Course and Program Regulations

Students and instructors are bound by the absence policy stipulated for Schulich School of Music.  Students seeking short-term or long-term academic accommodations must read the absence policy carefully and alert instructors of their absence in a timely manner. 

See  Absence policy

Consult the  Assessment Task Extension Policy before requesting an extension to complete a required course assessment.

Note: Students cannot request for an extension to complete a practical exam if they have been assigned an examination date. They may, however, apply for an exam deferral request. See Deferred Exam Policies for detail.

The Schulich School of Music allows up to a maximum of 6 credits of course overlaps between two minor programs, or a minor program and a major program. 

Students pursuing two music majors are required to complete the full requirements for each major.  Consult with a Senior Program Advisor which type of course overlaps are permitted between the two music major programs.   

Students may withdraw from a course after the add/drop deadline. See Course Withdrawal and key academic dates for detail.  

Withdrawing from all courses in any given term constitutes a University Withdrawal. Students must withdraw from courses before the key academic dates to avoid failing grades for incomplete courses.  Non-attendance at classes does not equate to a university withdrawal.  

Before making a final decision to withdraw from the University, consult with Music Student Affairs Office and/or the International Student Services if you are an international student.  

Students may apply for a deferred exam if they cannot write a final exam during the official exam period. This includes final exams for academic courses and practical exams. 

See  Deferred Exam Policies [PDF] for details. 

Students participating in an ensemble [MUEN] must abide by the ensemble policies and its absence policy.   

Ensemble Policy for Undergraduate Programs 

Students may take courses at another university in Canada or in another country for transfer credits towards their program at McGill. They have the option to take courses through an exchange program, an independent study away request or a Quebec Inter-University Transfer Agreement.  

See Learning Abroad for more information.  

See graduation requirements to determine the number of credits and cumulative grade point average (CGPA) required for program graduation.  

The Program Audit (PA) is another tool music students should use to keep track of program requirements.  

Students are permitted to request a leave of absence for up to a maximum of two consecutive semesters without having to audition for program readmission. 

Please read the policy  about McGill’s Leave of Absence for undergraduate students carefully before submitting a request 

Submit a Leave of Absence Request 

1. If the request is approved, the Leave of Absence notation will be reflected on McGill’s academic records. 

2. Newly admitted students are not eligible for a Leave of Absence in the first semester. They should consult with Admissions about the possibility to defer the term of admission. 

3. The request must be made before the end of the withdrawal with refund deadline for the semester which the Leave of Absence is requested. 

4. We strongly encourage students to meet with a Program Advisor to discuss options about program continuation before seeking a Leave of Absence. Students can book an appointment with a Program Advisor here. 

5. International Students should consult International Student Services to see how a leave of absence may impact their legal status in Canada. 

6. Students on Leave of Absence will still be able to register for courses in the semester follow the leave. They can add courses during the regular registration period. 

Note: Taking a break from studies for personal reason(s) does not constitute as a valid reason for seeking a Leave of Absence. Students who do not register for courses in the regular academic year (excluding the summer semester) will be required to apply for program readmission. See Program Readmission for detail. 

Each program requires students to attain a minimum grade for different course categories, such as ensembles [MUEN], practical instruction and exams [MUIN] and major specific courses [e.g. MUJZ – jazz studies, MUCO – composition studies], for program continuation.  Students will be placed on academic probation or be asked to withdraw from the program if they do not meet the program’s academic requirements.  

See Academic Requirements by Program for detail. 

Undergraduate music students may apply to transfer to another program within the Schulich School of Music.  They will request for an intra-faculty transfer.  

They may also apply for a second major offered by Music or another faculty tied to the principal program, Bachelor of Music.  For more information, see Double Majors and Double Degrees. 

Bachelor of Music students also have the option to pursue a minor offered by Music or another faculty. Courses in a minor can double-count as electives in a Bachelor of Music program. For more information, see Minor Programs. 

Reread is also known as reassessment.

Students may request a reread if they disagree with a delivered assessment for a course.

Review the  Reread Policy carefully before submitting a request.

Reread requests for courses from other faculties should be addressed directly with the department which offers the course.

The reread application instructions below are for courses administered by the Schulich School of Music.

Application Deadline:

Students must submit the request within ten (10) working days after the graded material has been made available to students.  

Ready to submit an appeal? Fill out the reread request form.  

The reread result should normally be communicated within twenty (20) working days.

See Registration Guide for detailed information on course registrations with S/U option.