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Independent work comes in following forms:

• internship or co-operative education program
• independent study

Internships and Co-Ops

Internships and “co-ops” are a partnership between the student, the University, and employers that formally integrate students’ academic study with work or community service experience. 

Internships are typically of a specified and definite duration, may or may not involve credit hours, and may or may not include compensation in the forms of wages, salaries, stipends or scholarships. Students must complete the Internship Application Steps on the Career Services website, and more can be found in the Policy Library. 

Co-ops are similar to internships but they are typically paid, more intensive, require more preparation, and can often lead to employment. The Policy Library has more information on creating and implementing co-operative education programs. 

Independent Study

An Independent Study is a course taken with ongoing supervision by the instructor for rigorous learning and knowledge enhancement in a particular area of interest beyond the courses offered. The content of an independent study course should not duplicate any course available to the student.

In order to register for an Independent Study, faculty must print an Independent Study Permit available on the One Stop for Student Success Services website, complete the form, sign, and send to the department chair or regional campus coordinator before it is submitted in person to the One Stop for Student Success Services or by campus mail to the Office of the University Registrar, who will assign a full semester, term or sprint class section code corresponding to the beginning and end dates of the independent work experience.

• Enrollment in an Independent Study becomes part of the student’s academic load. Procedures for withdrawal from such courses are the same as for regularly scheduled courses.
• Independent Study courses do not carry over from one semester or term to another; a new permit must be completed and submitted each term or semester.
• With the permission of the instructor, students may register for zero to five credit hours of independent study each semester or term (with no more than a total of 10 credit hours per academic year).
• Independent Study courses should be numbered 177, 277, 377 or 477 in accordance with the course's class level (e.g., 177 for first-year material and 277 for second year material). The 340 number should be only used for internships.

Independent Study permits must:

• Be submitted prior to or during the first week of the semester to be assigned a full semester, summer or winter term course. Those permits submitted after the first week will be assigned the next available sprint part of term in which the work is to be completed.
• Include approvals of both the instructor and department chair.
• Indicate the course number for transcript purposes.

Permits may not be processed if they are incomplete, incorrect, or after the beginning of the last sprint part of term offered in a given semester.