3. Academic Policies and Information

3.1 General Expectation of Baylor Students

Under the Student Conduct Code, all Baylor students are expected to obey the laws of the United States, the State of Texas, and municipalities, or, if studying abroad, the laws of other countries.  Students are also expected to obey the rules, regulations, and policies established by Baylor University including those found in the Honor Code, the Student Conduct Code, and the Sexual and Gender Based Harassment and Interpersonal Violence Policy (the Title IX Policy).  These expectations apply to all persons taking courses at or through the University, either full-time or part-time, pursuing undergraduate, graduate, or professional studies.  Persons who are not officially enrolled for a particular term at the University but who have a continuing relationship with the University or who have been notified of their acceptance for admission will also be held to these standards.

Each student is responsible for learning about and adhering to the Baylor University Student Conduct Code, Honor Code, and Title IX Policy. The Division of Student Life attempts to ensure that the Student Conduct Code and Honor Code are communicated to all students through various means. The Title IX Office provides education and training to all students regarding the Title IX Policy.  However, the student is responsible to the University for their conduct that violates University policies.  The Student Conduct Code, Honor Code, and Title IX Policy apply from the time that a person is notified of their acceptance for admission to the University through their receipt of a diploma or other credential.  Moreover, should a student witness a violation of University policies on the part of other students, the student is responsible for reporting that violation to an appropriate University official (e.g., Judicial Affairs administrators, Office of Academic Integrity administrator, Campus Living and Learning staff, Baylor University Police Department, Title IX Office, etc.).

3.2 Professional Conduct

In keeping with Baylor University’s commitment to mutual respect and personal integrity, the Graduate School and the School of Music expect that all students will conduct themselves in a manner fitting their professional identity.  This includes personal conduct towards faculty, staff, peers, and colleagues both on and off campus.  Failure to display professional conduct may result in disciplinary action, including dismissal from the graduate program.

3.3 E-mail Communication to Students

Baylor University may send official University correspondence to a student via e-mail, using the e-mail address assigned by Baylor.  Each Baylor student is personally responsible for checking their e-mail on a regular and recurring basis for receipt of official University correspondence.  School of Music faculty and staff routinely send important correspondence to students through their Baylor e-mail accounts, and students will be held accountable for problems arising from failure to check their Baylor e-mail.

3.4 Credit Load for Graduate Students

To be classified as a full-time student in music, a graduate student must carry a minimum of six graduate-level academic credits, plus be enrolled in one or more ensembles, unless a student is exempt from the ensemble requirement due to their major (see section 4.2.)  Please be aware that the Federal government, the Graduate School, some scholarship funds, and some loan companies consider nine (9) hours to be full time.  International students must enroll in nine hours every semester except their last.  M.M. students enrolled in thesis credits and Ph.D. students enrolled in dissertation credits are considered full-time students.

The maximum number of semester hours for which master’s students may register in a semester of the regular academic year is sixteen (16). The maximum course load for doctoral students is twelve (12) semester hours.  No more than eight (8) semester hours may be taken in either of the two summer sessions.  Graduate assistants are discouraged from taking the maximum course load.

3.5 Grading System and Effect

Passing grades for graduate students are A, A-, B+, B, B- C+, and C.  If a C- or lower grade is earned in a required course, the student must repeat the same course at Baylor and make a grade of C or better to meet the degree requirements for graduation; the C- or lower will not apply toward the total number of hours for program completion, but will calculate in the student’s grade-point average (GPA).

3.6 Grade-Point Average and Probation

Any student who is admitted to the Graduate School on probation must maintain a 3.0 (B) overall grade-point average (GPA) during the first nine semester hours of graduate course work.  Failure to do so will result in notification of dismissal by the Graduate School.  Students are automatically removed from probation upon completion of the first nine semester hours of graduate-level course work if an overall 3.0 GPA is attained.

Any fully admitted student whose overall GPA falls below a 3.0 (B) average during any semester will be placed on probation for the next nine (9) semester hours of graduate course work.  During the probationary period the student must restore the overall average to a 3.0 (B) or higher.  Failure to do so will result in dismissal by the Graduate School.  Graduate Assistants and Graduate Student Employees who are placed on probation are not eligible to retain those positions and will lose their stipend and tuition scholarship.  Similarly, any graduate student on a Graduate School tuition remission scholarship will lose the scholarship if placed on probation.

3.7 Incompletes

The grade of “I” (incomplete) may be given only where the completed portion of work in the course is of passing quality.  It is the student’s responsibility to complete the course requirements and to see that the incomplete grade is removed from the record.  All incompletes must be removed before the Oral Examination date can be established. A student may not graduate with an “I” (incomplete) on their transcript.  The incomplete grade will change to an “F” when the student reaches their time limit for degree completion, is certified to graduate, or withdraws from the program.  The only exception is dissertation (6V99) or thesis (5V99).  The instructor of record for the course may require the student to complete the course and remove the incomplete at any time prior to the Graduate School deadline as stated above.

3.8 Attendance Policy

School of Music policy requires that to earn credit in a course a student must be officially enrolled by the end of the second full week of the semester and attend at least 75% of all class meetings. Faculty members may establish additional attendance requirements as outlined in course syllabus. Any student who is not present for at least 75% of the scheduled class sessions for any course will automatically receive a grade of “F” in the course. Any University-related activity necessitating an absence from class will count as an absence when determining whether a student has attended the required 75% of class meetings.

3.9 Transfer Credit toward the M.M. and Doctoral Degrees

The School of Music will accept transfer credit from other institutions towards the Master of Music degree or doctoral degrees.  Transfer of credit occurs after enrollment in the Graduate School and must be approved by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in consultation with appropriate faculty members, and by petition with appropriate documentation of transcripts to the Graduate School for approval.  All transfer courses must be approved by the Graduate School.

Credit towards the Master of Music degree transferred from other universities shall be allowed subject to the following provisions:

1. 25% of the required Baylor coursework (excluding internships, practica, recitals, and theses) may be petitioned for transfer,
2. coursework must be from an accredited university,
3. coursework must have been taken no more than 5 years prior to matriculation,
4. coursework must carry a grade of “B” or better,
5. the total number of transferred credits may not exceed 7 hours in M.M. programs, 12 semester hours for doctoral students in the School of Music.

3.10 Course Numbering for Graduate Credit

Courses numbered 5000 and above are limited to graduate students.  Selected courses numbered 4000-4V99 are open to master’s students for graduate credit. Graduate credit will not be allowed for courses numbered below 4000.  Courses numbered 6000 and above are limited to doctoral students.  The second number in the course number indicates how many hours of credit the student will earn upon successful completion of the course (i.e., MUS 5320 carries 3 hours of credit; MUS 5170 1 hour). 

3.11 Summer Applied Lessons

Applied music courses are open in summer sessions to M.M., M.Div./M.M., D.M.A., or Ph.D. students only in their primary applied concentration and only with the approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

3.12 Style Manual

The style manual for papers, documents, and theses in all disciplines is Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 9th edition (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2018).

3.13 Guidelines for Theses and Dissertations

The thesis serves as the capstone of the M.M. programs in Musicology and Music Theory and the Thesis Concentration of the M.M. and M.Div./M.M. in Church Music.  A dissertation serves as the capstone of the Ph.D. in Church Music.  The student conducts independent research and presents their findings in a well-written, scholarly document.   For more information about formulating a thesis prospectus, see Appendix J.  All theses and dissertations must follow Baylor University Graduate School’s guidelines and deadlines.  It is essential that students consult the Graduate School’s website:  https://www.baylor.edu/graduate/index.php?id=958619