EFFECTIVE DATE: June 22, 2015
ISSUE #: 5
PRESIDENT: William Flores
PURPOSE
This PS states the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) policy on directed studies
courses.
DEFINITIONS
2.1 Directed Studies Course: A directed studies course is a credit course in which a student
works directly with a faculty member. A directed studies course is intended to expand
the curriculum and may not duplicate an organized course. A directed studies course
requires a term paper, research study, or comparable project.
2.2 For the purposes of this policy, faculty member refers to the instructor of record for the
directed studies course.
POLICY
3.1 Criteria for Student Eligibility
Any student wishing to take a directed studies course should meet the following
criteria:
3.2.1 The student must be in good academic standing (see Grading System Policy, PS 03.A.04).
3.2.2 The student must have instructor approval to enroll in the course.
3.2.3 The academic department of the course or college may have additional
prerequisites or requirements for enrollment in a directed studies course.
PROCEDURES
4.1 Procedures
4.2.1 Well in advance of registration, the student consults with the faculty member
with whom he/she wishes to take a directed studies course. If the faculty member
and student agree on the advisability of such a course and on the particulars
(requirements, meeting times, grading, etc.), the student obtains the directed
studies request form (see Exhibit A) from the appropriate department office.
4.2.2 The faculty member and student complete and sign the form.
4.2.3 The instructor of record of the directed studies course secures the approval of
the appropriate department chair and the office of the dean, each of whom signs
the form. For programs that do not have a department chair, the student will
secure approval from the program director of the program in which that course
is housed.
4.2.4 The office of the dean retains the request form and sends a copy to the
department chair (or program director), the faculty member, and the student.
4.2.5 The student registers for the directed studies course, following regular
registration procedures.
4.2.6 At the conclusion of the directed studies course, the faculty member assigns the
grade.
4.2.7 A copy of the report or project is kept in the office of the department chair (or
program director).
4.2 Faculty Credit
A full-time faculty member receives credit for each student taught in a directed
studies course. This credit accumulates toward released time as stipulated in the
official faculty workload policy. See PS 10.A.04.
4.3 Maximum Credit Hours per Student
Degree requirements may limit the number of hours of directed study which may be
applied by a student towards completion of the degree.
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A: Directed Studies Request Form
REVIEW PROCESS
Responsible Party (Reviewer): Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Review: Every five years, or as necessary
Signed original on file in Employment Services and Operations.
POLICY HISTORY
Issue #1: 04/20/83
Issue #2: 06/17/86
Issue #3: 04/01/88
Issue #4: 12/18/00
