An independent study course (i.e., Mathematics 191, 192, 193, or 194) offers a student the opportunity to pursue advanced study in a particular area of mathematics; alternatively, independent study may be pursued in an area in which courses are not usually offered by the department. (A student may not obtain credit by independent study for a course that is offered frequently.)
A student wishing to register for an independent study course must first make arrangements with a faculty member having expertise in the desired area. (The supervision of an independent study is a significant commitment by a faculty member, and no faculty member is obligated to agree to supervise an independent study.)
The student must then submit a proposal to the Director of Undergraduate Studies. The proposal should be prepared in consultation with the supervising faculty member, and it should contain a title, a brief plan of study, and a statement of how the work will be evaluated. The proposal must be typewritten, and it must signed by both the student and the supervising faculty member. The proposal will be considered in the context of the student's interests, academic record, and professional goals. If the proposal is approved, the Director of Undergraduate Studies will issue a permission number for course registration.
By faculty regulation, the student and supervising professor must meet at least once every two weeks during the fall or spring semester and at least once each week during a summer term.