Directed Study

Directed-study units earned are accepted by the college toward completion of an appropriate educational sequence leading to an associate degree and must be recognized by the University of California or the California State University upon transfer to that institution.

Directed-study courses are not regularly scheduled. Students work independently and interact directly with the instructor of record on an individual basis and as prescribed by the directed study.

General Regulations

• The maximum number of units of directed-studies credit that may be applied toward a degree is three units.
• To offer directed studies, the department must have a course titled "Directed Studies" listed in the catalog.
• Directed-studies units may apply toward the associate degree; they will not, however, fulfill general education requirements. 
• Directed studies will be offered only in subject areas where both the instructor and department chair agree that units so earned are transferable to CSU or UC. UC credit may be granted after transfer to a UC campus.
• Special activity or project-type work may constitute a directed study.
• Students may work with faculty on developing a directed study at any time. The deadline to petition for a directed study is the thirty-percent date of the class term.
• Directed studies may not substitute for credit by examination.
• Directed studies may not be offered in place of courses listed in the catalog.

Directed studies shall be approved by the department chair and the instructor of record after student consultation with a counselor to ensure transfer eligibility or applicability to a degree or certificate program.

Directed studies will meet one or more of the following needs:

1. Covers a topic not covered in a currently offered catalog course.
2. Covers a focused topic of interest.
3. Provides an alternative method of instruction for an existing course.
4. Accommodates exceptional student circumstances such as medical or military service.

Instructors of record of directed studies shall:

1. Provide service for the duration of the directed study.
2. Be qualified for the supervision, control, and evaluation of the courses and the enrolled student.
3. Provide orientation, guidance, and information regarding course-content materials and services for each student as soon as possible subsequent to the student's official enrollment by the college.
4. Provide each student with the instructor's consultation schedule for the semester or other prescribed term of the directed study.
5. Provide student access to the instructor at least equivalent to that commonly available to students in courses conducted by other instructional methods.
6. Evaluate student work and progress according to established college regulations.

Academic standards for the directed studies shall:

1. Be the same as those applied to other credit courses or noncredit courses.
2. Require a minimum of thirty-six hours of work on the part of the student for every one unit earned (e.g. directed study, assignments, projects, readings, meetings with instructor).

Student eligibility for directed studies includes approval of department chair and successful completion of twelve units of college work with at least a 3.0 grade-point average. 

MCCCD Administrative Procedure 4101