MAC Class Notebook

(Table of Contents)
Chpt 1: Introduction to the Class Notebook
Chpt 2: Registration & Pre-registration
Chpt 3: Required 500 Level Courses
-  MAC 502 Syllabus
-  MAC 503 Syllabus
-  MAC 512 Syllabus
-  MAC 514 Syllabus
-  MAC 521 Syllabus
-  MAC 522 Syllabus
Chpt 4: Required 600 Level Courses
-  MAC 601 Syllabus
-  MAC 602 Syllabus
-  MAC 620 Syllabus
Chpt 5: Elective 500 & 600 Level Courses
-  MAC 651 Syllabus
-  MAC 661 Syllabus
-  MAC 671 Syllabus
-  MAC 691-692 Internship
-  MAC 560 (Children)
-  MAC 570 (Career)
-  MAC 695 (Clinical)
-  MAC 670 (Statistics)
Chpt 6: Independent Study Courses
Chpt 7: Transfer Courses
Chpt 8: Internship Classes

(On-line Forms)
Annual Schedule 
Request Transfer Credit

Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology ("MAC")

MAC Class Notebook:
Chapter 6: Independent Study Courses

An additional type of course is usually referred to as an "independent study" project (sometimes called a "directed readings" project). These courses are taken under the "special topics" numbers of MAC 595 (for beginning students) or MAC 695 (for more advanced students). 

This type of course will only be available in cases of extraordinary circumstances. First, independent study projects virtually never offer the quality education of an established elective class. Second, the MAC program already offers more high quality electives than students have room for and enrolling in independent study projects reduces the number of electives students can take. Therefore, independent study hours are strictly reserved for students with pressing needs.

Note that scheduling problems alone do not justify a MAC faculty member offering an independent study course. We try to be as flexible as possible. If you cannot take a course because it doesn't fit in your schedule, it unfortunately may mean that you will need to take a different class or may even have to slow down your progress through the program. 

In any case, please note that you will not be allowed to take more than one independent study project during your entire MAC coursework. 

If you do have an extraordinary need to request such a project, you will need to do several things in order to make it happen:

Step One: Find a faculty member who is willing to direct the project.

Adjunct faculty are not permitted to direct independent study projects. The three resident MAC faculty have limitations on both their areas of expertise and on how many projects they will accept, since they are already very busy and are not normally compensated for this extra time and involvement. We want to help, but we may have to say no.

Step Two: If a faculty member and the MAC Director are willing to allow an independent project, pick up a copy of an official independent study form from the Record's Office and fill it out.

The Independent Study Form (available from the Registrar's Office) represents a formal contract and is very important. Fill it out with care, and be sure to type the form. Address the academic goals and objectives of your project, the main experiences and activities that will provide the learning, and how your learning activities will be evaluated. Remember that, if your project is for three credits, the work you do must equal the typical homework load of a three-credit MAC class as well as the learning activities that would take place in the classroom. Reading a couple of books and writing a brief reaction paper is not an appropriate amount of work.

Step Three:   Collect the appropriate signatures. You will need to have the Independent Study form approved and signed by:

1. the faculty member (who can also sign as advisor)
2. the MAC Program Director
3. the Vice-president for Academic Affairs

If you have any other questions regarding independent study projects, please feel free to discuss them with any of the core faculty members

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