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Independent study allows undergraduate students to pursue a specific topic with a faculty member for academic credit. Undergraduate students enrolling in an independent study provides the opportunity for the student to explore an idea, contribute to research, or develop a project under the guidance of a faculty member at the School of Data Science and Society.

Before undertaking an independent study, check the course catalog to ensure that an existing course does not already cover the topic you are interested in.

Student Eligibility

To register for independent study credit, students must demonstrate:

  • An overall GPA of 3.0
  • A GPA of 3.0 in DATA courses (multiply the quality points of your grade by the hours of credit for each DATA course, add all quality points together, and then divide by the total number of hours)
  • Successful completion of all regular courses offered by the School of Education that are relevant to the particular project being considered

 

Application Process

1. Find a faculty member to be your instructor of record.

You are responsible for finding a School of Data Science and Society faculty member (not a graduate student instructor) who is willing to be your instructor of record for the independent study.

Before approaching faculty members about serving as an instructor for an independent study, consider writing a project proposal that includes a brief explanation of why you want to complete an independent study, along with a short list of suggested readings. This will give the instructor a starting point from which to negotiate the course requirements.

Please note that faculty members are not obligated to advise a student on an independent study project. They may be unable to, due to other commitments, even if they are excited about the topic. Students should seek out a faculty supervising instructor as early as possible.

2. Learning Contract and/or Course Syllabus

You must complete the Independent Student Learning Contract along with your Instructor of Record. This is required for DATA 693H, 694H (Independent Study), DATA 495 (Mentored Research), DATA 493 & 593 (Internship), and DATA 496 (Directed Readings).

Your instructor must also create a formal syllabus for the independent study that should be submitted with the learning contract. The syllabus for the independent study should include the following:

    • number of hours of work expected of the student;
    • number of required meetings between the instructor and student;
    • all required reading and writing assignments with due dates for each (if applicable);
    • the assessment procedure and criteria for determining the student’s grade;
    • a 100-word work plan (analogous to the introductory purpose statement provided in the typical class syllabus).

3. Approval and Course Registration

Completed learning contracts and syllabi should be submitted to the School of Data Science and Society’s Academic Affairs Office (sdss@unc.edu), no later than the first day of classes for the relevant semester.