.01
Rationale
The
university provides an opportunity for qualified undergraduates and
graduate students to enroll in courses which involve independent reading
or research projects, or in‑service and practicum experience related
to their programs of study under the guidance of a faculty member.
.02
Objectives
A.
Expand the possibilities for independent study, reading, and research.
B.
Open these projects at the teaching unit's discretion to nondegree as well as to degree candidates.
.03
Definitions
A.
An independent reading course is defined as a course in which a student,
by arrangement with an instructor, reads a body of material with a minimum
of formal instruction.
B.
An independent study project is defined as a course in which a student
does research on a topic agreed upon by the student and the instructor,
or engages in any mode of education deemed worthy of a student's efforts
by the instructor responsible for the course.
C.
Independent study courses may not be used as credit toward General Education
Requirements.
Senate
action and Provost approval, February 1989.
Effective fall 1989.
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.04
Registration Procedures
A.
Registration in these courses will be during the regular registration
period for a semester or any summer session. A student may add one of
these courses until the end of the fourth week of classes in the fall
and spring semesters or until the end of the second week of a summer
session.
B.
Before processing registration for one of these courses, the student
and the supervising faculty member must agree upon and document the
title, objective, scope, and credit value (1–6) of the project to be
pursued. The head of the teaching unit must approve the project and
faculty member's involvement. In particular, he or she must attest that
the project does not duplicate a course already in the semester's curriculum
which would be available to the student.
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.05
Course Numbers and Credit
A.
Undergraduate Level (1–6 credit hours):
xxx-390
Independent Reading Course; xxx-490 Independent Study Project
B.
Graduate Level (1–6 credit hours):
xxx-590
Independent Reading Course; xxx-690 Independent Study Project
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.06
Faculty and Student Responsibilities
In
independent reading courses or study projects it is expected that the
student will communicate on a regular basis with the instructor to review
progress.
.07
Time Limitations
Students
are normally expected to complete independent reading and study projects
within the semester of registration; however, the time limit may be
extended at the discretion of the supervising faculty member in accordance
with the following schedule:
Semester
of Registration:
Maximum Completion Time:
Fall
End of following summer sessions
Spring
End of following fall semester
Summer End
of following spring semester
.08
Grading
Students
registered in independent reading courses or study projects may be assigned
conventional grades or grades of pass or fail, according to agreement
made at the time of registration. A temporary grade of IP (course in
progress) will be assigned by the faculty member at the conclusion of
the semester of registration if an extension has been approved. IP must
be resolved to a final grade in accordance with the completion schedule
in 60.00.07 above. An extension beyond that designated as the maximum
completion deadline for reasons beyond the student's control must be
authorized by the normal procedures regulating I (Incomplete) grades.
Senate
action and Provost approval, December 1982.
Effective fall 1983.
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.09
Community Service Learning Projects
Individual
teaching units may choose to offer undergraduate students the opportunity
to earn graduation credit for community service learning projects in
conjunction with courses offered by the unit. A community service learning
project consists of at least 40 hours of approved field work intended
to benefit inhabitants of the Washington
metropolitan area who have a need for human support and/or social services.
To qualify for academic credit, in addition to the field work the project
must have an academic component related to the course with which the
project is associated.
A.
Students earn one semester hour of credit for each project they complete
satisfactorily. A maximum of 3 credit hours of community service learning
credit may be applied toward graduation.
B.
A student must obtain the approval of a faculty member teaching an undergraduate‑level
course in which the student is enrolled before adding a community service
learning project to his or her registration for the semester. The deadline
for adding a project is the same as stated in section .04A, above. Students
register for the project using the course number designated by the teaching
unit at the same level (-194, -294,-394, or -494) as the course with
which the project is associated. Only the pass/fail grading option is
available for community service learning projects.
Senate
action and Provost approval, February 1994.
Effective fall 1994.
