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*Independant/Directed Studies


Guest Ian Wong

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Guest Ian Wong

Author:*Paul

Date:***9/8/2000 7:28 pm*PST

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At my university there is a program called Independant study where you get a few units of credit and you find a instructor to get permission from to get approval on whatever the work is you do with the professor/faculty member. This was never mentioned in your website but I talked to a faculty member from my school and he said it is a good way to get a good recommendation and work with a professor in some sort of way, possibly maybe even some sort of research, I was wondering why you never brought up something like this in your website Ian? Is it because your school didn't offer anything like this? I would think

this is better then going over in the summer (are only tenured professors in school year around?) and you get unit credits from it and it seems more official to me. Well tell me what you think about this.

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Guest Ian Wong

Author:*Ian Wong, MS2

Date:***9/9/2000 4:00 pm*PST

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Hi Paul,

 

You're right, I completely forgot about this option. The major reason it didn't come up, was that this course is usually taken by fourth year students, and I left UVic after third year to attend medical school.

 

At UVic, it's known as a "directed studies" project. Essentially, you find a professor that you've taken classes with, and like, and ask him/her about working on a problem in the lab. Usually, this is related to what the professor is actively studying, or is an extra interest of the prof that he/she has not pursued because of money or manpower limitations.

 

The directed studies project usually takes one term (ie. Sept. to Dec., or Jan. to Apr.), and gives the equivalent credit as a course that runs that same length. So, basically you replace three hours a week of lecture, with time spent in the lab. You'll certainly spend more hours per week doing a directed studies project than a regular course, but the advantage is that you'll spend a lot of time working with the other people in the lab, and probably with the professor as well. This is a great way to get into research, and can definitely help you in getting a reference letter.

 

Finally, you have to pay tuition to do a directed studies, and you aren't being paid by the professor. Still, it's a heck of an experience, and you'd probably learn far more in whatever area you're studying that if you'd gone and taken a lecture-based course.

 

I'd recommend "directed studies" or "independant studies" for anyone.

 

Thanks for reminding me Paul,

 

Ian

Can, MS2

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Guest Ian Wong

Author:*Paul

Date:***9/9/2000 7:04 pm*PST

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At my school I don't think you have to be a senior I think its open to any grade as long as you get the instructors permission, but I am not totally sure. When you say you will be in the lab with other people probably, is this probably other students who want to do independant project under the professor/instructor or who? I really don't understand too much about what a professor does when he is required to do research so could you explain to me a little bit better what a person could wind up doing if they did this kind of course and an example of a topic they would do? Also is it only official professors that are required to do these kinds of research or are also assistant and associate professors?

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