Independent Studies
Students may earn a limited amount of credit through independent directed study when circumstances prevent them from completing the class during the regular schedule or when they have special interest in a subject and wish to complete advanced study.
Note: School of Counseling students should be aware that some state licensure boards do not accept courses earned by independent study for licensure requirements. Students who take independent studies for licensure courses do so at their own risk. Please make every effort to take the required courses in the traditional format.
Students may take no more than two independent directed studies per academic year (Fall, Spring, Summer), no more than one per semester, and no more than four total within the degree program. Students who apply for independent studies must be self-motivated and capable of achieving high academic standards while working independently.
Students are not guaranteed the approval of independent study proposals.
Students may not take an independent study in the following courses:
- CED6113: Helping Relationships
- CED6913: Applied Practicum and Treatment Planning Lab
- CED6922: Counseling Practicum
- CED7123: Group Counseling Theory and Practice
- CED7932: Counseling Internship I
- CED7942: Counseling Internship II
Independent directed studies include reading, writing, and research projects done under the direction of a Richmont faculty member, unless special permission is granted from the Dean of the student’s corresponding School to work with an adjunct faculty member. Students desiring independent directed study should first contact the Records Office to obtain independent study proposal instructions or download the packet from the Richmont website. Using the instructions provided, the student must submit a written proposal for the planned course directly to the professor who will direct the study for approval.
Students first contact the professor who normally teaches the class to request an independent study unless that person is an adjunct professor. In that situation, the student should first contact the Dean to ask who may lead the independent study.
Once the professor approves the proposal, he or she will send it to the Dean for final approval. The entire process, including approval by the professor, the Dean, and submission of the approval form to the Records Office, must be completed by the end of registration the semester before the proposed independent study will occur. A copy of the proposal will become part of the student’s permanent file. A minimum of three individual contact hours with the professor during the independent study is required. Students are responsible to provide the professor with updates of assignments and to initiate contact with the professor. Independent study assignments are due at the end of the semester as determined by the professor. Students must verify and substantiate that the work for the independent study will be a minimum of 135 combined hours for a three-credit class and 90 combined hours for a two-credit class.
Students should submit the proposal for an independent directed study during the regular preregistration period for the semester during which the independent study will occur. The actual registration for the course is completed by the Records Office upon approval of the proposal by the Dean of the corresponding School. Students should NOT register for the same class if it is offered in a traditional setting. Failure to register for an approved independent directed study by the registration deadline will result in additional fees. If a student is approved to register for an independent study after the regular registration period, he or she must pay a late registration fee or add/drop fee, whichever applies. Independent study proposals will not be approved past the add/drop deadline for any semester. Deadlines will be strictly enforced.
Fees for an independent directed study are not included in the student’s regular tuition fees. The fees include the current tuition fee for one course and an instructional fee of $100 per credit hour. Fees must be paid at the time of registration for the course. See the section on student fees in this Catalog for current independent study fees.
The course identification or prefix for an independent directed study is as follows:
- School of Counseling – CEDI
- School of Ministry – MINI
The prefix is followed by the same course number used for the regular course. The course number for original independent studies will be assigned by the Records Office.