General Information for Collegiate Courses and Institutes
There are two types of collegiate or graduate courses during the summer: regular Eastman courses that are listed in the School’s Academic Policy Handbook, and special institutes that are designed just as summer offerings. They are labeled by departmental abbreviation for regular courses, e.g. “TH” for Music Theory, “MHS” for Music History, or “INS” for institutes.
All regular Eastman courses carry the same number of graduate credits in Summer Session as they do during the academic year. In contrast, institutes have two registration options: you may take an institute for graduate credit or as a noncredit offering. (In a few cases, a course may be listed as both an institute and a regular course; if you are matriculated in an Eastman degree program, you should select the regular course title and number.)
Graduate credits earned in Summer Session classes may be applied to degree programs at Eastman, or may be transferred to graduate degree programs at other institutions. In all cases, students should consult with their own academic advisers on this before enrolling in the course. To transfer credits to another institution, students must complete a Transcript Request Form, available in the Registrar’s Office.
Summer courses are taught by Eastman faculty and by invited guests from around the world. Some courses and institutes may be taught by advanced graduate students with a special expertise in a particular area of study.
Scheduling of Summer Courses
The Summer Institutes and regular courses are offered in a variety of formats; some are a weekend or one week in length, some are six weeks in length, others have a variable timeframe. Consult the printed timetable to determine the combination of classes that will be possible. In general, a full load in the Summer Session should not exceed seven credits; however, the specific schedule of class times may allow more than this.
Summer academic advisers are available to assist with the organization of your summer program, and students should consult them about choices whenever possible. Students who are currently in Eastman degree programs should confer with their regular advisers during the spring semester to determine the most appropriate courses to fulfill degree requirements. For special students, contact Ruth Cahn, Summer Session director, at (585) 274-1419 or rcahn@esm.rochester.edu.
Summers-Only Status in Music Education
The Master of Music in Music Education and Master of Arts in Music Education are graduate degrees that may be undertaken through summer study. Most graduate students enrolled in these programs have full-time jobs during the academic year. They are fine musicians and serious scholars who are working to become leaders in our profession, and they appreciate the flexibility of summer study. Complete information on these programs of study may be found here:
All students matriculated in the Summers-Only Master’s degree programs will be advised by Dr. Susan Conkling. Please be sure to communicate with her before enrolling in summer courses: sconkling@esm.rochester.edu or 585-274-1615.
- If you are a returning Summers-Only Master’s student, you may enroll in summer courses beginning April 6, 2009.
- If you are a newly admitted Summers-Only Master’s student, Dr. Conkling will contact you on or about April 15, 2009 to give you information about your program of study, including studio assignments, Music Theory and Music History placement test information, and suggestions for courses in which to enroll. When your enrollment deposit has been received at Eastman, you will be eligible to enroll for 2009 summer courses.
- If you are interested in a Summer Master’s degree program, please contact Dr. Conkling by using the e-mail address or phone number above. Many individuals enrolling for their first summer course at Eastman find themselves enjoying the summer session atmosphere, and they are so impressed with the quality of teaching that they ultimately apply to Eastman for graduate study.
Summers-Only Status Is Not Available in Other Majors
Students in other majors are not permitted to complete a graduate degree program through Summer Session enrollment only. Once admitted, students may not change to Summers-Only status for the purpose of avoiding continuous enrollment.
Placement Examinations in Music Theory and Music History
All entering graduate students are required to take placement examinations in music theory and music history at the beginning of their graduate enrollment. Students must sit for these exams upon entry to all MA/MM and DMA/PhD degree programs. Students may take these exams only once.
Students whose background in music theory is found to be deficient will be required to take one or both of the remedial music theory courses: TH 117 and TH 118, Theory, Analysis and Musicianship Review (1.5 credits each). Students whose music history background is found to be deficient will be required to make up for this in a manner that may vary from individual to individual. Some may be required to take MHS 119 (Music History in Review - 1.5 credits), a review course that does not count toward the total required credits for any degree, and may not be used as an elective.
Scheduling your required exam: You must contact the music theory/music history secretary at (585) 274-1450 or by May 15 to schedule your placement exam. The exams are of 2.5 hours duration.
We recommend that these exams be scheduled and taken in advance of Summer Session. We do however wish to offer the following additional options:
- Dr. Steven Laitz will offer the exams on Sunday June 28 at 3:00 p.m.
- Alternatively, exams may be scheduled and taken between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on the first day of Summer Session 2009 (June 29).
If the results of the exam indicate that the student must enroll for remedial course(s), then the student must enroll for at least one remedial course immediately. If both TH 117 and TH 118 are required, TH 117 must be completed successfully before the student can enroll in TH 118. For summer session only, if enough students do not register for a class, the class will be converted into a "private or semi-private tutorial" that will guide students through the required course material.
Applied Study During Summer Session
Private instruction is available in voice, organ, piano, harpsichord, guitar, and band and orchestral instruments. Students register by instrument as undergraduate or graduate students using the listed course numbers. AMU refers to applied music; be sure to indicate the instrument or voice when registering.
Special students (those not enrolled in degree programs) may request applied study as a part of their summer registration. All requests for applied lessons, from both degree students and special students, will be processed through the Office of the Director of Summer Session, Ruth Cahn. Contact her at (585) 274-1419 or rcahn@esm.rochester.edu. All requests for applied study must be made by June 1 in order to determine the availability of a teacher for the summer. Auditions will be required for special students. Scheduling for this instruction is on a “to be arranged” basis; once you are notified by the Office of the Director of Summer Session that you have been assigned a teacher, you must personally contact that teacher to set up a lesson time for the six weeks of Summer Session.
Doctor of Musical Arts Degree Program/Lecture Recital Procedures
Students who wish to present a lecture recital during the Summer Session should consult the Graduate Studies website for complete information. A lecture recital information sheet is also available in the Graduate Office; see Cindy McCamman in ESM103 or contact her at (585) 274-1560 or cmccamman@esm.rochester.edu. Students must register with the Eastman Registrar (not the Summer Session Office) in person for “ESM 503 Lecture Recital.”
Thesis and Dissertation Enrollment
Candidates for Eastman School graduate degrees who plan to register for thesis or dissertation credits during the Summer Session are required to notify the appropriate department chair by May 15 in order to ensure the availability of a faculty adviser during the summer. Other questions about graduate requirements and deadlines should be addressed to Cindy McCamman in the Graduate Office (ESM 103), at (585) 274-1560 or cmccamman@esm.rochester.edu.
Auditing a Course (not applicable to Institutes)
Students may register to audit certain courses that are not required in their degree programs. Courses which require the registrant’s active participation (e.g., ensembles, opera theater, applied music instruction) are not appropriate for audit registration. Auditors may not contribute to class discussion, nor will any class work they do be evaluated by the instructor. They will receive neither grade nor credit for the audited course. The fee for audit registration is $320 per course. Permission to audit must be received from the instructor, and any change of registration from credit to audit (or vice versa) must be accomplished before the completion of half of the class. Before student audit status is approved, the prospective auditor must reach agreement with the professor of the course to be audited concerning attendance or other expectations to be met by the student. Registration on an audit basis is subject to capacity constraints.
Financial Support for Summer Study
Eastman’s Financial Aid Office (Student Services Office at Miller Center, 25 Gibbs Street, 585-274-1070) is available to assist admitted summer students by certifying their eligibility for Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and Federal Graduate PLUS loans. Eligible students must be enrolled both in a degree program and for six or more credit hours to be certified for a Federal Direct Loan. The amount of loan obtained for summer study will be included in the student’s maximum federal loan eligibility for the 2009-2010 academic year. Eligibility for Federal Direct Loans will be determined by Eastman’s analysis of the 2009-2010 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a completed Eastman 2009-2010 Financial Aid Application for Graduate Students, and the student’s individual Cost of Attendance for summer. This budget does include living expenses for the summer session period (June 29, 2009-August 7, 2009).
Please note that all Federal Summer Loans are disbursed in two equal disbursements per federal loan regulations. The first disbursement will be applied to the student’s account no earlier than the first day of summer classes for that particular student.
The second disbursement will be applied to the student’s account at the midpoint of the summer session (July 17, 2009), provided that this date is preceded by the student’s first day of attendance for summer. As a result, for most students borrowing additional funds to cover living expenses, a credit balance will not be available to them until the midpoint of the session, at which time the student should request a refund check from the Bursar’s Office. Checks typically take 7-10 days to process.
Matriculated students registering for less than 6 credit hours may be able to secure an alternative summer loan through a participating bank or lender. Students should exhaust all other options prior to applying for this loan. Please consult with a Financial Aid Counselor for more details.
New! Eastman Student Discount!
We want to encourage current Collegiate Eastman matriculated students from any degree program to participate in our Summer at Eastman 2009 institutes. We are pleased to offer you a $100 discount on any Institute noncredit registration (except one-day institutes) for which you yourself register as a participant.
Alumni Discount!
We want alumni to return to Eastman and enrich their musical life with us! If you are a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and are not currently matriculated as an ESM student, we are pleased to offer you a $100 discount on any Institute (except one-day institutes) for which you yourself register. This discount is not applicable to other family members.
Refunds and Cancellations
Students dropping any course, but not replacing that course with another of equal or higher credit value, may receive a tuition refund on the following basis:
For full six-week courses:
- 100% refund prior to the first class session or lesson
- 90% refund from June 29 to July 4
- 50% refund from July 5 to July 8
- 25% refund from July 9 to July 18
- No refund after July 18
For variable schedule courses:
- 100% refund prior to the first class session
- 50% refund after the first class session
- No refund after the second class session
- When the circumstances necessitating the course withdrawal are beyond the student’s control (serious illness, or death in the student’s family, for example) exceptions to the above policy may be made on the recommendation of the Director of Summer Session
All courses listed in this summer catalog will be offered. However, if there is insufficient enrollment as of June 1, courses may be cancelled.
Bursar’s Office Hours
Anticipated hours on the Eastman campus are Mondays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Dining Services in the Student Living Center
The dining plan includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week.
Health Coverage Requirements for Collegiate Students in Summer Session
- We strongly urge all students to carry private health insurance.
- If you were registered as a full-time Eastman student during the past year, the student health fee you previously paid will cover you for the Summer Session for similar health benefits.
- If you are attending Summer Session and will be entering Eastman in the fall as a new full-time student, you are required to immediately apply for health coverage through the University Health Service. Please visit the Summer Session Office on the 3rd floor of Messinger Hall for the required form and to arrange for payment.
- If you are a Summers-Only degree student, you will not have coverage under the UHS plan.
Available Services
A nurse is available at specific times in the Eastman Student Living Center during Summer Session at no charge. If you need to see a doctor, the University Health Service charges standard community rates if you are not covered by UHS policy. UHS coverage may be purchased for $11.54 per week. It is highly recommended that you check your current private policy for existing coverage.