Directed Study

The Department of Economics offers several options to our students who are interested in pursuing their own research ideas. These courses are set up on an individual basis for students meeting our departmental requirements, detailed below, following the procedures outlined below.

The Undergraduate Catalog describes directed study as follows: “Directed Study offers the student an opportunity to work with a faculty member on an individual study program. A student who is stimulated by a particular concept or problem encountered in a course can pursue and develop that interest in depth through a Directed Study project. Such individualized study can make a valuable contribution to a student’s educational experience. Directed Study courses are made available by departments on the basis of a student’s preparation and motivation and a faculty member’s willingness to accept the student in such an endeavor.”

Describing the directed studies offered in our department, the Catalog states: “Directed Study (Econ 698 or 699) enables advanced students to pursue economics topics not covered in the regular course offerings. A student interested in directed study should prepare a research proposal and/or reading list; specific course requirements are arranged with an instructor who agrees to supervise the directed study project. In most cases, a paper will be required. Registration requires consent of instructor, a GPA of 2.5 or above in Economics, and completion of the departmental Directed Study form.”

Directed study courses in the Department of Economics may be structured to award 1-3 credits for the work done. When an instructor agrees to work with a student on a directed study, the exact requirements including length of any paper required should be specified, along with the number of credits agreed. A directed study can be set up on a C/NC basis (Econ 698, available only to Junior or Senior standing majors) or a graded basis (Econ 699). All this is specified on the form, which is available in the Undergraduate Office (Room 7238 Social Science Building) during regular business hours. Once the form is filled in and signed by the instructor, it is returned to the Undergrad Office where staff will create the course for the student, enabling enrollment by standard university procedures.

Who Should Do Directed Studies in Economics?

You must be an advanced student in Economics to apply for a directed study with our faculty. Only faculty members may supervise students in directed study courses in our department. These independent learning opportunities are not intended as a means to bolster either credit or GPA deficiencies. They do not count among the department’s required Advanced Electives in Economics. They are an entirely self-sufficient course category, intended exclusively to allow academic exploration at an advanced level by independently motivated students who have completed the solid core of our intermediate theory coursework.

Students are entirely responsible for preparing their own proposal and identifying appropriate faculty as prospective supervisors. Faculty is best approached with whom the student already has familiarity and experience or who are best suited in their own research to the topic the student proposes for study. Assistance in identifying appropriate faculty may best be had by consulting with other faculty or the academic advisor(s) of the department. No one outside the Department of Economics may supervise a Directed Study in Economics.

For more information, please contact the Undergraduate Office at econadvise@ssc.wisc.edu.

Directed Study

2012 Economics Senior Class Gift