04.13 Progress towards degree completion
04.13.01 Minimum standards for satisfactory academic progress
Each undergraduate student must make satisfactory progress in their degree study in order to maintain good standing at the School. To this end, each student?s academic progress is reviewed at the end of the fall and spring semesters by the Academic Progress Committee (comprised of the Dean of Academic Affairs, the Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs, the Registrar, and the Director of Financial Aid).
In addition to the following benchmarks, the minimum standard for satisfactory academic progress for a Bachelor of Music degree student requires that students maintain a minimum current and cumulative grade point average or 2.0 over a full-time courseload (12 credits) in any given semester.
- At the end of the second semester of study, the student must meet all minimum requirements for sophomore standing which includes satisfactory completion of:
- Two semesters of full-time study
- At least 24 credits towards stated degree requirements through earned credit, placement by Eastman examination, or transfer credit
- Freshman Jury
- At the end of the fourth semester of study, the student must meet all minimum requirements for junior standing which includes satisfactory completion of:
- Four semesters of full-time study
- At least 60 credits towards stated degree requirements through earned credit, placement by Eastman examination, or transfer credit.
- Sophomore jury, as well as a sophomore review for music education and composition students
- At the end of the sixth semester of study, the student must meet all minimum requirements for senior standing which includes satisfactory completion of:
- Six semesters of full-time study
- o At least 84 credits towards stated degree requirements through earned credit, placement by Eastman examination, or transfer credit
- Junior jury
- At the end of the eighth semester of study, the student should have completed all degree requirements, which includes the satisfactory completion of:
- Eight semesters of full-time-study
- All stated degree requirements on the advising worksheet, with a minimum of 120 credits.
- Senior recital, if required
These satisfactory academic progress benchmarks do not apply to:
- students who transfer to Eastman from another college or university. Benchmarks for these students will be established once their initial class-year placement is determined and transfer credit is evaluated;
- dual degree students who will earn their degree in more than eight semesters. Because combined degree requirements vary greatly, progress for these students will be monitored on a case-by-case basis;
- students approved to participate in the following special programs: FORTE, Take 5, or KEY.
Students who do not maintain satisfactory progress may face sanctions as described below. Typically, students will be notified in writing should there be any concerns regarding their progress in their programs of study. In addition to, or in lieu of, being placed on probation, a student?s class year may be changed if one or more of the following applies:
- Insufficient course credit to graduate in eight semesters
- Failure to register for the appropriate courses
- Been inactive for one or more semesters
- Failed a required course that must be repeated
04.13.03.02 Music education probation
Students who major in music education are required to maintain an overall GPA of 3.0. In addition, the required minimum grade in all music education courses (courses with an MUE label) is B- or 2.7. If a student does not earn this minimum grade in a music education course, he/she will be required to re-take the course. Reviews of GPA will take place at the end of each semester by music education faculty. One semester of probationary status in the music education major may be given to bring the GPA into compliance.
Students must successfully complete all components of the sophomore review, or else they will be placed on departmental probation. They must demonstrate sufficient progress in the following semester in order to regain good standing in the major. In extreme cases where the student does not earn the minimum standard requirements in their attempt of the sophomore review, the student may be dismissed from the music education major. (rev. 1/22/09)
04.13.03.01 Jury probation
A student may be placed on jury probation as the result of an unsatisfactory performance jury or an applied semester grade of "C" or lower. Jury probation carries no financial penalty, but the probationary status must be removed within one semester or the student will be dismissed from the performance major or the School. Jury probation resulting from an unsatisfactory performance jury will be recorded as a grade of "incomplete" for the semester and may cause the delay of the student's advancement in class year or reassignment of graduate date.
04.13.03 Departmental probations
In addition to the minimum standards of academic progress listed above, students must also meet the expectations for good standing in their major, as defined by the major department. Students who are placed on one of the following departmental probations are only permitted one probationary semester to rectify their situation; if they are not able to do so, they will be dismissed from the major and/or their degree studies at the School.
04.13.02 Probation
Students who do not meet the minimum standards for satisfactory academic progress as defined above will be placed on probation. Students on probation (and their parents) will be notified in writing by the Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs of the requirements which must be satisfied to remove themselves from probation.
Any of the following circumstances will cause a student to be placed on probation:
- A current or cumulative GPA below 2.0
- Failure to complete at least 12 credits of coursework in a given semester
- A course failure as the result of an academic integrity infraction
Students on probation will face a financial penalty; they may lose some or all of any institutional merit scholarship they may be receiving from the School (see 4.13.06 Impact of academic standing on merit-based aid). Students cannot be on probation for more than two consecutive semesters, or else they risk suspension or dismissal from their studies at the School.
04.13.04 Suspension
In cases where it is evident a student is not making sufficient progress in their degree study or whose progress is impeded by failed required coursework, or where he/she has not been able to remove him/herself from a second probationary status as required by the Office of Academic Affairs, the student will be suspended from his/her studies at the Eastman School of Music for a minimum term of one full semester. The terms and conditions of the suspension will be defined in a written letter to the student, and each of these must be met by the student before the School will consider their re-instatement to full-time matriculated study. These terms may include (but are not limited to) completion of 12 credits of academic coursework at another institution with minimum grade expectations, as well as a re-audition on his/her applied instrument.
04.13.05 Dismissal
In cases where it is evident a student is not able to demonstrate the minimum expected standard of performance in his/her studies at the School, or has not been able to remove him/herself from a final probationary status as required by the Office of Academic Affairs, the student will be dismissed from his/her studies at the Eastman School of Music. Once a student has been dismissed from his/her studies at the School, he/she will not be permitted to re-apply for future undergraduate study at the School. Under extreme circumstances, this may extend to graduate study as well.
04.13.06 Impact of academic standing on merit-based aid
A cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 3.0 by the end of the first year of study is required to maintain full merit-based financial aid. Failure to maintain a 3.0 CGPA by the end of the first year of study, or any subsequent semester, will result in a loss of a minimum of $500 of any merit scholarship. If a student is placed on probation, a merit scholarship will normally be reduced by a total of $1,000 for the first semester of probation, and $1,500 for the second semester of probation. This financial penalty also applies to probation resulting from a violation of academic integrity.
In more serious cases, the Eastman School reserves the right to remove a student's entire merit scholarship award. Need-based scholarships are not affected by these academic or performance standards, but may be subject to federal and state requirements.
04.13.03.03 Theory probation
A student who has failed two courses within the core undergraduate sequence will have probationary status for the remainder of their degree study. This probation carries no financial penalty, but the student must pass every remaining course in the core undergraduate sequence until graduation. Should a student fail a third theory/aural musicianship course, this will be considered unsatisfactory progress towards degree completion and may lead to dismissal from the School.
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