Music and Music Education MA

In addition to Teachers College's policies for student progress and degree completion, students within the Program of Music and Music Education enrolled in a degree program in the department as of Fall Term 2021 or admitted later must meet the following requirements:

1. All master's and doctoral students must enroll for a minimum of six (6) points per academic year. Students in summer MA intensive or summer doctoral cohort degrees must register for at least six (6) points during summer sessions. However, once a doctoral student is obligated for continuous doctoral dissertation advisement, students must satisfy the requirements for continuous registration as outlined in the College requirements.
2. All masters and doctoral students must maintain a minimum of a "B" grade (exclusive of Pass/Fail courses) for each course registered through Teachers College.
3. Students must remain in good academic standing by doing the following:
   • Maintain a minimum of "B" grades
   • Receive grades of "P" (progress) in research credits.
   • Maintain continuous enrollment
   • Doctoral students must pass all written and performance certification exams required for completion of the degree. Teacher College limits the number of retakes students have to pass a required exam part to one. (Please see the policy here:

   [https://www.tc.columbia.edu/policylibrary/policies/doctoral-certification-examination-retakes-9068741/]

   • Make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward completion of the degree during each academic year.

   Failure to remain in good standing will result in students being placed on program academic probation for a period of one semester. If placed on academic probation students will be notified by their Advisor and the Registrar's office. Students will be restricted to part-time registration until their grades are above the minimum level. The intent of Academic Probation is to provide students the opportunity to raise their grades to minimum levels so that they may continue to pursue their academic goals. Once placed on academic probation, a student’s grades will be reviewed regularly based on academic level; master's students will be reviewed after completion of 6 credit hours and doctoral students after completion of 3 credit hours.

   Master's students can be placed on academic probation no more than twice during their academic program. Placement on academic probation beyond the first time will be based on completing the previous academic probation period with grades above a B.

   Doctoral students can be placed on academic probation only once during their academic program.

4. Any requests for retroactive registration must receive the approval of the faculty advisor, Program Coordinator, and Department Chair before submission to the Office of Registrar.
5. Ed.D. and Ed.D.C.T. students must complete all requirements for the Ed.D. within eight (8) years from their term of matriculation.
6. Ed.D. and Ed.D.C.T. students must take the certification exam once they have completed 70 points of coursework (both Teachers College credits and those transferred in), or within two (2) years of term matriculation, whichever comes first. Students must complete the remaining minimum of 20 points toward their Ed.D. requirements within the initial period of certification (four to six years).
7. Whether a student sits for the certification examination will be at the discretion of the student’s advisor. If the student has more than three (3) points of "Incomplete" grades, but the advisor does not believe this poses a problem, then the student may still sit for the certification exam. However, under Teachers College policy, any doctoral student who has six (6) or more points of "Incomplete" grades as part of the program of study may not sit for the certification examination.
8. An Ed.D. and Ed.D.C.T.  student will be recommended for certification, for the purpose of determining when the obligation for continuous enrollment in doctoral dissertation advisement begins when they have passed all parts of the certification examination, has submitted a program plan, and has been formally recommended for certification by the program.
9. After having passed part one of the certification examination, the student has a year to take the remaining steps to secure full certification, including completing the other parts of the certification examination and submitting a program plan.
10. All Ed.D. and Ed.D.C.T. candidates must complete their degree requirements by the expiration date of their period of certification. Ed.D. and Ed.D.C.T.  candidates who have not completed their degree during this time, but have registered and completed a course during the last five years, may petition for an extension if they are in good academic standing (see 3. above) and have satisfied the College requirements for continuous enrollment for doctoral dissertation advisement, if applicable. Petitions for extensions may be obtained in the Office of Doctoral Studies.
11. Students filling for an extension must:
    • Have adequate and acceptable reasons.
    • Have been registered and completed a course within the last five (5) years.
    • Provide a feasible plan for degree completion.
    • Obtain the approval of their faculty advisor, Program Director, and Department Chair. Any petitions not accompanied with appropriate approvals will be invalid.
    • Students filing petitions for extensions may be required to retake courses, or to undertake additional coursework, as specified by faculty advisor, Program Coordinator, and/or Department Chair.
    • Petitions for extensions must be filed within six (6) months of expiration of the certification period.
    • Students are limited to a maximum of two (2) petitions for extensions, which will not exceed more than two (2) years total.