Independent study courses provide opportunities for students to study a topic or author or problem not treated in scheduled course offerings, or opportunities to undertake a project for the experience of organizing it independently and disciplining and motivating themselves to carry it to completion. They are not intended to solve scheduling problems.*

The English Department lists nine such courses:

ENGLISH 290, 390, 490. INDIVIDUAL STUDY -- a research project culminating in a major paper. It can focus on one author, or a group of authors, or on a problem or topic. It will usually involve considerable reading both in primary works (poems, novels, plays, etc.) and secondary (critical, theoretical, biographical, or historical) works.

ENGLISH 293, 393, 493. INDIVIDUAL WRITING PROJECT -- an independent student-designed writing project culminating in a significant and complete body of writing.

ENGLISH 299, 399, 499. READING IN LITERATURE -- a project oriented to extensive reading in primary works, rather than to research or writing. The reading may focus on the works of a single author or of several authors, or on a literary period(s) or genre. A journal or short papers and tutorial sessions may be a part of the course, but a research paper will not.

AVAILABILITY -- These courses are available to the extent that faculty members have time to supervise them. Faculty members supervising independent studies must do so in addition to their regular course assignments (without additional pay), so the number of projects which can be undertaken is always limited. Enrollment in these courses is ordinarily limited to juniors and seniors.

PROCEDURE FOR APPLICATION -- The initiative for arranging an independent study is totally with the student: the Department, through its chairperson, must approve independent studies, but it will not seek out topics or assign supervisors for students.

A student interested in applying for an independent study course should discuss his/her ideas with a faculty member, then fill out Part A of the application on the other side of this sheet and take it to faculty member he/she wants to have as supervisor for the course. If the faculty member is willing to supervise the project, he/she will fill in and sign Part B.

The student then should give the signed form to the English Department secretary (in Lubbers 338) for the Chairperson's approval. When that approval has been given, the student will be sent a Permission to Register slip, which will be needed to register for the course (or the student may arrange to pick up the slip from the department secretary).

RESPONSIBILITY -- A student should expect, and will be expected, to work harder in, and put more time into, an independent study course than a regular class situation. An independent project should never be undertaken as an easier alternative to another class, or to lighten a heavy load. A student should devote to an independent study a minimum of six hours per week for a 2-credit course and of nine hours per week for a 3-credit course. Because a teacher is donating his/her time to supervise such a course, the student should feel a definite responsibility to complete the agreed upon work faithfully, to meet deadlines, and to show up, fully prepared, for conferences with the supervisor.