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, or Audit is not an option.) Faculty-Taught lessons are also not available without 2-credit registration.
Special Exception: A student who applies for secondary lessons, is assigned a student teacher, and decides not to register... may continue their lessons (With approval from condeans@oberlin.edu/student-teacher/Faculty Sponsor), however they must pay the student teacher directly $12 per 1/2hr lesson. Student-Teacher assignments will be prioritized for students taking lessons for 2 credits.
Students approved to take secondary 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. Unregistered secondary students will not be have official access/key swipe to assigned practice space or lockers or receive Conservatory oversight of lessons; however all students enrolled at Oberlin College are able to practice in Robertson Hall practice rooms on a first come/first served basis. These are considered unofficial lessons and not monitored by Oberlin College. Students teaching unofficial lessons using campus facilities cannot exceed the current lesson rate.
Students (that were not placed or registered in lessons for credit), faculty, staff, & community members interested in taking unofficial Student-Taught Lessons are encouraged to go to Oberlin's Community Music School for lessons and teacher availability.
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, however some conservatory students offer unofficial lessons. Lessons taught in any Conservatory/Oberlin Campus locations or using Oberlin Resources must adhere to Oberlin Conservatory Secondary Lesson standard billing, which is currently $12 per 1/2-hour lesson or $24 for hourly lessons. Student cannot charge more than this rate.
*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.