Before graduating from the College of Wooster, each student will complete an Independent Study, a project which is meant to serve as the culmination of liberal education and to provide the basis for independent learning throughout life. During this opportunity, each student will conceptualize, organize, and develop a research-driven or creative project in his/her chosen field, working closely with a professorial adviser and committee who will provide expert guidance to the student in bringing his/her project to completion.
The Student Learning Objectives for Independent Study state that:
"The kind of independence which Wooster seeks to inspire is epitomized in the program of Independent Study, in which students are required to demonstrate their capacity for critical inquiry, their ability to create new knowledge in a disciplinary context, and the necessary skills to share their learning with a larger community. By engaging in the process of Independent Study, students come to regard learning as a process that requires a strong commitment, painstaking research, and the careful development of one's approach to a subject. Through I.S., students come to understand not only their chosen subject but also the nature of learning itself, and they can bring this approach to other situations in their lives and careers."
More information on Independent Study can be found on the college's Office of Admissions site, and a database of Senior IS projects can be found on the Independent Study page.
