The Independent Program
Office: 204 New England Hall, Phone: (845)
437–7140, e–mail: independent@vassar.edu
The Independent Program Committee consists of five faculty members:
the director and a representative of each of the four curricular divisions
of the college.
The Independent Program is available to students who wish to elect
an interdisciplinary field of concentration that is not provided by
one of the regular departments, interdepartmental concentrations, or
multidisciplinary programs of the college.
Requirements for Concentration: A minimum of 12 units, with
the following distribution: no more than 2 units at the 100–level
and at least 4 units at the 300–level (which must include a senior
thesis or project, work from at least two departments, and a minimum
of 2 units taken for a letter grade). Of the 12 units, none may be elected
NRO and a maximum of 3 units may be ungraded. Units in excess of the
minimum 12 may be taken at any level and may be ungraded or NRO work.
Appropriate courses taken away from Vassar, either in an approved study
abroad program or at another college or university in the U.S., may
be included in the major. The choice of program and courses should be
made in consultation with the Independent Program Committee as a part
of the proposal procedure.
Senior–Year Requirements: A senior thesis or project (Independent
300–301 or 302) for 1 unit. This thesis may be taken for a letter
grade or as ungraded work, and may be elected for the first semester,
the second semester, or the entire year.
Procedures for Admission to the Independent Program: After identifying
the proposed field of concentration and, when possible, consulting appropriate
faculty, the student meets with the director of the Independent Program
to discuss general guidelines. The student then submits a written program
proposal which defines the major, lists all proposed courses (both for
the major and outside the major) and fully describes and justifies the
courses for the major. This initial proposal should also include the
names of potential advisers for the major. The Independent Program Committee
then evaluates the contents of the proposal and the relevance of the
proposed courses; the committee may also propose alternate advisers.
In consultation with the approved advisers, the student revises the
proposal for resubmission to the committee. Only upon final approval
by the committee is the student admitted to the Independent Program.
As is evident from the above description of the procedures, the process
of declaring an independent major generally involves several consultations
and revisions. Consequently, students should expect to begin the process
in advance of the normal deadlines for declaration of the major. Students
may apply for admission to the Independent Program after their first
semester at Vassar. Students who plan to include courses taken abroad
at an approved JYA or exchange program should submit their initial proposal
no later than the Friday following October break of their sophomore
year. Students who plan to include courses taken at another U.S. institution
should submit their initial proposals no later than the friday of the
first week of the spring semester of their sophomore year. All other
students should submit their initial proposal by March 1 of their sophomore
year.
298a or b. Independent Work (1/2 or 1)
300a–301b. Thesis (1/2 or 1)
A thesis written in two semesters for either one or two units. May
be taken for a letter grade or as ungraded work.
302a or b. Thesis (1, 2)
A thesis written in one semester for one or two units. May be taken
for a letter grade or as ungraded work.
399a or b. Senior Independent Work (1/2 or
1)