Spring 2020 Credit Policy
For Continuing Students Who Have Vacated Campus Housing Due to COVID-19 (Boston, ELA, and Kasteel Well):
Continuing students who lived on campus will receive a credit to their student account that can be applied to any future charges. The credit amount will be based on the type of residential room that was charged to the student account for the Spring 2020 term. The Office of Student Accounts will follow up with an email to individual students, linking to their updated account, as soon as possible.
For Graduating Students Who Have Vacated Campus Housing Due to COVID-19 (Boston, ELA, and Kasteel Well):
Graduating students who lived on campus will receive a refund for room and board based on the type of residential room that was charged to their student accounts for the Spring 2020 term, minus any existing account balance. If a balance remains after the credit is issued, the student is responsible for making payment to their account as soon as possible. The Office of Student Accounts will follow up with an email to individual students, linking to their updated account, as soon as possible.
For Students Granted Exceptions to Remain on Campus (Boston and ELA):
Students who have been approved to remain in campus housing due to extreme circumstances are responsible for room and board payment, as agreed upon at the beginning of the term.
For Any Student Experiencing Extreme Financial Hardship:
We understand that the global COVID-19 crisis has heightened financial concerns for many students and their families. Any student experiencing extreme financial circumstances should contact the Office of Financial Aid or Office of Student Accounts at 617-824-8655; or the Office of Student Success at 617-824-8650. We are here to help.
Federal CARES Act
Emerson College is still determining the methodology to use as a means of distributing the federal stimulus funds (CARES Act) intended for student financial assistance. Please note that current guidance suggests that funds can only be used for COVID-19 related indirect expenses and not for college tuition or on-campus room and board relief.
Tuition Policy
Emerson continues to be dedicated to providing courses that are effective in achieving learning goals. While the online model is different from in-person sessions, we have invested considerably in adjusting to the necessary shift in modality required by the pandemic. We hope that our students will also learn from this experience as society evolves and adapts. Emerson courses will continue to be taught by Emerson faculty, who are committing their time and talents toward creating a robust learning environment for our students. In other words, students will continue to be taught by their professors, and they will receive academic credits toward their degree, just as they would if the courses were held on campus. Therefore, the College will not offer tuition reimbursement for students who continue their enrollment at the College.
Please find below a note from the Provost regarding online teaching and learning:
“Emerson education is highly experiential, and undoubtedly the learning experience will be different as we move from in-person classes to online modalities, both synchronous and asynchronous. The learning outcomes of the College focus on the following key skills and habits of mind: students’ abilities to experiment with creative processes and apply foundational theories and practices to their disciplines; to demonstrate effective written, oral, and visual communication skills, and to demonstrate competency in information, media and digital literacies; to integrate the liberal arts into the fields of arts and communication; to think critically and to demonstrate a commitment to diverse perspectives, and ethical practices.
Our faculty are experienced and talented practitioners, artists, and scholars who are committed to achieving these learning goals. All of our classes integrate traditional scholarship with applied learning. Through design thinking, faculty will translate the learning goals in their individual classes using multiple tools. Students will have different assignments and will participate differently. As many art and music schools have shown, it is possible to learn fully and richly in an online environment with students practicing their craft and skill-development in an off-campus environment. The essence of an Emerson education is the special interaction between faculty and students, and also among students in a class, and this will be preserved.”
—Michaele Whelan, Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs