Effective Term: Fall 2000

New/Current Course Number: 630 - 498

New/Current Course Title:  Independent Study

15 Character Abbreviation: IndependentStud

25 Character Abbreviation: Independent Study
 

Sponsor(s):       Jeffrey S. McKinnon

Department(s): Biological Sciences

College(s):         College of Letters and Sciences
 

Other Programs Affected: None

Check if course is required in:

Major/Emphasis (specify):
Minor/Emphasis (specify):
Other (specify):

I. Detailed Changes:

1) From: 1-2 credits per semester for a maximum of 4 credits in major.

    To: 1-3 credits per semester for a maximum of 6 credits in major.

2) From: 630-141, 630-142 and a 3.0 grade point average in biology.
 
     To: 630-141, 630-142 and a 2.75 grade point average in biology.
 

II. Justification for action:

1) Increasing maximum credits per semester brings Biology into line with comparable departments in the College of Letters and Sciences, such as Chemistry, Psychology and Geography and allows students committed to a demanding research project to receive adequate credit for their efforts. Allowing a maximum of 6 credits of independent study also brings Biology into line with other departments and permits students to devote substantial energies over at least two semesters to a research project. In Biology it is unusual for a student both to reach an adequate technical mastery of the discipline and complete a project of any scope in less than two semesters of serious work.

2) The shift to a 2.75 minimum GPA brings Biology into line with other departments such as Psychology, and with the guidelines in place for the University’s Undergraduate Research Grants. Further, it has been the experience of several faculty in Biological Sciences that the current minimum requirement is overly restrictive and sometimes prevents students who could greatly benefit from a real research experience from getting that opportunity.