AWP Independent Study Courses

Independent studies are usually offered at the 3000 or 4000 level and should not duplicate the contents of existing courses. Rather, they typically extend an existing course or expand the student’s program by offering individually supervised instruction in an area of study not currently offered as part of the regular curriculum the Academic Writing Program.

Independent study means the student is responsible for the academic work undertaken. He or she develops a proposed project in consultation with a professor, who will act as a resource person to assist the student. It should be noted that a course outline with a detailed evaluative structure is required.

Independent Studies consist of an agreed upon amount of written work, appropriate to the level of study (3000 or 4000), with clearly stipulated assignment weights and deadlines. In the Academic Writing Program, Independent Studies usually consist of a major Research Paper and several smaller but linked projects, such as a Research Proposal, several Summaries, an Extended Definition, an Annotated Bibliography, and so on. The course may involve a final exam.

The Academic Writing Program recommends that Independent Studies focus on rhetorical criticism and discourse analysis. The proposed course should be narrow enough in focus to sustain a detailed analysis of the rhetorical and discursive features of the topic and the primary texts in question; it should also engage and interrogate relevant theoretical models. In addition, the course of study must be manageable for the student and completed in the allotted term, and it must include regularly scheduled meetings with the instructor.

The student initiates the proposed Independent Study by contacting the professor. A completed independent study form is required and can be obtained from the Academic Writing Program office (D524), the instructor, or the Deans' office. Once the student and professor have outlined and agreed upon the study, the final draft of the proposal goes to the Academic Writing Program for review, where it will be either accepted or rejected.

Please note that registration for Independent Studies follows the process and timeline of regular courses and semesters. See Academic Advising as well as Part 7, Section 19 and Part 14, Section 4.c.2 in the U of L Calendar. Please plan your independent study far enough in advance to accommodate these deadlines and the instructor’s schedule. Please note as well that faculty members are generally limited to supervising three or fewer independent study courses per semester.