PL 371: Independent Study

Guidelines for gaining faculty approval to enroll in PL 371: Independent Study

的 Political Science Department allows students who meet certain criteria to present an independent study proposal to a faculty member. An independent study usually consists of a course of intensive reading on a topic that is not addressed by one of the department's established course 产品.

An independent study is not an "entitlement" or a "right." A faculty member might decide not to grant a student's request for an independent study for a variety of reasons, including (but not limited to) an independent study proposal that addresses a topic outside of the faculty member's sphere of competence, a series of other commitments that preclude the faculty member from taking on additional teaching responsibilities in a given semester, or a faculty member's concern that the student may be unable to complete the proposed course of study successfully.

A faculty member will not consider an independent study proposal unless the student has met all three of the following criteria:

1)  的 student has completed at least one course with the faculty member.

2)  的 student's topic is one that is not addressed by any of the department's course 产品.

3) 的 student presents to the faculty member, during the semester prior to the one in which the student hopes to enroll in the independent study, a brief description (two or three paragraphs) of the proposed independent study. This description should include a discussion of both the content and the goals of the independent study. 的 student also will be responsible for working with the faculty member to compile a list of appropriate readings.