Eligibility and Requirements
Undergraduate students who have completed at least 60 credits, including courses in progress, are eligible for Independent Projects. Graduate students should consult their program director.
Undergraduate tudents may apply up to 16 credits of Directed Studies and/or Independent Projects, toward graduation. Graduate students should consult their program director.
Students will devote a minimum of three hours of work per week for each credit awarded for the Independent Project (45 clock hours per semester per credit awarded; thus, a 3-credit course will entail an average of nine hours per week over 15 weeks).
Tuition will be charged at standard rates based on the number of credits for which the student is enrolled.
An Independent Projects Cover Sheet must be completed and attached to the student’s proposal. The cover sheet must be signed by a faculty advisor and the department chair prior to registration.
Proposal
Describe the Independent Project. A written proposal for the Independent Project should address the following:
- Learning objectives: What will the student have learned as a result of the project? How should their project be evaluated?
- Activities and processes in which the student will engage.
- Final product(s) such as a final paper, a business plan, an art work, a composition or performance, that will result from the project.
- Any material, equipment, or other resources the student will require.
- Any other specifications or criteria set by the faculty advisor for completion of the project.
Process
The student, must secure agreement with a faculty member to serve as their advisor. The student may ask a particular faculty member themselves, or consult with the Department Chair for recommendations. Faculty members may, or may not, agree to act as the advisor at their own discretion. There is no guarantee that the student will be able to secure an advisor.
In consultation with the faculty advisor, the student must complete the Independent Projects Cover Sheet, and attach their proposal. See the form for details.
The student submits their completed cover sheet, with proposal attached, to their faculty advisor for review, approval and signature. They leave a copy of the proposal with their faculty advisor, and submit the cover sheet with proposal attached to the department chair, or chair designee, for review and endorsement with signature.
Once the Independent Project is endorsed by the chair, a section record indicating the course number, the chosen title, and the faculty advisor will be created in the department’s course schedule. The proposal will go to the Dean’s Office for approval, where the credits will be assigned and the registration will be completed. The student will be notified via email if for any reason the proposal is not approved, or if the number of credits requested has been reduced.
Failure to meet the project objectives and requirements in the agreed upon time frame will result in a failing grade for the Independent Project.
|
