Jury examinations are designed to be a vehicle for evaluating a student's progress each semester. Cumulatively, the jury examination will account for one-third (1/3) of the student's final applied lesson grade. Juries are a learning experience for both the student and the studio teacher. They provide the private teacher with the opportunity to observe the student in a performance situation and receive feedback from other music professors. The student should prepare for the jury examinations as they would for any public performance. This includes appropriate performance attire.

In preparation for the jury, instrumental students are required to complete and bring with them three (3) Jury forms that outlines materials studied, years of study and other similar information. In collaboration with their applied instructor, vocal students prepare one (1) jury form. Instrumental students are responsible for bringing three (3) copies of their performance material (solo, etude, etc.). These copies are discarded following the jury performance. Any student that does not perform a jury examination will receive a failing applied lessons grade.

If a student misses a jury exam due to illness or some other unforeseen circumstance and has informed and received permission from their applied instructor, they will receive an "I" (INCOMPLETE). The student then performs on the first Student Recital of the next semester for a faculty evaluation. The incomplete is then changed to a formal letter grade. Note that this recital performance is not in lieu of your normally scheduled recital requirement.

Music majors (major instrument) enrolled in a 2 credit hour applied lesson (major or elective) in a semester prior to the Senior Recital must perform on a jury at the semester's end. The jury is the "final exam" for the course.