Independent Study

Independent Study courses, under the guidance of individual faculty members, are offered by all departments; there is some variation among departments in the amount of prerequisite coursework before independent work may be undertaken. Pomona students may enroll in one such course per semester in the first and sophomore years, or two per semester in the junior and senior years. Permission of the advisor, the instructor and the department chair are required for each independent study. Independent Study Forms must be submitted no later than the end of the first week of the semester, and require the instructor’s and department chair’s signatures.

Summer Reading or Research Courses

A department may allow qualified students to independently complete reading or research courses during the summer break. Summer reading courses are offered primarily for the benefit of students on the Pomona Study Abroad Program. Other students may also apply for enrollment, especially for a course in reading to supplement the regular course offerings.

Students may not enroll for more than one such course in a summer. To be eligible for a summer reading course, the student must have a cumulative grade-point average of 7.5 and meet any other requirements the department may set.

A student enrolled in a summer reading or research course may withdraw until August 1, by written notice to the instructor and the Registrar. All papers are due on the first day of classes in the fall, and examinations must be completed no later than one week after the first day of classes. Faculty are required to submit grades for summer enrollments by the sixth day of classes in the fall semester. The fee for a summer reading course is $500.

For summer enrollment, the Independent Study Form must be submitted by the last day of the semester. The deadline to  change the grading option for a summer Independent Study is June 1; the deadline to withdraw is August 1.