General Policies

Rhode Island School of Design does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law in admission to, participation in, or administration of its educational programs and activities; in employment; or in its other programs and activities.

RISD complies with all applicable state and federal statutes, including Title IX of the federal Higher Education Amendment of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex under any education program or activity receiving federal financial aid. Sexual assault and sexual harassment are forms of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX.

RISD’s Office of Equity and Compliance

RISD’s Non-Discrimination Notice

Title IX at RISD

Rhode Island School of Design Continuing Education attempts to make its classes, programs, events and services accessible by providing reasonable and appropriate accommodations. If you need accommodations to participate in any class, program or event offered by RISD CE, contact the Office of Disability Support Services at disabilitysupportservices@risd.edu. Requests for accommodations should be made at the time of registration. Students should reach out as far in advance as possible to ensure accommodations are in place prior to the start of the program/course(s).

Modifications cannot be made to program or course curriculum. If you need access to the RISD Continuing Education offices at 345 South Main Street, Providence, contact an enrollment assistant at 401 454-6200 or risdce@risd.edu for further assistance.

RISD is dedicated to the welfare and safety of all persons who participate in college-sponsored events. Most of the minors on our campus take part in programs through the RISD Museum, Continuing Education, and Project Open Door; however, there are also opportunities for third parties to run programs with minor participants on our campus. Because minors are a particularly vulnerable population, the college takes extra precautions to protect those who participate in activities, programs, and camps on our campus and under the authority and direction of the college at other locations. This reporting obligation includes information about suspected abuse, neglect, or inadequate care provided by a parent, guardian, or custodian/caretaker. For more information, refer to Protection of Minors in RISD Programs.

For in-person courses in a physical classroom setting, we periodically document students and their creative process for the purpose of promoting RISD CE programming on our website, brochures and other marketing materials. Before our photographer visits a class, the instructor will be notified and will inform students about a possible class visit. The photographer will obtain written permission from each student who agrees to be photographed via a general consent and release form, which could be an electronic or paper-based form, and/or an email exchange. If we have used a photo or video of you that you would prefer not to have been used, contact us: risdce@risd.edu. All photos and videos are the property of RISD CE.

In accordance with RISD’s Intellectual Property Policy, RISD Continuing Education students generally own, and are free to exploit, the intellectual property rights to the artwork they produce in CE classes, while RISD CE has a limited right to make, use, and display images of student artwork for marketing, promotional, archival, reference, research, classroom, educational, and other noncommercial purposes. RISD CE will credit students for the use of such images wherever possible. Reproductions of student artwork may be edited at RISD CE’s discretion, but in doing so, RISD CE will make a good faith effort to act respectfully and responsibly so as not to unduly compromise the integrity of the original artwork.

RISD Continuing Education reserves the right to cancel, reschedule or alter fees for any course, or to change the instructor, when circumstances warrant. We make every effort to notify students of canceled classes in a timely fashion. However, courses are sometimes canceled as late as the day of the first class meeting.

If you enroll in a course that is canceled before it begins, we will notify you via phone and email and offer you the option of substituting another course or receiving a full refund. For this reason, it is extremely important that we have your correct contact information.

Additionally, in the case of these circumstances, RISD CE cannot reimburse you for supplies purchased prior to the start of classes or other expenses (such as travel or lodging) that may be incurred in advance. We recommend that you save all receipts for any purchases made. Refunds take up to two weeks to process and take the form of the original payment method for the canceled course.

CE will initially contact students via email for inclement weather cancellations. For the most up to date information, check for RISD CE class cancellation messages and updates on local media outlets. Notices and updates will also be posted on the CE homepage and the CE Facebook page, or call the RISD CE office at 401 454-6200. You can also sign up to receive closing alerts from the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association (select “RISD-Continuing Ed” in the “Colleges” section). We make every reasonable effort to reschedule classes canceled due to inclement weather or other emergencies.

Academic Policies

Addendum to the RISD Code of Student Conduct and RISD Academic Code of Conduct

Summer Programs, Pre-College, Adult Certificate Programs and Courses, and Youth Programs are housed within RISD Continuing Education.

RISD CE follows college policy related to academic misconduct (including, but not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, falsification and fabrication, unauthorized reuse, unfair academic advantage, and noncompliance with course expectations). The following addendum covers all students who are enrolled in CE programs, including Pre-College. The coordinator of student conduct and compliance will be consulted to confirm institutional consistency and best practices.

The following points serve as an addendum to the RISD Code of Student Conduct and Academic Code of Conduct for CE students that are not enrolled in a RISD undergraduate or graduate degree program.

  • RISD Continuing Education staff may serve as the conduct administrator.
  • If a RISD email is not provided, the institution will communicate with students on conduct procedures through the email that the student has provided.
  • Students are required to submit a monitored email when registering or applying to a RISD CE program.
  • The associate director, business operations and enrollment of RISD CE will function in the role of “Dean of Students” as cited in the Code of Conduct for non-degree seeking students.
  • Appeals must be submitted to the executive director of Continuing Education within 48 hours of notification by a conduct administrator.
  • With allegations of academic misconduct, faculty should consult with the appropriate program manager as cited as “Department Head” in the Academic Code of Conduct.
  • If a Conduct Board is warranted, RISD CE will construct and facilitate the procedure. Conduct Boards will not be used in the Pre-College Program.

All Continuing Education students are responsible for reviewing and upholding the RISD Code of Student Conduct and Academic Code of Conduct.

RISD Code of Student Conduct
Academic Code of Conduct

Addendum to the RISD Student Code of Conduct for Remote Learning

Students are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and supportive manner at all times, while recognizing the additional stress on all RISD community members due to COVID-19.

Students engaged in remote learning are expected to abide by ​RISD’s Code of Student Conduct and Academic Code of Conduct​ just as they are in face-to-face classrooms and studios. Moreover, given the additional potential for breaches of privacy, misuse and theft of intellectual property, and academic integrity issues posed by online learning, students are also required to follow the guidelines below:

  • Do not give another person your email or learning-platform username or password or request that someone else log into your account to perform any action in your stead. Continue to exercise academic integrity and submit only work that is your own.
  • As in your regular classes, always properly credit your sources.
  • Do not post, transmit, or distribute content in a manner that violates the copyright or other protected intellectual property rights of others. (For your own protection, you should also carefully consider the posting of your own intellectual property to public sites.)
  • Respect other students’ privacy and intellectual property; do not share personal information or images online without permission, or repost other students’ work to public forums.
  • Respect your instructor’s intellectual labor: do not record classes or post any videos, URLs, links, websites, class transcripts, or other class materials without prior approval of your instructor. The provision of class recordings or transcripts for the purpose of facilitating asynchronous learning does not by itself imply approval for their broader use or dissemination.

Many RISD CE programs do not have formal entrance requirements, but some advanced courses require prerequisites, such as certain coursework or equivalent experience. See specific course descriptions for details. Certificate students must follow the prerequisites outlined in the Certificate Program Guide (click on a specific program to view the Program Guide).

Students seeking to request an override of a course prerequisite due to previous education or professional experience must complete a prerequisite override request application, to be reviewed by Continuing Education. The application can be found in the Student Portal under “My Applications’’. Successful submission of this request does not guarantee approval of a prerequisite override. You may track the status of your application in your student portal.

Asynchronous Online Courses
Attendance and participation includes, but is not limited to, regularly engaging in group and individual critiques, forums and discussion boards and peer feedback as outlined in the course. Additionally, students should respond, in a timely manner, to prompts and inquiries from the instructor and TA and regularly submit questions to the instructor and TA to clarify course content.

Asynchronous Online Courses with Live Sessions
Attendance is considered for attending live classes, logging into the course portal daily to review materials and any specific attendance policy as outlined by the instructor. Family members, friends or any person other than the original registered student may not attend the class, access the course portal or substitute attendance or participation for the registered student. To assure student’s accurate representation, attendance and support of the class community, all students must have their video camera on, and be visible during live class sessions.

In-Person Courses (Teens)
RISD’s attendance policy requires students to attend all classes regularly and promptly. Absences and tardiness are recorded daily on each student’s record and are considered by instructors when writing end-of-course feedback. Students missing a class should contact the instructor prior to the class being missed, for information on how best to keep up to date with assignments.

A  4.00
A-   3.70
B+   3.30
B   3.00
B-  2.70
C+   2.30
C  2.00
C-  1.70
D+  1.30
D  1.00
F  0.00
WD  Withdrawal
WV  Waived/Override/Substitution
N  No Pass
P  Pass
I  Incomplete
COMPLETE  Completed Course

Incomplete (I): A grade of “I” is assigned only when coursework is not completed due to extenuating circumstances. It is given only at the request of the student and at the discretion of the instructor. The time allowed for completion of work may not exceed four weeks after the end of the semester in which the course was taken. If the work is not completed within the agreed upon timeframe, the final grade will automatically convert to “F.” Incomplete grades are not allowed for Advanced Program Online or Pre-College courses.

Students receive standard letter grades for courses with 15 or more contact hours; adult courses with 14 contact hours or less are graded as Pass/No Pass (P/N). Youth courses are graded as “complete.” Following the end of a course, teen online students will also receive a culminating narrative assessment that reports on their overall performance.

Grades are available via your Student Portal approximately two to three weeks after the end of the semester. You can view your grades and/or print an unofficial transcript by navigating to “My Enrollment History + Transcript.”

If you receive a grade of D or F in a prerequisite course and are currently enrolled in a course requiring that prerequisite, you must withdraw from that course. For example, if you receive an F in a Part A course and are enrolled in Part B of that course, you must withdraw from the Part B course, because the prerequisite has not been fulfilled.

All students have the right to be graded fairly and to understand how a course grade is determined. It is, however, the instructor’s responsibility to set the grading policy for their course and use their best judgment in evaluating and grading students’ work. Once an instructor submits grades for a class with the RISD CE Office, the grades are recorded on the student’s permanent record and may change only by following the grade appeal rules and procedures outlined below. A student who is not satisfied with their final grade may appeal it by following the grade appeal procedure. Once a student contacts an instructor regarding a grade appeal, records of all graded material must be maintained by both the student and the instructor until the matter is resolved. If the instructor is not available, or no longer works at RISD Continuing Education, the program manager should act on behalf of the instructor.

Grades may be appealed for the following reasons:
The student alleges there was a computational or clerical error; the instructor made a mistake in the computation of the course grade, or RISD CE made a clerical error in processing the grade. The student alleges that there were unannounced alterations of assignments, grading criteria, or computational process as stated in the syllabus; or the grade departs from the standards of evaluation set forth in the syllabus. The student alleges unequal application of grading standards or grading criteria in a manner that treats them differently.

Grades may not be appealed for the following reasons:
The student disputes grades for individual assignments or aspects of coursework other than the final grade. No new or revised coursework can be requested by the student or accepted by the instructor as part of a grade appeal process. The student’s interpretation of the syllabus, such as claims that an instructor’s standards are too high, that assignments are unreasonable, or that other course-related practices or expectations applied to the class as a whole (e.g., an instructor’s policy regarding attendance or missed deadlines) are unfair. The student comparison of grade policy with different courses or different sections of the same course. The impact of a grade on a student’s academic progress or eligibility for scholarships, veteran’s benefits, or financial aid.

Grade Appeal Policy

All communications must be done in writing, beginning with the Informal Grade Appeal within four weeks of receiving the grade. A Formal Grade Appeal must be initiated within six weeks of receiving the grade.

Informal Grade Appeal: If the student believes their grade is incorrect or unfair, they must discuss the matter first with the instructor. The instructor responds to the student with an explanation of the grade. In most cases, the discussion between the student and the instructor should suffice and the matter should not need to be carried further. If the instructor decides a grade change is warranted, they must notify the student and submit the new grade in writing to the associate director, academic advising, along with a reason for the grade change. If the instructor does not believe there is merit for a grade change, they notify the student of their decision. If the matter is not resolved, the student may follow the Formal Grade Appeal process below.

Formal Grade Appeal:

1. If, after discussion with the instructor, the student is not satisfied or has additional questions or objections, they must write to the instructor and the instructor will respond specifically addressing the student’s questions and/or objections. If the instructor agrees that a grade change is warranted, they will submit the change in writing. The associate director, academic advising should be copied on all communications and will contact the student in writing with the results.

2. If the matter remains unresolved, the student should contact the associate director, academic advising in writing with their concerns. At that time, the associate director, academic advising will review the request with the appropriate program manager, who will contact the instructor to review their grading policy, included in the course syllabus and specifics regarding the grade, to make a decision regarding the merit of the grade change request. The program manager will inform the associate director, academic advising, who will contact the student in writing with the result of this discussion.

3. If the matter still remains unresolved, the student may request a meeting with a committee comprised of the associate director, academic advising, the program manager and/or associate director for business operations and enrollment, providing any supporting materials for consideration. If this committee determines that the grade should be changed, it will request that the instructor make the change, providing the instructor with a written explanation of its reasons. The associate director, academic advising will contact the student in writing with the result of this discussion. Should the instructor decline to change the grade, they must provide a written explanation for refusal. If the committee determines that the student’s appeal should be denied, the decision is final and the matter will be considered closed. (Note: RISD CE reserves the right to appoint a designee in place of one of the committee members, should they be unavailable to participate.)

4. If the committee believes that the student’s grade appeal has merit after the instructor refuses to change the grade, it will arrange for an alternate instructor (or related professional) to review the student’s course work and make a final recommendation of the grade. After considering the alternate instructor’s review, the committee will then recommend that the grade be changed, if warranted. The associate director, academic advising will notify the student and the instructor of the decision and ask the instructor to implement the grade change within ten days. If the instructor continues to decline, the associate director, academic advising will change the grade, notifying the instructor and the student of this action.

RISD CE uses Parchment to process official transcript requests. You may order paper transcripts or e-transcripts with this service. To place your online order, please visit the Parchment Transcript Request page. If you have requested transcripts via Parchment for RISD Continuing Education prior to August 1, 2018, you will be required to create a new username and password. Unofficial transcripts are available in the Student Portal under the “My Enrollment History + Transcript” tab.

Visit the RISD Registrar’s office to request a transcript for a degree program or place your online order via Student Clearing House.

RI Department of Education Professional Development credits may be available for some courses. Teachers seeking such credits should contact Rhode Island Department of Education’s Office of Teacher Certification at 401 222-8893.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords you certain rights with respect to your education records.

These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review your education records (with certain limited exceptions) within 45 days of the day RISD receives your request for access. You should submit any such request to Continuing Education in writing, identifying the records you wish to inspect. Continuing Education will make arrangements for access and notify you of the time and place where the records may be inspected. Records that are customarily open for student inspection will be accessible without written request.

2. The right to request the amendment of your education records if you believe them to be inaccurate. You should submit any such request to Continuing Education in writing, clearly identifying the records that you want to have amended and specifying the reasons you believe them to be inaccurate. Continuing Education will notify you of its decision and, if the decision is negative, of your right to a hearing regarding your request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to you at that time.

3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in your education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

One such exception permits disclosure to “school officials” with “legitimate educational interests.” A “school official” is any person employed by RISD in any administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including public safety and health services staff); any person or company with whom RISD has contracted to provide a service to or on behalf of RISD (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); any person serving on RISD’s Board of Trustees; or any student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a “legitimate educational interest” if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill the official’s professional responsibility.

Another such exception permits RISD to disclose your “directory information”, consisting of your name; local, home, and email addresses; local and home telephone number; enrollment status/rank; dates of attendance; certificates received; student ID number, user ID, or other unique personal identifier used by the student for purposes of accessing or communicating in electronic systems; most recent educational agency or institution attended; and photograph, to anyone within the RISD community and to the general public.

Students who wish to have their directory information withheld must notify Continuing Education in writing. Please note that such a notification will prevent Continuing Education from providing your directory information to your friends, prospective employers, arts organizations, and others with whom you may wish us to share such information, so make your decision carefully. You may give such notification at any time, but it will be effective only prospectively.

Upon request, RISD also discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll or where the student is already enrolled so long as the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer. Information on other such exceptions is available through Continuing Education.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by RISD to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605.

Certificate Program Policies

Prospective certificate students can apply by clicking the “Apply Now” button found on each of the Certificate Program pages. Students who take certificate courses with the intention of enrolling in a certificate program at a later date have a one-year grace period in which to apply. Students must be 18 years of age or older. No portfolio is required for admission.

The Certificate Guide for each program lists the courses required to earn a certificate. Certificate students must enroll in at least one course per academic year to maintain their certificate status. “Total Program Costs” and requirements are subject to change over the course of your program. Supplies, software subscription fees and other materials are not included. If changes are made to certificate requirements, students are not eligible for a refund or credit for any classes taken prior to this change. Students should refer to the Certificate Guide for assistance in the completion of their program.

Students generally take approximately 2 to 3 years to complete a certificate. The pace is determined by the individual student’s needs and schedule, as well as course schedules and availability; we encourage students to complete their program within 6 years. All courses include homework assignments requiring significant time commitments. The course sequence shown on the Certificate Guides is recommended, but not required. Students may register for any applicable courses, provided all prerequisites have been met. All courses, prerequisites and schedules are subject to change without notice.

Certificate students may request a leave of absence for a period of one year. To take a leave of absence, send a written request to the Associate Director, Academic Advising, kkelly@risd.edu. During this time, the requirements of your program stay the same until you enroll again at the end of that year. However, if you do not enroll after the approved leave period, any changes to your certificate program that were made in your absence will then apply to you.

Certificate students may request waivers for successful completion of a similar course taken at another institution (must include a transcript and course description), or for work experience or training (must include a job description or resume). Only Level I: Core courses may be waived. To waive courses, certificate students should submit an Adult Certificate Program Course Waiver Request, which can be found in the Student Portal under “My Applications.” To access this application, click “View More Available Applications” at the bottom of the screen. Locate the application in the list and click “More Information,” then “Apply Now” on the next screen. Complete and submit the application, along with the above required documentation. Students may waive up to four courses; Part A/Part B courses are treated as a single waiver. A separate application must be submitted for each waiver requested. We will review the request and approve the waiver, if appropriate. Waivers for Level II: Concentration courses are considered on an individual basis.

Certificate students may request to substitute a required certificate course for a comparable elective, based on successful completion of a similar course taken at another institution (must include a transcript and course description), or for work experience or training (must include a job description or resume). To substitute courses, certificate students should complete a Course Substitution Request, which can be found in the Student Portal under “My Applications.” To access this application, click “View More Available Applications” at the bottom of the screen. Locate the application in the list and click “More Information”, then “Apply Now” on the next screen. Complete and submit the application, along with the above required documentation. A separate application must be submitted for each substitution requested. There is a limit of two course substitutions allowed in any certificate program; Part A/Part B courses are treated as a single substitution. Substitutions for Level II: Concentration courses are considered on an individual basis; no substitutions are allowed for Final Studio courses.

Certificate status will expire for students who do not enroll in courses pertaining to their certificate program for a full year. During this time, you will not receive notice of important updates to the certificate programs, messages to “In Progress” certificate students, reminders to enroll in required courses, etc. Any changes to your certificate program that were made while your status was expired will then apply to you if you re-enroll in the program. If your status expires, it is easy to be reinstated. Simply submit a Certificate Reinstatement Application in the Student Portal. Your Enrollment History and Transcript will be updated to reflect any changes to your program in your absence.

To complete the certificate program, certificate students are encouraged to complete all program requirements within six academic years, and must achieve a grade of C- or better (in each graded course) or P (in each Pass/No Pass course, meeting less than 18 hours) in order to maintain their certificate status. Certificate students who do not achieve these grades must supplement or repeat courses to fulfill program requirements.

If you receive a grade of D or F in a prerequisite course and are currently enrolled in a course requiring that prerequisite, you must withdraw from that course. For example, if you receive an F in a Part A course and are enrolled in Part B of that course, you must withdraw from the Part B course, because the prerequisite has not been fulfilled.

Certificate students who anticipate fulfilling all requirements for their certificate must submit a Certificate Completion Application during the Fall or Spring semester of the academic year in which they intend to complete the certificate. The Certificate Completion Application can be accessed under “My Applications” in the Student Profile. Failure to submit the application during this time may jeopardize the student’s timely certificate completion. The associate director, academic advising will review the certificate students’ transcripts and confirm their eligibility to complete their certificate by email.

RISD CE certificate recipients will receive the following benefits after completing a certificate program:

  • ID card issued by RISD CE (must be requested on form sent to certificate recipients)
  • Access to the Fleet Library at RISD including on-site use of physical and digital collections.
  • Free admission to the RISD Museum
  • 10% discount at RISD Works, the RISD stores and CE non-credit Extension course tuition
  • Access to RISD Career Center programs (some may have a fee)

Benefits are not transferable and are subject to change. RISD CE certificate holders are not eligible for RISD email, and cannot sell at RISD Craft.

Financial Policies

Tuition
Tuition costs are listed with each course description. To determine if you qualify for a discount, see “Discounts and Reimbursements,” below.

Special Fees
Any lab (laboratory), model, loom, studio, or materials fee appears with the course description These fees are nonrefundable after the first class and are not subject to discount.

Tuition and special fees must be paid at the time of registration. If you have an unresolved balance on your account (such as unpaid tuition, fees, returned checks or invalid credit accounts) by the start date of the program, you will not be able to participate in class.

Supplies and Books
Students are responsible for purchasing their own art supplies, equipment, software subscriptions, and/or books. For most classes, the cost is under $125 (estimate), but may be higher for specialized classes. An estimated supply cost range for the course will be included on the course registration site. You’ll be able to view your supply/materials list in Canvas 30 days before the course start date. Once logged in to Canvas, navigate to “Upcoming Courses” on the left-hand side of your dashboard. Supplies will be listed on your course homepage under the supplies heading. Note: All necessary materials and supplies are provided for in-person Youth classes and camps.

Tuition Reimbursement
Students who receive tuition reimbursement from their employer may print an unofficial transcript from the Student Portal, confirming completion of a course or courses.

Veterans
Veterans should directly contact the Veterans Administration (VA) Regional Office to verify that their programs of study qualify for VA benefits. A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA confirming that benefits have been approved for the student’s chosen course(s) must accompany the student’s CE registration (if one is not currently on file with the Continuing Education office). Submit a Veterans Affairs Tuition Benefit Course Registration Request in the Student Portal under “My Applications.”

Discounts

  • Senior citizens (age 65+)
  • RISD CE certificate recipients (adult)
  • RISD alumni
  • RISD Centennial Society member
  • RISD matriculated students
  • RISD Museum members

Tuition discounts are available to senior citizens (ages 65+), RISD CE adult certificate recipients, RISD alumni, RISD Centennial Society members, RISD matriculated students, and RISD Museum members. If you are eligible for a discount, you can apply it to your purchase during the checkout process. If your discount cannot be applied successfully, look in your Student Portal to make sure you have completed an appropriate application for a specific discount. Navigate to “My Applications” and select “View More Available Applications.” The discount will not apply to special costs such as transportation, admittance fees, and so forth. Discounts are not transferable to family members. Also, these discounts apply only once; that is, if a senior citizen is also an alum, the discount is still 10 percent. These discounts apply to the current semester only and are not retroactive. The discount does not apply to special fees. Tuition discounts do not apply to credit courses.

Benefit Eligible* RISD employees and their families (i.e., an employee’s spouse, domestic partner and/or dependent children) are eligible to take courses offered by RISD Continuing Education at a reduced or no tuition cost. Benefit eligible staff are eligible to register two weeks prior to the start date of the next CE term, on a space available basis. Benefit eligible FT and PT Faculty Union members can apply for classes based on their collective bargaining agreement. (*For benefit eligibility and questions contact humres@risd.edu. Also review information for staff eligibility, FT faculty eligibility and PT faculty eligibility.)

Remitted tuition eligibility dates:

  • Summer 2024* (adult classes): June 3, 2024
  • Fall 2024 (adult and teen classes): August 26, 2024
  • Winter 2025 (adult and teen classes): December 30, 2024
  • Spring 2025 (adult and teen classes): February 17, 2025

*For Summer 2024, benefit eligible RISD staff and their families are eligible for up to four (4) course registrations per child and two (2) full-day camp registrations per child, as soon as registration opens. For additional registrations, staff and their families will be eligible to register two weeks prior to the start of the next class, on a space available basis. Collective Bargaining Unit employees are encouraged to consult their collective bargaining agreement for applicability.

How to use the benefit:

  • Before an employee or an employee’s dependent / spouse / domestic partner can register for their first class, a one-time Remitted Tuition Application must be submitted through the account of the student wishing to utilize this benefit. This is to verify remitted tuition eligibility and associate each profile with a RISD ID.
  • Each Remitted Tuition Application will be reviewed by a registration team member. Once a student profile is associated as “Remitted Eligible,” remitted tuition can be applied during the checkout process.
  • After your application is accepted, upon checkout on the payment page, select “Other Methods” and then “Remitted Tuition” instead of paying via credit card.
  • All registrations utilizing the remitted tuition benefit must be processed through the individual student profile for the student wishing to utilize remitted tuition.
  • Each remitted registration will be sent to the registration team for approval. If there are any errors with the remitted registration, the employee associated with the registrant’s account will be notified via email. Once approved, a receipt and an enrollment confirmation will be sent via email.

With thanks to our generous donors and partnerships, RISD Continuing Education is able to welcome more than 100 scholarship students each year across our many programs. To apply, submit a Scholarship Application (available in the Student Portal when registration opens for the fall, winter, spring and summer semesters) by the deadline specified on the RISD CE calendar. Late applications will not be processed. Learn more about scholarship opportunities.

Questions? Contact the RISD CE Office at 401 454-6200 or risdce@risd.edu.

The Student Portal gives you the ability to make changes to enrollment when needed. In your Student Portal, you can transfer, drop, and withdraw from courses under “My Enrollment History + Transcript.”

Dropping a Course
You may drop a course at any time prior to the Drop Request Deadline noted in the course details. Dropped courses will not appear on your transcript. You can drop a class through the Student Portal. Go to “My Enrollment History + Transcript” and select “Request Drop” under Actions and Status for the appropriate course. Depending on when you drop the course, you may be eligible for a partial or full refund, based on our refund policy (below). We will attempt to automatically process refunds as soon as you drop a class. Refunds might take up to two weeks depending on the form of payment; most refunds are processed within five business days.

Transferring a Course
If you wish to switch your enrollment from one course to another during the enrollment period, you can transfer your registration through the Student Portal. Go to “My Enrollment History + Transcript” and select “Transfer” under Actions and Status for the appropriate course. You can choose the course you would like to transfer into by the Transfer Request Deadline noted in the course details. If there is a difference in tuition, your will be charged or refunded accordingly.

Withdrawing from a Course
If you no longer wish to participate in your course and it is past the refund period, you may request a withdrawal before the Withdrawal Request Deadline noted in the course details. You can withdraw through the Student Portal. Go to “My Enrollment History + Transcript” and select “Request Withdrawal” under Actions and Status for the appropriate course. No refund is given and your transcript will have a withdrawal (WD) notification.

The refund policy and the policy for withdrawing from special events are detailed in “Refunds,” below.

Refunds are based on tuition only, and are calculated according to the date the drop from a course is initiated. Failure to complete a course does not constitute an official drop or withdrawal, nor does notification of drop or withdrawal to the instructor. There is a $20 fee per course for all drops. Special fees are not refundable after the first class.

In some cases, an instructor may determine that a student has not successfully met prerequisites and recommend an alternative course of study. If notice of this recommended withdrawal is provided to the student in writing on the date of the first class session, the student should contact CE immediately to receive a full refund.

Refunds may take up to two weeks depending on the form of payment; most refunds are processed within five business days. Refunds of MasterCard or VISA charges are credited to the account that was charged. We do not retain credit card information; therefore, we may need to request your credit card information again in order to issue you a refund.

For classes starting on or after June 20, 2023, the refund policy (below) is applicable:

In-person and online courses meeting 4 weeks/4 sessions or greater
Withdrawal notification received in the RISD CE Office dated:
Before 12 am ET on the course start date: 100% refund, minus $20
Before the second week: 60% refund, minus $20
Before the third week: 30% refund, minus $20
After the start of the third week: no refund

In-person and online courses 3 weeks/3 sessions or shorter
Withdrawal notification received in the RISD CE office dated:
5 days before the course start date: 100% refund, minus $20
4 or fewer days before the course start date: no refund

In-person kids and teen classes and camps that meet for three (3) or more consecutive days (half and/or full days)
Withdrawal notification received in the RISD CE Office dated:
14 or more days before the course start date: 100% refund, minus $20
7-13 days before the course start date: 50% refund, minus $20
Less than 7 days before the course start date: no refund

Advanced Program Online
Withdrawal notification received in the RISD CE Office dated:
14 or more days before the course start date: 100% refund, minus $20
7-13 days before the course start date: 50% refund, minus $20
Less than 7 days before the course start date: no refund

Privacy Policy

RISD Continuing Education has created this comprehensive Privacy Policy to provide transparency into the types of data we collect, systems and services we use, as well as to prioritize the privacy of those who visit and engage with our various websites, registration systems, social media channels and email communications.

Certain websites within the RISD CE digital ecosystem, such as our registration system, student information system, email services and social media channels, request certain personal information from our users. This is done to effectively communicate with our various community members, provide timely student resources and complete various business transactions.

RISD CE is deeply committed to protecting consumer and user privacy when handling sensitive personal information. Our practices surrounding the collection, use, maintenance and protection of this information and data is as follows.

When completing various transactions on our website, you may be asked to enter information that personally identifies you, or that will permit us to contact you, register you for a class, deliver digital advertisements or physically deliver various marketing collateral.

When registering for a class on our website and registration system, you may be asked to provide your name, address, email address, birthdate, telephone number, credit card account information, as well as additional information. Your credit card information will be transmitted directly to a third-party company, via a secure connection, to process your credit card sale.

Your name and contact information will be retained by this site for the purposes of registering you for a class, communicating with you about future classes, as well as sending you informational and promotional messages, advertisements and mailings.

We use your information to process registration transactions and communicate with you based on your preferences and interests. Like many companies and services that accept payment by credit card, RISD CE may share personal information with our qualified third-party vendors in order to process your registration.

RISD CE will disclose your personal information with others, without notice, only if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served to RISD CE or this website or (b) protect or defend the rights, property or safety of RISD CE, its customers, and others.

RISD CE uses various email services and inquiry forms such as Constant Contact, Gmail and Mailchimp to manage email list subscriptions, disseminate promotional updates and send informational messages to our various audiences. Please review Constant Contact’s Privacy Policy, Google’s Privacy Policy and Mailchimp’s Privacy Policy. All email services utilized by RISD CE contain an “unsubscribe” feature at the bottom of each email you receive, which you can use if you wish to discontinue receiving email communications.

Website Cookies
RISD CE gathers information about website visitors in an effort to provide information and better communicate with prospective students, current students, instructors, staff and other members of the global CE community. We do this through the use of cookies.

Cookies are small files created by a website and stored on a user’s computer in order to allow the website to recognize and provide appropriate information to users; Rhode Island School of Design uses cookies to store your preferences and history on its sites.

There is no legal requirement for you to provide information when you visit our site. If you wish, cookies may be cleared or disabled through adjustment settings on your browser. If you choose to disable cookies, however, some site functions may not operate correctly.

Google Analytics
RISD CE uses Google Analytics to collect information about the use of our various websites. Google Analytics is a free service that helps marketing professionals understand how people use websites and apps, so actions can be taken to improve the user experience.

Google collects the IP address assigned to the user, rather than your actual name or other personal information; therefore the data is anonymized. You can disable Google Analytics from capturing your data by disabling the cookies on your web browser. Please review Google’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Remarketing and Audience Targeting
RISD CE uses Facebook, LinkedIn and Google Ads to remarket to users who visit our various websites, and use core, custom and lookalike audiences on these services. If you wish, cookies may be cleared or disabled through adjustment settings on your browser. If you choose to disable cookies, however, some site functions may not operate correctly. Please review Google’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Please review Facebook’s Audience Targeting, Terms of Service and Data Policy.

When you give us personal information, RISD CE will not share the information with third parties without your permission, other than for the limited exceptions already listed. Your personal information will be used only for the purposes stated above.

RISD CE uses commercially reasonable measures to protect the security of your personal information and to protect your data from loss, misuse, unauthorized access or disclosure, alteration or unnecessary destruction.

You have the right in certain circumstances to (1) access your personal information; (2) correct or erase information; (3) restrict processing; and (4) object to communications, direct marketing, or profiling. To the extent applicable, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation provides further information about your rights. You also have the right to lodge complaints with your national or regional data protection authority.

If you are inclined to exercise these rights, we request an opportunity to discuss with you any concerns you may have at privacy@risd.edu. To protect the personal information we hold, we may also request further information to verify your identity when exercising these rights. Upon a request to erase information, we will maintain a core set of personal data to ensure we do not contact you inadvertently in the future, as well as any information necessary for RISD archival purposes. We may also need to retain some financial information for legal purposes, including US IRS compliance. In the event of an actual or threatened legal claim, we may retain your information for purposes of establishing, defending against or exercising our rights with respect to such claim.

If you provide information directly to RISD from the European Economic Area (EEA), you consent to the transfer of your personal information outside of the EEA to the United States. You understand that the current laws and regulations of the United States may not provide the same level of protection as the data and privacy laws and regulations of the EEA.

You are under no statutory or contractual obligation to provide any personal data to us (other than personal data provided in connection with your status as an RISD student).

While RISD CE exercises care and implements security measures to protect your personal information, it cannot guarantee against, and does not accept liability for, persons and entities who access information from this site through unlawful or unethical means. We reserve the right to change this page at our discretion from time to time.