[Minor revision–posted 2/3/23 (replaces 1/9/17 edition)]
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Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 34.18: Individual Study for Off-Campus Courses

DATE: February 3, 2023

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to provide standards for off-campus individual study courses. This OP excludes independent study courses offered by the Office of Continuing and Professional Education.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed every two years after publication by the Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and Student Success with substantive revisions presented to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board requires that off-campus courses meet the same standard as on-campus courses (OP 36.06, Self-Supporting and In-State Off-Campus Credit Courses). All organized on-campus courses must have a syllabus that is provided to the student on the first day of class. Most require some demonstration that students have met a set of specified learning outcomes, and such evaluation is to be determined by the faculty member.

To provide standard guidelines for all off-campus course offerings that would cover both organized classes and independent study courses, the following procedures will be followed:

1.  Each student, after receiving permission from the faculty member to register for an off-campus independent study course, will receive a general outline of the written course of study as well as the requirements for evaluation (i.e., learning outcomes and assessments). These will be determined by the faculty member.

2.  Both the student and the faculty member will sign this written document indicating the requirements.

3.  The document will be filed in the office of the department chair.

4.  Instructors supervising students in off-campus independent study courses should be sufficiently familiar with the area in which the student will work and/or the subject matter of the experience or research project to properly evaluate the student's performance.

5.  These general guidelines should apply equally to off-campus experiences gained within Texas, the United States, or abroad.

OP Categories

• 01 Chancellor
• 02 Development
• 04 Audit Services
• 10 President
• 30 Academic and Student Affairs – General
• 32 Academic Policies – Faculty
• 34 Academic Policies – Students
• 36 Academic Programs
• 40 Equal Opportunity
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• 78 Traffic and Parking
• 79 Travel
• 80 Vehicles