Undergraduate Independent Study & Directed Research

Earn academic credit while conducting individual studies: an independent study or research directed by College of Information Science faculty.

Independent Study

Enrollment in 399/499 courses is reserved for students who are working with a faculty member on an independent project generated by the student with faculty oversight. This project is guided by the student, and the appropriate benchmarks should be set with the faculty's support.

• An Independent Study is an extended exploration of a topic under supervision of a full-time College of Information Science faculty member
• Students and faculty should follow the University of Arizona guidelines for individual studies
• Credit is based off of hours worked, with 3 units representing 135 hours (45 hours per 1 unit of credit)

Summer and Fall Undergraduate Independent Study Application

Summer:
Independent Study Application

Fall: 
Independent Study Application

Undergraduate Student Requirements

• Required to have completed 12 units of College of Information Science coursework
• Honors ISTA 499H: Independent Study is available for honors credit
• You are responsible for finding a faculty member whose research is aligned with your interests
• Keep in mind that faculty members are not obligated to supervise Independent Studies

Applications are submitted using this link. Applications require the following information: 

• Faculty Mentor name & university email
• Estimate hours per week of contact with faculty mentor
• Course Subject & Number and # of units for enrollment
• Project Title, learning outcomes & deliverables
• Required: Abstract of your study (& lab evaluation, if applicable): Abstracts will be uploaded as part of the final question.

Questions about Independent Study opportunities should be directed to Sean Kramer-Lazar. 

Directed Research

Enrollment in 392/492 courses is reserved for students who are actively working with a faculty member on a research project that is led by the faculty. This includes any sort of work that contributes to the project.

• Complete individual or small group research under the guidance of a full-time College of Information Science faculty member
• Students and faculty should follow the University of Arizona guidelines for individual studies
• Credit is based on hours worked, with 3 units representing 135 hours (45 hours per 1 unit of credit)

Applications are submitted using this link. Applications require the following information: 

• Faculty Mentor name & university email
• Estimate hours per week of contact with faculty mentor
• Course Subject & Number and # of units for enrollment
• Project Title, learning outcomes & deliverables
• Required: Abstract of the study (& lab evaluation, if applicable): Abstracts will be uploaded as part of the final question.

Summer and Fall Undergraduate Independent Study Application

Summer:
Directed Research Application

Fall: 
Directed Research Application

Questions about Directed Research opportunities should be directed to Sean Kramer-Lazar.

Preceptor 

Preceptors are highly motivated students who are either concurrently enrolled in the course or who have previously taken the course (or a similar course). They serve a unique role because they provide support both in and out of the classroom. Since they are often concurrently enrolled in the class, they do not serve as content experts. They function instead as student mentors and guides and as instructional assistants. Students serving as Preceptors will be enrolled in 341/491 courses. 

Before proceeding with this application, students who wish to preceptor for a class should contact the instructor to inquire about need for a preceptor, inquire about the course offering in the upcoming term, and be prepared with information about what will be your interest in participating, skills you can provide to the instructor and students, and goals you hope to achieve/skill you wish to develop.

Qualifications:

1. Be in good academic standing with the University of Arizona with at least a 2.00 grade point average prior to applying for a preceptorship.
2. To be a preceptor in a General Education course, follow the guidelines outlined by the Teaching Teams Program. For participation in this program, preceptors receive 2-3 units of academic credit by enrolling in one of the preceptor training courses: UNVR 197a, UNVR 297a, and UNVR 397a.
3. University Honors students requesting an Honors Preceptorship should consult the Guidelines for Honors Preceptorships, and contact an Honors College advisor.
4. Be an InfoSci major or major in a related program and have sophomore status.
5. It is recommended that students have completed the course for which you will serve as a preceptor with a minimum grade of ‘B’; however, it is up to the discretion of the instructor.
   1. No undergraduate should be a preceptor in more than one course per semester.
6. Undergraduates should be granted no more than two (2) semesters of preceptorship in their major field, with the possibility of an additional semester, contingent upon quality of classroom performance.

Summer:
Preceptor Application

Fall: 
Preceptor Application

Questions about Directed Research opportunities should be directed to Sean Kramer-Lazar.

Undergraduate Student Resources

Undergraduates, check out these research opportunities outside the college:

• Office of Undergraduate Research
• Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortiums (UROC)
• Undergraduate Biology Research Program (UBRP)
• Other U of A Research Opportunities