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Independent Study

 

Undergraduate Independent Study course (399) 

is a full credit course that must be taken for a grade.  It is open to seniors with excellent academic records and, in exceptional cases, to very highly-qualified juniors. An overall GPA of 3.0 and 3.5 in Spanish is required.

The proposed study must be a clearly defined subject of intellectual and academic substance that could be supervised by a faculty member with the relevant expertise and who is responsible for approving the project.

Petitions for 399 courses must be approved by the Department Chair in consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Studies during the quarter preceding the one in which the independent study is to be taken.

Procedures

a. One or two page project description

b. Bibliography

c. Proposed schedule of meetings

d. Description of how the work will be evaluated

e. Current academic transcript

Independent Study Petition for Honors (399) is open to seniors who have met the requirements for participating in the department's Honors Program.

 

Graduate Independent Study course (499)

is a full credit course that must be taken for a grade and that must focus on a clearly defined subject of intellectual and academic substance. The subject matter should be one that is not normally covered by regularly scheduled courses offered by the department.  A 499 course is approved only if the research project has academic merit and the faculty member consulted is willing and qualified to direct the research project. 

First-year graduate students are discouraged from enrolling in 499.  Generally, students in the PhD program take such courses in their second year.

You must file a petition for Independent Study. 

Petitions for 499 courses must be approved by the Department Chair in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies or Dissertation Advisor during the quarter preceding the one in which the independent study work is to be undertaken.

Procedures

  • Prepare an outline of the subject matter and goals for the research you wish to pursue with the Independent Study.
  • Consult with the Director of Graduate Studies or Dissertation Advisor and discuss the outline.
  • If you have faculty approval, complete the Independent Study (499) Petition Form which must be accompanied by the following:

    a. One or two page project description

    b. Bibliography

    c. Tentative schedule of meetings

    d. Description of how the completed 499 work will be evaluated

    e. Current academic transcript

    Petitions with all supporting materials must be submitted by the student to the Director of Graduate Studies or Dissertation Advisor one week prior to pre-registration for the quarter in which the 499 is to be undertaken.  The Department Chair will inform the student about the status of a 499 petition no later than the beginning of advanced registration.