Independent Studies | Department of English

Ph.D. students may take up to one grade-bearing independent study per year, contingent on the approvals of the proposed independent study’s faculty advisor and the Grad Chair. Independent studies add to faculty workload and therefore require faculty permission.

Independent Studies are intensive courses of study typically focused on a topic relevant to the student’s intellectual or professional interests. The student works closely with the independent study faculty advisor to develop a list of readings and assignments and agree to meet at pre-determined intervals to discuss the student’s progress through the material.

Independent studies may involve only one student and one faculty advisor, or there may be a small group of students who work with one or two faculty advisors.

A maximum of two grade-bearing Independent Studies taken in any department may count toward a student’s 14 required CUs. Independent studies are not intended to replace coursework and should only be proposed if the topic of study will not be covered in an English graduate seminar in the same academic year. Independent studies tend to be more intensive than regular graduate seminars, so students should exercise caution in overloading their schedule for the given semester.

Once a student has completed their coursework requirements, neither the per-year or total maximum rules for independent studies.

In cases of overloads, where the student has completed or is on track to complete all coursework requirements on time and wants to take an additional independent study that will not count toward their 14 CUs, neither the per-semester or total maximum rules for independent studies apply.

Procedure

Once student(s) and faculty advisor(s) have agreed to an independent study, each student should submit an Independent Study Proposal Form: https://upenn.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3JgVZeVMWJp9uf4

The completed form will be circulated to the faculty advisor(s), the Grad Chair, and other appropriate stakeholders for approval. Once approved, the independent study will be built in Penn's registration systems for enrollment.