In exceptional circumstances, undergraduate students and faculty may decide that an independent study course is appropriate. In these cases, students initiate contact with a relevant faculty member to discuss their proposed topic, work to be completed, and a tentative schedule for the course they seek to undertake. Faculty members, at their sole discretion, determine if they have the capacity and willingness to undertake such a course.
Students and faculty should keep the following requirements in mind:
Independent studies courses can count for 1-4 credit hours. Each credit hour requires at least 2-3 hours of student-faculty contact and 30 additional hours of student work per semester. Thus, a three-credit course should involve at least 6-9 contact hours over the course of the semester, plus around 9 hours of student work per week, all totaling 90 hours by the end of the term.
The student and the supervising faculty member must put into writing the terms and requirements of the independent study course, including:
- a title for the course
- a brief description of course goals and themes
- a list of possible readings, assignments, and/or research work that the student will complete
- a tentative meeting schedule
- the grading criteria that will be used
This information must be registered with the History Department by filling out an online form, to be maintained by the Student Services Assistant. It is the student’s responsibility to complete this form, but they should do so in consultation with the supervising faculty member, and both should receive a copy of the final document. The form will not be publicly accessible, but will be preserved in case of any later disputes or misunderstandings between the student and the supervising faculty member. It will also be available to History Department advisors when determining how to position the independent study within the requirements of the major or minor.
Once the form has been completed, the Student Services Assistant will issue an override for History 395 (Reading Course), which will allow the student to register for the course.