Independent Study

Students may participate in independent study as permitted by their college, school or program. Credit for independent study is awarded as follows: 15 contact hours with the instructor and approximately 45 hours of student-directed work equals up to 1 credit.

College of Performing Arts

Students interested in independent study should contact their advisor. Independent studies at the College of Performing Arts are granted on an exceptional basis only.

Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts

A junior or senior with prior coursework in a specific area may undertake independent study to explore a focused topic not normally offered in the curriculum. The student works with a full-time supervising faculty member who has agreed to supervise the independent project. Proposals for independent study must be submitted prior to the semester in which they are to be carried out. The student must complete an independent study contract, which includes a description of the proposed course of study, a bibliography or reading list, the schedule of planned contacts with the supervising faculty member, and learning outcomes for the project. The contract also requires the signatures of the supervising faculty member, departmental chair, and, only in special circumstances, the Vice Dean. A student may not register for independent study without the written approval of the supervising faculty member and departmental chair. Students can access the contract form from Lang’s Current Students webpage or from their Student Success advisor.

The New School for Social Research

NSSR students should consult their program Handbook for information about requirements or options for independent study, independent research, directed dissertation study, and/or mentored research in their program. Students wishing to register for individualized study must obtain approval from the instructor, department chair, and graduate student advisor.

Parsons School of Design & Parsons Paris

A student who wishes to pursue a specific topic of interest beyond what is available in an existing course may be able to work independently with a full-time faculty member. This requires a serious commitment on the part of the student and the supervising faculty member. The project must be clearly and realistically defined in advance and progress measured at regular intervals. The outcome — be it academic research or a creative project — will be evaluated rigorously. Students interested in independent study should consult carefully with their academic advisors. Normally, permission of the Program Director is required. Students granted permission to study independently with a faculty member must complete an Independent Study Contract and register for the approved number of credits during the Registrar’s “Add” period.

Schools of Public Engagement

Bachelor’s Program for Adults and Transfer Students

Students who have completed at least 12 credits in residence in the Bachelor’s Program for Adults and Transfer Students (BPATS) and are in good academic standing are eligible to undertake independent study for credit. Independent study is arranged through the BPATS office in conjunction with an academic department. Independent study is normally set up as a three-credit course to be completed during a single semester, with one full-time faculty member and one student. Students are permitted to take a maximum of two independent study courses for a total of 6 credits while matriculated in the Bachelor’s Program for Adults and Transfer Students. In most cases, students use independent study to explore topics of personal interest that are not offered or not covered in-depth in courses offered at The New School.

Application Process: A student who wishes to pursue an independent study must have a project in mind, which should be discussed with an academic or faculty advisor well in advance of the registration period. The proposed project should contribute to the student’s overall plan of study and may not duplicate an existing course offering at The New School. If the project is deemed viable by the student’s advisor, the student should contact the designee in the Bachelor’s Program for Adults and Transfer Students, who must approve all independent study proposals. Approval must be obtained at least one week prior to the first day of classes of the term for which the project is proposed.

Students may download an application form and a description of the independent study process at www.newschool.edu/bachelors-program/independent-study/. Courses of independent study are subject to the same registration deadlines as other courses.

School of Media Studies

At the discretion of the director of the Media Studies or Media Management programs, a student who has defined a specific subject or problem for research or an original production concept can pursue a course of study independent of regular class structures, meetings, and assignments. Prerequisite: Completion of 18 credits in residence at The New School, including appropriate production courses in the case of an independent production.

The student must work with an interested full-time faculty member as an advisor to define the project and develop and submit an Independent Study Contract. The contract is submitted to the Program Director for approval and clearance to register. Contracts must be submitted at least two weeks prior to registration to allow sufficient time for evaluation.

Independent projects are normally pursued in fall and spring semesters with members of the full-time faculty, and after the student has completed a minimum of 18 credits. Please consult your advisor before developing any proposal for a summer independent project or with an adjunct faculty member as advisor.

Milano School of Policy, Management, and Environment

Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management (EPSM)

At the discretion of the assigned faculty advisor or chair in the EPSM Program, a student who has a defined subject, problem of research or applied project in line with program, academic and career goals, can pursue one three-credit course of Independent Study. Before registering, students must first (a) have completed the first semester in the program, and (b) have had their proposed project for Independent study approved by both a faculty course advisor (instructor) and EPSM program faculty advisor or chair. In order to obtain approval for a proposed Independent Study course, the student must work with an interested faculty who would be the course instructor to elaborate a proposal and plan of study for the course. This proposal should include: (1) the topic to be studied; (2) the issues or problems to be investigated; (3) the materials and methods to be used; (4) work to be completed; (5) projected due dates; (6) how often the student and instructor will meet; and (7) how the students work will be evaluated. Once completed, the proposal must be signed and endorsed by the course instructor and submitted to the EPSM faculty advisor or EPSM Program Director for approval and clearance to register. Proposals must be submitted to the EPSM faculty advisor or chair at least two weeks prior to registration to allow sufficient time for evaluation. Approval is not guaranteed. Independent projects are normally pursued in fall and spring semesters with members of the full-time faculty in the Schools of Public Engagement (SPE).

Independent Studies with part-time faculty and/or with faculty outside of SPE are governed by specific procedures that may require additional assessment and registration procedures. Please consult the director of Student Affairs before developing any proposal to ensure clarity, viability and compliance in relation to all processes and policies governing Independent Study courses.

Julien J. Studley Graduate Programs in International Affairs (SGPIA)

After their first semester, students in good academic standing may register for one three-credit course of Independent Study as part of the degree. Students start with a problem or specific area of interest to investigate in detail, and then design a project based on consultations with an interested faculty member who serves as the course advisor. Students planning to register for Independent Study must have their proposed project approved before registering. They present a Proposal and Plan of Study to the faculty advisor that will contain the following:

(1) the topic to be studied; (2) the issues or problems to be investigated; (3) the materials and methods to be used; (4) work to be completed; (5) due dates (if known); (6) how often the student and instructor will meet; and (7) how the students work will be evaluated.

To receive permission to register for Independent Study, students must submit the Contract for Independent Study, signed by their Independent Study supervisor, to the SGPIA Front Desk or Associate Director of Academic Programs.

Independent studies cannot be approved without the Proposal and Plan of Study attached to this document. Independent Studies receive a letter grade.

Registration Process and Needs

Registration Process and Needs