Directed Research
Guidelines for Designing, Proposing, and Enrolling in Directed Research | Updated March 2023
Students may register for Directed Research units under the supervision of a CCSRE affiliated faculty member. Directed Research units offer students the opportunity to conduct original research under the supervision of a CCSRE Senior Lecturer, a CCSRE Associate Director, or a CCSRE Tenure-Line Faculty Affiliate. Over the course of the quarter, students must design and produce an original research project. Research projects vary greatly in scope and medium, but they should be produced in a field and a medium that the faculty advisor is able to evaluate and advise.
Proposals for Directed Research in CSRE, ASIANAMST, CHILATST, NATIVEAM, or JEWISHST should be written in collaboration with the advising faculty member. Proposals must be submitted to CCSRE Academic Programs by Week 8 of the quarter preceding the proposed Directed Research. The CCSRE Academic Programs team will review proposals and notify students and faculty advisors of the status of the proposal by Week 10.
Proposal instructions
Proposals should be 2-3 pages in length and must include:
- A narrative of how the Directed Research fits into the student’s academic trajectory in CCSRE, including information about the student’s preparation
- Desired unit count and an articulation of why the unit count is appropriate (note that each unit of credit must represent 3 hours of work weekly)
- A research timetable, including readings, drafts, and intermediary deadlines as appropriate
- A schedule of synchronous meetings with the faculty advisor (note that students and faculty members must plan to meet synchronously at least biweekly and must check in at least weekly)
- A description of how the faculty advisor will assess the student’s progress as well as the final research project
Any revisions to the proposed schedule must be signed by both advisor and student and submitted to CCSRE Academic Programs in a timely manner.
Proposals should be produced collaboratively by the student and faculty advisor and must be reviewed and signed by both parties before the submission deadline.
