Students in the self-designed liberal arts program (BA or BS) who have earned at least 12 credits in residence at The New School for Public Engagement and are in good academic standing are eligible to undertake independent study for credit. Students can use independent study to explore topics of personal interest that are not offered or not covered in depth in the courses offered at The New School. Independent study is normally set up as a three-credit course to be completed in one semester. Students matriculated in the School of Undergraduate Studies are permitted to take two independent study courses.

Application Process

First, identify a project and discuss it with your faculty advisor well in advance of the registration period for the term in which you expect to take independent study. The proposal must contribute to your overall degree program and may not duplicate an existing New School course that you would be eligible to take. If the project idea is deemed viable, your advisor will contact the associate director of the School of Undergraduate Studies for preliminary approval and to solicit recommendations for potential faculty supervisors. Once the idea is approved by the associate director, the appropriate department chair will make an offer to a faculty member. Once a faculty member has been assigned, you and your supervisor will work together to draft a formal independent study proposal. The proposal must clearly state the

• Topic to be studied
• Issues or problems to be investigated
• Materials and methods to be used
• Deadline(s) for work to be completed (as far as possible)
• Number of student-instructor meetings
• Method(s) of evaluation

You and the faculty supervisor indicate your agreement on a proposal by jointly signing the Contract for Independent Study (PDF). The proposal and contract must be then be formally approved by the department chair and the associate director of the School of Undergraduate Studies before the registrar will set up the independent study course. The Contract for Independent Study, signed by the student, instructor, and the instructor's department chair, must be received by the associate director at least one calendar week before the first day of classes for the term in which the independent study is to take place.

Note: Independent study contracts cannot be approved without the plan of study attached to the contract.

Once a course (normally for one student with one instructor) is set up for the academic term, the student can register for independent study. Tuition is charged per credit as for any other course. Independent study is subject to the same add/drop deadlines as other courses.