School Info, Enrollment & Policies
Graduate Student Policies
On This Page
Code of Conduct
Students enrolling in Berklee Online assume an obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with the College’s function as an educational institution. As a result, reasonable policies, procedures, and regulations have been developed to guarantee each student’s freedom to learn and to protect their rights.
Each student’s attitude and deportment must conform to standards inherently necessary to advance the educational process. Failure to observe these standards may result in a review of a student’s behavior for appropriate determination. Such behavior could be grounds for dismissal. Students who fail to comply with the regulations of Berklee Online may be dismissed from the online school at any time with no reimbursement of fees.
Harassment and Sexual Harassment
Berklee Online is committed to fostering an online learning environment free of harassment. Verbal or written conduct that is unwelcome, or that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual based on any of the factors listed below will not be tolerated. Harassment of any form is strictly against College policy and may result in disciplinary action.
Harassment is any verbal or physical action based upon race, color, creed, religion, gender, national or ethnic origin, age, handicap, or sexual orientation. Sexual harassment includes but is not limited to sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or unwelcome contact. Sexual innuendos, use of obscene language, and telling sexual jokes can also be construed as sexual harassment.
A fundamental belief of the College is that each member of the community has a right to a healthy and supportive environment for learning and working. Harassment of any form is considered a serious matter at Berklee. All members of the community are responsible for ensuring that the campus is free from harassment. Complaints of harassment will be promptly and carefully investigated, and all members of the community are assured that they will be free from any and all reprisal from filing a complaint.
Honesty in Academic Work and in Scholarly and Professional Practice
Berklee Online values integrity within the classroom, across all areas of scholarly and professional practice, and in the use of information technology resources. Consequently, members of the Berklee Online community are expected to maintain high standards of honesty and practice throughout the many aspects of their life and study at the College. Students who have evidenced academic dishonesty may be made subject to disciplinary procedures including but not limited to: receiving a warning; dismissal from the course; suspension or permanent dismissal from Berklee Online.
The following definitions are provided for the information of the Berklee Online community and constitute notice of unacceptable academic behavior or scholarly and professional practice. Academic work in this context means any and all music and non-music work related to any course or major at the College. While scholarly and professional work may occur in the context of a course, they also are found in activity that is independent of coursework. Dishonesty in scholarly or professional work, whether in the form of fraud, plagiarism, or cheating, is unacceptable and subject to appropriate disciplinary procedures.
- Fraud is using identifiers (such as name, password, ID) of other persons as one’s own or submitting false information about oneself. Some examples include such infractions as concealing or misrepresenting one’s identity, impersonating another individual, falsifying information on such documents as one’s resume or internship applications, misrepresenting oneself as acting on behalf of Berklee, or using the College’s name, logo, or symbol without prior written permission.
- Plagiarism is defined as misrepresenting work that has been done by another as one’s own efforts whether such misrepresentation has been accomplished with or without the permission of the other individual.
- Cheating is the use of prohibited assistance (whether in the nature of a person or a resource) in the performance of assignments and examinations, and copying of another student’s work or the giving or receiving of information or answers, whether verbally or in writing. More extensive guidelines regarding honesty and the use of technological resources are found in the Technology Policy.
Use of Berklee College of Music or Berklee Online Name
Students may not under any circumstances, without the College’s prior written consent, use the name “Berklee College of Music” or “Berklee Online” in any form or use any symbol or logo or graphic used by or associated with Berklee College of Music alone or with the name “Berklee” or any name, symbol, logo, or graphic confusingly similar to Berklee’s name, symbols, logo, or graphics as part of an e-mail address, a “homepage,” or a second or higher-level domain name for any online network a student utilizes, originates, or registers with Internet or similar authority. Unauthorized use of the name “Berklee Online,” “Berklee College of Music,” or any symbol, logo, or graphic used by or associated with the College or any confusingly similar thereto is a violation of college policies and subject to sanctions.
Credit Card Fraud Policy
Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, your bank cannot hold you liable for more than $50.00 of fraudulent charges. In the event of unauthorized use of your credit card, you must notify your credit card provider in accordance with its reporting rules and procedures. Please note that when using your bank debit card as a credit card, you are protected under the Electronic Funds Transfer Act. You must report any fraudulent charges within two business days to avoid being liable for more than $50.00. Please contact your bank or www.consumer.gov for more information.
Berklee Online takes credit card fraud very seriously and cooperates fully with local, state, and federal law enforcement officials to apprehend groups or individuals committing credit card fraud.
Berklee Online will supply all information about fraudulent orders to law enforcement officials who will then pursue investigation and prosecution of the criminal action taken by offending parties. Once the criminal case has been completed, a separate civil case is then submitted against the offending party to recover any and all damages (financial and otherwise) that is incurred by Berklee Online.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) grants students the right of access to inspect or review their educational files, records, or data. If a student wishes to inspect his/her records, he/she must file a request with the Berklee Online Registrar’s Office within 10 days of receipt of the Right of Access form. The student will be notified as to the date, time, and location that the desired record will be available for inspection.
The college maintains the following general records on students: permanent academic records and account payment records. A student file will contain a record of all non-Berklee affiliated individuals or organizations requesting access to it plus statements that specify the legitimate educational purpose for which access was requested. The Record of Access may be released only to Berklee College of Music personnel or to state or federal officials as a means of auditing the reporting of access to student records.
Except as listed below, information or records concerning individual students may not be released to any individual or agency without the student’s written permission. Any request for such information received without such written notice will not be honored and will be returned with a request for a written release from the student. With the approval of the registrar and without the student’s approval, educational records may be released to the following individuals or agencies under the following specific conditions:
- Berklee College of Music personnel for legitimate educational purposes only
- Federal or state officials in connection with the audit and evaluation of federally funded programs, in connection with the enforcement of federal legal requirements that relate to such programs, or in connection with the student’s application for or receipt of financial aid
- State and local officials to whom disclosure is required by state statute adopted prior to November 19, 1974, for organizations conducting studies for the purpose of developing predictive tests, administering student aid programs, and improving instruction
- Accrediting organizations in order to carry out their accrediting function
- The student’s parents, if they claim the student as a dependent on the most recent Internal Revenue Service tax return and provide documentation of such
- Persons possessing a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena (provided that the college first makes reasonable attempts to notify the student)
- When necessary in an emergency, to protect the student’s health, safety, or welfare or that of others, to persons who are in a position to deal with an emergency
- The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), formerly Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS), upon specific request to the college to verify F-1 status of international students
Unless an individual or agency can meet one of the aforementioned conditions, the college will not release a student’s educational records, class schedule, specific address, or telephone number. However, the following data are considered by the college to be informational in nature and may be released without the student’s permission, at the discretion of the college: name, enrollment status, graduation status, term level, program, major, dates of attendance, and hometown.
Students who wish to waive their right to maintain the privacy of their personal
information must complete and submit FERPA Release Form here. Berklee Online reserves the right to determine which information should be released to the designated party.
Additional information on procedures or policies relating to the college compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act can be obtained from the Berklee Online Registrar’s Office.
Grievance Policy
Situations sometimes arise in which particular circumstances surrounding a policy decision require special consideration, or students have a complaint about the behavior or performance of a faculty or staff member.
As a general rule, students should address their concerns about a policy decision or a faculty member directly with the Berklee Online Registrar’s Office. An unresolved complaint about the behavior/performance of a staff member may be brought to the attention of the person’s immediate supervisor.
If the complaint remains unresolved, the student may continue to appeal to a higher level of authority, within the appropriate area, up to the vice president of the area.
Methods of Communication
Email
Email is the official method of communication regarding important deadlines, events, administrative business required for student enrollment, announcements, changes to existing courses and programs, and other updates. Students enrolled with Berklee Online must agree to receive all email communications. Students are responsible for checking their berklee.edu email account daily for important school-related information.
To ensure there are no gaps in communication, students are required to use their berklee.edu email address for all Berklee Online related communication.
Mailing Address
All students must have a current mailing address on file with Berklee Online. Berklee Online regularly sends out important documentation via mail. Some examples include:
- 1098-T federal tax forms
- Letters regarding enrollment status
- Refunds
- Other important information
Student IDs
All Berklee Online degree students will be provided a student ID card, which will be mailed to them.
