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Economics Homepage

Economics Department Undergraduate Program

Independent Study in Economics

The Department of Economics at the University of Rochester provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to pursue individual research projects through independent study. Independent study usually involves advanced, individual research supervised by an Economics Department faculty member. Students interested in pursuing independent study are required to have completed the core requirements for the major (Eco 207, 209, 231) and to have taken the relevant lecture courses related to the independent study project they wish to pursue (to the extent that such courses have been offered by the department). For example, a student wishing to pursue research on an advanced finance topic, such as a study of new mechanisms for hedging risk, is expected to have completed the department's finance sequence. Similarly, a student interested in studying Rochester's fiscal structure should have taken electives in public finance and urban economics. Independent study is considered advanced research, going beyond the material presented in our elective economics offerings. Students should not view independent study projects as substituting for an existing offering.

Independent study can be accomplished in two ways: either by registering for Independent Study (Eco 391) or by registering for Senior Seminar (Eco 389). Students are encouraged to pursue advanced research by registering for the Senior Seminar. Since the Senior Seminar is supervised by an Economics Department faculty member there is no need to obtain an additional faculty supervisor. A very important advantage of the Senior Seminar is that students can share their ideas and writings with other students also pursuing independent research and experiencing similar success and frustration (two common features of the research process). As an alternative, students can pursue Independent Study (Eco 391). Students registering for Eco 391 must first identify a faculty member willing to supervise their project. Students should expect to have a well thought-out project in mind before attempting to begin an independent study project. It is advisable to meet with a prospective faculty member well in advance of the date you plan to register for independent study so that you can discuss your interests, what elective courses should be taken prior to beginning your project, and to determine whether the faculty member is an appropriate supervisor. Students seeking advice as to who may be an appropriate faculty supervisor should speak with a departmental advisor.

Students in either course can expect to write a major research paper of approximately 30 - 40 pages in length. (Examples of past paper topics) Multiple drafts of your paper are likely to be required. Both Independent Study and Senior Seminar are considered writing courses and can be used to fulfill the research paper requirement necessary to graduate with high or highest honors.

Notes:
1. Juniors may be admitted to Senior Seminar based on their record and if space permits.
2. Independent study supervised by faculty outside of the Economics Department may be accepted for Economics credit if there is sufficient economics content in the research. In general, the department takes a tough stance on these requests. A petition must be submitted which explains why the work could not be done with departmental faculty and a faculty committee will review the final work product to determine whether it is acceptable for Economics credit.

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