COVID-19 Policy Adjustments (2020-2021)

Examinations and Goals in Performance

To compare to usual policy, please see "Examinations and Goals in Performance" under Regulations and Procedures in this bulletin.

Level of Achievement

Each student taking performance courses must make satisfactory progress each semester as determined by the various examinations in performance.

Upper-Division Examination

The purpose of the upper-division examination is to assess the undergraduate student’s general progress and to determine continuation in the chosen curriculum. The postponed spring 2020 upper-division examination will be administered in the fourth, fifth, or sixth week of the fall 2020 semester, at the discretion of the department administering the examination. The examination is administered, usually in the last week of classes, at the end of the fourth semester of study or, for transfer students, at the end of a semester to be determined by the instructor/department. Fall 2020 upper-division examinations will take place during the 13th week of the semester. Students who have a valid reason to postpone the examination may petition the director of undergraduate studies of the Jacobs School of Music. The examination should not be postponed past the time when an estimated four semesters of degree work remain to be completed.

A committee composed of the student’s major department faculty members (in some cases including a Jacobs School of Music administrator) administers the examination and makes recommendations for the student’s junior and senior years of study. A written report of the committee’s comments is compiled in the Office of Undergraduate Studies and furnished to the student after the upper-division examination.

Bachelor of Music Education and Composition majors (Option 1) have a departmental examination in addition to the performance portion of the examination. Audio Engineering and Sound Production majors have only a departmental examination.

Grades will not be given for the upper-division examination. The outcome of the exam (approve, rehear, or deny) will be reported to the student along with the committee’s written comments.

Other Examinations in Music Performance Courses

The student should consult the relevant performance faculty for specific information on the scheduling of examinations, the constitution of the hearing committee, and grading procedures. Examinations by a committee composed of the student’s teacher and two other members usually are held as outlined below. Juries may be waived at the discretion of the department.

BM majors in performance: freshman jury at the end of fall semester of the first year for all performance areas except piano, string, and woodwind majors, who have their juries at the end of the spring semester of the first year. The upper-division examination and junior and senior recital hearings constitute examinations for second, third, and fourth years.

BME concentrations, BS concentrations, and BM composition and jazz studies majors: freshman jury at the end of spring semester of the first year. The upper-division examination and the senior recital constitute examinations for the second and fourth years.

Non-music majors in elective performance (undergraduates and graduates): each semester of enrollment.

Music majors enrolled in 100-, 700-, or 800-level performance study: each semester of enrollment, or as determined by the department.

Master’s degree majors: no examinations (graduate recital only).

It is the prerogative of the teacher to ask for a committee examination of any student who is making doubtful progress in the curriculum.

Academic Bulletins

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Previous Bulletins

Students are ordinarily subject to the curricular requirements outlined in the Bulletin in effect at the start of their current degree. See below for links to previous Bulletins.