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Graduate Independent Study

Graded Independent Study

Graded independent studies normally involve:

  1. completion of a specific reading or research project
  2. regularly scheduled tutorial sessions with the instructor during the semester
  3. submission of a substantial paper at the end of the term in which the course is taken.

Generally, graduate independent studies are numbered as follows:

  • HIST 910 Independent Study in American History
  • HIST 920 Independent Study in European History
  • HIST 930 Independent Study in World History

Registration

For graduate students who wish to pursue a graded independent study, the procedure is as follows:

  1. When you have a clear idea of the topic you would like to study, you should find a faculty sponsor who can supervise your work. Any member of the standing faculty or History Graduate Group (and only these faculty) may offer an independent study to a student at the professor's discretion.
  2. When you and your faculty sponsor have decided upon the topic and terms of your independent study, please complete and return the following form to Joan Plonski in the Department of History Office, College Hall 208, and she will register you for the course.

Independent Study Permission Form (PDF)

Ungraded Independent Study (HIST 999)

The purpose of ungraded independent studies, designated as HIST 999, is to award credit for the extra reading, study, and research that graduate students pursue outside their regular courses. Students in the Ph.D. program may take an ungraded, unsupervised 999 each semester in the first two years with the written approval of their faculty advisors. Students may take up to five ungraded, unsupervised 999s in the third year (or four in the second year, if admitted with approved graduate transfer credits from an M.A. program). The grade "S" (Satisfactory) is normally given in such courses. Under no circumstances may a student take more than eight 999s, or five in the case of students who enter the program with a History M.A.

Registration

Please return the following form to Joan Plonski in the Department of History Office, College Hall 208, to obtain the section number for the course.

HIST 999 Permit (PDF)