Sophomore Review Policy
Approved 4-18-2016
The purposes of a sophomore review are as follows:
- to provide students with a standard against which to measure themselves and their
training as appropriate to anticipated careers in music and/or continuation in a music
major
- to enable programmatic faculty to observe students in a formal setting in order to
evaluate student potential for successful completion of a music degree program
- to provide students with a specifically defined set of competencies and expectations
to be demonstrated at the conclusion of the lower division undergraduate educational
experience
- to assess the effectiveness of the music faculty and the music curriculum in enabling
students to develop defined skills and competencies appropriate to the lower division
undergraduate experience in music
- to examine the ability of students to make connections among the music subdisciplines
of theory, history, and performance
- to assess the effectiveness of the music faculty and the music curriculum in enabling
students to make connections among the sub-disciplines of theory, history, and performance
Music majors wishing to advance to junior level (upper division) standing must stand
for and complete successfully ALL PARTS of the Sophomore Review. To be eligible for
consideration for review, students must have a minimum music GPA of 2.5 and credit
hours sufficient for advancement to junior standing. The Sophomore Review will include:
- an applied music performance jury consisting of
- a six-(6) to seven-(7) minute performance of repertoire demonstrating the defined
competencies appropriate to advancement to upper division status,
- a performance of scales and arpeggios in a format appropriate to the performance medium
(instrumental only), and
- sight-reading (instrumental only)
- a series of questions concerning the performed repertoire and basic performance pedagogy
and practice to be answered in oral or written format,
- an assessment of student progress to date as recorded in the permanent record, and
an interview with a committee of Area Coordinators.
- an interview with the Sophomore Review Committee consisting of: The Department Chair,
the student's applied instructor and selected faculty. The Sophomore Review will be
scheduled during the latter part of the week of final examinations.
Results of 1) and 2) above will be forwarded to the Department Chair and will be reviewed
along with 3) and 4) above. The Sophomore Review Committee will determine the advancement
of students to junior standing. The department chair, on behalf of the committee,
will notify all students in writing of the committee's decision. Students not approved
for advancement to junior standing may petition the Music Department Chair in writing
for subsequent review the following semester. Students requesting subsequent review
have the option to re-enroll in lower division courses according to the stipulations
contained in the current University Bulletin.
NOTE: Transfer students who expect to begin at junior-level standing must be examined,
by special arrangement, before their initial enrollment at Southeast Missouri State
University. Those denied junior standing may petition the Music Chair in writing for
subsequent review.