A&S Independent Study affords students the opportunity to pursue special interests or research not treated in regularly scheduled courses. Requests to enroll in independent study to cover material in a course offered in the same semester will not be approved. In addition, requests to enroll in independent study as a work-around for a class time conflict will be denied.
Undergraduate Enrollment in A&S Independent Study Courses is available online through the Experience Cornell Site. You should discuss the scope of your Independent Study with your faculty advisor before submitting the form. This form will be accessible for the current semester a week before classes start, through the end of the 5th week of the current semester. Requests to add an independent study will not be approved after the university’s 5th week add deadline for all special studies and projects courses.
How do I enroll in A&S undergraduate independent study?
Go to the Experience Cornell website and enter independent study in the keyword search bar on the left side of the screen.
I want to enroll in CS 4999, INFO 4900, or STSCI 4990.
You can enroll in these courses during the add period. They are either open enroll or you need permission via add/drop form. You may check with those departments if you have any questions.
I want to enroll in EAS 4910 or EAS 4920.
Students wishing to enroll in these courses should use the Cornell Engineering Research for Credit form.
I want to enroll in ENVS 4970 or ENVS 4990.
Students wishing to enroll in these courses should use the CALS Special Studies form.
I want to enroll in BIOG 2990 or BIOG 4990.
Students wishing to enroll in these courses should use the Independent Research in Biological Sciences form.
I want to enroll in a major honors course.
Students wishing to enroll in these courses should contact their major department for enrollment information.
Can I receive Independent Study credit for Undergraduate Course Assistant (CA) work?
No, in the College of Arts & Sciences students cannot earn Independent Study credit for being a CA. Departments offering credit for CA-ing have specific courses for that purpose. Reach out to the instructor or department of the course you will be CA-ing for, for more information. Not all departments offer CA opportunities for credit.
How are credits and grading option (letter grade or S/U) determined for Arts Independent Study?
Students should work with the faculty member who will act as their supervisor in the independent study course and have a mutual agreement on credits and grading option.
Independent Study should be regarded as at least as demanding as a regular course assignment. No more than three credits for each independent study is recommended due to the 9-11 hours of work needed each week to complete the entire course (minimum 120 hours of effort per term). For a four-credit independent study course, students must clearly outline how they will complete 12-14 hours each week for a full term lasting 15 weeks to earn that number of credits. The following are guidelines for assigning credit for independent study:
- In a laboratory, approximately three hours of work per week is usually expected for each credit.
- In tutorials in the humanities and social sciences, the amount of work required for an independent study should more than equal the amount required for a regular course (three hours of work and one class meeting per week for each credit).
- For one or two credits, the written work may be a series of short assignments, project reports, or compilation of data.
- For three or four credits, students should produce an integrated written paper as is required in an advanced seminar, or a detailed laboratory report which includes critical bibliographical work and an explication of the context of the particular study. In some cases, the project itself - a film, a novel, a construction - replaces written results of research. But in all cases, something reviewable must be produced. Credit may not be awarded for experience alone.
How many credits of A&S Independent Study can I take in one semester?
In one semester students may earn a maximum of six credits of independent study or project team with one instructor or a maximum of eight credits with more than one instructor or project team.
Do A&S Independent Study credits count towards the 120 credits needed for graduation?
Yes, A&S Independent Study credits are considered academic credit and count towards the 120 credits needed for graduation. They do not fulfill distribution requirements.
Can A&S Independent Study courses be repeated for credit?
Yes, A&S Independent Study courses can be repeated up to a maximum number of times or credits set by each department.
Can I take an Independent Study course off-campus?
Independent study classes are expected to be carried out on the Ithaca campus. Students are required to attest to their on-campus status. Students may petition for an exception to this policy if they are enrolled in an approved Cornell off-campus program, such as Cornell-in-Washington or the CAPS Beijing program.
Cornell Abroad students are not allowed to concurrently enroll in an Ithaca campus independent study class but may petition to enroll in an honors thesis class if that is required for completing major honors. Additionally, international students who must enroll in a CPT independent study class may petition for an exception while studying abroad.