(Approved by College Meeting December 9, 2013)
Independent study is defined as: Additional credit for an independent study project within a discipline and not a regular academic course.
- Additional credit for an independent study project within a regular academic course.
- An interdisciplinary project not associated with an established course.
Eligibility Criteria for Independent study:
- Students have successfully completed a minimum of 24 college level credits.
- For students who demonstrate exceptional abilities, a faculty member may submit to the department a request for a student who has completed fewer than the required 24 college-level credits and is in good academic standing.
- Student must be in good academic standing.
- Student may take a maximum of 3 credits of Independent study toward their degree.
- Independent Study will not fulfill General Education requirements.
- Independent Study may fulfill a program elective.
Independent study is voluntary for the student and the faculty member.
Departments will control the number of projects individual faculty members may undertake.
Independent Study projects will be agreed to by the faculty member overseeing the Independent Study and the student, and presented by the faculty member to the department for approval.
Students should contact the transfer coordinator on transferability of independent study.
- The department will assign academic credit to a project using the same basic criteria in accordance with which it assigns credit to regular academic courses. These criteria will include such matters as: level of work; academic rigor; College policy for integrity of academic credit
- A project may be modified during a semester by the same procedure under which it was initially accepted.
- Independent study projects are to be approved prior to the close of the previous semester whenever possible.
o Each department is responsible for maintaining a thorough description and details of the final product, including methods of evaluation. - An "Application for Independent Study," including a course contract drawn by the student and the responsible faculty member will detail (for instance) the amount of work required to earn either 1, 2 or 3 credits, and the method of assessing student learning.
- The "Application for Independent Study" will be reviewed by the department at the time of presentation for acceptance. If approved, a copy will be forwarded to the Registrar.