Honors Independent Study

Guidelines for Honors Independent Study (HONR379)

An Honors Independent Study project is an opportunity for a student to undertake a substantive, academically rigorous research effort in close collaboration with a faculty mentor. Honors College LLP students may enroll in HONR379, Honors Independent Study, which carries three credits after their proposal has been approved by the Honors College. Students may begin to take Honors Independent Study in their second year.

Eligibility for proposing an Honors College Independent Study

• HONR379 is open to students in the Honors College at the sophomore level and above (class standing is by matriculation date, not by credits).
• Independent study projects arise from either an Honors seminar (an HONR course) or an Honors version (H-version) course in an academic department.
• Students may enroll in HONR379 in the fall or spring semesters.

Proposing an Independent Study: Criteria

• Students interested in developing an independent study project should contact the faculty member of their HONR/H-version course who will have to agree to oversee the study. Students will work with the faculty member to prepare an Independent Study proposal.
• The proposed project should not be a mere continuation of an HONR/H-version course, but rather an original, independent or deeper exploration of a topic of the student’s choosing that emerges from an HONR/H-version class.
• The proposed project should be at least as academically challenging as a typical Honors seminar.

The Independent Study proposal should specify the dates on which the student and faculty member will meet (virtually or in-person) to discuss the progress of the Independent Study. To assure quality, there should not be fewer than four “meetings” scheduled.

Proposing an Independent Study: Process of Submission

• The student should complete the HONR 379 Independent Study form and attach to it the following: (1) a proposal of 300-500 word outline of the motivation for the project and the approach to be taken; (2) a short bibliography and (3) a proposed timetable for meetings with the faculty mentor. The entire proposal should be reviewed with the faculty mentor before submission.
• The student shall consult with the proposed faculty member and receive their agreement to undertake the project.
• The faculty mentor will be asked to submit information supporting your study project and to indicate their agreement to work closely with you.
• Once the Honors College has received both the student and faculty mentor submissions, the project proposal will be reviewed.
• If the Independent Study proposal is approved by the Honors College, students will be notified of the section number of HONR 379 in which they may enroll.

Additional Important Information for HONR379

• The Honors College Independent Study HONR379 may be taken only for a regular grade. Students may complete only one instance of HONR379 Honors Independent Study.
• HONR379 may count towards the Honors College citation.
• HONR379 may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements.
• HONR379 proposals should be submitted by the end the semester prior to the semester the student wishes to enroll in HONR379 and certainly no later than the second week of classes of the term the student wishes to enroll.
• All University course registration policies and deadlines (drop/add, withdrawal, etc.) apply to the HONR379.

Note: A faculty mentor is a member of the teaching faculty with the title of professor, associate professor or assistant professor. Non-regular faculty (instructors) may serve as faculty mentors only if they are scheduled to teach on campus the same term as the proposed independent study.