/Institutions/University-of-Dubai/json/2024-2025/Shared-Content-local.json

/Institutions/University-of-Dubai/json/2024-2025/Shared-Content.json

Shared Content > Policies > The Educational Program > Independent Study policy

Independent Study policy

Policy 

An Independent Study is an opportunity for students to earn academic credit for learning outside the formal class structure, in supervised or unsupervised mode, for program-related or remedial courses. Independent Study is provided to fill an academic need of importance to the student that cannot be filled by the regular curriculum, either in contents or in the timing of delivery. Independent studies may also include guided readings, research, and individual project work under the direction of a faculty member.

 

1. Eligibility 

1. Students at a senior level who have a well-thought-out study project and a full-time member of the department faculty willing to supervise it, may obtain credit for independent study. Independent studies offer students the opportunity either to go into greater depth on a topic covered by a regular course in the department’s curriculum, or to pursue the in-depth study of a topic which is not covered by a regular course, or in other cases, to pursue a course not offered in that semester. 

2. For an undergraduate student to be eligible to take an Independent Study, in a supervised or unsupervised delivery mode, a student should have completed a significant portion of his/her undergraduate studies with CGPA of at least 3.2 out of 4, and must have some relevant background knowledge and/or experience. Exceptions may be given to graduating students by the Dean.

3. For undergraduate or graduate pre-master courses (pre-Math, pre-English, pre-MBA, or pre-LLM), a student can register for such courses in a supervised or unsupervised mode.

4. The university does not offer independent study for any graduate program-related or remedial courses.

5. The student assumes the major responsibility for completing the independent study with the guidance of a department faculty member as per an agreed-upon course outline. Final presentations (if required) in whatever agreed upon format, must meet professional standards.

6. A maximum of one course of Independent Study may be taken during a student program; written approval, via the College’s Independent Study Agreement, is required prior to any initiation of course work.

7. In supervised independent study delivery mode, for program-related or remedial courses, the faculty supervisor will meet periodically with the student, make suggestions, propose readings, and grade the exams and the final project. The student will be required on his/her own, to research for additional sources and materials related to the course and do all other necessary work to complete by the end of one semester, the agreed-upon output. Where the faculty member serving as the supervisor for the course finds it appropriate, the student should be encouraged to complete the independent study with an eye towards publication, if possible.

8. A student is expected to put a minimum of 25 hours of work time for each credit hour of Independent Study, in supervised or unsupervised delivery mode.

9. Independent Study is to be enrolled for in the same time frame as all other courses. 

10. A student wishing to enroll in an Independent Study, in a supervised or unsupervised delivery mode for program-related or remedial courses, should begin by completing an Independent Study Application Form at least one month before the anticipated beginning of the semester. 

11. For a supervised independent study, for program-related or remedial courses:

• The student should consult with a full-time faculty member in the department who may be willing to supervise the course. Normally, this faculty member should have relevant knowledge/expertise in the area of the study. Faculty may or may not agree to supervise an independent study course, at their sole discretion.

• Upon acceptance by the faculty supervisor, the student will participate with the supervisor in the development of a timetable. The syllabus will be attached to the application form along with a timeline of activities.

• The student should then submit the Application Form (Appendix I) and course syllabus to the Program Director who will approve or disapprove the study / course outline or make the necessary suggestions. 

• The Program Director, after approving the study plan, will forward the application to the Dean of the College. If the study plan and faculty supervisor are approved by the Dean, the form will be returned to the faculty member supervising the student. 

• Regular meetings between the student and faculty supervisor may be done in person, by phone, or by electronic means. 

 

L. For an unsupervised independent study, for program-related or remedial courses, the student should consult with the program director to take the course materials.

 

M. A student who takes supervised or unsupervised independent study for program-related and remedial courses, must be assessed according to the assessment scheme defined in the       

        course syllabus, and tests, midterm, and final, must be the same, in contents and dates, as those given in regular courses in the same semester or term, when applicable.

 

N. The signed Independent Study Form and the timeline along with the course outline should be submitted to the Registrar’s Office no later than one week prior to the end of the registration                period to enter into the system. Electronic copies should be kept by both the student and the faculty instructor. Completion of the Independent Study Agreement does not constitute           enrollment in the course.

 

O. Independent Study credit will be granted upon satisfactory completion of the requirements as defined in the Independent Study Agreement. 

 

P. Supervised Independent study courses generate teaching load credit (TLC) based on the course credit hour value and number of students enrolled. If the course meets the minimum class     size requirement (ten students for an undergraduate course and five students for a graduate course), the TLC is equal to the credit hour value for the course. In courses where the                            minimum class size is not met, TLC is calculated by a proportion weight based on the minimum class size requirements (described above). The undergraduate factor is determined by the                course credit hour value (up to 3) divided by 10; the graduate factor is determined by the course credit hour value (up to 3) divided by 5. The calculated factor is further multiplied by the           number of students enrolled to generate the final weighted TLC for the course. The maximum TLC for these types of courses is the maximum credit hour value for which a student is            enrolled per course. Faculty providing independent study instruction must be assigned as the faculty on record in order to receive TLC for the course.

 

2. Restrictions

University rules do not normally allow Independent Study credit for internship experiences, work-study programs or hourly pay work done in departments, or for work also compensated by a salary. 

The Independent Study may not be done retroactively. That is, the agreement for Independent Study (Appendix I) is to be completed, signed, and approved by all parties prior to the initiation of the study, and no later than one week prior to the end of the registration period.