Doctoral students interested in pursuing an Independent Study, Internship, Practicum, or Directed Research must follow the process outlined below to ensure academic alignment and program approval:

  1. Initial Consultation 
    • Begin by consulting with your faculty advisor or dissertation chair to discuss your interest and determine the relevance of the experience to your academic and research goals.
  2. Faculty Supervision 
    • With your advisor’s approval, identify and contact a faculty member within the Ingram School of Engineering whose expertise aligns with your proposed area of study or research. Request their supervision and confirm their willingness to oversee your work.
  3. Program Approval 
    • After securing a supervising faculty member, obtain permission from the program administration and the program director to enroll in the appropriate course section under that faculty member.
  4. Proposal Development 
    • In collaboration with your supervising faculty member, prepare a detailed proposal that outlines:
      • The scope and purpose of the experience
      • Learning objectives and research activities
      • Expected deliverables and a timeline
    • The proposal must be reviewed and approved by the supervising faculty member before enrollment can be finalized.
  5. Course Expectations 
    • To successfully complete the experience, students must:
      • Maintain regular communication with the supervising faculty member
      • Meet all agreed-upon objectives
      • Submit required deliverables, such as progress reports, research summaries, or final presentations, as specified in the approved proposal