04-980   Engineering Independent Study

Location: Africa

Units: Variable

Semester Offered: Fall, Spring

Course description

Students can undertake an independent study project during any semester after their first semester under the guidance of a faculty member. The student and faculty member should define the nature and scope of the project, and agree upon the expectations, deliverables, and the number of units to be earned for the project. 

Independent study of a topic unfamiliar to the student and not covered in an existing course, as well as original project work, can be undertaken as an Engineering Independent Study. A brief description of the project signed by both the faculty member and the student should be submitted and approved prior to the start of the semester.

It is the responsibility of the faculty member to monitor the progress of the student and grade the project at the end of the semester. The number of units can be 3-15 units for the semester. Up to 15 total units of Engineering Independent Student credit can be counted toward the degree.

Students selecting this course cannot take 04-990 Engineering Research Project.

Course registration

The Independent Study Approval Form should be submitted to the Director before the end of the second week of the semester with the following information: 

  • Names and email addresses of the student and study advisor (a CMU-Africa faculty member). 
  • The number of units (3-15) and the total expected hours to be worked over the semester.  The number of units should correspond to the average number of hours to be worked over the entire semester (15 weeks), but the student can allocate the hours of work as agreed upon with the faculty member. 
  • The study objectives, methods, and anticipated results.
  • Signature of the student and the study advisor. 

The Director will review each study proposal and send an email to the student and study advisor confirming that the study has been accepted, or will send suggestions for changes that should be made to the study proposal to make it acceptable.

Student assessment

Students will be required to do a public presentation of the results of their study at the end of the semester.

Prerequisites

First semester completed