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Independent study and research

Beginning in a student's second semester, Olin offers many opportunities to engage in independent study and research activities. Independent Study activities give students an opportunity to explore academic topics of interest that are not available in regularly offered classes. Independent Study takes place during the semester. Research activities give students an opportunity to work with faculty on academic research projects, usually initiated by a faculty member. Research can take place both during the academic year and during the summer, though summer research is only available for pay, not credit. 

Olin offers two forms of Independent Study or Research activity for credit:

  1. An ISR is an Independent Study or Research activity graded on a pass/no credit scale. An ISR cannot be used to satisfy a course requirement (which includes courses used as part of an AHS, Entrepreneurship, Certificate program or Engineering concentration).  ISR activities are associated with the following course numbers, based on discipline, or as a generic listing of ISR:  AHSE0177, AHSE0577, ENGR0077, MTH0077, SCI0077.  ISRs, taken as pass/no credit, do not count against the 12 credit limit for choosing pass/no credit grading for an elective course.
  2. An ISR-G is an Independent Study or Research activity taken for a letter grade. An ISR-G might be used to satisfy a course requirement, pending approval, which approval must be specifically requested.  Graded ISR-G activities are associated with the following course numbers, based on discipline, or as a generic listing of ISR:  AHSE0177-G, AHSE0577-G, ENGR0077-G, MTH0077-G, SCI0077-G.

Students may receive 1-4 academic credits per semester for each ISR or ISR-G activity and cannot receive pay for activities which receive credit in the same semester. Students will be productively engaged with an ISR or ISR-G activity for approximately 3 hours per week per credit.

There is no limit on the total number of credits of ISR or ISR-G a student can earn while at Olin. ISR/ISR-G credit is academic credit that counts toward the overall 120 credit requirement. ISR/ISR-G credit may be applied toward credit requirements in Math, Science, AHS, Entrepreneurship, or Engineering, subject to approval by the faculty advisor if the advisor has relevant expertise, or by an additional disciplinary advisor otherwise. 

Completed and signed ISR/G forms must be submitted to the Registrar's Office no later than the full-semester ADD Deadline (10 days into the semester).  The work can be scheduled between the student and professor in whatever way is mutually agreeable, but the paperwork cannot be submitted later in the semester.

The ISR/ISR-G proposal form is located on the forms page under the Registrar's Office. Proposals are reviewed by the Registrar's Office for completeness and may be referred to the ARB; a proposal might be rejected or returned for revision if it violates policies or guidelines.