Women’s and Gender Studies independent study courses are intended for students who want to undertake supervised reading or writing projects which are within the discipline of Women’s and Gender Studies but not available through regular course offerings. Undergraduate students may take up to 6 credit hours of independent study (WMNS 399) with professors. Graduate students may take up to 3 credit hours (WMNS 896). Ordinarily, reading and writing projects are arranged between professors and students who know each other and who share an interest in the topic to be studied.
Procedures for Independent Study
- Once you have a general idea about what you would like to study, you will want to figure out with whom you want to work. If you are in doubt about what professor(s) to approach about supervising your project, talk with the director about possibilities. Be sure to check the Women’s and Gender Studies Course Offerings to make sure that your project is not part of a course already being offered.
- Draft a description of your project to show the professor(s) you ask to supervise your work. The draft should indicate what you plan to read, what you hope to learn, and how you propose to have your work evaluated. The amount of work to be done should justify the level and amount of credit being requested.
- Take the draft of your proposal to the professor(s) you hope will supervise your work to discuss with her/him. Realize that independent studies represent uncompensated overloads from professors who undertake them. Once you find a professor willing to supervise the project, work out the details of the contract with her or him and fill in the Contract Form carefully. Both you and the professor must sign the form.
- Take the signed Contract Form to the WGS Director, Margaret Jacobs, or Associate Director, Rose Holz, who will give you a permission code.
- Once you obtain the permission code you may register for the independent study as you would for any other course.