All academic departments at Beaver offer the option of independent study for academic credit to students who wish to pursue a topic that lies outside of or beyond the existing curriculum. Independent study may not supplant or replace an existing offering.

In general, independent study is undertaken by students in the Junior and Senior year who have

¨ Submitted a proposed program of independent study to the Department Head of relevant department, having also secured the agreement of a faculty advisor for proposed study.

¨ Demonstrated the ability to work productively and independently in the area in which independent study is proposed.

A proposal for independent study will be brought before the Academic Dean and the Department Head of the applicable department. The proposal should be well thought out and follow the guidelines that are outlined in the “Independent Study Expectations” sheet that can be found in the Registrar’s office. The Academic Dean and the Department Head may accept the proposal or request clarification/modification of the proposal, which may then need to be re-submitted. The proposal may be rejected if the Academic Dean or the Department Head believes that the student is not yet prepared to complete a successful independent study.

The independent study will carry academic credit and be graded as agreed on by the student, the faculty advisor for proposed study, the Department Heads, and the Academic Dean. The faculty advisor will write comments, submit grades, and note credit for the student’s transcript as for a regularly scheduled course. The grade will be part of the student’s grade point average.

The steps involved in getting an independent study approved are:

1) The student should be inspired to do a project that is beyond the existing curriculum.

2) The student should pick up a packet from the Registrar’s office that includes the expectations for the project and proposal, as well as an application form that needs to be filled out.

3) The student should find a faculty advisor that will be able to advise the student on the proposed idea.

4) The student will write a proposal using the guidelines outlined in the “Independent Study Expectations” sheet.

5) The student and the faculty advisor for the proposed study should meet and discuss the proposal. The student should revise the proposal as necessary, and submit it once again to the advisor. The advisor should sign in the indicated space on the “Independent Study Proposal Application Form,” upon approval.

6) The student should then show the proposal and form to their student advisor, head of the relevant department, and parent/guardian to have read and signed in the appropriate spaces on the “Independent Study Proposal Application Form.”

7) The student should submit his/her proposal and the completed “Independent Study Proposal Application Form” to the Academic Dean. No proposal will be accepted after the deadline.