Individual Study

Media Arts students who wish to earn credit for Individual Study with a Media Arts faculty member must complete and submit the Undergraduate Petition for Individual Study form. Instructions for completing the form are below. Please note the deadline for submission at the bottom of this page. Click on the following link to download the form:

Course numbers/categories include:
MAR 391/491: Preceptorship (instructor assistant)
MAR 394/494: Practicum (individual project – usually hands-on)
MAR 399/399H/499/499H: Independent Study (individual research)
MAR 498/498H: Capstone/Honors Thesis (individual research)

In order to register for any of these courses, students must have Advanced Standing in Media Arts and permission of the faculty sponsor.

Please attach a typed page to your Petition form describing your project. The goal of the description is to create a clear agreement between the faculty advisor and the student and to specify the resources the project will use. Address the issues below that are relevant to your project.

For Preceptorship (MAR 391, 491) [instructor assistant]:

  • Provide a breakdown of how you will spend your preceptorship hours (e.g. number of hours in lecture or lab, number of hours tutoring, etc.).
  • Describe where you will spend your time during the preceptorship (e.g. time spent in the classroom, in labs, in tutorial situations with students outside of class, etc.).
  • Describe the specific responsibilities you will have with the class or classes.
  • Describe how your work will be monitored and evaluated (e.g. through weekly conferences, a journal, a formal written evaluation at the midpoint and end of the semester, etc.).
  • Specify the expectations of your role during listed class periods, and how you will be supervised during those periods by the faculty advisor.
  • Specify how the course grade for the preceptorship will be determined.
  • List any special Departmental authorizations for this preceptorship, such as photocopy access, MARPL checkout, etc.

For Practicum (MAR 394, 494) [individual project – usually hands-on]:

  • Describe the final product.
  • Describe what you intend to learn from your project. Please be specific.
  • Outline the activities you will undertake to complete the project (for instance, research deadlines, or a shooting schedule would be appropriate here).
  • Specify how the course grade for the practicum will be determined.
  • List the MARPL resources you intend to use for your project. (NOTE: Any project requiring the use of MARPL resources requires the signature of the MARPL Supervisor.)

For Independent Study (MAR 399, 399H, 499, 499H), Capstone (MAR 498), Honors Thesis (MAR 498H) [individual research]:

  • Describe the final product.
  • Describe what you intend to learn from your project. Please be specific.
  • Outline the activities you will undertake to complete the project (for instance, research deadlines would be appropriate here).
  • Specify how the course grade for the Independent Study or Honors Thesis will be determined.

Once the form has been completed (including all signatures), submit it to Enedina Cervantes in Marshall 233.
DEADLINE: In order to be registered for the course, you must submit the form by the first day of classes for the semester in which you would like to enroll. (In extreme situations Ms. Cervantes may accept the form after the first day of classes – but absolutely no later than the end of the first week of classes.)