Independent Study Policy

Independent study is intended for a serious Germanic Languages & Literatures student with a strong academic record who seeks advanced knowledge in a particular area of study that cannot reasonably be met by normal course offerings. You should be aware that due to limitations of faculty, most requests for independent study cannot be met and permission will be granted only to requests that show substantial merit. Therefore, before you request a discussion with a faculty member regarding an independent study, please consider the following:

• Independent studies are ordinarily reserved for a student who has reached junior or senior standing.
• All independent study projects must have a faculty supervisor who agrees to work closely with the student. A faculty supervisor should be regular faculty in the Department (tenured, tenure-track, Post-Doctoral Research Fellows, Lecturer III/IV). A faculty member is limited to supervising two independent study projects per semester. The Department may grant exceptions to this policy.
• The student must work with the faculty supervisor to develop the proposal form. It involves written agreement detailing a description of the project, the academic goal(s) of and plan for the project, clearly articulated expectations, interim deadlines, and a final deadline for completion of the project.  A student must also list relevant courses that have prepared him/her for the independent study and note which previous courses he/she has taken with the faculty supervisor.
• A copy of this proposal/agreement, signed by the faculty supervisor and the student, should be delivered to the Student Services Coordinator who will consult with the Associate Chair for final approval. Because of the time needed to obtain this approval, a student request for independent study needs to occur by the first day of class during the semester of the independent study enrollment.
• Independent study in Germanic Languages & Literatures is a graded course (not to be taken P/F), ordinarily available to a German major/minor and a Scandinavian minor and can be taken for 1-4 credits.  A student is expected to put in at least 2 hours per week of actual work for a 14-week term for each credit elected. Over the course of the term, a student is expected to meet with the faculty supervisor a minimum of 4 hours. A student is expected to complete a substantial amount of written work in consultation with the faculty supervisor.
• Repeat credit for an independent study in the Germanic Languages & Literatures Department can only be granted in exceptional circumstances by the Associate Chair.
• According to LSA policy, the Department will keep on file, for a period of 7 years, copies of the signed application/proposal agreement and sufficient evidence of student work to demonstrate that the agreement was fulfilled.