Independent projects consist of independent work by a junior or senior under the direction of a faculty member. Independent projects are directed towards the production of a unified product (e.g., a scientific poster, a mathematical result, an exhibition, a play, a series of poems, a longer academic paper suitable for an undergraduate conference presentation) central to the student’s program of study.
Independent projects must be preceded by relevant course work in the program of study. The student and faculty member meet periodically (less frequently than for Tutorials) to review and assess the student’s progress towards completing the agreed-upon project. Independent projects earn four credits, and no student may take more than three independent projects over the course of her or his BA studies.
Independent projects are reserved for juniors and seniors. Eligible students apply by completing an Independent Project Contract (available in the Office of Academic Affairs), including a detailed description of the project, criteria for evaluating the student’s work, and a statement describing the importance of the project for the student’s program of study, to the Standards and Procedures Committee for approval by the deadline indicated on the Dates and Deadlines calendar. Proposals for summer independent projects must be accompanied by a written plan of the means and frequency of communication between the student and the faculty supervisor. S & P’s approval of an independent project is based on a review of its academic coherence, its compatibility with faculty workload restrictions, and the student’s preparation for undertaking it as demonstrated by prior coursework.