Songwriting

Classes fill on a first-come, first-served basis determined by receipt of payment.

For questions regarding the payment methods we accept, please contact finance@online.berklee.edu or call 1-866-BERKLEE or 1-617-747-2146 if outside the US, Monday through Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET.

Credit Card Payments

Berklee Online accepts the following credit cards:

• American Express
• Discover
• JCB Card
• MasterCard
• Visa

If you do not wish to use the online process, please contact us directly at advisors@online.berklee.edu or our Finance Department at finance@online.berklee.edu or call 1-866-BERKLEE or 1-617-747-2146 if outside the US, Monday through Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET.

PayPal

Berklee Online accepts payment via PayPal. Students can choose PayPal as an option during the checkout process.

Tuition Assistance

Berklee Online accepts various forms of Tuition Assistance including Employer Tuition Assistance, Military Tuition Assistance, and Purchase Orders.

529 Plan Information

Many states and financial services institutions offer 529 savings programs for families to save money for a child’s college education. Each entity has separate rules and regulations governing how funds may be used and how to have monies sent to us. Always check with your 529 plan administrator about how and when to request release of funds, as well as what documents, such as an electronic copy of the student’s bill, are needed.

To ensure that the funds are directed to the correct student account, all 529 plan payments and correspondence should include the student’s full name and Student ID number. Documentation can be emailed to finance@online.berklee.edu.

Wire Transfers

Berklee Online has partnered with Flywire to streamline the tuition payment process for our students. You will be able to login to your Flywire account, at any time, to track the progress of your payment and you will also be notified via email or text when your payment is received by Berklee Online.

Before initiating your transfer, please take note of your Student ID or Order Number in order to help ensure your payment is posted to the correct account. Your ID can be found from your home page and your Order Number is located in your Order History.

https://payment.flywire.com/pay/payment

Course Participation

Prompt and regular online participation is required to complete all Berklee Online courses successfully. The weekly lessons are cumulative; therefore, it is imperative that students stay current with their coursework and assignments. In addition, student-to-student communication and collaboration are essential elements to the overall Berklee Online educational experience, and students who fall behind in their coursework not only miss out on the cumulative curriculum but the community aspect of their courses as well.

It is recommended that students begin their course(s) promptly when the semester begins. If a student does need to start the course a few days late, they should contact the instructor via a private message and/or e-mail as soon as possible after the course has opened.

If students plan to be away from their courses, they should inform their instructors via a private message and/or e-mail, and make every effort to continue working on the courses while away. If this is not possible, they should make a plan with their instructors to catch up upon returning. Each instructor has his/her own policy for accepting late work. It is important that students review this information. Students should contact their instructors as soon as possible to determine what, if any, arrangements can be made for the specific situation. Instructors may issue a failing grade for failure to submit required work in a course. The grade of “F” will be recorded for failure to complete or properly withdraw from courses.

Course Change Policy

Students may request to transfer their enrollment to an alternate course (provided there is room in the course of choice) through Friday of the second week of the semester. After this time, a student cannot change into an alternate course for the current semester. To request a course change, students should send an email to registrar@online.berklee.edu.

Changing the Credit Status of a Course

Students can request to change their enrollment from non-credit status to for-credit and vice versa through week 10 of the semester. To do so, please send a request in writing to the Berklee Online Registrar’s Office at registrar@online.berklee.edu. Requests must be received by 12:00 PM ET on the Friday of week 10 of the semester. After this time, a student will not be able to change from non-credit status to credit status or change from credit to non-credit status.

Credit Transfer Policy

Berklee College of Music is accredited by New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.). Students who want to transfer Berklee Online credits to other colleges or universities should check with their home institutions. Berklee Online credits are accepted at the discretion of the receiving institution.

Many Berklee Online courses may be used to fulfill a student’s requirements towards a degree or diploma at Berklee College of Music provided they have applied and been accepted. More information can be found on the Online Course equivalencies page. All courses taken through Berklee Online will affect your GPA. Courses taken through Berklee Online are Berklee courses and cannot be removed from your transcript.

Taking courses with Berklee Online does not constitute or affect acceptance into Berklee College of Music in Boston. To learn more about applying for an undergraduate degree or diploma from Berklee College of Music, please contact the Admissions Department at admissions@berklee.edu or by calling 1-800-BERKLEE or 617-747-2221.

Definition of Credit Hour

Most Berklee Online courses are 3-credit offerings. Students earn 1 course credit for every 15 hours of instruction over 12 weeks. There is also the expectation that 15 hours of instruction require 30 hours of additional course work over 12 weeks.

Grading

Students enrolled in non-credit courses will receive letter grades on assignments throughout the semester. At the conclusion of the course a grade of satisfactory or unsatisfactory will be issued.

Repeat Course Policy

Students may enroll in and receive a grade for a course taken for a second or subsequent time. Only the highest grade will be computed in the cumulative GPA. The repetition of a course will not eliminate the previous grade from the student’s record, nor will any additional credit be earned by repeating a course. Additional tuition and fees will apply.

Grade Disputes

If a student feels they have been issued a grade that does not accurately reflect their performance in their course they should first reach out to their instructor to discuss their concerns.

If they are unable to resolve their issue with the instructor the student should send a written appeal to the Berklee Online Registrar’s Office to dispute the grade. The appeal should include the name of the course, the instructor, as well as a detailed reason they feel their grade is incorrect. This can be emailed to registrar@online.berklee.edu.

The appeal must be received prior to the end of the following semester to be considered. Any appeal received after this time will not be eligible for review.

Incomplete Grading Policy

Under limited circumstances, a student may request a grade of Incomplete (“I”) from a course instructor in the final two weeks of the semester. The decision to grant the request rests entirely with the instructor of the course. A request for an Incomplete grade by the student can only be considered by the instructor when all of the following conditions are met:

• the student initiates the request for an Incomplete grade by the last day of the semester;
• the student must be passing the course at the time of the request;
• attendance in the course by the student has been satisfactory;
• a health condition, family or personal emergency, or other unavoidable documented emergency legitimately prevents the student from completing the required course work by the last day of the semester;
• the required work can reasonably be completed by the end of the following semester (whether or not the student is enrolled in that semester); and
• the Incomplete is not based on the student’s failure to complete work during the semester or used as a means to complete additional work in order to raise the grade in the course.

Please note:

• Grades of “I” are not calculated into the GPA.
• A grade of “I” is not a passing grade. A student will not receive credit for the class until a passing grade is submitted.
• A grade of “I” is not given as a substitute for a failing grade
• The course cannot be used as a prerequisite for another course until a passing grade is submitted.
• A grade of incomplete that is not resolved by the last day of the following semester automatically changes to a grade of F.

Disability Accommodations

Berklee Online is committed to creating usable, equitable, and inclusive learning environments while providing equal educational opportunity and full participation for students with disabilities, as outlined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Students with disabilities who desire to access accommodations should initiate their request by completing the Disability Accommodation Request Form (below) before or during the first week of their course. The student is responsible for submitting all supporting documentation, which should outline specific needs and course accommodations, to Berklee Online Accommodations through the form.

Reasonable accommodations are reviewed on a continual basis, preferably before the semester begins or upon approval from Berklee Online Accommodations. Course accommodations cannot be retroactive and begin only after documentation is received and a reasonable time for accommodation has been allowed. Students are highly encouraged to contact instructors to facilitate the implementation of the identified accommodation.

To declare a disability, you must provide relevant documentation of the disability and list the course(s) for which you are requesting accommodations. Please complete the:

Disability Accommodation Request Form.

Students can contact the Disability Accommodations team at accommodation@online.berklee.edu.

Confidentiality

Berklee Online Accommodations is committed to ensuring that all information regarding a student remains confidential. In line with the Americans with Disabilities Act, information provided to faculty states that the student is a qualified individual with a disability; specific information regarding the type of disability will not be shared.

Withdrawal Policies

All withdrawal requests must be sent to the Berklee Online Registrar’s Office in writing and must include the following information:

• Your full name
• The course you are enrolled in
• If applicable, the semester you are enrolled in and your reason for withdrawing

Requests to withdraw will not be accepted over the phone. Notifying an instructor does not constitute an official request to withdraw from a course. Requests to withdraw must be emailed to registrar@online.berklee.edu.

All withdrawals from courses need to be received prior to 5 PM ET the Friday of week eight (8) of the semester. No withdrawals will be accepted after this date. A failing grade will be issued unless the withdrawal request is received by the Berklee Online Registrar’s Office prior to the Friday of week eight (8) of the semester of a given course.

If a student is requesting an exception to the withdrawal policy for medical reasons, please see the Medical Withdrawal/Transfer section below for information on this process. If a student feels they have extenuating circumstances other than medical reasons and wish to request an exception to our policy, please send an email to registrar@online.berklee.edu. Students should make sure to include as much detail as possible. The request for an exception based on extenuating circumstances will be reviewed and a final decision will be provided via email.

Please note students are expected to have reviewed the computer requirements for each course and to have purchased required materials in advance of the course beginning. Computer or software issues are not cause for an exception to the withdrawal/refund policies. If a student is experiencing issues with their hardware or software, they can contact Berklee Online’s Student Support via telephone at 617.747.2146 option 3 or by email at support@online.berklee.edu, or try to make alternate arrangements to continue active participation with their course.

Course Transfers

Students enrolled in a course for credit or non-credit can request to transfer their course to a future semester. In addition, online summer program students can opt to transfer their enrollment and funds to another on-campus summer program offering. Additional tuition may be due for those transferring to another summer program offering. Requests to transfer must be in writing to registrar@online.berklee.edu and received by Friday of the second week of the semester.

Medical Withdrawal and Transfers

Students who need to delay their online course for medical reasons may be eligible to transfer their course(s) to a future semester. A medical withdrawal or transfer will be considered only if accompanied by a written verification from a medical doctor on letterhead stating the student cannot complete the semester due to an illness or disability. Please note the doctor’s note must be in English to be considered. The transfer will not be allowed if a student fails to submit medical documentation to the Berklee Online Registrar’s Office prior to the end of week eight (8) of the semester. For the exact due date for a medical transfer please visit the Important Semester Dates.

The request for a medical withdrawal or transfer must be sent in writing to registrar@online.berklee.edu.

Refund Policies

• By 5 PM ET Friday prior to the start date of a course: 100% refund of current course minus the registration fee.
• By 5 PM ET Friday of the first week of a course: 50% refund of current course minus the registration fee.
• By 5 PM ET Friday of the second week of a course: 25% refund of current course minus the registration fee.

Refunds will be based on when the withdrawal is received in writing. No additional refunds on courses in progress will be given after the second week of the semester. Students can find the withdrawal and refund dates on the Academic Calendar. The registration fee is non-refundable. Please note that all refunds will be provided in United States dollars (USD). Berklee Online cannot be held responsible for any currency rate fluctuations between the date of purchase and the date of the refund. Students who have transferred their enrollment after the semester begins and later request to withdraw will be eligible for a maximum refund of 25% of the tuition paid.

Students who elect to withdraw from a course and are due a refund will receive their check within two to three weeks after the refund request has been received.

Students should be aware of the following details:

If a student’s payment was made by check, the refund will be issued in the form of a check.

If payment was made by credit card, every attempt will be made to process the refund back to the card used within 30 days. In the event we are unable to do so, the refund will be issued in the form of a check.

How do I take a course online?

Each week, your instructor will post a new lesson. You can log on and work on the material anytime throughout that week. It should take approximately 7-10 hours per week to complete the lessons and assignments, more or less time may be required based on a student’s level of experience.

Who are the instructors?

Our instructors are Berklee faculty and widely-recognized experts in their field. Additional instructors not listed on our site may be added to support additional sections. All instructors are Berklee Faculty or professionals in the industry

Can I request a specific instructor or to be in a specific section?

No, requests for a specific instructor or to be placed in a specific section will not be accepted. All students are assigned at random to a section prior to the semester beginning. All instructors are Berklee faculty and/or widely-recognized experts in their field. Additional instructors not listed on our site may be added to support additional sections.

How long are the courses?

Berklee Online courses are 12-weeks long.

How many credits do I need to take to be considered part-time and full-time as an undergraduate student?

To be considered part-time, undergraduate students need to take 2 courses (6 credits) in a semester.

To be considered full-time undergraduate students need to take 4 courses (12 credits) in a semester.

How many courses can I take at a time?

We urge students to consider how much time they have to dedicate to the required work before enrolling in multiple courses in a single semester. Undergraduate students wishing to take more than four courses in a semester require approval by the Berklee Online Registrar’s Office.

What happens if my course is canceled?

While we make every effort to run all of our courses, sometimes it is necessary to cancel a course. If this happens, you will be sent an email letting you know your course has been canceled. You will be given the option to transfer into a different course for the current semester or transfer to the same course in an upcoming semester. Additional tuition may be due if a different course is chosen.

Can I transfer Berklee Online credits towards an undergraduate degree at Berklee College of Music?

Many Berklee Online courses can be applied towards a degree with Berklee College of Music. For more information please visit the Credit Transfer section of our academic policies.

Are Berklee Online credits eligible for transfer to other colleges and universities?

Berklee College of Music is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.). Students who want to transfer Berklee Online credits to another college or university should check with their home institutions. Transfer credits are accepted at the discretion of the receiving institution.

How many students are in a section?

The maximum class size is 20 students per section.

Where do I go to find the course I enrolled in?

Simply log in to Berklee Online and go to your “My Home” page. Links to the courses you are enrolled in will be located under the “My Courses” heading.

Will I be able to access my course after it has finished?

You will be able to access courses for one year after they end. Please note that once a course officially ends, you will have an additional 30 days, or one month, to post inside the course. Keep in mind that your instructor will not review your posts or respond to messages in the course during this 30-day period unless you have made arrangements for an extension. After that 30-day period, you will continue to have “view only” access to the course for an additional 11 months. During this time, you will not be able to interact with the instructor or post any messages/discussions, but you can continue to review the course material. After this one-year period, we are unable to allow students further access to the course. If you have any questions, please contact Student Support via email at support@online.berklee.edu.

Do I need to know how to read music to take a course?

It depends on the course. Prerequisites are indicated in the course description and requirements page.

If you are still unsure, you can contact us directly at advisors@online.berklee.edu or at 1.866.BERKLEE or 1.617.747.2146 if outside the US.

Who do I contact if I am having technical trouble with the course?

You may contact Student Support by email at support@online.berklee.edu or telephone at 1.866.BERKLEE (or 1.617.747.2146 if outside the U.S.), Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET. Student Support will assist you with any problems you have and will do their best to provide a response to your question or inquiry within one business day.

Do I get a certificate of completion when I finish each course?

When you complete an individual course, you will be issued a letter of completion. The letter will become available on your home page 6-8 weeks after the semester has ended. When you complete a course for credit, you will also be issued a grade which will appear on your permanent Berklee Online transcript.

How long after the course ends will I receive my grade in the course?

Instructors are to post grades two weeks after the semester has ended.

Where can I view my final grade in my course?

You can view your grade by clicking on the “My Academic Record” link from your “My Home” page.

Are textbooks, software, and hardware included in tuition costs?

No. The required materials for online courses are not included in tuition and fees. They are available for sale through various bookstores and web retailers.