Independent Study

Independent study provides an opportunity for students to work one-on-one with an architecture faculty member on directed research or projects.  Typically, independent study is reserved for students at an advanced level within their major who have demonstrated initiative and serious engagement with the material in their previous course work.

For the 2021-2022 academic year, the following faculty members are advising independent study students in architecture:

Kadambari Baxi 
Karen Fairbanks
Ralph Ghoche
Ignacio G. Galan
Nick Smith

Students are advised to approach the faculty member they would like to work with as early as possible (ideally a semester in advance), since many instructors limit the number of students they supervise in a given semester or year.  Seniors who wish to do an independent study project as one of their Senior Courses will be expected to elect the 4-credit independent research option, producing work comparable to that required for a Senior Seminar or Advanced Architectural Research and Design, and ideally will have completed a Senior Seminar in the semester prior.

As part of the proposal and approval process, students must submit two sets of the following documents (1 set to the student’s research adviser and 1 set to the department chair) during the registration period a semester prior, or, with departmental permission, no later than one week before the first day of classes:

1. FORM: A completed copy of the ARCH UN3998 Independent Study Approval Form 

2. ABSTRACT: A 1-page work abstract describing the purpose and plan for the the independent study project, including the format of the final project and the proposed deliverables

3. SCHEDULE: A schedule of work for the semester/year in which independent study will occur, indicating when deliverables will be completed, how often they are meeting with their faculty advisor, etc.

4. BIBLIOGRAPHY: A bibliography for research (including specific readings)