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Directed Study and Non-scheduled Courses

 

Directed Study Courses

A Directed Study is the opportunity for you to receive credit for an individualized investigation under the direct supervision of a current UNC Faculty member. The investigation must be a specific topic that is not duplicated by an existing course within the University's curriculum. The nature of the study must involve intensive use of relevant literature, materials, or techniques and the study report must reflect a synthesis of the information or techniques acquired. Directed Studies cannot be used for Liberal Arts Curriculum credit. The following policies apply for registration in Directed Studies courses:

  • An individual Directed Study course may be for no more than 4 semester hours of credit per academic semester.  Students enrolled in more than one Directed Study course may take no more than six credits in any semester. A study may be further limited to the maximum number of credits listed in the University catalog
  • The student should consult their advisor before requesting a Directed study, and then apply through the program in which they are doing the study.
  • The Directed Study request must be approved by the faculty member supervising the study, and the school director/department chair of the major program.  After collaborating with the student, the faculty member should submit the Directed Study form to the Office of the Registrar at the time of enrollment.  Any additional rationale or course credit forms required by the school in which the study is supervised should be completed and filed in the academic program office. 
 

Non-Scheduled Courses

Courses that were approved through the institutional curriculum approval process and reside in the academic catalog may be offered as non-scheduled courses.

Non-Scheduled courses are offered in one of the following situations; either the course is not being offered during a particular term and the student needs the course to graduate, or the course is offered at a time the student cannot attend and the student needs the course to graduate.  Students should consult their advisor before requesting a Non-Scheduled Course Agreement.

Permission to register for a Non-Scheduled Course must be approved by the faculty member and the school director/department chair of the major program.  After collaborating with the student, the faculty member overseeing the course should submit the Non-Scheduled Course Form to the Office of the Registrar by the appropriate semester add deadlines.