The following is a response to the letter “Independent study process lacks transparency, access,” by student Sarah Mowrey published in the Daily Lobo on March 23.
Editor,
Within UNM, there is an independent study through correspondence program that offers a set curriculum of catalog courses approved by academic units. These are usually high-demand courses and provide flexibility for students who are not able to take the course face-to-face. To find out more about these courses, go to correspondence.unm.edu.
The UNM distance education program works with academic units to provide degree completion programs for students who are unable to attend face-to-face classes. Most of these programs are in high-demand areas such as business, education, the social sciences and health care.
Students can combine online and correspondence courses, and if they live near a bachelor and graduate center they can also access interactive television classes to complete their degrees.
Unfortunately, not every course offered face-to-face on main campus can be replicated in an alternative format.
Academic units may work with students requesting a departmental independent study, which involves individualized study opportunities with a faculty member and are different in structure and time for completion from correspondence courses.
However, just because a student wants a departmental independent study, for whatever reason, doesn’t mean that a faculty member or department can or should honor the request.
Regardless, students wanting alternatives for earning a degree will need to be flexible within the options that are available, keeping in mind that, thanks to the availability of correspondence and online sections, there are more options now than ever before.
John Cornish
director of curriculum planning
and program development at UNM
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