Simmons College

Independent Study

The independent study program provides an opportunity for the student with a distinguished academic record, who has achieved degree candidacy, to pursue an individual topic related to his/her own interests for use in a substantial paper or project. A faculty member guides and advises the student in conferences, reviews preliminary drafts, and assigns the final grade. Academic credit is dependent upon substantial accomplishment at a distinguished level of quality. Members of the faculty actively encourage publication of those completed seminar studies that represent useful contributions to professional literature. The study proposal must be initiated by the student at least eight weeks before the semester in which it is to be undertaken. The student bears responsibility for formulating the study, approaching an appropriate faculty member, securing his/her consent to act as a sponsor, and submitting a full written statement outlining the study to that sponsor at least four weeks before the semester opens. Approval of the Assistant Dean of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science must be secured at least ten days before the semester begins. Detailed instructions and Independent Study proposal forms are available from the Admissions Office. Please note: this course is one of several still under review by the faculty. Please be aware that the course content may be changed.