Bachelor in Music Handbook

Article 1 - Organization

1. The programme course lasts six semesters. This first cycle confers the Bachelor degree (licenciatura - 180 ECTS). It is required for completion of the course to obtain approval in all curricular units (CUs) contained in the student study plan and to obtain the required minimum of ECTS in Options / Projects.

Article 2 - Registration

1. Applying to ESML Bachelor in Music is the act by which the student is engaged to ESML, acquiring the status of student and the right to enroll in one of its courses, being valid as long as the student attends the course uninterruptedly. The enrollment, by itself, does not entitle the attendance of classes, being necessary to enroll in the Curricular Units (CUs) of the respective course.

Article 3 - Enrollment

1. Enrollment is the act that enables the student is able to attend the various academic activities after having a valid ESML registration.
2. Enrollment is made at the beginning of the school year, and the selection process for CUs selection may take place during two different academic moments, safeguarding special situations, such as re-entry, transfer and change of course regimes.
3. Finalization of enrollment requires the completion of a proper form and the cumulative verification of the following conditions:

a) regularized fees payment, including absence of debts or the existence of an authorized payment plan;
b) absence of impediment by application of the prescription regime.

4. Enrollment is subject to payment of the enrollment fee and school insurance.
5. The enrollment in the Bachelor in Music course may be carried out on a part-time basis under the terms of Dispatch no. 20754/2009 of 15 September - Regulation of Application and Frequency of Isolated CU and Students in Partial Time Regime of the IPL.

Article 4 - Place of registration and enrollment

1. Registrations and enrollments preferably take place in an online environment, at an electronic address stipulated for this purpose, except for 1st year students for the first time, who make them in person at the academic services office.

Article 5 - Bachelor in Music structure course

1. The school year is divided into two semesters, including vacation periods and specific evaluation moments. Each semester corresponds to 15 weeks of classes and other curricular activities, excluding those destined to evaluation of knowledge by exam. The dates of the beginning and end of the semesters, the vacation periods and the specific moments of evaluation by examination are set by the Director, after having listened to the Pedagogical and Technical-Scientific Councils, and are included in the Calendar of the School Year published at the beginning of the school year.

Article 6 - Study Plan

1. ESML Bachelor in Music is organized in 3 variants:

a) Composition, Conducting and Music Education (CCM-E);
b) Performance;
c) Jazz.

2. The CCM-E variant is divided into 3 branches:

a) Composition;
b) Choral Conducting and Music Education;
c) Wind Orchestra Conducting.

3. The Performance variant is divided into 6 branches:

a) Voice;
b) Plucked Strings;
c) Strings, Winds and Percussion;
d) Early Music;
e) Organ;
f) Piano.

4. The study plan for each variant / branch has mandatory CUs, including nuclear CUs and Options / Projects. All studies plans for each variant / branch are published on ESML site.

Article 7 - Curricular Units of Option

1. Option CUs offered by ESML are announced at the beginning of each semester.
2. In addition to those mentioned in point 1 of this article, others may also be considered Option CUs:

a) any CU of other ESML Bachelor study plans that is not part of the variant / branch plan that the student attends and within the limit of available vacancies;
b) CUs that are taught in national or foreign higher education institutions with which ESML has established protocols.

3. The enrollment in an Option CU implies being subject to the absence regime and the evaluation system in force for this CU.
4. Nuclear CUs of any branch / variant cannot be attended as Option CUs.

Article 8 - Precedence of Curricular Units

1. As a rule, students should follow the study plan of their variant or branch.
2. Depending on the availability and distribution of the teaching service, the precedences indicated in the study plan may change, if duly justified, and agreed with the teacher of the concerned CU.
3. In the cases indicated in the previous number, any changes that result in CUs overlapping hours of semesters or school years different from those established in the study plan are not admissible.
4. The provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3 of this article do not apply to any of the nuclear CUs of any variant or branch.

Article 9 - Curricular Units Accreditation

1. CUs accreditation follows the procedures described in the accreditation regulations. Requests must be submitted within 10 days after enrollment in said CUs.

Article 10 - Frequency waivers from Curricular Units

1. CUs where frequency waiver is possible are listed in Annex II. This waiver requires a test in the first half of November, in the first semester, and in the second half of March, in the second semester. The classification obtained in the waiver test is considered the final classification of the CU. Requests for waiver of attendance at CUs for the first and second semesters must be submitted until October 31 and March 15, respectively.

Article 11 - Passing to the following academic year

1. Passing to the following academic year depends on the approval, in the previous one, of the nuclear CU.
2. Students will be allowed to enroll in CUs for any semester, even in a different order from that indicated in the study plan, provided that it is authorized by the CU teacher and up to a maximum of 40 credits per semester.

Article 12 - Change of enrollment

1. The change of enrollment can be made up to 10 business days after the start of classes, upon request and payment of the fees due, safeguarding the case of changes motivated by a fact attributable to the institution.

Article 13 - Cancellation of registration / enrollment

1. Students can, at any moment, give up the studies in the cycle in which it is registered, requesting the proper annulment of the registration / enrollment.
2. In cases of cancellation of registration / enrollment, the amount of the fee to be paid is indicated in the deadlines and procedures regulations used to pay IPL tuition fees.
3. Cancellation of registration / enrollment does not nullify any existing fee debt or other due payments.
4. The cancellation of registration / enrollment does not have any effect on any CUs that have been completed by the student while the school registration was valid.

Article 14 - Re-entry

1. In case of interruption of the course frequency, re-entry into ESML can only occur after 1 year of interruption, counting as the year of interruption, the academic year in which the annulment occurred.

Article 15 - Participation in class activities

1. Student participation is compulsory in all school activities.
2. The number of absences allowed in each CU is 3 (three) absences per semester, except for Chamber Music, Choir, Orchestra, Vocal and Instrumental Ensembles, in which the number of absences allowed is 2 (two) absences per semester.
3. The student who failed the semester due to excessive absences may not take the final exam.
4. Students with Statute of Student Worker or Statute of Associative Leadership are not subject to the absence regime.

Article 16 - Participation in vocal or instrumental ensembles

1. The participation of the students integrated in ensembles of chamber music, choral, orchestral, Option CUs and other vocal and instrumental projects includes observance of the following operating principles:

a) Participation in the work of these groups is mandatory and prevails over any other commitments of the school or private sphere;
b) In order to ensure the pedagogical and artistic quality of the collective work of these groups, all its members have the obligation to prepare the works in advance, guaranteeing a quality participation in the respective rehearsals;
c) This being a work of a collective nature, whose quality depends entirely on the performance of each member of the group, the participation of all should be guided by the demand for the permanent cohesion and musical quality of the ensemble in the sense of the best artistic performance;
d) All ensembles should appoint a person or group of persons responsible for attending to tasks related to the proper functioning of the ensemble, namely, distribution of parts, coordination of schedules for rehearsals, and various subjects related to its work;
e) The willingness to participate in the rehearsals and concerts of the members of these groups is absolutely indispensable. The exemption from this commitment will only be admissible in proven and verifiable cases of force majeure, or in cases of coincidence with another commitment whose professional relevance to the student is recognized by the teacher as unequivocal and irreplaceable;
f) Programming of the artistic activities of the ESML ensembles will seek to avoid, whenever possible, overlaps and simultaneities of events, and the intensive use of dates within the school holidays;

Article 17 - Curricular units with one or two semesters of duration

1. Some curricular units with one or two semesters of duration may be given in semesters different from those in which they appear in the study plan, such as:

a) CUs of individual classes;
b) CUs of small groups or classes that allow attendance of classes in different semesters (example: orchestra, choir, chamber music, ensemble music);
c) CUs authorized to open in a semester other than the indicated in the study plan.

Article 18 - Credits of Optional Curricular Units

1. The credits corresponding to the Option / Project CUs can be completed during the 6 semesters of the course.

Article 19 - Assessment methods

1. In order to determine the final classification of each CU, the following assessments methods are adopted:

a) continuous assessment;
b) assessment by examination.

2. All assessments are expressed quantitatively on the numerical scale from 0 to 20 values.
3. A CU is considered complete if the student obtains a final mark equal or superior to 10 values.
4. It is the teacher’s responsibility to define the forms of assessment to be used, informing the students about them at the beginning of the semester and making available the corresponding CU form. Changes in the assessment methods after the beginning of the academic semester is not allowed, except in special cases duly validated by means of a proposal presented to the Pedagogical Council and approved by it.

Article 20 - Continuous assessment

1. The CU final grade is met by the quality assessment of participation in classes and other activities, such as concerts and / or auditions. Assessments conducted during classes may include written assignments, written tests, oral presentations, musical or pedagogical practices, as described in CU form.
2. May be submitted for examination in continuous assessment CUs that allow for it in the respective CU form, students who:

a) have no excessive absences and have not obtained approval;
b) have a student-worker status;
c) having been approved, wish to carry out an improvement of the grade, in accordance with Article 25 of this Manual Handbook;
d) have access to a special exam period in accordance with Article 26 of this Manual Handbook.

Article 21 - Examination assessment

1. Assessment by examination is done within the periods and deadlines indicated in the academic calendar.
2. The content of the exam tests of each CU are those described in the respective CU form.
3. Students of the Performance variant must present to the Academic Services the programs they wish to perform 48 hours before the exam.
4. Students of the Composition must submit to the Academic Services the portfolio they wish to present one week prior to the exam. The content of the portfolio is included in the CU form.
5. No work performed or presented on one examination may be repeated in another examination.

Article 22 - Constitution of examination juries

1. In the case of practical tests or oral tests, the examination boards shall consist of at least three teachers.
2. In the case of exams consisting of written tests, these tests will be corrected and classified by the teacher of the respective CU.

Article 23 - Exam periods

1. The examinations are carried out in three periods, according to the current school calendar:

a) Normal period;
b) Appeal period;
c) Special period (for final students).

Article 24 - Normal period

1. Students have access to the normal period of exams:

a) In CUs under examination assessment regime;
b) When wishing to improve their grade;
c) If they have not attended the CU in that semester with justified reasons indicated by law or specifically defined by internal ESML provisions;
d) If they are in the conditions referred in a) of paragraph 2 of Article 20.

Article 25 - Appeal period

1. At the appeal period, examinations shall be available to students who, at the exams normal period:

a) have failed to attend;
b) have given up its completion;
c) have not obtained approval;
d) wish to improve the grade.

2. At the appeal period, students may not enroll in a set of CUs that total more than 30 (thirty) ECTS.
3. The deadline for requesting the examination at the appeal period is two (2) business days from the normal period examination date, in case of no attendance, or the date on which the result of the examination is published, in case of non-approval.

Article 26 - Special period

1. Access to the finalists’ special period is available to finalists students:

a) who have less than 22 (ECTS) and, cumulatively, three or fewer CUs to complete the course;
b) with Worker-Student status regardless of the number of CUs that are lacking to complete the course.

2. The special period of the first semester will run until 31 March, and the special period of the second semester will run until 31 October.
3. If students are cumulatively, Student Worker and Finalist, they may apply to the Academic Services, within 4 working days of the publication of the classification, to schedule another exam.
4. The deadline for applying for exams in the special period ends on 31 July.
5. The student who has not completed the exam (s) in the special period will have to enroll in the corresponding CU (s) within two (2) working days from the non-attendance or disapproval result.

Article 27 - Grade improvement

1. A student who obtains approval at a CU and wishes to improve his / her grading may require a grade improvement examination only once by the end of the following academic year. This deadline will expire immediately from the moment the student requests the certificate of qualifications and / or certificate of course.
2. The repetition of exams to improve the grade should, whenever possible, take place before the same jury that awarded the previous classification.
3. The grade improvement exam in Performance or Composition CUs involves the submission of a program or portfolio of works completely different from that presented previously.
4. ESML does not ensure piano accompaniment in exams for grade improvement.

Article 28 - Course Completion Deadline

1. The deadline for completion of ESML Bachelor in Music is 5 (five) academic years counted from the year in which the first registration is made, whether or not there is a frequency interruption.
2. If the limits referred to in the preceding paragraph are reached, the attendance of the course shall be considered interrupted, and re-entry shall be subject to what is established in Article 14.
3. Students with Statute of Student Worker or Statute of Associative Leader are not subject to the regime of prescriptions.

Article 29 - Final classification

1. The Bachelor in Music final classification is obtained according to the following formula:

Final grade = (Classification of each CU X Number of credits of each CU) / Total number of credits of completed CUs

2. The total number of credits of the completed CUs will be equal to or greater than 180, including the minimum number of credits in the Options / Projects CUs, according to the study plan.

Article 30 - Absences

1. Leaders and officials form ESML Student Association (AEESML) enjoy the right to have their absences overlooked if motivated by the attendance at meetings of the Association or events of manifest associative interest.
2. Overlooking of these absences shall be decided by the Director upon submission to the Academic Services of a document proving the appearance in the type of activity referred to in the preceding paragraph.
3. The deadline for submitting the supporting document is three (3) business days after the completion of the mentioned activity.

Article 31 - Exams

1. AEESML leaders and officials may request one examination each month, in addition to the exams in normal and special periods.
2. The right referred to in the preceding paragraph may be exercised uninterruptedly, at the option of the associative leader, during the term of office, and within a period of twelve (12) months after the end of the term, provided that it never exceeds the time period in which effectively exercised the mandate.

Article 32 - Submission of papers

1. The leaders and officials of AEESML can request the postponement of the submission of papers and reports for dates to be agreed with the teacher of the CU in question.
2. When AEESML leaders and officials have not been able to attend to tests due to the exercise of unavoidable associative activity, they may also request written tests on a date to be agreed with the teachers.

Article 33 - Proof of status as an associative leader

1. The exercise of the rights referred to in this chapter depends on the prior presentation at the Academic Services of the certificate of taking possession of the associative office, within a period of 15 (fifteen) business days after the same has ocurred.
2. Failure to comply with this provision means that special rights for association officials are not applied.

Article 34 - Missing cases

1. The cases omitted in this Manual Handbook will be solved, according to their nature, by the Director or by the Technical-Scientific Council of the ESML.

Article 35 - Implementation

1. This Manual Handbook shall enter into force in the second half of the 2018/19 school year.