Independent Study/Special Topics

A student is allowed to take up to five credit hours towards independent study and special projects under the supervision of a department faculty member. These five hours also include any possible internship credits. If you have not completed your maximum of five credit hours of independent study or special projects, you are eligible to register for one or more independent study courses. You must do the following before you can register for an independent study:

• Find a faculty member who will be willing to be your guide in the independent study project. You and the faculty member should agree on the scope and deliverables for the independent study.
• Write a proposal for the independent study/special project. The proposal must contain the objective of the study, reference material to be used, assignment and activities to be completed, timeline and deliverables. Evaluation criteria must also be spelled out.
• Fill out the Special Projects/Independent Study Approval form. Complete the form, and get it approved by the faculty member guiding your project.
• Submit the form to the department office for approval. Do not forget to attach your proposal. Department approvals are usually completed within a day. Once your proposal is approved, your name will be added to the permission list enabling you to register for the course.
• Complete the project and request your guide to send a grade to the department chair.

Internships

If you are considering registering for an internship, you must do the following before you can register:

• Have an offer letter from a company or organization showing the scope of the work to be completed. You can (and should) register with Career Services since they maintain a database of prospective employers looking for interns and new recruits. You should also consult the bulletin board near the MLR department office where employer requests are posted as received.
• In order to be eligible for internships, you must have completed at least 20 hours of course work from your MLR program, not including any preparatory courses. You must also be in good academic standing. Undergraduate students should consult an advisor.
• Complete FORM A and FORM C and submit those to the department office at the start of the internship along with a copy of your offer letter. Once Form C is approved, you will be given permission to register for the internship course.
• Complete FORM B and return the form to the department office at the conclusion of the internship along with a short report detailing the experience gained and the skills acquired. This form must be submitted in time to receive a grade for the internship course. Please note that hours used for an internship counts towards the five credit hour limit described under Independent Study and Special Topics.

For More Information

Please contact the Department of Management and Labor Relations for more information by phone, (216) 687-4754; fax, (216) 687-4708.