The Independent Study major meets the needs of students in the International Studies program who wish to learn about a country and culture of the non-English-speaking world not provided for by the other majors offered in the International Studies program. This major is designed to allow students to focus on a country whose language and culture is taught at another university in Sydney. This is only possible where a language program already exists and can be undertaken over four consecutive semesters.

Countries and cultures that might be accessed through the Independent Study major may include Croatia, Greece, Korea, Poland and Russia, as the relevant languages are taught at other universities in Sydney.

Admission requirements

Students in this major are expected to meet all the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. There is a higher degree of individual tailoring of subjects, with each student required to develop their own study plan in cooperation with the Independent Study Major Coordinator. Students undertaking this major may be required to bear some of the tuition costs at the host university should they be higher than those normally paid by the Institute. All individual programs of study in the Independent Study major require a detailed report to the Programs Review Committee.

Students in the International Studies program must nominate their participation in the Independent Study major before starting their third semester of full-time study. At the same time, they must also nominate the country and culture of their specialisation. In most cases, two years preparation is required to ensure arrangements are made for appropriate programs of In-country Study. On entry to the Independent Study major, students are required to agree to a learning contract with the Institute, covering the entire program of the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies.

The learning contract for each program of study within the Independent Study major contains details of:

• the subject the student will take as a Contemporary Society subject, which may involve attendance or enrolment at another university
• the language and culture subjects to be taken, which may involve attendance or enrolment at another university, and
• proposals for periods of In-country Study, including details of university, departments and subjects to be pursued, in accordance with the regulations of the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies.

Structure

As elsewhere in the International Studies program, the Institute reserves the right to restrict or curtail student activities according to its resources.

The information is correct at the time of printing. However, the Institute for International Studies reserves the right to make alterations to the location and content of any program of In-country Study at any time.