Want to learn more about hawks native to Pennsylvania, tinker with the physics of building a car, or tackle organic chemistry? You can.

When students are excited by an idea they can pursue that idea in an Independent Study. Independent Studies earn academic credit and can last for one term to one year.

Independent Study courses are designed by the student with the help of a faculty adviser. The student defines the goal of the study as well as the final outcome of the study (lab report, paper, treatise, presentation, performance, gallery display).

Independent Studies are usually done by students in upper-middler and senior classes. Through a formal application process, the student seeks approval from the appropriate academic department to enroll in an Independent Study.