In an independent study, students earn academic credit for projects they complete under the supervision of faculty, advancing their skills while producing meaningful work they can leverage in their professional and graduate pursuits. Projects vary in structure and focus, but all must meet the following criteria:
- The content of an independent study must not significantly duplicate material offered in a regularly scheduled course.
- Like all courses, students earn credit according to hours of coursework completed: Students earn 1 credit per 45 hours of coursework.
- All independent study projects must be approved by the appropriate college dean, the supervising faculty member and the student’s academic adviser.
- Students may not earn independent study credit for internships, jobs, freelance work or work previously completed.
Read on for guidance on this rewarding experience.
Eligibility
Undergraduate students who have completed at least 15 credits within the Cronkite School and graduate students may pursue an independent study. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Selecting a faculty supervisor
All full-time faculty in the Cronkite School may supervise an independent study; part-time faculty or faculty associates may not supervise an independent study. Please keep in mind that faculty members are not obligated to supervise independent studies, and some may not be available to do so. If you are interested in pursuing an independent study with a particular professor, reach out to them: Politely introduce yourself, describe the project you’re envisioning, and ask whether they are interested in and available to discuss the opportunity further. If you wish to pursue an independent project but don’t have a faculty member in mind, connect with your academic adviser.
What to do next
If you’d like to pursue an independent project, complete these next steps:
- Connect with your academic adviser. Reach out to your adviser, and discuss whether an independent study will support your degree requirements.
- Identify a faculty supervisor. Review the Cronkite School’s full-time faculty and select a faculty member with expertise in your project’s topic or methodology. Reach out to the professor, describe your project or interest, and ask whether they’re interested in and available to supervise your project.
- Work with your supervisor to develop your project plan. Your faculty supervisor will collaborate with you to determine the project’s timeline, deliverables and details; determine how many credits you’ll receive for the project; and how the project will be graded. Your supervisor will articulate this plan in a syllabus.
- Complete the Cronkite School independent study proposal form. Students must submit the completed proposal form by the term’s deadline to add a course. The form must be signed by the faculty and include the syllabus. Send the completed form and the final syllabus to the appropriate dean for review and approval: If you are an undergraduate student, submit the form and syllabus to senior associate dean Jessica Pucci; if you are a graduate student, submit them to assistant dean Brett Kurland. The dean will review the proposal and, upon approval, share it with the student’s adviser, who will grant permission to enroll in the Independent Project course.
- Complete your project. Work in close contact with your supervisor, submitting plans and drafts, implementing feedback, and meeting when necessary. Upon completion, your instructor will issue the grade that aligns with the grading criteria in the syllabus.
