General Academic Policies

Statutes of Limitation

The statutes of limitation for the various programs offered by CIM are as follows:

• Undergraduate programs: 12 consecutive regular semesters
• Master of Music: 6 consecutive regular semesters
• Graduate Diploma: 6 consecutive regular semesters
• Artist Diploma: 6 consecutive regular semesters
• Doctor of Musical Arts: 12 consecutive regular semesters, at quality levels not warranting academic probation.

Continuous enrollment is mandatory, unless an official Leave of Absence has been granted.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all class sessions beginning with and including the first class session. Students must have begun attendance, with documentation, in their classes in order to meet the eligibility requirements for financial-aid disbursement. As it is CIM policy for all students to be present and in attendance no later than the end of the first week of classes, this is how CIM will review and document this regulation. In very limited cases, exceptions to allow a late arrival may be made, only with specific advance notice and prior approval by the Registrar. For more specific details about the attendance policy as it relates to financial-aid disbursement and eligibility, please refer to the Financial Aid Student Attendance Policy at https://www.cim.edu/file/attendance-policy

The CIM environment provides learning opportunities that may from time to time conflict with regularly scheduled classes. Students have the responsibility of managing their own time so that maximum educational benefit can be derived from such events without unduly impacting curricular studies. The student is required to be familiar with the attendance policies of each class and department and to make arrangements with professors should an absence for musical reasons be anticipated.

In the unusual circumstance that a student must miss an ensemble rehearsal or performance, all necessary arrangements for a substitute must be made by the student with the approval of the Ensembles Coordinator and with adequate preparation time for the substitute.

Students who wish to undertake non-CIM performance engagements must in all cases obtain prior approval from the instructor when they conflict with attendance. An instructor is not obligated to grant an excused absence.

Grading System

CIM uses the following grading system:

Grade	Explanation	Quality Points
A+/A	Excellent	4.00
A-	Excellent	3.67
B+	Good	3.33
B	Good	3.00
B-	Good	2.67
C+	Fair	2.33
C	Fair	2.00
C-	Fair	1.67
D+	Poor	1.33
D	Poor	1.00
D-	Poor	.67
F	Failing	0.00
NP	Failing grade for deficiency course. Does not affect the GPA.	0.00
P	Passing (pass/fail)	0.00
R	Undergraduate course that extends for more than one semester	0.00
PC	Pass with concern (jury/recital only)	0.00
W	Withdrew	N/A
I	Incomplete	N/A
S	Satisfactory: acceptable DMA document work. May require continued enrollment.	N/A
U	Unsatisfactory: unacceptable DMA document work.	N/A
AD	Satisfactory audit	N/A
NG	Unsatisfactory audit	N/A

Academic averages are computed by dividing quality points earned by the number of credit hours attempted, excluding transfer credits and any courses with grades of P, PC, R, or S.

The grade of I (“incomplete”) is given at the discretion of the instructor, provided:

• There are extenuating circumstances, explained to the instructor before the assignment of the grade, that justify an extension of time beyond the requirements established for other students in the class, and the student is doing acceptable work at the time of the request.
• There is only a small segment of the course to be completed, such as a term paper, for which the extenuating circumstances justify an exception. An incomplete grade may not be given if a student is absent from a final examination, unless the Dean’s Office has authorized the absence. Unauthorized absence from a final examination may result in a grade of F.
• That the student completes all work, in which case the I is changed to a letter grade. All work for the incomplete must be made up and the grade change recorded in the Registrar’s Office. In certain cases, such as students on academic probation or graduating students, the Registrar may prescribe an earlier date for completion of courses with I grades. Failure to meet these deadlines results in a permanent grade of F. See CIM’s Academic Calendar for dates to resolve incomplete grades.

University incomplete regulations apply for CWRU courses.

The grade of W (“withdrawal”) is given to students withdrawing from courses after the drop/add period and by the end of the tenth week. Students withdrawing from courses later than the eleventh week normally receive a grade of F. In unusual circumstances, the Dean’s Office may permit a student to withdraw from a course after the deadline and receive a W. Withdrawal from a course is possible only with the signature of the course instructor. Failing to attend class or merely giving notice to the instructor does not constitute formal withdrawal and results in the grade of F.

Courses for which failing grades are given remain on the student’s record even though such courses may be repeated with passing grades.

The pass/fail option is available under the following conditions:

• Undergraduates in good standing may elect to take one course each semester on a pass/fail basis. Credit is earned only when such a course is passed.
• The pass/fail option is available to undergraduate students only in the areas of general education and any course taken beyond the requirements of the degree program.
• Students must declare intent to elect the pass/fail option by the end of the tenth week. The appropriate forms are available in the Academic Affairs page in Studio.
• Under this option, any passing grade earned from A+ to D- appears on the student’s record as P (“pass”). Courses passed in this manner may apply toward fulfillment of degree requirements but are not a part of grade-point calculation. A failing grade appears as such and counts as a part of the grade-point average.
• Graduate students may elect the pass/fail option only in those courses that are in excess of the degree requirements.

Credit Hour Assessment

At CIM, one credit hour normally equates to fifty minutes of instruction time; accordingly, a two-credit course normally involves one-hundred minutes of instruction and a three-credit course normally involves 150 minutes of instruction. It is generally expected that a work load outside of class would involve approximately 2–3 hours of study per credit hour for each week of the semester; the semesters at CIM last for fifteen weeks of instruction in addition to exam and performance jury periods.

There are variances in this general principle based on certain emphases within programs. Some examples of these variances include, but are not limited to:

• In the undergraduate degree program (BM), primary lessons carry three credits each semester for the first two years; in the junior and senior years, primary lessons carry four credits each semester. The junior and senior recital requirement carries with it the expectation of a higher level of work on the part of the student outside of the teaching portion of the class in the form of recitals and juries. In the performance diploma programs (Artist Certificate, Graduate Diploma, and Artist Diploma), primary lessons carry six credits based on the expectation that not only is the performance at a significantly higher level, but the work outside of the teaching time should be grater given the higher-level performance requirements for these programs.
• An independent study may be assigned a credit load of one or two credits based on the nature of the independent study proposal. The assignment of credit for an independent study is made by the Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Partnerships in consultation with the Registrar and the faculty member overseeing the proposal.
• In the eurhythmics sequence, the first two semesters of study meet twice a week for two fifty-minute sessions for one credit; subsequent to the first year of study, courses meet once a week for one fifty-minute session for one credit.
• In the undergraduate music-theory sequence the first four semesters of coursework carry four credits per semester, meeting five times per week for fifty minutes, equating to 62.5 minutes of instruction per credit hour; after the fourth semester, class credit is three credits, meeting three times a week for fifty minutes, equating to fifty minutes of instruction per credit hour.

Credit hour calculation is found online at https://cim.edu/conservatory/credit_calculation.php.

CIM’s metrics for measuring Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), which includes calculations of minimum credits earned and minimum academic benchmarks to be attained, are found in the SAP policy located at https://www.cim.edu/fil/satisfactory-academic-progress.

Credit Hour Procedures

Curricular requirements are housed in the Registrar’s Office. Changes in any curricular requirements to degree or diploma programs are first submitted to the Curriculum Committee. The Curriculum Committee will vet and approve all changes. The Curriculum Committee will examine the merits of new course proposals and approve all credit-hour assignments prior to sending to Faculty Senate for final approval.

Transfer of Credit

At the time of admission to CIM and upon presentation of an official transcript from each institution previously attended, credit will be awarded for courses equivalent or comparable to those offered by the college and completed with a grade of C or better. Any such courses taken prior to the student’s graduation from high school must be listed in the college’s catalog among courses offered for degree credit to the college’s undergraduates, taken in the company of matriculated college students, and organized and taught by college faculty. In addition, to be considered for transfer credit, such courses must not have been used to fulfill high school graduation requirements. The awarding of transfer credit is determined by the Registrar in consultation with the appropriate department.

Transfer applicants and current CIM students may have earned credits from other accredited institutions transferred to CIM. Such transfer credits are applicable toward fulfillment of CIM program requirements under the following conditions:

• The student must request that an official transcript of transfer work be forwarded to the CIM Registrar.
• Credits are transferable only if the course grade is a C or higher. Therefore, courses completed on a pass/fail basis do not transfer unless the school where such courses were taken has a published policy stipulating that pass is equivalent to at least a grade of C.
• In placing approved transfer courses on the CIM permanent record, only credit appears. Grades in transfer courses do not appear and do not affect the CIM grade-point average.
• Transfer credit earned in music theory, music history/literature, and performance courses is subject to CIM faculty evaluation as a prerequisite for transfer. CIM equivalency examinations may be required to determine transferability of credits in these areas. Advanced standing credit in core music subjects is awarded by placement examination. The number of credits awarded is determined by the demonstrated skill level of the incoming student, not by the number of previously earned credits at another institution.
• Transfer credits for additional nonelective course work are based upon evaluation of a student’s transcript and required CIM equivalency examinations, which must be completed during the first semester of study at CIM.
• Course work intended to fulfill CWRU major or minor program requirements is transferable only with the approval of the appropriate CWRU department. Such approval must be sought additionally before undertaking study at another institution.
• Credits earned at schools operating on a quarter system are reduced by one third when converted to CIM’s semester-credit equivalency.
• Graduate students are limited to a maximum of six transfer credits. Though undergraduate transfer applicants have no such credit limitation, all transfer students, except DMA applicants, are subject to a minimum two-year, full-time residency requirement.
• Current CIM students must obtain prior approval from the CIM Registrar for transfer course work and receive a letter of approval for transient study, which is required by the host institution.

Final determination of transfer status cannot be made until final transcripts from all previously attended schools have been received, all appropriate admission testing has been completed, and all necessary examinations for nonelective course work have been evaluated. Each transfer student meets with the CIM Registrar to confirm final status. All transferred credits are applicable toward fulfillment of CIM diploma or degree requirements.

Recital and Lesson Requirement

Students are required to be enrolled in lessons in their major area, according to the requirements of their degree or diploma program. If a student successfully petitions to extend their program of study beyond the normal time for completion, the student must be enrolled in lessons unless the degree or diploma recital requirement has been successfully completed prior to the end of the drop/add period.