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Guidelines for Independent Study Courses
(HIST 495 - 2 or 4 hours)
ELIGIBILITY
- Independent
Study is primarily for Junior and Senior Majors and is
encouraged for those planning graduate study.
- Independent
study is not to be used
as a substitute for courses or seminars already in the
curriculum, but for independent reading and research in
areas not covered by our regular course offerings.
- Independent
study may be available to non-majors at the discretion
of the department chair assuming availability of supervising
faculty.
CONTENT
- The
student and instructor will define the study topic during
pre-registration or no later than the first week of classes.
The initiative for requesting and defining an independent
study belongs to the student.
- The
supervising faculty will approve a working bibliography
or research program defined by the student in consultation
with his professor no later than the end of the second
week. The
student bears primary responsibility for compiling the
initial bibliography.
- Usually
the student will write a 15 to 20-page paper based on about
2,500 pages of reading on the topic, emphasizing analysis
and
interpretation of the subject rather than mere description. These
requirements will be halved for 2 credit hours.
Option: The instructor may substitute oral evaluations,
essays, and/or projects in lieu of the paper. The
amount of reading and objectives of the research will remain
essentially the same.
- The
student must take the initiative to report on the progress
of his/her research every two or three weeks to the faculty
supervisor.
ADMINISTRATION
- It
is the student’s responsibility to
talk with the appropriate professor about an independent
study. This should be done as early as possible,
either during pre-registration or no later than the first
week of classes. The student should contact the
professor in the department most qualified to direct the
study. Either
student or professor should consult with the department
chair if there is any question about the appropriateness
of the independent study or its impact on the professor’s
work load.
- Once
the professor has agreed to the independent study, the
student registers, using the form available from the
Registrar’s Office. Both
student and professor also must sign a copy of this form,
indicating their awareness of these guidelines.
- The
student is solely responsible for meeting deadlines,
completing assignments, and regularly reporting to the
instructor. By
mid-term approximately 1/2 of the work should be completed. Failure
to meet deadlines may result in a lowered grade. No
independent study or tutorial may be taken pass-fail.
- If
there are clear signs that a student is not fulfilling
his/her responsibilities for the independent study, the
course may be terminated at the discretion of the professor.
- No
professor should supervise more than three independent
studies, including an Honors project, in any semester
without load compensation. At the conclusion
of the semester, faculty will submit a brief evaluation
of the student’s
work and copies of any written work (essays, papers, bibliographies,
examinations) to be attached to the original application.
- Tutorials for
catalog courses may be arranged under these guidelines when
approved by the Department Chair and with the consent of appropriate
supervising faculty. The tutorial is permitted
only in emergency situations and only with departmental approval. Its
use is limited to severe scheduling difficulties or to meet
curricular requirements during summer.
History Handbook Index
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