Includes: SOAD-U 450 Independent Studio Projects, SOAD-X 490, Independent Study in Interior Design, X 491 Textiles and Apparel, and X 492 Retail
What is Independent Study?
SOAD-U 450 or SOAD-X 490/491/492 courses are for Independent Study within a particular Eskenazi program. The Studio Art U450 course is designed for advanced students to work independently on a specially designed studio project under the guidance of a faculty member. Associate instructors and graduate students may not supervise U450 projects. Students must consult with their advisor regarding how U450 fits into their degree progress. They must follow steps to gain Enrollment Permission to register for the correct number of credits. The student is responsible for finding a faculty member to supervise the U450 project. The project’s scope and evaluation method are detailed in the U450 application. Approval from the Studio Art Program Director, Martha MacLeish (mmacleis@iu.edu) is required before authorization to enroll is granted.
The SOAD-X 490/491/492 courses are designed for advanced students to work independently on research and design/merchandising projects under the guidance of a faculty member. Associate instructors and/or graduate students may not supervise Independent Study projects. Students must consult with their advisor regarding how a course fits into their degree progress. They must follow steps to gain Enrollment Permission to register for the correct number of credits. The student is responsible for finding a faculty member to supervise the project. The project’s scope and evaluation method should be well described and detailed in the application. Approval from the Program Director and the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) for Eskenazi is required before authorization to enroll is granted.
Steps for Students to Become Authorized to Register for U450:
1. Meet with your Academic Advisor to discuss how the course fits with degree progress and plan.
2. Identify and meet with a faculty member willing to supervise the project and discuss project ideas.
3. Work with your hopeful faculty mentor to contact the Program Director for permission to start the process.
4. Complete the application form with a detailed description of the project/projects and timeline.
5. The supervising faculty member emails the Program Director and DUS with approval for the project/projects, copying the necessary parties.
6. If approved, the student will receive a response about permission to enroll.
How is Independent Study Graded?
The instructor is responsible for emailing the final grade to the respective Program Director during exam week.
Does U450/X490/491/492 Count in my Major or Minor?
Independent Study does not automatically count towards the major or minor. Special permission from Program Director or DUS is often required in order to make an exception for Independent Study credits to count toward these requirements.
How Many Credits is U450/X490/491/492?
Credits for Independent Study are based on the amount of work per week: approximately one credit for every three-to-six hours of work/week, up to a maximum of 3 credits per semester. Students agree on the number of credits during course registration.
Detailed Project Description:
Students must provide a comprehensive description of the project or projects which includes the following information:
- The types of assignments leading to projects
- An approximate calendar of projects and due dates.
- How progress will be monitored
- How feedback will be delivered
- How assessment and evaluation will occur
This record is necessary if the faculty supervisor is unable to grade the project.
Instructor Agreement:
The instructor must agree to supervise the student’s project and monitor their work as described. They must submit the final grade to the Program Director by exam week. THE INSTRUCTOR MUST EMAIL APPROVAL TO THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND DUS AS FOLLOWS: I agree to work with this student on the above/attached Independent Study and monitor their work as noted. I understand that I am required to turn in a final grade to the Program Director by exam week of the term of enrollment.