Your  Account:
College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences (CHABSS)

Signing Up for Independent Study Courses

  • Graduate independent study courses include: LTWR 690 (ABCDEF), LTWR 695 (ABCDEF), LTWR 699, LTWR 699 (XYZ) and E699.  All these courses are graded Credit/No Credit. 
  • A maximum of 9 units of these courses can be applied toward the degree.   
  • LTWR 690C (3 units) is what you should use when you are doing your Thesis Research during the 3rd semester (or after completing 6 courses/18 units), when you are completing your Thesis Proposal.  Sign up for this with your Thesis Director using an IS form.  LTWR 690 CAN be repeated once, so it’s what you use if you need an extra semester to complete your thesis (NOT 699) OR if you are completing an Independent Study course with a Professor.   
  • LTWR 699 is what you should use during the semester in which you intend to defend your thesis (typically during the 4th semester, but this varies).  Sign up for this with your Thesis Director using an IS form.  This course CANNOT be repeated, so do not sign up until you are ready to defend! 
  • LTWR 695 is what you should use if you are completing an internship with an organization or group—whether on or off campus—or in rare cases, when you are completing an Independent Study with a Professor. 
  • LTWR 699 (XYZ) and E699 are rarely used: they DO NOT COUNT towards your degree and should only be used when you need more than one additional semester to complete your Thesis (and have already taken 690 twice and 699 once).  
  • Independent Studies forms are available from the Literature and Writing Studies Academic Coordinator’s office and on the Graduate Studies website.  After completing an independent studies form with all the required signatures, students need to submit the form to Registration in Cougar CentralNOTE: For your protection, please bring a copy of your IS form to the Registrar and ask them to date-stamp the copy to confirm receipt of the form.  Return the copy to the Department AC or the Graduate Coordinator to be included in your file.