Geography, Environment, and Sustainability

Independent Study

An independent study consists of guided readings, research and individual project work completed under the direction of a member of the geography department. They offer students the opportunity to complete an in-depth study of an area in geography that is not covered by a regular course in the geography curriculum. These studies are not designed to substitute for regular coursework.

Eighteen hours of graduate coursework must be completed before a student is eligible to enroll in GES 690 – Research Problems in Applied Geography or GES 790 –Independent Geographic Research. Students must also have at least a 3.0 average in their graduate coursework and the prior approval of a faculty member to enroll – faculty must fill out a form granting you approval to register (forms generally available in the front office). No more than three credit hours of independent study may be earned in any given semester, and not more than six semester hours may count towards satisfying the minimum requirements for a master’s or doctoral degree.