Independent study courses allow students to pursue individually a course of study or research not offered in the Bates curriculum during the semester (numbered 360) or the Short Term (numbered S50). Independent studies undertaken during a semester (360) are worth 1.0 credits while independent studies undertaken during a Short Term (S50) are worth 0.5 credits.

The student designs and plans the independent study in consultation with a faculty member. The project does not include activities normally considered extracurricular. The work must be approved by a Bates department or program chair, supervised by a Bates faculty member who is responsible for evaluation of the work and submission of a grade, and completed during the semester or Short Term for which the student has registered for the course. Coursework includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon “product.” Coursework should not bear a strong resemblance to a course in the curriculum. The student and the faculty member should have frequent contact during the semester or Short Term. No more than three students may enroll in the same independent study course. Grading is rigorous and the work is expected to be equivalent to other 300-level Bates courses. Faculty members advise independent studies voluntarily and may decline to advise an independent study course.

Independent study coursework is undertaken during the academic year, but may reflect upon summer activities. Credit, however, is awarded for work done during the academic year and the student must register for a fall independent study during the spring before the activity takes place when a summer learning experience is a substantial component of the independent study. Students may not receive both transfer credit and independent study credit for the same summer activity. The student must be in residence and may not complete an independent study away from campus unless participating in a Bates Fall Semester Abroad or CBB Program. Students may not receive credit for employment unless there is a clearly defined academic component to the work. Academic credit is not granted for work completed under Bates summer research grant programs.

Students may register for no more than one independent study course during any given semester. A student may complete only one Short Term independent study during their Bates career. Independent study courses require departmental or program approval and are reported to the Curriculum Review Committee and to the faculty annually.