Independent Study Guidelines

Guidelines for Independent Study Proposals

Students planning to request independent study should submit all required paperwork, including the syllabus, to the SLLC Office of Academic Affairs (sllc-studentaffairs@umd.edu) by the last day of the previous semester. The Office of Academic Affairs will attempt to accommodate late submissions, but cannot always do so before add/drop closes. Please ensure that you have a backup plan in case a late submission cannot be approved in time.

The purpose of an Independent Study is to allow advanced undergraduates to pursue in-depth study of a topic not covered in regular courses. The Independent Study is decided following a meeting between the student and the instructor, and must be approved by the SLLC Office of Academic Affairs.

During the semester preceding the semester of registration, students plan their individualized course of study, present their ideas to a faculty member with expertise in the subject (it is highly recommended that this be someone who knows the student’s work from a previous course), and, should the faculty member agree to sponsor the student, produce a signed, written syllabus document (example 1, example 2)  that outlines goals, assignments, a reading list, grading, projected meeting days and times, etc. 

This Independent Study Approval Form acts as an agreement to ensure that both parties meet the expectations set out during the planning stage. 

Independent studies are only granted under special circumstances. Projects should be both intellectually challenging and feasible. Faculty members should not be pressured to accept the job of independent study sponsor, as they are under no obligation to do so. Independent studies are not granted for purposes of easing a student’s schedule; students should plan to propose an independent study semester only after they have completed the regular courses offered by the program in question.

386 Experiential Learning

Students planning to request experiential learning should discuss the proposed learning experience with their advisor and identify a faculty sponsor in the semester prior, and complete required paperwork. A sample experiential learning contract, a syllabus, an activity log, and an evaluation form are available here. Once a contract is signed by the student, the faculty sponsor, and the site supervisor, the student can obtain permission to enroll in 386. The Office of Academic Affairs will attempt to accommodate late submissions, but cannot always do so before add/drop closes. Please ensure that a back-up plan is in place in case a late submission cannot be approved in time. 

Steps toward development of an Independent Study

1. Request a meeting with a faculty member with whom you have taken a course. Present your ideas about the topics you would like to pursue in an Independent Studies course. 
2. You and the faculty member will work on a syllabus and the Independent Study Approval form.
3. Each of you should keep a copy of the syllabus and the Independent Study Approval Form. 
4. Email the syllabus and the Independent Study Approval Form to the SLLC Office of Academic Affairs once completed.