Independent Study
191. Independent Study. Independent projects in creative writing, under the supervision of a faculty member. Open to juniors and seniors. Consent of both the instructor and the director of undergraduate studies required.
192. Research Independent Study. Individual research in a field of special interest under the supervision of a faculty member, the central goal of which is a substantive paper or written report containing significant analysis and interpretation of a previously approved topic. Open to juniors and seniors. Consent of both the instructor and the director of undergraduate studies required.
195T. Tutorial. Directed reading and research. Consent of both the instructor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies required.
Note: Instructors of independent study courses are expected to meet with the students enrolled at least once every two weeks during the fall or spring and at least once each week during a summer term. Students are expected to complete a substantive paper for the course (see page 43 Duke University Bulletin, 1999-00).
The administration of independent study courses and tutorials (2-5 students) is the responsibility of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students wishing to enroll in courses 191, 192, or 195T should confer with the faculty member under whom they wish to take the course. When the proposed course has been prepared by the student and the instructor together, an application bearing the instructor's signed approval should be submitted to the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
The Faculty of the English Department have agreed on these desiderata: tutorial and independent study must not duplicate available course offerings the subject of study must be in the instructor's general field of professional competence the amount of work required must be approximately equivalent to that required in a regular course the student must have had 100-level course work in the general field of the proposal or otherwise have made acceptable preparation to study independently in that area.
To maintain a high quality of independent study, the faculty member directing the study must have sufficient time to give the course careful attention. The Department has therefore decided that no faculty member shall direct more than three independent study courses in any semester. No student with an incomplete (I) in a course in independent study will be permitted to enroll in a second course.
The application (one page only) must include the following information:
Name; year; student ID, email, and phone number; Semester of study. English courses taken and in progress (with the instructor's name) and any other courses that bear upon the proposed study; title of the independent study, including an abbreviated title of thirty spaces (including blanks) that will appear on registration records; description of the proposed study including a tentative plan of reading and procedure; the signature of the supervising professor.
Completed applications must be submitted to the Director of Undergraduate Studies by one week prior to drop/add. Please bring to 302 Allen. The Undergraduate Assistant will give a permission number to students whose applications have been approved by both the professor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies.