Independent Study Program
In order to meet the graduation requirements of the Honors College, all students (whether on the four-year or two-year program) must complete at least six credit hours of Independent Study. Independent Study projects are intended to encourage Honors students to pursue, at an advanced level, their developing intellectual interests and/or career plans and to improve their abilities to conceptualize, organize and evaluate their own work. Independent Study requirements can be met in a variety of ways:
- by doing extra “Contract Work” in a 3000- or 4000-level course (normally in the major);
- by taking a graduate course (6000-level) where that is permitted by the student’s major department;
- by on- or off-campus internships in accordance with Honors College guidelines;
- for education, nursing, social work, communications, and some other majors, as part of the teaching or clinical practicum;
- studying “on exchange.” Exchange programs include study abroad (through the Center for International Studies) or at another North American university (through the National Student Exchange, administered by the Honors College);
- through senior seminars in major departments ranging from 1 hour to 6 hours of credit;
- undertaking undergraduate research, usually supervised by a UM-St. Louis faculty member. Please note that an independent study approved as an undergraduate research project will normally qualify for additional financial support on a cost-of-research basis.
- undertaking independent readings, with supervision by a faculty member either in the Honors College or an appropriate department;
- by undergraduate teaching assistantships, tutoring, or teaching in other contexts, supplemental instruction, or in off campus programs;
While most Independent Study projects will have a supervisor (normally in the Honors College or from an appropriate main campus department), the two main objectives of these projects will be to cultivate the abilities to work on one’s own and to apply to one’s own work an independent and informed critical judgment. How frequently you meet with your supervisor is for you and the supervisor to agree; you should (at the least) receive sufficient guidance to set you on a fruitful path of study and/or research. But students and supervisors should remember that these are independent projects.
Students normally fulfill their independent studies requirements in their junior and senior years. But other possibilities exist. In order for students, and the college, to plan for appropriate and adequate supervision, you will be expected to submit a (non-binding) independent studies prospectus in the seminar after you have completed at least 50 credit hours of university-level work.
For further information concerning the ways in which you can fulfill the Independent Study requirement, and relevant application forms, see Appendix D in the Handbook. For the most part, the relevant course numbers are either Honors 4900-4980 or (more likely) the appropriate independent study/guided reading course number in the student’s major department.