ACADEMIC ADVISING
An academic advisor will be assigned to all new students enrolled in the Bachelor of Music degree program. The advisors, who are members of the liberal arts faculty, will be available throughout the year to serve as mentors and to offer academic support to students. The director of student services serves as advisor to all
younger students and coordinates external academic classes.
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ACADEMIC CALENDAR
All accepted students are enrolled for an entire academic year consisting of the nine-month period from September to May. (See the Academic Calendar.)

Curtis does not offer programs or other courses of study during June, July, or August.
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
Excellence is as important in the classroom as it is on the stage or in the studio. The Curtis Institute of Music requires academic honesty and expects personal integrity and responsibility in all areas of conduct. (See the “Current Students” area on the Curtis website, www.curtis.edu, for the complete Academic Honesty Policy.)
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ATTENDANCE
Students are required to attend and be on time for all private lessons, coachings, ensemble classes, academic classes, and opera and orchestra rehearsals scheduled by Curtis.

In addition students must adhere to the attendance policies outlined by their individual instructors for each class. Late students may be refused admittance, and credit for attendance when late will be granted at the teacher’s discretion.

Students unable to attend a private lesson, coaching, or ensemble class because of illness or other circumstance must telephone the registrar (215-893-5257) by 9 a.m. that day. Curtis reserves the right to request a doctor's excuse for extended illnesses or after multiple absences. Unauthorized absences from ensemble classes or orchestra rehearsals may result in denial of a Release Request of any kind and a grade of F for the semester. (Release request procedures are outlined in detail in the Information for Students area.) Excessive unexcused absences from any class may be cause for dismissal.
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ATTIRE
All students should own concert attire (long black dress or full-length skirt and top with sleeves for women; tuxedo or dark suit and both long black tie and black bow tie for men).

At all times during their enrollment at Curtis, students are expected to dress in attire appropriate to their positions as students and performers.
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CREDIT BY EXAMINATION
Students may meet requirements in musical studies and supplementary performance subjects by examination. Credit for Advanced Placement Examinations may be given in certain liberal arts subjects. For additional information, consult the dean or the chair of the Liberal Arts Department; to reach them by telephone, call 215-893-5252.

Curtis will give credit for liberal arts and music history courses taken at an accredited college, university, or music school earned either before admission or during the period of enrollment. Curtis, however, reserves the privilege of examining all candidates before granting the transfer of credits. Any transfer courses taken at another institution during the student’s period of enrollment at Curtis must have a grade of C or better, as well as the prior approval of the dean. In general Curtis does not accept online courses for transfer credit. Please consult the Registrar's Office for further information.

Transfer students may receive credit for up to twenty-seven semester hours in liberal arts subjects. Students with a previous undergraduate degree must take a minimum of fifteen semester hours in liberal arts subjects at Curtis to receive a Bachelor of Music degree from the Institute.
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DROPPING AND ADDING COURSES
Courses may be added only during the first two weeks of each semester.

Courses may be dropped during the first four weeks of the semester without appearing on the student’s transcript. Students who drop a course after the second week of classes may not add one in its place.

Students who drop a course between the fifth and eighth week of classes will receive a W/F (Withdraw/Fail). After eight weeks the mark will be F. If there are extenuating circumstances, a student may submit to the registrar a written petition to have the grade changed.

The petition will be reviewed by the appropriate staff members, and, if approved, a W/P (Withdraw/Pass) for the course will appear on the student’s transcript.
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GRADE OF INCOMPLETE
No grade of Incomplete will be given unless approved by both the dean and the instructor of the course. The student must make the request in writing to the dean before the end of the semester in which the course is being taken. For those courses in which a grade of Incomplete is received, course work must be completed within four weeks of the end of the semester and a grade submitted to the registrar. Otherwise, a permanent grade of F for that course will be recorded on the student’s transcript.
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RELEASE OF TRANSCRIPTS
Students must make all requests for transcripts in writing to the registrar. Official transcripts will be released directly to outside agencies only after the registrar receives a written request from the student.

Current students are entitled to three official transcripts each year without charge. Additional transcripts will be sent for $5 each. Alumni will be charged $5 for each transcript released. Written requests must include a check made payable to the Curtis Institute of Music.

The Curtis Institute of Music adheres to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
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SCHEDULING
Throughout the school year, students will have performances, rehearsals, and other institutional obligations on weekday evenings, as well as on Saturdays and Sundays. Examples include orchestra rehearsals, lessons subject to the availability of teachers, and opera rehearsals.
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SCHOLASTIC STANDING
Students are on probation during the entire period of their enrollment at Curtis. Students are expected to progress according to the standards of the faculty and to adhere to the rules of the Curtis Institute of Music.

Students in the Bachelor of Music program must maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average in musical studies and liberal arts subjects. International students must maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average in all academic subjects.
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GRADING SYSTEM

Grade	GPA points
A+	4.0
A	4.0
A-	3.7
B+	3.3
B	3.0
B-	2.7
C+	2.3
C	2.0
C-	1.7
D+	1.3
D	1.0
F	0.0

Grading Key
A	Excellent
B	Good
C	Average
D	Passing
D-	Conditional: First semester only
F	Failure
AUD	Audit
INC	Incomplete
P	Pass (indicates that no grades were given in the course, but that the student has received credit for attendance)
W/F	Withdraw/Fail
W/P	Withdraw/Pass

Courses accepted as transfer credits and through exemption exams count toward the total number of credits for graduation but are not included in GPA calculations.

One semester-hour represents fifteen clock-hours of class time for academic courses. In musical studies courses, students who receive a D first semester and an F second semester must repeat both semesters of the course.

In both musical studies and liberal arts courses, D– is a temporary first-semester grade. The D– will be changed to an F if the student fails second semester; D– will be changed to a D should the student receive a passing grade for second semester.
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SECURITY POLICIES
All institutions of higher education in the state of Pennsylvania are required by federal and state law to publish and distribute annually a Security Information Report, which includes crime statistics and security policies and procedures. Upon request, the Curtis Institute of Music will provide a copy of this report to any applicant for admission.
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STUDENT INFORMATION RESOURCES
Additional rules and regulations of The Curtis Institute of Music are outlined in the Current Students area of the Curtis website, which will be reviewed in detail at Orientation, and to which all students have access through the Internet Access Center in the library, computer studio, and student lounge. Students may be dropped at any time for failure to adhere to the rules of Curtis as stated in the Policies & Procedures area of the Curtis website.
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