Guide to Independent Study

Independent Study is one of the unique features of OUSSEP. Students can propose a study topic and be assigned a supervising professor (Supervisor) in an appropriate faculty. The Independent Study Course is an elective. Students who want to undertake Independent Study must prepare and submit a proposal for their course of study. As explained in the OUSSEP Calendar, the courses of International Exchange Subjects are often broad in scope, rather than narrowly focused. Students can only study a truly specialized field by taking the Independent Study Course. We encourage all OUSSEP students to take part in this course.

Students must propose a study topic before coming to Osaka. They may select one of a variety of Independent Study preferences. The following are some examples.

1. To study a particular subject, which is not found among the International Exchange Subjects, under the supervision of a particular professor of Osaka University. (Individual Study)

2. To study a particular subject, which is not found among the International Exchange Subjects, within particular Faculty of Osaka University. (Individual Study)

3. To study a subject which is a part of the course requirements at the student’s home university but is not found among the International Exchange Subjects. (Individual Study)

4. To conduct a research project on a particular theme under the supervision of a particular professor of Osaka University. (Independent Research)

5. To conduct a research project on a particular theme at a particular Faculty of Osaka University. (Independent Research)

6. To conduct a research project on a particular theme that is possible only in Osaka or in Japan. (Independent Research)

OUSSEP is basically an undergraduate program. Each student should propose a study plan that will meet his/her own ability. The student is expected to have completed, at his/her home university, course work providing an academic background necessary for undertaking the study he/she proposes. Students tend to propose an overly broad theme for their Independent Research. However, the theme must be concrete and specific. Graduate students who are applying for OUSSEP may propose a more extensive research project.
The student and the Supervisor should agree upon the subject and the scope of study at the beginning of each semester. Immediately after that, the student must submit an official registration form (Form: Ind. Study-3) for the Independent Study Course, signed by their Supervisor, to the Director of the International Student Center of Osaka University. The student must also submit more detailed plan for the course (Form: Ind. Study-4) within a few weeks after that. The course usually continues for two semesters. At the end of each semester, the student must submit a report (or reports) on the topic to his/her Supervisor.

The student will be granted 2 credits* per semester for successfully completing the Independent Study Course. If the student wishes to have the credits for Independent Study approved later at his/her home university, we recommend that the student discusses this proposal and plan with the academic adviser at the home university before coming to Osaka.

*When the amount of work required for the course is particularly large, the Supervisor and the International Student Committee may decide at the beginning of each semester to grant up to 4, instead of 2, credits for Independent Study. We usually grant 2 credits to an undergraduate student for Independent Study and up to 4 credits to a graduate student, depending on the workload. We may grant 3 credits to an undergraduate student, if the work includes extensive laboratory work or field work.

At the beginning of the program the Supervisor will tell the student in what manner he/she will be able to give advice to the student during the course of study. The Supervisor usually assigns a graduate tutor to the student. The tutor will provide supplementary advice to the student during the course. The Supervisor may allow the student to take part in seminars that he/she conducts for regular students. Such seminars are usually intended for students in the 4th year of the undergraduate program and those in the graduate school, and are usually conducted in Japanese. The tutor will help the student at the seminars. The student should expect to study independently, for the most part, and should not expect too much help from the Supervisor or the tutor.

When a student proposes a course of study under the supervision of a particular professor of Osaka University, we may make an arrangement for the student to contact the professor prior to coming to Osaka. In some cases the student’s academic adviser at the home university may already be in contact with the professor of Osaka University.

Students should expect that textbooks and reference books related to the subject of the course, written in English, might be scarce in Japan. We recommend that the students bring English books from their home countries whenever possible (particularly in case 3 above).
All students who are applying for admission to OUSSEP must complete Form: Ind. Study-1 and include it in the application package. Those who would like to take the Independent Study Course must also write Form: Ind. Study-2 and attach it to the Form: Ind. Study-1.

Note
Students must follow the instructions below when completing the Form: Ind. Study-2.

OUSSEP _

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