Directed individual study

Directed individual study (DIS) is a college, university or college preparatory school¹ level class providing a more in-depth and comprehensive study of a specific topic than is available in the classroom.

Courses may be taken as electives. In some cases, a directed individual study may be:

• A professor-student rendition of a course that will not be offered again before a student graduates
• The college or university department does not have an established course on the subject area
• The student wishes to research an available course in more depth
• A course offered at another college or university that is not a part of the general curriculum
• Courses that may be applied to satisfy the requirements for a Master's degree.

Eligible students are above a certain GPA (though different universities may set different thresholds for this), and (depending on the department or major) may need to complete certain standard courses as prerequisites.

A student identifies an area in which he or she wishes to undertake research and approaches a faculty member with expertise in that field to request a directed individual study.

The student and instructor complete a DIS form and submit it to the academic coordinator who establishes the course in the registration system. The student often titles his/her own subject area.

The content and requirements of the course are worked out between each instructor and student. Generally, students should not expect a faculty member to agree to a directed individual study unless they have had the student in a regular class and are familiar with that student. The faculty member develops a related syllabus, for review and approval by the department chair and in some cases the dean of the college.