Independent Study, Internships, and Field Schools

Independent Study

Independent Study is an opportunity for students to work closely with a faculty advisor on a project related to their area of study. Students must choose a member of the faculty in their area of study with whom they have had at least one anthropology course. After securing approval from a faculty member in writing, the student should see the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUGS) in order to register for an Independent Study course. Independent Study courses may be taken for 2 or 4 units, depending on the nature of the particular project being pursued. In exceptional cases, Independent Study courses may be taken for 6 or 8 units, pending approval of the DUGS.

It is imperative that students meet on a regular basis with their faculty advisor throughout the semester in which they are doing the Independent Study. Upon completion of the Independent Study, the faculty advisor must present written proof that the student has completed all course work for study to the DUGS, along with the student's final grade.

Independent Study units can be applied towards the major and/or minor in Anthropology and can fulfill one of the student's elective requirements, provided that the student earns a grade of at least C. A maximum of 8 units of Independent Study can be applied to the 36 units required for the major in Anthropology, and a maximum of 4 units of Independent Study can be applied to the 16 units required for the minor.

Internships

Internships are opportunities for students to gain practical work experience relevant to anthropology and are sponsored by selected institutions, agencies, and research laboratories. Internships are negotiated with the internship sponsor, the DUGS, and the student. Typically, students seek out internship opportunities and then approach the DUGS to verify whether a particular opportunity is appropriate for internship credit through the Department of Anthropology. The student must make a written case to the DUGS outlining how a particular internship opportunity is relevant to their academic training in anthropology. The Internship sponsor must also provide the DUGS with a written account of the activities, responsibilities, and number of hours per week the student will spend on the Internship and must agree to provide a written evaluation of the student's performance at the end of the semester. After approving these materials, the DUGS can register the student for either a 2 or 4 unit Internship, depending on the demands of the position. Typically, 4 to 5 hours of work are required per week for each unit of Internship credit. Internships unit do not count towards the major and/or minor in Anthropology, but they do count towards the overall number of credits needed for graduation.

Field Schools and Field Programs

Students interested in the sub-fields of Biological Anthropology and Archaeological Anthropology sometimes have the opportunity to participate in hands-on field schools, summer field programs, or intercession field programs run by institutions other than NYU. Depending on a review of the specifics of the program and the offering institution, the Department may choose -- or may not choose -- to allow students to receive credit towards the major for participation in these programs. Students interested in participating in such programs should consult well in advance with the DUGS and provide the DUGS with a detailed description of the program's curricular content, which will be reviewed by appropriate faculty members within the Department.