College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences > Student Resources > Undergraduate Advising > Forms > Independent Study

Independent Study

​An Independent Study course is a course taken with faculty supervision for knowledge enhancement beyond the courses offered in a particular area of interest. In rare cases, when scheduling or other conflicts exist, a regular course may be taken as an Independent Study.

In order to register for an Independent Study course in LAS, students must submit the online Independent Study Application Form​ and have it approved by the supervising faculty member and department chair before the LAS Undergraduate College office processes it. Students travelling independently must complete a Travel Registration Application at least 90 days prior to departure. Students must have their travel registration completed no less than 30 days prior to their departure date.​

Enrollment in an independent study becomes part of the student's academic load. Procedures for withdrawal from such courses are the same as for regularly scheduled courses.

Independent Study Policies:

  • Independent Study courses do not carry over from one quarter to another; a new application must be completed each quarter.

  • Applications for standard independent studies must:

    • be submitted no later than the end of the first week of the quarter
    • be approved by both the instructor and the department chair
    • indicate an equivalent course number or course title for transcript purposes

  • Applications will not be processed if they’re incomplete, incorrect, or denied.

  • If you submit your application after the last date to add, please contact DePaul Central to verify possible financial aid and tuition implications. Financial aid for the term may already be either entirely disbursed for the quarter or not available.

Students looking to register for a Junior Year Experiential Learning (JYEL) credit Independent Study course must also complete the online Independent Study Application Form.

For help submitting an Independent Study application online, please read the instructions