It is expected that students will fulfill all course requirements for their degree through regularly scheduled courses. Under exceptional circumstances, normally only after the completion of 15 credit hours toward the degree, it may be acceptable and advisable for students to request a Directed Readings courses. In such a case, the student must make a case for the necessity of the course to the Program Director and Department Chair and identify the faculty member who can oversee the Directed Readings course. The approval of the faculty member, as well as the Chair and Director, must be obtained. The Department is not required to approve or to provide a Directed Readings course for the student.

Students may enroll in no more than two Directed Readings courses during the course of their program. These courses may be tutorials with a professor or they may include sitting in on a topical undergraduate class and doing additional graduate-level work. In either case, the professor and student must establish an extensive reading list and program of assignments before or as the semester begins and submit that syllabus to the Department.

PROCESS:

1. Make sure you meet the above requirements.
2. Approach the faculty member with whom you wish to do the Directed Readings course.
3. Gain that faculty member's approval.
4. Proceed to your graduate program director (Dr. Perry Blatz for Public History students or Dr. Holly Mayer for Historical Studies students) and gain his/her approval for you to participate in the Directed Readings course.
5. With the collaboration of the faculty member with whom you will be working, fill out and obtain the appropriate signatures on the Directed Readings Contract form.
6. Submit the signed contract to Ms. Laura E. Miller, Administrative Assistant, and she will register you for the course.