Work of the Program

The low residency Masters in Individualized Studies is a four-semester, 48 credit degree. Students begin each semester with an eight-day intensive residency, during which they plan the work which will be carried out independently throughout the semester. During the semester, students exchange five written packets with their faculty advisor. Packet materials can include reflective or critical essays, annotations of key readings, creative work, fieldwork or internship notes, and other relevant material. Faculty advisors respond to the student’s work with detailed letters that provide encouragement, guidance, and constructive feedback.

 

Studies may include fieldwork, workshops, internships, teaching, conferences, qualitative research, action research, exhibits, and more. They generally follow three overlapping phases: Mastery of one's field and personal development, learning by doing,and creating the final product.  The final product may be a thesis, or it may be a creative project (such as a curriculum, a memoir, a website, or a film) accompanied by a process paper that  contextualizes it personally and academically.

 

Core values of the program are self-knowledge, open-mindedness, awareness of the world, rigorous methodology and creative process, cultivation of liberation, and responsibility to the local and global community. students learn how to communicate their learning to others, apply their learning actively to real world situations and integrate experiential with theoretical learning.

 

 

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