Independent Study, Undergraduate

Instructions for completing the Independent Study form

  1. Read the Independent Study Proposal Guidelines, Undergraduate carefully.
  2. Read and complete all steps contained in the Undergraduate Student Checklist by the specified deadlines.
  3. This form will be sent to the emails you enter for your adviser and instructor. You must follow up with them to make sure they submit their approval to Gallatin by the proposal submission deadline.
  4. Questions about this form can be directed to KatheAnn Joseph (katheann.joseph@nyu.edu).

Do not use this form. Submit the Independent Study-Colloquium Preparation instead.

Student Information

NOTE: Students enrolled in another NYU school are generally not permitted to apply for a Gallatin Independent Study. In rare instances a student from another NYU school might be able to take a Gallatin Independent Study with a Gallatin professor. In all cases, students should contact Kathe Ann Joseph for more information.

Adviser Information

Instructor Information

Questions

Are you planning to attend a course, class, workshop, etc., to supplement this study?
If yes, please explain your plan further below (The general expectation is that students will work independently with their independent study instructor, and not also attend a class.)
Are you planning to make any type of payment to an instructor or separate institution for this study?
Please explain the reason for the payment, and the name of the institution or instructor who would receive the payment
Are you planning to be outside of New York State for any part of this study?
Please explain where you will be during this study. (The general expectation is that students are on campus at Washington Square.)
Are you planning to NOT meet in person with your Instructor?
Please explain how you plan to meet with your instructor. (The general expectation is that students and instructors will meet in person.)
Are you planning to register for any other individualized projects this semester?
Please list the other individualized projects you are taking this semester

Independent Study Information

Description of Study

Like the course description in a college catalog, this part of the proposal should describe the general theme and scope of the study. (See Gallatin’s course descriptions for examples.) The theme may be stated as a problem to be investigated, an issue to be explored, or an argument to be defended. The description might indicate where your are starting out and where you would like to get in terms of answering a question, exploring a phenomenon, understanding a theory, building a skill or other goal. It should articulate the theme and strategy of the study as clearly as possible within 250 words.

Readings

You must provide a reading list with authors and titles, even if tentative, along with the proposal. The list should be comparable to a similar classroom course, which means that a four-unit study requires a minimum of 6-10 books. The list of readings may include substantial articles and other secondary readings. (However, a single article is not equivalent to a book; at least 3 articles are needed to equal a book.) Readings may change during the semester as the study evolves, but the preliminary list should be appropriate for the number of units. Proposals for creative projects should include readings, as well.

The required minimum number of books for various unit values are:

  • 4 units: 6-10 books
  • 3 units: 4-7 books
  • 2 units: 3-5 books
Title Author Type

Works to be Evaluated by Your Instructor:

The proposal should indicate the kinds of work (response papers, research essays, creative works, etc.), which will be evaluated by the instructor. Assignments should be comparable in extent to a similar classroom course. Details should be provided about this work, including the number, length and type of work to be submitted (e.g., two research papers, one 10 pages and the other 15).

Ultimately, it is up to the student and instructor to determine the specific format of the work to be evaluated by the instructor. The work for the study should be submitted according to the schedule of due dates agreed upon at the outset, and as with a classroom course, late work may be penalized.

Below is the required minimum amount of written academic work for non-creative independent studies of various unit values. (The number of required written pages for creative projects may be less.):

  • 4 units: 20-25 pages of written work 
  • 3 units: 15-20 pages of written work
  • 2 units: 10-15 pages of written work  

All creative projects require both the finished creative product (photographs, film, paintings, etc.) and academic writing, which must be based on the readings and may take the form of response papers to the readings, or a research or analytical essay based on the readings and theories within those readings.

Below is the required minimum amount of academic writing for non-writing creative projects of various unit values:

  • 4 units: at least 15 pages of academic writing
  • 3 units: at least 10-12 pages of academic writing
  • 2 units: at least 8-10 pages of academic writing

Creative writing projects require both the finished creative product (script, novel, essay, etc.) and academic writing.

Below is the required minimum amount of written work for creative projects of various unit values. Poems, novels, essays, scripts, etc., must be at least this length:

  • 4 units: 20-25 pages of written work
  • 3 units: 15-20 pages of written work
  • 2 units: 10-15 pages of written work

Below is the required minimum amount of academic writing (which must be based on the readings and may take the form of response papers to the readings, or a research or analytical essay based on the readings and theories within those readings) for creative writing independent studies of various unit values:

  • 4 units: 8-10 pages of academic writing
  • 3 units: 6-8 pages of academic writing
  • 2 units: 4-6 pages of academic writing

Syllabus

Instructors and students are expected to meet regularly throughout the semester. Meeting spaces for an Independent Study are identified and secured by the student and/or instructor. Please note that personal spaces (i.e. an apartment or dorm room) are not suitable. It is recommended that the instructor or student book an NYU space through Bobst Library.

You must provide a schedule of the meetings with the instructor, which includes the topics, the readings, and assignments to be covered during each session. You can revise your syllabus with your instructor once the semester begins.

Below is the required minimum number of meetings for various unit values:

  • 4 units: 7 meetings 
  • 3 units: 5 meetings
  • 2 units: 4 meetings  
Date / Week Number Readings Covered Amount of Work
I have read and accept the terms of the Independent Study Proposal Guidelines and the Student Checklist.

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