Why Otis?

A leader in art and design education for over 100 years.

Otis College educates a diverse community of students to become highly skilled, well-informed, and responsible professionals -- empowering them to shape the world. Ideally situated within Los Angeles, our distinguished programs and instructors transform students’ lives through rigorous practice that nurtures and propels their creativity, skill, vision, and critical thinking.

Why Otis?

A leader in art and design education for over 100 years.

Otis College educates a diverse community of students to become highly skilled, well-informed, and responsible professionals -- empowering them to shape the world. Ideally situated within Los Angeles, our distinguished programs and instructors transform students’ lives through rigorous practice that nurtures and propels their creativity, skill, vision, and critical thinking.

Extension FAQ

 

Registration for the Spring 2024 Term will open on Thursday, December 14, 2023. Courses will begin during the first two weeks of February and end on April 28, 2024.

 

Students can register and pay online by visiting the Courses section of the Extension Catalog. Course costs are listed with each course description. Students must be registered in a course before the start of the second class session. Students not enrolled by the start of the second class session may not attend class.

 

You may take care of most registration business (enroll, add, drop, transfer or change credit status) through the Student Portal.

 

Early enrollment is advised.

 

For questions or concerns, please contact Extension Registration at extreg@otis.edu or 310.665.6850.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Students are notified of their certificate application results three times per year according to the following dates:

  • Between 12/14/23 - 2/10/24 for Spring 2024 start
  • Between 4/11/24 - 6/1/24 for Summer 2024 start
  • Between 8/1/24 - 9/21/24 for Fall 2024 start

Yes, students can complete all certificates remotely through our online course options. 

If you have general questions regarding Otis Extension courses, please contact the Otis Extension office at 310-665-6850 or extension@otis.edu

If you would like information about an Otis Extension certificate program, or are an existing certificate student seeking advising, you may make an appointment with an Otis Extension Counselor here. 

 

Otis College Extension is unable to issue an I-20, which allows international students to secure their F-1 Student Visa.  

 

If a student is already here in the US and has a visa that allows them to study in the US, we would be happy to have them take part in the program.  

 

For example, if a student has an active I-20 (and F-1 visa) from an Otis BFA/MFA programs or any other school, they can enroll in and take those classes for college or certificate credit with approval from the school that issued the I-20. If a student is interested in the 4-year Bachelor’s degree program, please reach out to admissions@otis.edu for more information about the BFA program and application process.  

 

For online courses, since students are not required to be in the U.S. or on campus they can take them without an I-20 and visa. But if they take any amount of on campus classes they will need to have a visa that allows them to study in the U.S. 

 

If you are a certificate student and would like to request an independent study or final portfolio class, please complete the Independent Study / Final Portfolio Request form.

Independent study courses are created to ensure that certificate students can stay on track with their program progress. We do not guarantee the approval of any independent study request. Please review the guidelines outlined on the form before submitting your request.

Certificate students who wish to waive a required course(s) may submit materials here for evaluation. Students will be notified of the evaluation results in 7-10 business days. 

Please review the Certificate Course Waive Policy in advance of requesting an evaluation. In the event that a course is waived, it must be replaced by an elective to ensure that the prescribed number of courses have been satisfied at Otis College.

Upon completion of all required courses, please complete the Petition for Certificate Completion form

Petitions will be reviewed by the department according to the following timelines:

  • Submit your petition by December 15th to receive my certificate by June 15th
  • Submit your petition by June 15th to receive my certificate by December 15th

 

To request an unofficial transcript, please email extension@otis.edu. To request an official transcript, visit this transcript link.

If your Extension class takes place on-campus, the Otis College campus address is 9045 Lincoln Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045.

You will receive the classroom location details in your course confirmation email sent by Otis Extension within 1-2 days of the course start date.

A map of the campus is located here.

 

Otis Extension provides free parking for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Instructions for applying for and picking up a parking placard to hang from your car’s rear view mirror can be found here. Extension students first visiting campus who don’t have their parking placard yet will need to obtain a printable Visitor Parking pass, which you can apply for at this link.

Parking is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The parking structure is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, however, a valid Otis parking pass or identification is required to enter the parking structure from 11:00 p..m to 6:00 a.m. Otis College is not responsible for any theft, vandalism, or damage to vehicles or persons who park on-campus. More information about parking guidelines, restrictions, and reasons for citation can be found here.

Otis Extension students who require access to campus should apply for an Otis OneCard, which provides quick and convenient service on-campus and is your multi-purpose ID card. For more information, please visit this link.

Newly registered Extension students can obtain their OneCard by signing the OneCard Agreement here. More information will be emailed to students once they submit the form.

Extension students can pick up their OneCard from the Office of Campus Safety and Security after signing the OneCard Agreement and when they come onto campus. The Office of Campus Safety and Security is open 24 hours a day. The office is located in Room 170 of the Academic Building; you can find a detailed campus map here. You must provide a government-issued photo ID in order to receive your OneCard. 

If your Extension class takes place online, you can access connection details (including Zoom and Nest links) in your Student Portal under My Current Courses

  • Student Portal: The Student Portal provides all the information you will need to know about your course(s) including materials list, classroom details, online resource links, etc. Be sure to check your Student Portal regularly for course updates and changes.
  • The Nest: All certificate and college credit courses run using The Nest, which is an online Learning Management System (LMS). We have created a login guide for accessing and using The Nest, which includes a Student Overview video, and step-by-step instructions. Please review the login guide in advance of your coursework.

If you are an Otis Alumni who would like to enroll in an Alumni Project Workshop, please complete the Alumnx Project Workshop Request form.

The Alumni Project Workshop is open to all Otis Alumni (BFA/MFA Alumni and qualifying Extension Students) who have taken 2 courses in the same discipline as their desired workshop. Students will be considered upon approval of the workshop by Faculty/Liaison. Students must have intermediate-level knowledge of the shop/lab. If selected, a notification will be issued within 2 weeks of application.

Note(s):

  • Tuition for Alumni Project Workshops is a fixed $300 Tuition Rate; No discounts apply.
  • Students must pay for the tuition fee no later than one (1) week past the application deadline. Otherwise, students will automatically be dropped from the workshop.

Yes, Otis College of Art and Design is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission, and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Otis Extension invites prospective instructors to contact extension@otis.edu if they would like to be considered for teaching. Please submit a resume, cover letter, and links to relevant portfolio work.

Alternatively, the department welcomes new course proposals through the submission of a Proposal for New Course form. Proposals will be reviewed by the department according to the following timeline:

  • By March 1 > reviewed by March 15 for summer consideration
  • By June 15 > reviewed by July 1 for fall consideration
  • By November 1 > reviewed by November 15 for spring consideration

You can find Otis College's DEI Statement here.