Requirements for AB Students
Students pursuing a bachelor of arts (AB) degree are required to complete two terms of independent work in addition to a thesis.
AB students are required to participate in a junior research workshop in the fall of junior year, a separate semester of independent work in the spring of junior year, and a two-semester thesis in their senior year.
Requirements for BSE Students
Bachelor of science in engineering (BSE) students are required to do at least one semester of independent work.
BSE students may take as many semesters of independent work as they wish. One additional semester of independent work may be counted as one of the departmental courses.
Senior Thesis
All AB students complete a senior thesis. BSE students may choose to do a two-semester senior thesis in addition to one semester of independent work, but it is not required. Learn more about the senior thesis.
Selecting a Project
Selecting a good project is usually the most important and trickiest part of the independent work process.
There are many types of projects: independent work in computer science may require a significant programming effort, a theoretical study involving the design and analysis of algorithms, or an applications problem in some other field. No one set of guidelines applies perfectly to projects of all types.
However, that said, here are some guidelines to consider when choosing your project:
- Choose something you are passionate about
- Choose a project with some aspect of novelty (a new app, a new algorithm, etc)
- Choose a project with easy, medium, and hard milestones
- Choose a project that you can complete in one semester even if things go wrong
- Think about how you will evaluate your results before starting the project
- Listen to your adviser when he/she suggests changes to the scope of your project
- Do not choose a project with unresolved dependencies (e.g., data sets, software licenses, etc)
For more details and sage advice, look at Brian Kernighan’s “unsolicited advice on independent work.”
Selecting an Adviser
Every independent work project requires a faculty adviser. Most students will have an adviser who is a faculty member in the computer science department.
If you are doing an interdisciplinary project and your adviser is not a faculty member in the computer science department, then your second reader must be a faculty member in the computer science department.
Learn more about how to select an adviser.
Grading Policy
Grades for independent work will be determined by assessing:
- The creativity, originality, thoughtfulness and impact of student ideas
- Evidence of research skills including analysis of research literature, the ability to learn new techniques and ideas individually, and the ability to accomplish research tasks, the ability to adjust to unforeseen obstacles during the course of research
- The quality, impact and originality of the project results
- The thoroughness of results evaluation
- The content, clarity and polish of presentations, including the final presentation
- The content, organization, clarity, quality and writing of the project proposal and final report
- Time management skills and on-time execution of checkpoints, presentations and reports
Final grades will be determined jointly by the adviser, second readers (for thesis writers) and the independent work coordinator. Additional Computer Science Department faculty may read student final reports and help assess presentations.
Funding
AB students can apply for independent work project/senior thesis research funding by accessing the online application in the Student Activities Funding Engine (SAFE). BSE students will receive an email from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences regarding funding.
Students doing independent work are also encouraged to review the Independent Work Equipment List for materials for their upcoming project. All equipment and materials must be returned at the conclusion of the project.
Getting Help
The McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning will have a representative in the E-Quad for Independent Work Learning Consultations. Sign up for a one-on-one session in the McGraw Center (328 Frist) or via email.