Graduate Independent Study Policies
Owner
Associate Dean for Graduate Education
Key Contacts
If you have questions, please contact the Dean’s Office Operations Manager.
Applicability
Graduate students.
Policy Purpose and Description
All programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences that offer regular courses may create independent offerings for graduate students such as the following:
- Independent study courses. A faculty member and a graduate student together negotiate a course of study that can be completed in a single semester.
- Independent research courses. A faculty member supervises a graduate student’s independent research project.
- Independent creative project. A faculty member supervises a graduate student’s independent creative project.
- Independent reading courses. An graduate student completes an approved set of readings under the supervision of a faculty member.
General Principles for Offering Graduate Independent Study Courses:
- Credit hours earned for an independent study must meet the UI credit hour guidelines.
- The content of the independent study should focus on a project proposed by the student under the guidance of an instructor.
- The content of an independent study course may not duplicate a course offered or a requirement for a major or other program of study. Rather, the independent study gives a student a chance to explore an interest not covered in the curriculum.
- Likewise, an independent study should not be used for tutoring a student or for offering other remedial instruction.
- The CLAS independent study contract should be used. The contract must specify the content of the independent study and how the student's course grade will be assessed. It further must include all required signatures. The department must keep all contracts on file.
- If the student is completing an independent study in a department in which they are not a major, a copy of the contract should be sent to the student's advisor in the student's home department.
- An independent study does not require a course evaluation or syllabus.