Proposed Independent Reading Courses (IRC) are courses that departments may offer during a specific semester to help graduate students fulfill a particular interest or requirement toward the students’ studies. Generally, one student or a small group of students (maximum seven) may be enrolled in a course, which must first be approved by an associate dean for academic affairs.
To have a reading course considered for approval, the graduate student’s home department must submit an IRC Form to the Graduate School before the proposed course begins. This process is now entirely online and is one which is initiated and submitted by the Graduate Program Administrator (GPA). The Graduate School will submit approved forms to the Registrar no later than the end of the sixth week of the semester in which the course is taught. Students in DCE status may not enroll.
To request an AAS reading course, the graduate student must get approval in writing from the AAS faculty member who will lead the course. This faculty member will be responsible to provide the following:
- A syllabus that includes week-by-week assignments. Please highlight what material is being taught in the duration of the course.
- Describe what work products the student will be producing in this course
- A sample reading list
- Proposed meeting schedule
- Grading requirements
- Description blurb of course
Once all of the required information is received, proposals are reviewed and approved by The Graduate School’s associate dean for academic affairs. Confirmation e-mails are sent as approval occurs in the system.