Driven by intellectual curiosity, students occasionally partner with faculty to design one-on-one courses. Run as a tutorial, reading courses are specially designed and arranged between a student and a faculty member. Students may also apply to earn credit for an audit-only graduate course by taking it as a reading course, provided that they follow the application guidelines outlined below. Reading courses are normally limited to one per term. Not normally offered as part of the curriculum, they count as a regular course and may count as a departmental in one’s major. However, reading courses may not satisfy distribution requirements. Reading courses transcript with the department code, a special 090-level course number, and a descriptive transcript title. Note: First-year students will not be permitted to take reading courses, even if those courses are transcripted versions of graduate courses. Sophomores will only be permitted to take graduate reading courses in MAT with the individual endorsement of the department. Contact the associate dean with questions or schedule an appointment to discuss a proposal. Student Guide: Reading Course Development Process Step 1: Work with a faculty member to develop your course If you are interested in a subject that complements your academic program, discuss your interest with a faculty member. If they are willing to direct your reading course, the two of you can design the course together. Important elements to consider include: The reading list Assignments that will be due The meeting time How the course will be graded Whether it will count as a departmental In most respects, reading course requirements are the same as those of regularly scheduled courses—including the amount of work and class meeting time. You and the faculty member should plan to meet approximately three hours per week over the course of the semester. Step 2: Submit your course proposal Complete the Reading Course Proposal Form. The proposal form, linked below, includes course information as well as signatures of the chair or departmental representative of the supervising professor's department. Submit all paperwork. Submit the application along with a complete syllabus for review and approval by the associate dean of the college through the online form. Watch deadlines. Reading course approval and entry into TigerHub must be completed before the deadline for adding/dropping courses in that term. To allow for the necessary processes to be completed, all proposals must be received by the deans’ assistant during the first week of classes. Forms Reading Course Online Proposal Portal Document and submit the plan for a proposed reading course by the first week of classes. Resources for Students TigerHub Manage academic and enrollment tasks, including course enrollment and changes. Undergraduate Announcement Review academic regulations, programs of study, and undergraduate course offerings.
