Program Structure and Regulations

Progression toward Degree Completion

Qualifying Status

The entering DMA student has qualifying status during the first year of study. During this period, the student must demonstrate the capability to balance successfully the myriad components entailed in pursuing doctoral study. Through close interaction with the major teacher, the DMA Coordinator, and academic faculty (particularly CWRU music history faculty), the student must demonstrate superior time-management skills, scholarly writing skills, the ability to undertake graduate research, and measurable progress in his or her applied area.

First-year Review Procedure

By the time of midterm exams in the first semester of study in the doctoral program, the DMA Coordinator contacts all teachers of first-year DMA students to inquire about their progress. Faculty members concerned about the progress of a first-year DMA student should contact the DMA Coordinator with their concerns and request a review of the students’ progress and status.

Immediately upon receipt of a faculty request, the DMA Coordinator communicates to the student the need for a review conference to allow the student to present information that may help with perspective on the situation. The Dean’s Administrative Assistant then schedules the conference to include the music theory and music history advisors, the principal teacher, the DMA student, and the DMA Coordinator. Discussion centers on specific concerns of unsatisfactory progress and includes a frank discussion of expectations and deadlines mandated for continuation in the program plus advice about additional options the student may wish to pursue.

Following the conference, the DMA Coordinator summarizes in writing the points made in the discussion, sends the summary to all conference participants and the registrar, and places a copy in the student’s file. Faculty members continue to communicate with the student, each other, and the DMA Coordinator regarding post-conference progress and any additional action considered necessary.

No later than the week following the midterm break of the second semester of study faculty members and the DMA Coordinator confer again to determine the student’s eligibility to continue into the second year of study. The DMA Coordinator communicates the decision in writing to the student, the major teacher, and the registrar.

Should a student not be advanced to full academic standing and depending upon the area in which progress has been determined to be insufficient, s/he may be placed on Academic or Artistic Probation.

Upon successful completion of the qualifying year, the DMA student is promoted to full academic standing. The student now is eligible to complete the remainder of the program and to sit for Qualifying Examinations.

Residency and Statute of Limitations

Although a minimum of one academic year in residence (two consecutive regular semesters excluding the summer semester) is required of all full-time DMA students, applicants should expect to spend the equivalent of three years of full-time study in the program. Full-time status is defined as nine credit hours per semester. The maximum time allowed between initial enrollment as a DMA student and the completion of all degree requirements is six consecutive years.

A DMA student must carry a minimum of one credit of enrollment in each semester of continued study until all requirements for the degree have been completed. Note: DMA students are not eligible for Leaves of Absence except in extraordinary circumstances as determined by the Dean of the Conservatory.

Advanced Standing

A maximum of six credits may be approved for transfer from other institutions. These credits are then applicable towards the 33 academic credits required in the program (see below).

Academic Advising

DMA students are advised according to specific facets of their program:

• Major Area (Performance/Composition): The student’s major teacher serves as the primary mentor and artistic advisor to the student in all matters that pertain to nurturing musical growth. This teacher steers not only technical and musical development but also overall artistic direction. The major teacher advises in all aspects of recital preparation, including repertoire and scheduling. The teacher also consults closely with the DMA Coordinator about each DMA student in his or her studio.
• Academic Requirements: Students meet at the commencement of their programs for orientation with the DMA Coordinator. Subsequently, students meet each semester with the Music History and with the Music Theory faculty representatives on the DMA Committee to review their registration plans for the upcoming semester. The DMA Committee and the DMA Coordinator monitors the students’ progress through consultation with the principal teacher and the academic faculty.

Part-time Studies

Once the full-time-residency requirement has been satisfied, a DMA student may petition to continue in the program part time. (Part-time study is useful particularly for students who have taken a sabbatical leave from their employment to satisfy CIM’s residency requirement.) However, all students must remain enrolled at CIM during the regular fall/spring semesters for a minimum of one credit hour per semester until all degree requirements are met.

Typically, a DMA student opts for part-time study only after having completed three years of full-time study, and only then to complete one or two remaining requirements. The DMA Coordinator advises the student regarding the most effective manner for completing all degree requirements. Part-time students are ineligible for CIM scholarship aid.

Any request for part-time status must be approved by the Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

• Students are referred to CIM’s policies concerning Satisfactory Academic Process (SAP), found on the website of the Office of Financial Aid.
• The following program requirements for year 1 and 2 are expected:

Year One

• Minimum Cumulative GPA of 3.0
• A minimum of 15 credit hours earned Note: In determining earned credit hours, only completed courses are applicable; those associated with Incomplete, Withdrawal, Audit, or Unsatisfactory/Failing grades are not considered for purposes of class standing. In addition, remedial courses are not calculated.
• Nine (9) credit hours earned towards the required 33 academic credit hour minimum, including satisfactory completion of MUHI 610, Bibliography and Research Methods in Music and of MUHI 611, DMA Seminar if offered.
• (Performance Majors) MUAP 751 DMA Recital I completed
• (Composition Majors) MUCP 751 Composition Document (3 credits) begun
• If required by diagnostic examinations, MUTH 400A General Theory: Review of Musical Structure and/or MUTH 400B General Theory: Sight-singing/Ear-training Review completed.
• Voice As determined by transcript evaluation, one year of foreign language deficiency courses successfully completed

Year Two

• A minimum of 30 credit hours earned, from beginning of program
• A minimum of 18 credit hours earned towards the required 33 academic credit hours, from beginning of program
• (Performance Majors) MUAP 752 DMA Recital II completed
• (Composition Majors) MUCP 751 DMA Composition Document completed
• (Voice Majors) As determined by transcript evaluation, two years of foreign language deficiency courses successfully completed
• Completion of MUHI 798/MUTH 798 DMA Written Comprehensive Examination should occur by the end of Year Two or the first semester of Year Three.

Year Three

• A minimum of 45 credit hours earned from beginning of program
• All required 33 academic credit hours earned from beginning of program
• (Performance Majors) MUGN 751 Lecture-recital or DMA Document completed
• (Performance Majors) MUAP 753 DMA Recital III completed
• (Composition Majors) MUAP 751 Composition Recital completed
• (Composition Majors) MUCP 752 Final DMA Composition begun
• (Voice Majors) All foreign language deficiency courses completed
• Completion of MUHI 798/MUTH 798 DMA Written Comprehensive Examination should occur by the end of Year Two or the first semester of Year Three.
• To maintain satisfactory academic progress, all degree requirements typically should be met within three years of full-time study. Students may take additional time beyond the third year to complete the DMA program. Once DMA students have entered into part-time study for completion of their programs, the above criteria no longer pertain. The DMA Program must be completed within six years (12 consecutive semesters).

Academic Probation

DMA students must maintain a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 and maintain a 3.00 GPA in the principal area of study, defined as the CIM major subject, for each semester. Further, a grade lower than a B in applied study or a B- in any other course results in academic probation.

A DMA student placed on Academic Probation should consult the Conservatory Catalog (Academic Probation and Separation) for details. With the addition of specific regulations that apply only to DMA students and that are contained in this Handbook, the conditions specified in the Catalog apply to all Conservatory students.

A DMA student not advanced to full academic standing at the end of the qualifying year, is placed on Academic Probation. A DMA student also may be placed on Academic Probation by the Dean at any time during the program for failure to maintain good academic standing or satisfactory academic progress (see above). Such students receive written notice from the Dean before the beginning of the following school session and their transcripts reflect probationary status. Students placed on Academic Probation have one semester (not including summer session) to remove their probationary status. DMA students placed on Academic Probation may be ineligible for CIM scholarship aid.

DMA students placed on Academic Probation who fail to make satisfactory progress after one regular semester of full-time study may be separated from CIM. Such students receive written notice from the Dean of the Conservatory before the beginning of the following school session, and their transcripts indicate the separation. In addition, a DMA student may be separated without a period of probation for the following reasons:

• The full-time student’s academic GPA for a semester is less than 2.75.
• Note: Academic GPA is calculated from all non-applied course work. (Applied courses carry the MUAP, MUEN and MURP prefixes.)
• The full-time student has earned fewer than 15 credits in the two consecutive semesters constituting that student’s academic year.

Artistic Probation

A DMA student placed on Artistic Probation should consult the Conservatory Catalog (Artistic Probation and Separation). With the addition of specific regulations that apply only to DMA students and are contained in this Handbook, the conditions specified in the Catalog apply to all Conservatory students.

A DMA student not advanced to full academic standing at the end of the qualifying year for failing to achieve satisfactory artistic progress is placed on Artistic Probation. A DMA student also may be placed on Artistic Probation by the Dean upon the recommendation of the major instructor and department head at any time during the program that progress in the principal area is insufficient. Under normal circumstances, receipt of a grade lower than “B-” in the major area results in Artistic Probation. Such students receive written notice from the Dean before the beginning of the following school session, and their transcripts reflect their probationary status. Students placed on Artistic Probation have one semester (not including summer session) to remove their probationary status. DMA students placed on Artistic Probation may be ineligible for CIM scholarship aid.

DMA students placed on Artistic Probation who fail to restore satisfactory progress in their major area after one regular semester of full-time study may be separated from CIM. Such students receive written notice from the Dean of the Conservatory before the beginning of the following school session, and their transcripts indicate the separation.

Student Grievance Procedure

It is the responsibility of the Cleveland Institute of Music to ensure that all students enrolled in the Doctor of Musical Arts Program at CIM have adequate access to faculty and administrative consideration of their grievances concerning academic issues. Accordingly, the following procedure has been established to address complaints about academic actions considered unfair.

A student with a complaint should first discuss the grievance with the person against whom the complaint is directed. The goal of this discussion is for the parties to be sure they understand each other before more formal steps are taken and to be sure that every opportunity has been taken for mutually satisfactory resolution.

If discussion with the faculty member involved does not resolve the matter to the student’s satisfaction, he or she should present the complaint in writing to the Department Chairperson or Head. The Chairperson/Head then reviews the complaint with the student and the faculty and renders a judgment; the Chairperson/Head may consult with other faculty in the Department during this review. If the complaint involves the Department Chairperson/Head, the student may bring the matter to the CIM Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs or the Chair of the CWRU Department of Music to whom the Department Chairperson/Head reports.

If the student is still not satisfied, the Dean asks the student to submit the complaint in writing, then discusses the case with the student and the CIM Department Head or CWRU Music Department Chair and makes a ruling based on information gathered. If the situation warrants, the Dean may appoint a Grievance Committee, including an uneven number of representatives from performance/composition, theory, and music history (the Dean serving in a non-voting capacity) to recommend a consequent action. The Committee’s procedures are determined as circumstances warrant, but generally include discussions with all persons associated with or relevant to the complaint.

Responsibility for the final decision is the Dean’s, and the Dean’s ruling is to be considered final and binding on all persons involved in the grievance.

Library Privileges

DMA students have borrowing privileges at all CWRU libraries, in addition to CIM’s Robinson Music Library (RML). Library policies and hours for RML and CWRU’s Kelvin Smith Library can be found on our library’s website. RML and Kulas Music Library coordinate collection development, reserves, and hours to maximize the resources available to CIM and CWRU music students.

In addition to the resources available from campus libraries, DMA students have access to OhioLINK, a statewide academic network. There is no charge to students for using OhioLINK, and no limit on the number of requests. For items not owned by Ohio libraries, DMA students can make requests through interlibrary loan, using the form on RML’s website: http://www.cim.edu/library/services/illform. Check the website for interlibrary loan policies, since some restrictions apply.