Frequently*Asked*Questions*About*Online*Music*at*VCSU*
onlinemusic.vcsu.edu!
!
Is*it*possible*to*do*the*entire*VCSU*Music*degree*online*or*are*there*some*
requirements*for*attending*classes*on*campus?*
There!is!no!requirement!that!you!actually!come!to!the!VCSU!campus!and!take!
courses.!!You!must,!however,!take!at!least!30!credits!from!VCSU;!they!can!be!
taken!online.!!
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Can*I*take*all*of*the*credits*I*need*for*this*degree*online?*
All!of!the!academic!courses!can!be!taken!online.!!The!performance!classes,!
lessons!and!ensembles,!cannot!be!taken!online.!!!
*
How*are*the*classes*offered*online?**Do*I*need*to*be*available*in*real*time?*
You!do!not!need!to!be!available!in!real!time!although!for!most!classes!that!is!
the!best!option.!!Most!classes,!such!as!theory!and!history,!are!offered!in!real!
time!using!Blackboard!Collaborate!(students!meet!online!in!real!time!in!a!
setting!similar!to!Skype).!!Students!who!cannot!meet!in!real!time!when!a!
class!meets!can!watch!archives!of!the!classes.!
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Can*I*work*at*my*own*pace?*
Students!can!work!at!their!own!pace!when!watching!archives.!!There!are,!
however,!set!due!dates!and!times!for!assignments!that!must!be!observed!and!
tests!must!be!taken!on!the!days!assigned.!
*
How*much*will*it*cost*to*take*courses*at*VCSU?**
To!determine!the!cost!for!study!at!VCSU,!go!to!the!Net!Price!Calculator!at!
http://www.vcsu.edu/businessoffice/vp.htm?p=233.!!Enter!the!information!
that!is!pertinent!to!you!(the!year!of!study,!the!number!of!credits!you!want!to!
take!in!a!semester;!select!online!undergraduate!student).!!If!you!are!only!
taking!online!courses!and!you!are!an!international!student,!just!select!online!
undergraduate!student.!!Select!“continue”!and!the!price!for!the!number!of!
credits!you!selected!will!show!for!a!full$year!of!tuition.!!If!you!want!to!know!
the!cost!for!just!one!semester,!divide!that!figure!in!half.!!
!
Does*Financial*Aid*cover*everything?***
Online!students!are!not!eligible!for!scholarships!but!students!taking!six!
credits!or!more!are!eligible!for!student!loans.!!!Students!interested!in!
financial!aid!should!read!the!link!to!the!VCSU$Financial$Aid$Information$for$
Online$Music$Students.!
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How*and*when*can*I*register*as*a*student*at*VCSU?*
You!must!first!apply!to!VCSU.!Go!to!http://www.vcsu.edu/registrar/!and!
click!on!the!APPLY!NOW!link!on!the!RH!side!of!the!page.!!There!is!a!one]time!
$35!application!fee.The!Department!of!Music!suggests!that!students!seeking!
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the!online!music!degree!register!for!VCSU!no!later!than!July!1!for!Fall!
Semester!and!no!later!than!October!1!for!Spring!Semester.!!!
*
When*can*I*sign*up*for*classes?*
The!dates!change!from!semester!to!semester.!!One!way!to!find!the!start!of!
enrollments!for!each!semester!is!to!go!to!http://www.vcsu.edu/calendar/.!!
You!will!find!the!enrollment!dates!for!Spring!semester!sometime!in!mid]
November!and!the!enrollment!dates!for!Fall!semester!sometime!in!mid]April.!
You!can!continue!to!enroll!after!those!dates.!
*
Are*there*limits*for*when*I*can*add*or*drop*a*course?*
These!dates!change!by!term.!To!find!the!correct!information!for!an!upcoming!
term,!go!to!http://www.vcsu.edu/registrar/!and!click!on!the!left!hand!link!
20__]20__!Term;Session$Add/Drop$Dates.!
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How*can*I*get*credit*for*applied*lessons?*
There!are!two!options.!!!
1)!If!the!credits!are!being!transferred!from!a!regionally!accredited!university!
(the!student!takes!the!lessons!at!a!different!university!for!credit)!they!can!be!
transferred!to!us.!!As!the!lessons!are!taken,!the!documentation!we!need!
includes!DVDs!of!each!jury,!recital!performance,!and!proficiency!examination!
(check!the!handbook!for!details!on!the!proficiencies)!and!a!transcript!to!
prove!the!student!got!the!credits.!!
!
2)!If!the!student!is!not!taking!them!for!credit!at!a!regionally!accredited!
university,!the!credits!can!be!transcribed.!!Transcribing!means!that!the!
student!studies!with!an!independent!teacher!in!his/her!own!local!area!and!
pays!for!those!lessons!him/herself.!If!a!student!wishes!to!transcribe!the!
lesson!credits,!we!need!the!full!documentation!for!transcribed!lessons,!even!
if!the!teacher!also!teaches!at!a!different!university.!!We!must!first!approve!
the!student’s!instructor,!and!to!do!this!the!student!must!send!us:!
•
A!DVD!of!the!instructor!performing!
•
Resume!or!CV!of!the!instructor!
•
All!degree!transcripts!of!the!instructor!
Even!though!we!are!not!actually!hiring!this!teacher,!we!need!to!be!able!to!
document!that!s/he!will!meet!our!qualifications!as!an!applied!teacher!since!
transcripted!credits!are!ultimately!coming!from!VCSU.!!
!
We!then!also!need!recordings!of!the!student!performing!in!every!semester’s!
recital!and!jury!and!all!of!the!student’s!proficiency!exams.!The!student!must!
follow!our!guidelines!for!lessons!and!proficiencies!and!must!document!at!
least!15!lessons!a!semester.!In!the!student’s!last!year!of!study!with!us!(and!
not!before),!s/he!will!pay!½!tuition!to!VCSU!for!the!lessons!credits!and!they!
will!be!transcripted;!in!other!words,!they!will!appear!on!the!VCSU!transcript!
as!VCSU!credits.!!
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2!
What*qualifications*are*needed*for*an*independent*applied*teacher*to*be*
accepted*for*transcripted*lessons?*
That!is!hard!to!answer.!!Such!teachers!are!evaluated!on!a!case]by]case!basis.!!
The!expectation!is!that!the!instructor!would!perform!and!teach!at!the!level!of!
a!college!professor!and!would!thus!have!qualifications!similar!to!those!hired!
as!a!college!faculty!member!or!adjunct.!The!decision!is!based!on!review!of!the!
teacher’s!transcripts,!degrees,!CV/resume,!and!performance!DVD.!!
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How*can*I*get*credits*for*ensembles?*
The!same!two!options!that!are!available!for!lessons!are!available!for!
ensembles:!!transferring!and!transcribing.!!
!
If!the!student!chooses!transcribing,!the!ensemble!must!be!approved.!
Acceptable!ensembles!are!university!ensembles!and!some!community!
ensembles.!!High!school!ensembles!are!not!acceptable!and,!in!90%!of!the!
cases,!a!church!ensemble!is!not!acceptable!(exceptions!would!be!church!
ensembles!that!perform!in!concert,!not!just!in!Sunday!services!–!the!Mormon!
Tabernacle!Choir!would!be!a!top!example).!
!
To!approve!the!ensemble,!the!student!must!send!the!director’s!resume/CV,!
the!director’s!transcripts,!the!ensemble’s!rehearsal!schedule!(3!hours!a!week!
should!be!the!amount!of!rehearsal!time),!and!examples!of!past!programs;!
once!approved,!copies!of!all!performance!programs!that!show!the!student’s!
name!as!well!as!DVDs!of!all!concert!performances!must!be!sent.!!
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I*am*earning*a*music*degree*from*another*institution*but*would*like*to*take*
online*music*credits*from*VCSU.*Is*this*possible?*
Students!earning!a!degree!from!another!institution!can!take!up!to!16!credits!
from!VCSU!without!declaring!a!major.!!After!that,!students!must!declare!a!
major/degree!plan!at!VCSU.!!
!
Lesson!credits!and!ensemble!credits!are!only!transcripted!for!online!students!
receiving!their!degree!from!VCSU.!No!lessons!or!ensemble!credits!are!
transcripted!for!students!receiving!music!degrees!from!other!institutions.!!
*
Do*you*accept*credits*from*a*long*time*ago?*
VCSU!does!not!have!a!limit!on!how!old!credits!can!be.!As!long!as!they!meet!
our!other!requirements!(e.g.!from!a!regionally!accredited!institution,!not!
developmental!classes,!etc.)!we!will!accept!credits!from!anytime!in!the!past.!
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I*am*not*a*performer;*can*I*still*get*this*degree?*
All!students!are!required!to!take!eight!semesters!of!private!lessons!on!a!
major!instrument,!culminating!in!a!Senior!Recital.!!If!a!student!cannot!read!
music!or!has!never!performed,!this!is!not!the!right!degree!for!that!student.!!
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Do*you*accept*players*of*any*instrument*to*this*degree?!
No.!!We!only!accept!students!studying!instruments!for!which!we!employ!
faculty!members!who!teach!that!instrument.!!Currently!that!means!
acceptable!instruments!are!all!woodwind!and!brass!instruments,!percussion,!
piano,!guitar,!and!voice.!
!
Examples!of!instruments!we!do!not!accept!are!harp,!string!instruments!
(violin,!viola,!cello,!bass),!banjo,!organ,!and!electric!keyboard.!
!!
Do*you*offer*a*degree*in*Composition,*Music*Education,*Piano*Pedagogy,*or*
Music*Therapy?*
No.!We!only!offer!a!BA!or!BS!in!Music.!!We!do!offer!a!minor!in!Piano!Pedagogy!
that!can!be!completed!with!our!BA!or!BS!in!Music!but!not!with!a!degree!from!
another!institution.!!
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Do*you*offer*any*Music*Certificates*of*Completion*(COC)*online?*
Yes,!we!offer!an!online!Certificate!in!Piano!Pedagogy!(information!at!
http://www.vcsu.edu/catalogsearch/program/?p=133)!and!one!in!
Composition!(information!at!
http://www.vcsu.edu/catalogsearch/program/?p=131).!!!
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If!you!are!interested!in!a!COC,!you!need!to!apply!to!VCSU!–!be!clear!that!you!
are!seeking!a!COC!rather!than!a!degree!and!let!Enrollment!Services!know!
which!one(s).!!
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I*already*have*a*BA.**Can*I*get*the*BA*in*Music*online*from*VCSU?*
If!you!already!have!a!BA,!you!can!get!the!BS!in!Music!online!here!and!visa]
versa.!!No!student!can!get!a!2nd!BA!or!2nd!BS!with!this!program.!!
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I*already*have*some/all*of*my*General*Education*requirements*met*from*
another*school.*Do*I*have*to*redo*my*General*Education*requirements*for*the*
VCSU*degree?*
If!a!student!has!fulfilled!the!General!Education!requirements!for!a!completed!
degree!from!a!regionally!accredited!institution,!s/he!will!not!need!to!redo!
any!General!Education!courses!at!VCSU.!!VCSU!will!accept!the!student’s!
complete!General!Education!block.!!
!
If!the!student!did!not!complete!a!degree!but!has!a!number!of!General!
Education!credits!on!his/her!transcripts,!the!credits!will!be!considered!for!
transfer!on!a!course]by]course!basis!and!the!student!will!be!notified!on!
his/her!transcript!audit!about!which!have!transferred!successfully!to!VCSU.!!
!
What*is*a*transcript*audit?*
The!transcript!audit!is!a!document!created!by!our!Registrar’s!Office!once!the!
student!sends!official!copies!from!all!of!his/her!transcripts!to!that!office.!!The!
transcript!audit!shows!all!of!the!credits!that!VCSU!accepts!for!transfer!plus!all!
!
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of!the!requirements!needed!to!complete!the!degree.!!Students!can!look!at!this!
document!and!see!what!courses!are!left!to!take!in!order!to!complete!the!
online!degree.!!
*
What*do*I*need*to*do*to*apply*for*the*online*music*degree?*
The!most!important!thing!to!do!is!to!read!the!complete!Online!Student!
Handbook!located!at:!onlinemusic.vcsu.edu!
!
This!handbook!will!answer!many!questions!related!to!the!degree,!including!
how!to!apply.!!An!outline!of!what!is!needed!to!apply!includes:!!
• Official!application!to!the!university!with!a!one!time!$35!application!fee!
• Application!to!the!Music!Department!sent!to!the!Department!Chair!
(application!form!is!in!the!handbook)!
• Audition!DVD!sent!to!Department!Chair!(audition!requirements!
outlined!in!the!handbook)!
• Transcripts!from!any!previous!colleges!where!credits!have!been!earned!
(official!transcript!to!the!VCSU!Registrar!and!an!unofficial!copy!to!the!
Department!Chair)!
Once!that!is!done,!additional!information!needs!to!be!sent!to!the!Chair!of!the!
Department!of!Music:!
• A!copy!of!the!transcript!audit!that!is!created!by!the!VCSU!Registrar!(this!
can!only!be!done!after!the!Registrar!receives!your!official!transcripts;!
the!process!takes!time)!
• Once!the!applicant!receives!the!transcript!audit,!s/he!should!create!a!
plan!for!how!the!remaining!requirements!will!be!met.!!The!plan!must!
show!each!the!courses!that!are!planned!for!semester.!!The!online!
handbook!lists!the!course!rotations!by!semester!and!when!various!
required!courses!are!offered!online.!
• Information!on!how!the!student!plans!to!receive!lessons/ensemble!
credits.!!All!required!documentation!for!either!system!must!be!sent,!
keeping!in!mind!that!the!transcripted!method!required!additional!
documentation.!!!
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Are*there*any*restrictions*on*who*can*enroll*for*the*online*music*degree*at*
VCSU?**Do*you*accept*students*from*all*states?*
Beyond!the!normal!requirements!for!any!bachelor’s!degree!(such!as!
completion!of!high!school),!there!are!some!restrictions!based!on!the!home!
state!of!the!applicant.!!!VCSU!cannot!accept!students!from!every!state!due!to!
restrictions!placed!by!some!states.!!There!are!also!some!restrictions!placed!
by!certain!states!on!the!types!of!online!instruction!allowed.!!A!list!of!state!
restrictions!can!be!found!at!
http://distancelearning.vcsu.edu/vp.htm?p=2623.!
!
*
Do*you*accept*students*from*other*countries?*
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5!
There!are!no!international!restrictions!for!online!students.!!International!
students!must!show!competence!in!use!of!the!English!language!and!must!be!
able!to!pay!their!expenses!while!taking!courses!in!the!online!program.!!For!
more!information,!review!the!section!of!the!latest!VCSU!catalog!that!refers!to!
online!students.!!The!catalog!can!be!found!at:!
http://www.vcsu.edu/documents/.!
!
Approximately*how*long*will*this*degree*take?**
This!depends!on!each!student,!on!how!many!credits!are!transferred!into!the!
program,!and!on!how!many!credits!the!student!wants!to!take!each!semester,!
etc.!It!is!a!basically!a!four]year!degree!that!requires!eight!semesters!of!
lessons!and!six!semesters!of!ensembles!as!well!as!coursework.!Some!
students!may!have!fulfilled!various!credits!in!advance!and!will!not!take!four!
years!to!complete!the!degree.!!
*
How*many*credit*hours*do*I*have*to*complete*each*semester?**
Again,!this!is!up!to!the!individual.!!Twelve!is!considered!a!full!load!for!a!full]
time!student;!we!don’t!recommend!more!than!six!for!a!student!who!has!
a!full]time!job.!
!
When*creating*my*plan,*how*do*I*know*which*courses*are*offered*when?*
The!Online!Student!Handbook!includes!a!list!of!courses!and!when!each!is!
offered!online.!!Some!courses!are!only!offered!every!two!years.!
!
What*other*helpful*VCSU*links*are*there*for*online*students?*
http://distancelearning.vcsu.edu/vp.htm?p=1286!
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