Office of the Dean of the Conservatory
Requirements, Grading and Credit
Credits and Lesson Requirements
Students assigned to faculty and supervised student teachers receive half-hour weekly lessons (thirteen per semester) for two* credits per semester. Faculty-taught lessons receive a grade, while Student-taught lessons are Pass/No Pass. Students must successfully complete a minimum of ten 1/2-hour lessons in order to receive a passing grade in their secondary faculty or student taught lessons. Students wishing to change faculty/student teachers or are having problems with their secondary lessons must contact the conservatory’s Office of Associate Deans prior to the add/drop deadline.
Three levels of supervised secondary private study are available to new and returning enrolled conservatory, double degree, and arts and sciences students:
* Please Note: Students cannot audit or register for lessons for 0 or 1 credit.
Faculty-Taught Secondary lessons are Graded and must be taken for 2 credits. Please make room in your schedule for 2 credit hours prior to requesting lessons for credit. Audit, 0 or 1 credit options are not available, and you may be contacted regarding your status should you fail to register once consented. (Fees for students taking lessons for 2 credit hours are included in tuition fees, and the conservatory pays the instructors.)
Faculty-Taught Secondary lessons may be offered remotely or in-person. (Per COVID)
Faculty instruction availability is limited, so students may be placed in Student-Taught Secondary Lessons for Credit. Placements are based on audition, skill, and teacher availability.
Students who pass an audition in more than one instrument or voice category should consult with their advisor prior to registration.
Faculty-Taught secondary lessons for credit are only available to enrolled Oberlin students, and are not available to faculty, staff, or community members.
Student-Taught Secondary lessons are Pass/No Pass and must be taken for 2 credits. Please make room in your schedule for 2 credit hours prior to requesting lessons for credit. Audit, 0 or 1 credit options are not available, and you may be contacted regarding your status should you fail to register once consented. (Fees for students taking lessons for 2 credit hours are included in tuition fees, and the conservatory pays the student instructors.)
Student-Taught Secondary Lessons may be offered remotely or in-person. (Per COVID). The student teacher must reside in Ohio during the semester of teaching.
Faculty instruction availability is limited, so students may be placed in Student-Taught Secondary Lessons for Credit. Placements are based on audition, skill, and teacher availability.
Students who pass an audition in more than one instrument or voice category should consult with their advisor prior to registration.
Student-Taught secondary lessons for credit are only available to enrolled Oberlin students, and are not available to faculty, staff, or community members.
Students can only register for Secondary Lessons for 2-Credits (0, 1, Audit is not an option.) However students, faculty, staff, and community members interested in taking unofficial Student-Taught Lessons without credit should go to Oberlin's Private Lesson Referral site and complete an Inquiry Form. Students taking lessons without credit will not receive a CRN for consent or register for lessons. The lessons will not appear on a student’s transcript, and they will not receive a grade. Secondary Lessons are not available for 0 or 1 credit or audit option.
Unregistered secondary students will not be have official access/key swipe to assigned practice space or lockers; however all students enrolled at Oberlin College are able to practice in Robertson Hall practice rooms on a first come/first served basis.
We encourage faculty, staff, and community members to take lessons through our Community Music School. Or, students, faculty, staff, or community members who complete the Private Lesson Referral Inquiry will be contacted only if/when a student becomes available to teach lessons. Our goal is to provide secondary lessons to every enrolled student who is interested, but some semesters it is not possible because the demand for lessons goes beyond the number of available faculty and student teachers. We will make every effort to accommodate requests
Students, faculty, staff, and community members taking lessons without credit can schedule as many or few lessons as they wish each semester and will pay the student teacher directly per lesson. Though this minimal fee is required only of completed lessons, please contact your student teacher in advance if you need to cancel your lesson. (Fees for enrolled students taking lessons for 2 credit hours are included in tuition fees, and the conservatory pays the student instructors.)
All Student-Taught lessons without credit may be offered remotely or in-person. (Per COVID).
Enrolled students have the option to re-apply and audition at the beginning of each semester should they wish to take secondary lessons for 2 credits; please visit our FAQ page.
Please Note: We do not officially offer faculty-taught lessons without credit.
*Faculty-Taught Lessons for audit or without credit is not an option for Oberlin students, faculty, staff, or community members.
*Faculty instructors are only available to enrolled Oberlin College students to officially teach primary or secondary lessons for credit.
*Please see the information on Student-Taught Secondary Lessons Without Credits.
*E-Mail the Office of the Associate Deans Office immediately if you have been placed with a faculty instructor for secondary lessons, but do not wish to take them for credit.
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