Grading System and Regulations
Grading System
Letter grades are given for private lessons, class work, ensembles, juries, and recitals. For the purposes of assessing academic progress, letter grades are assigned grade points as follows:
| A | 4.00 | C+ | 2.33 |
| A– | 3.67 | C | 2.00 |
| B+ | 3.33 | C– | 1.67 |
| B | 3.00 | D | 1.00 |
| B– | 2.67 | F | 0.00 |
No grade points are assigned for the following non-credit designations:
| AU | Audit |
| I | Incomplete |
| IP | In Progress |
| W | Withdrawn |
Audit, Incomplete, and Withdrawn are permanent grades. For each of these grades, the student receives no credit. The grade of In Progress is temporary and will resolve to a permanent grade before the end of the next regular semester.
Grade point averages (GPA) are computed each semester and reported as term and cumulative GPA. A GPA is determined by multiplying the grade points for each earned grade by the number of credits for the course; the product is called the number of quality points. For example, a B– in a three-credit course earns 8.01 quality points (2.67 x 3 credits). A GPA is the total number of quality points divided by the total number of attempted credits.
Some classes are not assigned letter grades and are therefore not calculated in a GPA. Such classes include Artist Diploma recitals, portfolios, dissertations, graduate review courses, remedial undergraduate courses, English as a Second Language courses. These classes are graded as follows:
| NCR | No Credit |
| P | Passing |
Incomplete Grades
A grade of IP (In Progress) may be given if, for reasons deemed by the instructor to be sufficiently warranted, a student whose work has been satisfactory is not able to complete the course requirements by the end of the semester. Grades of IP must be requested before the end of the semester by the student and approved by the instructor.
The grade of IP for a jury or graduate hearing is granted only for reasons of illness or injury. Students requesting the grade of IP for a jury or graduate hearing must provide appropriate medical documentation to the Office of Academic Affairs.
A grade of IP that is not satisfied by the student within the first four weeks of the succeeding semester will automatically be changed to F on the student's permanent record. Students receiving an IP in any course are not eligible for the Dean's List for that semester.
Grade Appeals
Students should feel welcome to make respectful inquires about the calculation of their grade. If a student disputes a recorded grade, the student can appeal the grade. A grade should be appealed in direct communication with the instructor. If the matter cannot be resolved with the instructor, the student may take his or her appeal to the Chair of the Department. If the matter cannot be resolved with the chair, the student may take his or her appeal to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for a final decision. Neither the Chair nor the Associate Dean should consider a student appeal until the student has made an effort to resolve the matter with the instructor.
Grade Changes
Student grades are only changed at the request of the course instructor to resolve an IP grade or to correct an error in grading. The instructor should request a change of grade by contacting the Conservatory Registrar, who will confer with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Changes of grade should be requested and addressed promptly. Absent extraordinary circumstances – which would require broader consultation with the Conservatory leadership – no grade should be changed after 18 months of being posted to the student record.
