Government Department

Independent Study

Independent study is graded, 1 or 3 credit semester-long project on a topic area chosen by a student in conjunction with a faculty advisor in the Department. It may comprise a research project or a set of guided readings around a theme, resulting in either a series of papers or a single major paper. Government 494 allows a student to pursue in greater detail an interest developed in previous courses, provided the subject is distinct from that covered by an existing class. Independent Study is an excellent chance to conduct research and/or read in-depth on a topic area. It is also a good chance to get faculty feedback on both analysis and writing.

Who is eligible for Independent Study in Government?
Academic juniors or seniors (including non-majors) may enroll; non-majors are eligible, assuming they have a faculty advisor willing to supervise the project and contingent upon Departmental approval.

How much work is involved?
Students doing Independent Study, whether at the College or in a study abroad program, are expected to complete work equivalent to that of a lecture or seminar course. A 1 credit version requires at least 10 pages of original written work (excluding appendices, attachments, etc.) A 3 credit variant requires at least 25 pages of original written work.

What about credits and grading?
Independent Study is available on a graded basis only, for 1 or 3 credits as outlined above. There is no pass-fail variant.

May an internship be counted as an independent study?
Participation in an internship, or seminar/workshop alone does not qualify; a project based on such an experience must still involve work equivalent to that of other 400-level courses (i.e. a written project proposal, bibliography and one or more papers, minimum of 25 pages total, excluding initial drafts).

What role does the advisor play?
A faculty member with appropriate expertise must be willing to supervise; the student is required to meet regularly with the supervisor to discuss progress on the project.

When and how often may an Independent Study be done?
A student may take Government 494 multiple times, but no more than six credits total may be taken in Government 498 and 494. Also, no more than three credits of Govt. 494 may be counted for students also counting Govt. 495-96, Honors, to the major. These stipulations also apply to equivalents taken elsewhere and transferred in.

Does Independent Study meet the Department's 400-level requirement?
Although numbered at the 400-level (494), Independent Study is not a seminar and thus does not fill the Department's requirement that all concentrators take a senior-level seminar.

Which materials/forms do you need in order to register?
Once you have decided to do Independent Study, chosen a topic, and found a faculty member who will serve as advisor, it is time to begin the paperwork. Follow the link below for the appropriate form; it should be turned into the Government Department office before the end of Add/Drop period of the semester in which you will be doing an Independent Study. Note: Do not try adding into Government 494, Independent Study, during preregistration.