Graduate Music Information, Policies and Procedures
XI. Academic Policies
A. Transfer Credit
All work toward a graduate degree should be completed at Butler.
However, under special circumstances and within certain limits,
graduate work taken at a regionally-accredited institution may be
transferred and applied toward the degree. Grades of A or B must
have been received (Credits carrying a grade of pass, satisfactory
or earning a grade less than a B will not be transferable) and the
courses must be acceptable to the student's advisor. Subject to
these restrictions, up to nine semester hours may be transferred in
30-hour programs; up to 12 hours may be transferred in 36-hour
programs. Credits only-not grades-will be transferred. Course work
falling outside of the time limit for the degree will not be
considered. To request transfer credit, the student should file a
"Request for the Transfer of Graduate Credits" form. This form is
obtained from and returned to the Office of Registration and
Records.
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B. Grading System & Z-Credit
No course with a grade below a C is deemed to satisfy the degree
requirements. (C-minus is considered unsatisfactory.) While grades
below C are not counted toward the completion of degree
requirements, they are counted in determining the student's grade
point average. In addition, students must achieve an
overall grade average of B or better in all graduate work
attempted.
In no case may a student take more than 12 hours in excess of
the degree requirements in order to satisfy the foregoing grade
point average requirement.
Any graduate student, whether degree-seeking or
non-degree-seeking, who fails to make satisfactory progress in the
course work may be declared academically ineligible for additional
enrollment.
Graduate students may not take courses offered as ABC grading
for "pass/fail" (P/F).
The following grades are not computed in the grade point
average:
W- Official withdrawal. Permitted until the 10th of a regular
14-week semester or the fourth week of a 6-week summer session.
Students should contact registration and records for withdrawal
dates for short session courses. The instructor's signature is
required for all withdrawals.
NC- Enrollment in a course on a non-credit basis. A student may
change from credit to non-credit in a course until the 10th week of
a regular semester, fourth week of the summer session. The
instructor's signature is required. The non-credit grade may be
changed to withdrawal by an instructor if the student does not
attend class.
I-Incomplete grade. This grade may be assigned by an instructor
when exceptional circumstances prevent a student's finishing all
work required in a course. The "I" must be removed within the next
regular session of the student's enrollment or within two years if
the student is not again enrolled during that time. If the "I" is
not removed within the stated time, the "I" will be changed to
"X".
X-Unredeemed incomplete grade. This indicates no credit earned,
no hours attempted, and no grade point average.
Graduate students may take undergraduate courses for "Z-Credit".
Z-Credit courses do not fulfill graduation requirements for the MM
degree; they are usually taken to remediate deficiencies or for
personal fulfillment. Z-Credit courses do receive grades and appear
on transcripts, however, these grades are not factored into the
GPA.
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C. Grade Reports
The Office of Registration of Records will send a grade report
at the close of each semester or summer term for which a student
has enrolled. If a clerical error appears to have been made, it
should be brought to the attention of that office. However, any
question regarding the accuracy or appropriateness for a grade
should be directed to the instructor.
No grade report will be sent to a student on whose record any
administrative office has placed a hold.
No administrative office may divulge grades or other
confidential information over the telephone.
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D. Time Limits on Degrees
Time limits for completion of degree requirements are counted
from the date of the start of the first graduate course applied
toward the degree, as follows: five years for degrees requiring 30
semester hours; seven years for degrees requiring 36 semester
hours.
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E. Transcript requests
No one but the student is authorized to obtain an official
transcript.
Any request to have a transcript mailed must be made in writing,
either on a form available in the Office of Registration and
Records or in a letter signed by the student. The request must
indicate the address to which the transcript is to be sent and must
be accompanied by the required fee for each transcript
requested.
Transcripts on file from other institutions may not be
reproduced. Copies must be requested directly from the issuing
institutions.
To protect confidentiality, no telephone or telegraphed requests
for transcripts will be honored.
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