• Course Number: 01:198:493
  • Course Type: Undergraduate
  • Semester 1: Fall
  • Semester 2: By Arrangement
  • Credits: 1 to 4
  • Description:

    To enroll in an independent study, a student must find a faculty member to sponsor the project.  Students are encouraged to approach individual faculty based on their interests, although many of these projects get started after a student takes a course with a particular faculty member.  Many students use this as an opportunity to get involved in research, which helps prepare a student for graduate school.

    Setting up an independent study involves agreeing on a topic, and preparing a one-page outline of the intended study area. The Independent Study form must be completed by the student and the faculty member, and approved by the Department Chair or Undergraduate Chair.  Click here for the form. The faculty member will monitor the work, evaluate the final product, and assign a grade. 

  • Topics:

    Students whose project ideas are not currently part of any course syllabus, may be interested in setting up an independent study.  The faculty sponsor will likely have their own research interests in the student effort, and the project will be of interest to both.  In general, the 1-4 credits granted will be equivalent in effort and academic content to a regular classroom course, though certainly more specialized, and with perhaps a larger experimental component.

  • Expected Work: The structure of the work in an independent study varies.  It typically consists of activities such as reading, programming, modeling, experimentation, and writing.
  • Learning Goals:

    Computer Science majors ...

    • will be prepared to contribute to a rapidly changing field by acquiring a thorough grounding in the core principles and foundations of computer science (e.g., techniques of program design, creation, and testing; key aspects of computer hardware; algorithmic principles).
    • will acquire a deeper understanding on (elective) topics of more specialized interest, and be able to critically review, assess, and communicate current developments in the field.
    • will be prepared for the next step in their careers, for example, by having done a research project (for those headed to graduate school), a programming project (for those going into the software industry), or some sort of business plan (for those going into startups).
  • Notes:

    This course can be used to satisfy a CS upper-level elective requirement (this must be agreed upon in advance). The course number is 493 in the fall, and 494 in the spring.