Independent Study Projects

Students who wish to register for a non-departmental independent study course or courses submit formal proposals to the College Curriculum Council, which is charged with reviewing such petitions. Independent study proposals must be filed with the Office of the Dean of the College in 313 University Hall. Proposals for semester I are due in early April; those for Semester II are due in early November. Check the University Calendar on the Registrar’s website for exact dates.

Independent study proposal forms may be downloaded from the Curricular Resource Center (CRC) website or picked up from the CRC in 308 J. Walter Wilson Hall. The proposal must state the following: (a) the nature and extent of the work to be pursued; (b) the manner in which the work will be conducted; and (c) a calendar for the completion of reports, papers, projects, and so on. Each proposal must have the approval of a faculty sponsor who will be responsible for the scrutiny of the proposal, the evaluation of the work done, and the assignment of a grade.

Approved proposals from recent years include The Philosophy of Mathematics: An Intensive Introduction; Video Technology and Education: The Politics of Post-Colonial African Literature; and Medical Malpractice and the Civil Justice System. Sample copies of these and many other independent study proposals are available for inspection at the CRC. If you need further information or advice, consult Curricular Resource Center staff or Jim Valles, Associate Dean of the Curriculum, in 313 University Hall.