Independent Study

While an independent study experience may include a clinical component, clinically focused independent study experiences are very rare and are offered at the discretion of individual faculty members. This is in part because clinical placements and expert preceptors are a valued and scarce resource for the School of Nursing. We engage most all willing clinical partners to offer the required clinical courses within the curriculum. It is rare that a site or preceptor has the capacity to engage a student in an independent study experience.

To identify potential faculty mentors, students should review the School of Nursing faculty web pages. Students may also seek recommendations from their program advisor or course/clinical instructors. Any faculty member with an appointment in the School of Nursing may oversee independent study experiences.

UW-Madison defines a credit hour as the learning that takes place in at least 45 hours of learning activities, which include time in lectures or class meetings, in-person or online, laboratories, examinations, presentations, tutorials, preparation, reading, studying, hands-on experiences, and other learning activities; or a demonstration by the student of learning equivalent to that established as the expected product of such a period of study. Therefore, each credit of independent study will require at least 45 hours of student engagement over the course of the semester.

The student completes the authorization to enroll for the agreed upon course (299, 698, or 699) and submits it to the faculty mentor for signature. (See Related Links for Enrollment Authorization Forms). The form is then submitted to the Academic Programs Student Services, suite 1100. The deadline for enrolling is prior to the end of the course add period, usually the end of the second week for fall and spring semesters.

NOTE: If the independent study involves a patient contact/clinical experience, the authorization to enroll form must be completed four weeks in advance of the semester in order to provide time for checking agency contracts and requirements and providing notification to the agency of the planned experience.

Staff in the Academic Programs Office will create a section for the independent study course as needed, review student compliance and agency requirements (if clinical independent study), authorize the student to enroll, and communicate the enrollment number to students.