 AU (pre-NTU Education curriculum) or 15 AU (NTU Education curriculum) of graded courses, while part-time single degree students have to complete at least 9 AU of graded courses.  Effective from AY2011-12, double-degree students have to complete a total of 16 AU (pre-NTU Education curriculum) or 15 AU (NTU Education curriculum) of discrete graded courses from both degrees, and 9 AU of graded courses from each degree, to be eligible for the Dean’s List.

Courses that are graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) and Pass/Fail or those with grades ‘EX’ (Exempted), ‘IP’ (In Progress) and ‘LOA’ (Leave of Absence) are not counted in the AU of graded courses for the purpose of determining the Dean’s List.  Students with any GPA exemption in their Freshmen Year will not be eligible for the Dean’s List for the year.  Besides this, final year students must attain at least a Second Upper Honours degree in order to be considered for the Dean’s List.

Much of the teaching at ADM is delivered through project work, demonstrations, critiques and hands­ on workshops. It is therefore essential that students maintain regular attendance so that they do not fall behind in either learning or assessment.

• Attendance forms a significant part in the participation component of all ADM courses. Poor attendance will affect this component of the marks.
  
• Students participating in approved  secondary activities need  to submit evidence & necessary form
  
• Students arriving later than 15 minutes to class usually are marked as absent.
• ​​​​​​In exceptional  circumstances students can apply for a Leave of Absence one week in advance by filling out the form available at the School 's General Office. This application is subject to the approval of the Associate Chair Academic.

The categories of leave that are not approved are:

• Returning to home country during festival  periods e.g Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, etc.
  
• Participating in activities (in and outside campus) without official  permission in organised by student bodies during normal school hours when students are required to attend classes.
  
• Medical Leave must be accompanied by a Medical Certificate (MC).
  Medical Leave is considered approved 'after the fact' and does not automatically impact on the student's grade. If the student seeks more than a total of two medically certified absences then a signed  letter from their guardians and doctor  must be obtained. A student may take a maximum of three days of Medical Leave from a course.
• Students who have been granted l eave are still responsible for satisfactorily completing all assignments due during the absence, and may be subject to a lower grade for late submissions or poor academic performance.
  

Plagiarism is using the creative work of another without giving the original source the proper credit or
acknowledgement. Creative work in this instance should be understood as any one or more of the following:
published or unpublished text, music, sounds, images, photographs, software or programming, and even ideas and interpretations. Plagiarism is both a form of theft - you are stealing another’s intellectual property - and lying—you are claiming another’s ideas as your own.

The School takes seriously the commitment to academic honesty and integrity which students undertake as part of their enrolment in the University. The originality of the work of ADM students is paramount to their future success as creative practitioners. The consequences for plagiarism include:

• Receiving an F grade for the course
• Receiving an F grade for the assignment

The requirement to revise and resubmit an assignment (for a passing grade only).

For written work, a comprehensive Essay-Writing and Citation Guide is available online for students to consult to assist them in the research, planning and writing of papers. For practical projects it may often seem that there is a fine line between paying homage to, and plagiarising, the creative work of another. If in doubt, it is important that you approach the relevant faculty members.

For written assignments, at the discretion of faculty, and for their final projects, students are required to complete an Assignment Submission Declaration, in which they declare that their work, unless otherwise credited, is wholly their own. Forms are available online to download or from the General Office.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

• Year One students will receive submission instructions during the ADM Freshmen Orientation. All eligible students are to submit the form to the ADM General Office at Level 1. Late submission after the stated deadline will not be entertained.
  
• For Compulsory Studio Elective Course, the Area Coordinator will evaluate the portfolio submitted and give their recommendation.
  
• Associate Chair, Academic will transfer the Core, Compulsory/Other Major Prescribed Electives, Interdisciplinary Collaborative Core (ICC) and Broadening and Deepening Elective (BDE) and submit the recommendation to the Chair for approval.
  
• Upon final approval, the students will be informed of their results and collection of portfolio through students' NTU email account.

• Only those with tertiary study and a significant portfolio are eligible for advanced standing.
  
• Evaluation of AUs transferred is based on courses passed with at least a grade B or better.
  
• For Polytechnic Diploma, generally, only third-year courses will be considered for advanced placement at ADM. In specific cases, some courses may be considered based on course content and how comparable these are to ADM course.
  
• Determination is on a cases by case basis, and subject to endorsement by Associate Chair, Academic and approval by Chair, ADM.
  
• Advanced standing is formalised within the first year of matriculation.
  
• Generally, for Polytechnic students (including NAFA and LaSalle SIA College of the Art), the maximum number of AUs to be transferred is 9 AUs. Only in cases of exceptional work presented will there be consideration of transfer beyond 12 AUs.
  
• University students (Singapore & International) receive credits transferred as per University policies (recommended by Associate Chair, Academic).
  
• University students (Singapore & International) may receive waivers on first year courses and major core course on a case by case basis. These are evaluated by area faculty based on portfolio in each subject requested for transfer of credit.
  

1. Short Leave of Absence

Applications for short leave of absence must be submitted to Academic Associate Chair’s Office not later than 7 working days in advance of such leave. Applications submitted less than 7 working days in advance will not be accepted. Students should not go on leave during the below-mentioned occasions until approval has been obtained. Students must submit the original leave application form together with supporting documents. The application form is available at the ADM General Office level 1.

You are responsible for completing all assignments due during your absence and also subject to a lower grade for late submissions. 

You will be informed of the status of your leave of application via the Student Email Account.

2. Semester Leave of absence

Any student who seeks a leave of absence from any programme of study for an entire semester shall submit an application to the University stating the reasons and the period for which such leave is required.            

A student who is not granted leave of absence but is absent for any period shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the University and shall have no automatic right of re-admission to the University.

Freshmen are not allowed to take LOA in their first semester of studies, except arising from extenuating circumstances (ie. medical reasons). For such cases, please submit your LOA application to the School for review.

Students who apply for leave of absence after the second teaching week of the semester will be liable to pay the fees for the entire semester.

NTU students can access Intranet portal for details and application for leave of absence for an entire semester.

1. Returning to home country during festive periods e.g. Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, etc.
2. Participating in activities (in and outside campus) organised by student bodies during normal working hours when students are required to attend classes.

Students who are granted medical leave must submit the medical certificate (MC) to the ADM General Office at Level 1 not later than 7 working days after the medical leave. Students are to retain their original MC for 1 year for verification when necessary, if they are submitting a scanned copy of MC.

Students need to ensure that their course instructors are informed of their medical leave. Please use the acknowledgment form available at ADM General Office at Level 1 for informing your course instructor(s). The Acknowledgement Form should be attached together with the Short Leave of Absence form for submission.

If students submit the medical certificate after the deadline, they will be given zero mark for any test or quiz that they were absent from.

For absence from an examination due to illness, please refer to this link here via Student Intranet.

Note: The University only recognizes medical certificates issued in Singapore by Medical Practitioners registered with the Singapore Medical Council or Dental Officers registered with the Singapore Dental Council.

All NTU Students going for any overseas trip sponsored, conducted or authorised by NTU (“Official NTU Student Trips”) will be covered by the NTU Student Travel Insurance Policy. Trips shall not exceed 365 days in all (inclusive of Personal Deviation (personal vacation) taken by student immediately before, during, and/or immediately after an Official NTU Student Trip, subject to maximum of 90 days combined). 

The NTU Student Travel Insurance Policy covers full-time matriculated undergraduate and postgraduate students of NTU, but does not cover inbound students of exchange programmes, executive education, certificate-based courses, and continuing education and lifelong learning courses under PACE@NTU.

In Academic Year 2019-2020, students travelling overseas for an Official NTU Student Trip will be required to make an online payment via One Stop’s website for the Student Travel Insurance. More information will be provided by the school after the approval for short leave of absence.

Please refer to this link for more information: https://www.ntu.edu.sg/life-at-ntu/student-life/onestop/insurance-coverage/student-travel-insurance

The University has a Travel Registry System to capture travel information of students and staff. This enables the University to respond in a timely manner, especially in facilitating communication with affected students and staff, in the event of an emergency.

Students are required to declare their overseas travel at this page, NTU Travel Declaration prior to their departure. Only students travelling under programmes of the Student Affairs Office, Career and Attachment Office and Office of Global Education & Mobility need not make the declaration as the travel information will be recorded by these offices.

Apart from travel insurance, timely assistance on medical and security matters is also important for people on overseas travel. The University has thus contracted International SOS (ISOS) to provide emergency assistance to NTU members on official trips or university-sanctioned activities overseas.

Prior to departure, travellers can access a wealth of destination-specific information to help them prepare and plan for the trip. In the event of an emergency during the trip, any NTU members can contact ISOS for immediate assistance. The expenses incurred for the assistance services may be borne by the traveller or claimable from his/her travel insurance, depending on the insurance terms.

For more information on ISOS services, please access this website:
https://www.internationalsos.com/Members_Home/login/clientaccess.cfm?custno=02AYCA089601
(Membership Number: 02AYCA089601)​

Accessible to all ADM students and other students taking ADM studio courses that require the use of an Open Source Studio:

Computer Lab:
S3.1 B3–10 Foundation Open Lab
ART B1–4 Open Lab

Open to students taking relevant courses:
ART B1–1 Product Design Lab
ART 1–12 Film Lab
ART 2–2 Photo Lab
ART 2–22 3D Animation Lab
ART 2–23 Compositing Lab
ART 2–26 Vis Com Lab

Open to students taking relevant courses:
ART 1–16 Image and Sound Editing
ART 1–23 Image and Sound Editing
ART 1–25 Image and Sound Editing
ART 1–26 Image and Sound Editing
ART 1–30 Image and Sound Editing
ART 1–17 Sound Recording
ART 1–18 Sound Recording
ART 1–24 Sound Recording

Open to students taking relevant courses. Refer to additional access and usage policies posted online:
ART B1–5 Lighting/Photo Studio
ART B1–17 Stop Motion Animation Studio
ART B1–21 2D Animation Studio
ART B1–23 Product Design Studio
ART B1–24 Rapid Prototyping Workshop
ART B1–25 Construction Workshop
ART 1–2 Vis Com Workshop
ART 1–19 Sound Stage
ART 1–21 Rehearsal Room
ART 2–24 Drawing Studio
ART 2–28 Drawing Studio
ART 2–29 Vis Com Studio
ART 2–32 Light Room
ART 2–33 Dark Room
S3.1 B3–1 3D Studio
S3.1 B3–2 3D Studio
S3.1 B3–3 2D Studio
S3.1 B4–2 2D Studio
S3.1 B3–13 4D Studio
S3.1 B3–14 4D Studio
S3.1 B4–11 4D Computer Lab

Please be courteous and considerate of your classmates when using the facilities.
ADM Computer Labs are accessible through card access, 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week. Access to the other specialised labs is limited to students taking classes there.

Only the ART B1–4 and S3.1 B3–10 Open Labs are accessible to all students.

B/W printers are located in ART 1–12 (Film Lab) and ART 2–22 (3D Animation Lab). Colour printers are located in ART B1–4 (Open Lab), ART 2–26 (Vis Com Lab) and S3.1 B3–10 (S3.1 Open Lab). Costs per page are:

• A4 B/W $0.05 Colour $0.60

• A3 B/W $0.10 Colour $1.20

ADM students are given a subsidy of $40 per semester to help with printing costs. Excess printing credits in Semester 1 can be carried over to Semester 2, but all printing credits expire at the end of Semester 2. Students taking Special Semester studio courses at ADM will be credited with an additional $20 at the start of the Special Semester. These printing credits expire at the end of the Special Semester. The balance of printing credits of each student can be viewed in a pop-up window to the right of the computer screen when you login.

Instructions on how to top-up your account are pinned on every cubicle in labs with printers.
The School printing subsidy does not apply to specialised printing in the Photography Digital Labs
(photography students are briefed separately by their faculty).

Students who are provided with access to ADM’s computer facilities and network assume responsibility for their appropriate use. The School expects students to be careful, honest, responsible, and civil in the use of computers and networks. Those who use the Internet to communicate with others or to connect to computers at other institutions are expected to abide by the rules for the remote systems and networks as well as those for the School. Be advised that, in addition to being a violation of the School’s and University’s rules, certain computer misconduct is prohibited under local laws and is therefore subject to criminal penalties. Installation of any programs on a school computer is strictly prohibited unless under supervision from an ADM IT staff member.

Students are not allowed to bypass any security systems, modify any profile or install registry entries. Printers are to be used only for academic-related work or activities. Careless or deliberate wastage of paper will result in your printing privileges being withdrawn.

Eating and drinking are strictly prohibited in any computer lab.
Computer equipment may not be removed from its location without the knowledge and permission of ADM IT staff. Any such interference is a most serious offence and may be treated as theft.

Internet access is provided for students to conduct genuine research and requires responsibility at all times. Internet access is a privilege, not a right and abuse of this privilege may result in it being withdrawn. Users are not allowed to download, upload, copy, publish, store, install, or transmit data or unauthorised software when doing so would constitute a violation of copyright laws.

The possession or collection of passwords, personal identification numbers (PINs), private digital certificates, or other secure identification information belonging to other users is prohibited.

The introduction of data or programmes that in any way endangers computing resources or the information of other users (e.g., a computer worm, virus, malware, or other destructive program) is strictly prohibited. Hacking, attempts to circumvent security systems, probes for security holes, and any unauthorised access or use of personal information is a serious offence and may be considered a criminal offence under local laws. The installation, copying, transmitting and viewing of obscene and pornographic material is strictly prohibited and may be considered a criminal offence under local laws.

Computers and peripherals are strictly for class-related work, no outside or professional work may be developed within the ADM CG Labs. Please power down workstation after use and turn off the lights if you are the last user in the lab. All specialised labs are only accessible to students enrolled in classes there. The Open Labs are accessible to all ADM students. Students should not be working in the labs when classes they are not enrolled in are taking place.

Any infringement of the Computer Lab Policy will be reported to the IT Manager, the School and the University. Depending on the severity of the infringement, punishment may range from suspension to fines and imprisonment in the case of civil damages and criminal penalties. Suspected criminal offences will be referred to the police.

It is important that workshops and studio spaces are used safely and efficiently. The Technical Staff members are responsible for the day-to-day running of the workshops and studios. They also provide practical help and advice.

Treat ADM’s facilities and equipment with care.
Always have your own safety and that of your colleagues in mind and work safely at all times.
Abide by any special conditions or restrictions.
Nothing is to be drilled onto the walls or ceilings.
Users are financially responsible for any loss or damage to the facilities and equipment of any space they are using.

Furniture and equipment are to be reinstated to their original condition after use. No fixed furniture or fittings are to be removed or tampered with.

No alcohol or illegal substances are permitted in the spaces.
All spaces are to be properly cleaned and equipment must be shut down after use.

In addition to these general policies, further conditions and restrictions apply to the access and use of the following spaces:

• Image and Sound Editing Suites
  
• Photography Labs and Darkrooms
  
• Sound Stage
  
• Green Screen Studio
  
• Dance Studio

The School maintains a stock of equipment for the use of students and faculty in their course work. ADM equipment is not available for purposes that are not directly related to coursework. Students are expected to treat every piece of equipment they use with the utmost care. Equipment check-out is a privilege, not a right, and as such privileges can and will be suspended if necessary. The equipment borrowing policy at ADM may be summarized as “you break you pay.”

Students are able to sign out equipment only if they are enrolled in a relevant course.
All equipment requires a formal sign-out without exception. Students must produce a valid student card when signing out equipment.

Students are responsible for equipment under their care and are advised not to leave equipment unattended. Whenever possible, equipment should be secured to desks or stored in locked cabinets. Equipment can be checked out for academic purposes only and must be returned by the end of the loan period.

The technical support staff members do not drop off or pick up chek-out equipment.
Equipment should be returned the way it was checked out, with cables and other accessories intact. Students are responsible for the repair costs of any equipment damaged under their care, or the replacement costs of any equipment or accessories not returned.

The School will not accept responsibility for damage to personal equipment caused directly or indirectly by the signed-out equipment.

The maximum loan period is one week. Students wishing to renew the equipment for a further 3 days will have to bring the equipment to the relevant department for extension. Staff reserve the right to refuse renewal when demand for equipment is high.

There will be no equipment loan during the holiday without prior approval from the School.
Late returns will be fined at $10 a day. Students with accumulated fines of $50 or more will be barred from further equipment sign-out until the fine is cleared.

Once an equipment is in checked out, and not returned within the loan period, students will be barred from checking out additonal equipment until the first equipmetn on load is returned in working condidtions, notwithstanding normal wear and tear.

Use of specialised equipment is restricted to students undertaking specific courses and/or the relevant academic work. For the check-out regulations and conditions governing the use of specialised equipment, students should refer to the responsible member of the Technical Staff (as listed at the beginning of the handbook).

There are five checkout locations at ADM:

• Film and Animation

• Photography

• Interactive Media

• Foundation

• IT

The ADM Library is located on Level 1 of the main ADM building in a state-of-the-art facility open to all members of the University, but not the general public. While relatively new, the collections of the Library are growing rapidly to cover existing and evolving knowledge in the fields of art, design and media. The importance of the Library within the School reflects the conviction that published material, whether printed or in the form of electronic media, is superior in quality to other, unscrutinised sources, and students are encouraged to take advantage of this resource in their creative and academic practice.

The ADM Library has over 4,000 volumes, covering the rapidly evolving disciplines in art, design and media. The growing collection also includes reference materials, monographs, artists’ books, exhibition catalogues, production formats, animation guidebooks and design catalogues.

The Library subscribes to over 100 periodicals, covering many aspects of the School’s curriculum and providing the core materials for the undergraduate and future postgraduate courses in media, film, animation, design and art.

An expanding collection of DVDs, VCDs, audio and music CDs, video and audio cassettes, and tapes are located in the Library. Most are available on open-access shelving. AV material is loaned out to faculty members, graduate students and NTU staff. Students are able to view material, either individually on in a group, in facilities within the Library.

Users are able to check out library material themselves through the automated check-out machines and return the books via the return boxes at the Library entrance, during opening hours. Special material such as AV and material on limited-loan periods are borrowed and returned at the loan counter. The ADM collection is largely an open collection. However, certain categories of material are designated as for reference only or restricted use. These include: the RBR collection (circulated for two hours only), referenced books, restricted books and AV materials. 

View Library opening hours here.

Printing and photocopying, including colour copying services are provided by an outside vendor.

There are other libraries at NTU in addition to the ADM Library. Help and additional information is available by calling the Library Information Desk at 6790–5776, or by visiting this weblink:

https://www.ntu.edu.sg/library/Pages/default.aspx​​