Individualized Program of Studies
College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences major or minor in Individualized Program of Studies allows a student to design an academic program to pursue a special interest not covered by the established majors or minors offered by the College. A proposal must be interdisciplinary, (that is, come from more than one department), and center on a clearly defined problem area, a defined body of thought, a specific area of interest, or a specific educational goal. The program is not intended to allow students to graduate without concentrating their thought in some clearly defined pattern. Students intending to pursue graduate work should be sure that this particular program will meet admission requirements. Students also should be sure that the University has the resources (faculty interest and expertise) to support the anticipated Individualized Program of Studies major. Each major or minor is essentially “custom-made” to meet specific individual needs. However, the following list of titles of approved programs gives an idea of some of the opportunities: biomedical illustration, adolescent studies, biopsychology, and hospital administration.
Students with interests or educational objectives that cannot be met by a traditional major or minor, span more than one of the College’s traditional departmental divisions, and whose interests and objectives can be expressed in terms of some defined problem area or topic are encouraged to consider this major or minor option. For more information, interested students should contact the Arts and Sciences Advising Center in 107 Oldfather Hall.
The Major in Individualized Program of Studies:
Requirements:
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Selection of at least 48 hours or courses from more than one College of Arts and Sciences department representing an integrated study of some area, topic, or problem.
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A Core Department: At least 15 of the 48 or more hours must be in one department in the College of Arts and Sciences.
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At least half of the 48 hours (24 hours) must be from the College of Arts and Sciences. Courses outside the College of Arts and Sciences may be applied to the 48 hours when they contribute directly and necessarily to the program.
The Program must be approved by the College Curriculum Committee before the student completes 90 of the 125 (or 130) applicable hours toward degree.
The Minor in Individualized Program of Studies:
The IPS minor is intended for use by students completing a major in one of the College’s departmental programs, and who wish to supplement that major with work in an identifiable area or study not represented by established departmental minors.
Requirements:
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Selection of at least 24 hours of courses from more than one College of Arts and Sciences department representing an integrated study of some area, topic, or problem.
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A Core Department: At least 9 of the 24 or more hours must be in one department in the College of Arts and Sciences.
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At least half of the 24 hours (12 hours) must be from the College of Arts and Sciences. Courses outside the College of Arts and Sciences may be applied to the 24 hours when they contribute directly and necessarily to the program.
- The Program must be approved by the College Curriculum Committee before the student completes 90 of the 125 (or 130) applicable hours toward degree.
Additional Conditions for Major and Minor
Pass/No Pass. A maximum of 6 hours of Pass/No Pass (P/N) credit is allowed in courses taken to fulfill the requirements of the major or minor.
IPS is a major or minor. Therefore, in addition, all other College or Arts and Sciences degree requirements must be fulfilled.
Procedure for Individualized Program of Studies:
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Find a specific faculty adviser who will help you design the detailed major or minor. This adviser must be from the core department in the College of Arts and Sciences. Contact the Chief Adviser from the department of your core area of interest or inquire in the Arts and Sciences Advising Center in 107 Oldfather Hall for faculty information.
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Complete the Individualized Program of Studies proposal with your faculty adviser. The paragraph describing your program should be thoughtfully prepared and written in good literary style so that it gives a clear presentation of your proposed major or minor. You must include a short title for your major or minor and state your reason(s) for completing the IPS major or minor.
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List all courses taken or to be taken as part of your major or minor on the form systematically as follows: Core Department courses, College of Arts and Sciences courses by department, courses from other colleges. List all courses in numerical order by department.
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Obtain the approval and signature of a specific faculty adviser from the core department in the College of Arts and Sciences.
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Obtain the approval and signature of the Core Department Chair.
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Submit the IPS proposal with faculty adviser and chairperson signature to the Arts and Sciences Advising Center in 107 Oldfather Hall for consideration by the College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee. Proposals are heard once a month during the academic year. The program must be approved by the College Curriculum Committee before the student completes 90 of the 125 (or 130) applicable hours of the degree.
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If your program is approved by the Curriculum Committee, copies of the program are distributed to the following: the student, the faculty adviser, Registration and Records, and one is retained by the College. The approved program represents the major or minor requirements which you must complete prior to graduation.
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After the approval of the IPS major or minor, a College-Degree-Major-Adviser (CDMA) change form must be completed with all necessary steps followed carefully. The form is available in the Arts and Sciences Advising Center in 107 Oldfather Hall. Bring your copy of the approved IPS proposal to the Advising Center to complete the CDMA form.
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Changes in an approved IPS major or minor must be approved in writing by your adviser, the Core Department Chair, and the College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee on a Request for Substitution form, available in the Arts and Sciences Advising Center in 107 Oldfather Hall. If you make more than one change, it is advisable to complete a new program form showing your revised program.
