Directed Study (Independent Study and Course by Arrangement)

Independent Study

Independent study provides opportunities to earn credit in academic study not covered or beyond a department’s standard curriculum. To be eligible, students must demonstrate above-average academic performance, and a faculty member must agree to work with the student. Contact the department chair or academic dean for the area in which you are interested.

Course by Arrangement

A course by arrangement is a regular catalog course that may be offered at a time different from the credit class schedule. Students cannot request to take a course by arrangement. From time to time, the college may offer course by arrangement as an alternative. The selection of courses offered by arrangement is limited.

Self-Paced Study

Self-paced courses are designed for students who are highly motivated and good independent learners. Self-paced courses allow a student to start or end a course at times that do not typically coincide with the traditional college class schedule. The student and instructor will work together to agree upon a course schedule that will best suit the student’s needs and learning styles.

To enroll in a self-paced course, the student must first meet with the instructor to create a plan that will accommodate the student’s goals. The instructor distributes materials, explains the self-paced agreement, and enters an enrollment waiver into the student’s record. During this meeting, the length of time allowed for completion of the self-paced course will be decided. Self-paced courses are offered in a range of time frames from three months up to one year. All work, which includes grading by the instructor, must be completed by the due date recorded in the self-paced agreement.

After obtaining an enrollment waiver from the instructor, the student must enroll in the course on the second floor of the Student Center. Enrollment must occur no later than two weeks from the date the enrollment waiver was issued.

Self-Paced Courses Enrollment Deadlines:

• Fall semester - November 1
• Spring semester - April 1
• Summer session - July 1

Credit hours are transcribed for the semester of initial enrollment, not the semester of completion. For the purpose of enrollment verification, the credit hours are counted only for the semester of initial enrollment in the self-paced course.

Self-Paced Course Refund and Withdrawal Deadlines

• Last day to drop with a 100% refund is two weeks from the date the enrollment waiver was issued.
• Last day to drop with no refund and without a withdrawal "W" on transcript is six weeks from the date the enrollment waiver was issued.
• Last day to drop with a withdrawal "W" on transcript or request a pass/fail grade option is six months from the date the enrollment waiver was issued. After this date, withdrawal is not permitted. Courses that have been graded prior to this deadline may not be dropped.

For information regarding how self-paced courses apply toward your enrollment requirements for graduation, refer to graduation on the Records website.