Westminster College of Media and Performing Arts Policies
Graduation Requirements
All students completing a major in the Westminster College of Media and Performing Arts (WCMPA) must complete the following number of credits including the appropriate general education curriculum, required courses for major(s) and/or minor(s), and electives:
- Students with majors in the Departments of Communication, Journalism and Media, Media Arts, and some Performing Arts degrees must earn a minimum of 120 credits
- B.F.A. in Musical Theatre requires a minimum of 121 credits
- B.A. in Music requires a minimum of 120 credits
- B.M. in Music Education requires a minimum of 131 credits
- B.M. in Voice Performance requires a minimum of 124 credits
To graduate, all students must earn a 2.0 or higher GPA, both cumulative and in the major, and, if applicable, in the second major or minor. A student's last 30 credits must be taken at Rider.
Independent Research and Creative Expression
Students who wish to explore specific topics of inquiry as a result of coursework may take up to 12 semester hours of independent research and creative expression toward graduation. To be eligible for independent research and creative expression, a student must have 45 credits earned and a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Only one project can be scheduled per semester for 1-4 credit hours. Each independent research and creative expression proposal must be approved by a faculty sponsor, the department chairperson, and the associate dean by no later than the third week of the semester in which the project is to be conducted. Planning for independent research and creative expression should begin during the semester before the student registers for the credits. Students are limited to one independent study or internship for credit in the same academic term.
Internships
Internships are unique opportunities for connecting the skills and theories learned in the classroom to experiences in the workplace. They also provide students a chance to explore future career goals while earning academic credit. Students may apply up to 8 semester hours of internship toward graduation. To be eligible for an internship, a student must have 45 credits earned and a 2.5 cumulative GPA. Only one internship can be scheduled during a semester for 1-4 credit hours. The number of credits earned is based on departmental policy and the number of hours completed at the internship site. Students must work a minimum of 120 hours to earn 3 credits. A faculty sponsor, the department internship coordinator, and the associate dean must approve the internship by no later than the third week of the semester in which the internship is to be completed. Students are limited to one independent study or internship for credit in the same academic term.
Pass/Fail Grading Option
Eligible students in WCMPA interested in taking a course as a pass/fail to gain experience and credit without affecting their grade point average may apply for the pass/fail grading option through the Dean's office during the course registration period. The dean’s office will notify the student once the form has been reviewed and the course has been approved by the department to be offered under the pass/fail option. The student will have until the end of the sixth week of the semester to notify the Dean’s Office if s/he decides to change to a regular grading status.
This option is available only to students with a cumulative GPA of no less than 2.5 and who have earned at least 45 credits. The pass/fail option may only be used for elective credits; it will not apply to any courses that are being used to complete a major, minor, or core requirement. The pass/fail option can be used for no more than 2 courses and a maximum of 8 credits. The pass/fail option will be “blind” to the instructor, thus the student’s work will not be assessed any differently from other students in the class. A student must earn at least a C in a pass/fail course to receive credit. The pass/fail course will not factor into the GPA and the student’s transcript will indicate only a P (pass) or U (fail) for the course.
Undergraduate Students Taking Graduate Courses
Students who are eligible to take WCC graduate courses during their senior year must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Under most circumstances, up to six credits of graduate courses may be taken as an undergraduate and would be included in the regular, full-time tuition fee. These credits may be applied to the undergraduate degree requirements, including in the calculation of undergraduate GPA. Should the student matriculate into the WCC graduate program, these credits, but not the grades, would be subsequently transferred to the graduate transcript.
Undergraduate students in Westminster Choir College who have earned at least 60 credits and hold a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 may register for 600-level graduate courses upon permission of the instructor and the Associate Dean. Undergraduate students who have earned at least 90 credits and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.8 may enroll in a 700-level course.
Students in Westminster Choir College who have earned at least 60 credits and hold a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 may register for 600-level graduate WCC courses upon permission of the instructor and the Associate Dean. Undergraduate students who have earned at least 90 credits and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.8 may enroll in a 700-level graduate WCC course.
Students admitted to the Bachelor of Music Education /Master of Music Education (BM/MME) 4+1 degree program are permitted to take 600-level graduate WCC courses once they attain junior status (60 or more earned credits) and 700-level graduate WCC courses when they reach senior status (90 or more earned credits). Students must maintain an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above in order to take graduate level courses.