2021-22 Undergraduate Academic Catalog | Academic Policies and Procedures

Independent Study

Advanced students are eligible for Independent Study in departments where they meet necessary prerequisites. A separate registration form for Independent Study is available in the Office of Registration or online on the RWC intranet Registration page. To make the registration official, the form must be signed by the supervising faculty member, the student's advisor, the Department Chair, and the Registrar. The completed form must be on file in the Office of Registration.

An Independent Study is designed by the student, subject to approval by the appropriate faculty member, to pursue personal academic interests. Material covered in regular courses at Roberts Wesleyan cannot be studied independently. In all Independent Studies, a written report of the project must be submitted to the faculty member(s) supervising the study prior to the end of the semester. A minimum of three faculty-student conferences is required for each Independent Study, with a minimum of 6 total contact hours for a 3-semester-hour course, 4 total contact hours for a 2-semester-hour course, and 2 total contact hours for a 1-semester-hour course. An Independent Study may not be taken to replace a D or F grade in previous work. No more than 10 percent of the minimum requirements for the major or the total program may be met as Independent Study and Directed Study combined.

Prerequisites for Independent Study are as follows:

  1. Junior standing.
  2. A minimum of 9 semester hours in the discipline of the Independent Study.
  3. A minimum grade point average of 2.50 in the discipline.
  4. Proof of motivation and ability to work independently.
  5. Approval of the Department in which the study is to be taken.
  6. Permission from the student’s advisor, the course instructor, the Department Chair, and the Registrar.

Independent Study is conducted under the regular semester calendar and completed by the end of the semester. An Independent Study may be extended for a second or even third semester by requesting an extension at least two weeks prior to the end of the first semester of study. An N grade is given if the work being continued is satisfactory.