Academic and Professional Standards

General Academic Requirements
Academic and Professional Standards (overview)
Professional Conduct
Probation and Dismissal
Students’ Right to Appeal

General Academic Requirements
General academic requirements for the B.F.A., Mus.B., M.F.A., and M.M. degrees are described in the Purchase College Catalog and online.

Academic and Professional Standards
Each program in the School of the Arts emulates the ethics and standards of its professional discipline. Students are expected to pursue their course of study and conduct themselves in a manner consistent with each program’s objectives. Students are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress (defined in the Purchase College Catalog), as well as the grading and professional criteria of their respective programs. Each student’s board of study is responsible for evaluating such matters as artistic growth, talent development, and a student’s suitability for a professional life in the field, which are difficult to assess in terms of grades and credits.

Professional Conduct
All students are expected to comply with the policies and regulations established by Purchase College and their respective programs. College policies governing student conduct are outlined in the Purchase College Student Handbook.

In the School of the Arts, prompt attendance and preparation for all prescribed classes, studios, labs, tutorials, workshops, rehearsals, concerts, and performances are mandatory. Unexcused absences, tardiness, or lack of preparation for class indicates a lack of seriousness or interest in the program and constitutes a serious breach of professional conduct.

Probation and Dismissal
In the School of the Arts, grounds for probation or dismissal include failure to meet academic standards, breaches of professional conduct, or lack of artistic growth. A student may or may not be given a warning, an informal action, before being placed on probation. Students placed on academic and/or professional probation are notified via a letter from their dean, mailed to their home address. This formal notification specifies the areas of concern and the corrective measures required.

Failure to satisfy the terms of probation may result in dismissal from Purchase College. While dismissal is normally preceded by a probationary period, a serious breach of professional conduct may lead to immediate dismissal. Dismissal decisions are the prerogative and responsibility of the dean, in consultation with the board of study.

Copies of all letters relevant to warning, probation, and dismissal are placed in the student’s file, and immediate notification is forwarded to the student and the registrar. Letters of dismissal are also forwarded to the Offices of Student Accounts, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Residence Life.

Students’ Right to Appeal
Students are entitled to appeal their dismissals at hearings before the Academic Review Committee for the Performing and Visual Arts, which is constituted according to the Purchase College Faculty By-Laws. Students dismissed before the end of the semester have the right to an immediate appeal.