Reading & Research Courses (Independent Study)
Students and instructors can arrange Reading and Research (R/R) courses when material being studied is beyond the scope of a particular course, when students are working on material not covered in an existing course, or when students would like to receive academic credit for unpaid research.
R/R courses (29700 or 29900, except in the BSCD) are graded on a Pass/Fail basis. Note that R/R courses differ from the BA seminar course.
To register for an R/R course
- Obtain a College Reading and Research Course Form from a College adviser
- Determine the proper course and section number. For section number click on the " Reading and Research Faculty Listing" link in the Time Schedules.
- Ask the instructor and the undergraduate program chair to sign the form. For BIOS 00199 and 00299, the BSCD Undergraduate Research and Honors Chair signs in lieu of the program chair. A second signature is not required for BIOS 00297.
- Submit the R/R form to the Office of the University Registrar by Friday of third week
Note: The Registrar cannot add a Reading and Research course as a fifth course.
Guidelines for Taking Reading & Research Courses
First-year students may not register for R/R courses except by petition to the Dean of Students.
Students registering for extra-departmental R/R courses must receive approval (per the R/R form) from the undergraduate program chair of their major, rather than the chair of the department in which that course is offered.
Registration for more than one R/R course in the same quarter is permitted when the subject matter is different. In other words, students may not receive more than one course credit per quarter for a single project. Petition the senior adviser of the division in which the student's major department is located for approval and deliver a signed photocopy to a College adviser.
Students may not receive academic credit for paid work in a research environment or elsewhere, although an unpaid internship that has a significant on-campus academic component may be eligible for R/R credit. Consult a College adviser for more information about this option.
