Independent Study Courses for Credit

Below are the independent study courses student can, and should, take as part of their course of study. Students should contact their department advisor, or take the OPA workshops on picking a research lab, to identify and approach faculty research mentors. Most of these courses can be taken for more than one semester and many of the courses can be taken for 1, 2, or 3 credits. In many cases, students are only eligible for departmental honors by taking the research course. If students qualify for departmental honors, then students should contact the departmental advisor about the honors requirements. The relevant honors research courses are asterisked below. 

ACC 490 (3 credits): Honors Project in Accounting 
Supervised individual research and directed reading in selected areas of accounting. An honors essay or some other suitable presentation is required. 

ANT 489 (2 – 3 credits): Independent Research in Anthropology
Research or fieldwork in any field of anthropology, under faculty supervision. 

BBA 490 (3 credits): Honors Project in Business Administration
Supervised individual research and directed reading in selected areas of business administration. An honors essay or some other suitable presentation is required.

BIO 489 (1 credit): Introduction to Experimental Biology 
Individual laboratory investigation for advanced students, under the guidance of a faculty member. Students are required to create and present a poster describing their work at annual meetings that are held either within or outside of Lehman College. Sponsorship of a faculty member is required.

BIO 490 (3 credits): Honors in Biological Sciences
Independent laboratory investigation for advanced students, under the guidance of a faculty member (minimum of 90 hours). Students are required to create and present a poster of their research at annual meetings that are held either within or outside of Lehman College. Sponsorship of a faculty member is required. 

CHE 391 (1 – 3 credits): Chemical Investigations
A course designed to allow qualified students to participate in original chemical investigation under the supervision of a faculty member. A written report is required each semester.

CHE 491 (1 – 3 credits): Chemical Research
This course is designed to enable the advanced student to pursue an investigation of a topic of common interest to the student and a faculty member of the Department. A written research report is required each semester. 

CMP 485 (3 credits): Independent Study
Independent study on a specific topic under faculty supervision.

CMP 486 (1 credit): Independent Study
Not allowed as elective for Mathematics or Computer Science concentrations.

ECO 490 (3 credits): Honors Project in Economics 
Supervised individual research and directed reading in selected areas of economics. An honors essay or some other suitable presentation is required.

GEH 490 (2 – 4 credits): Honors in Geography 
Individual research, including reading and—in some areas—laboratory or field investigations, to be carried out under the individual guidance of a staff member. The results must be embodied in an honors essay or other suitable presentation.

GEO 490 (2 – 4 credits): Honors in Geology
Individual research, including reading and—in some cases—laboratory or field investigations, to be carried out under the individual guidance of a staff member. The results must be embodied in an honors essay or other suitable presentation.

MAT 485 (3 credits): Independent Study
Independent reading under faculty supervision.

MAT 486 (1 – 3 credits): Independent Study
Not allowed as an elective for Mathematics or Computer Science concentrations. 

PHY 489 (2 – 3 credits): Honors Course
Independent study or participation in a research project under faculty direction. 

POL 481 (3 – 6 credits): Honors Tutorial
An opportunity for outstanding seniors to carry out individual research projects under faculty direction.

PSY 485 (3 credits): Independent Study in Psychology
Individual research project (e.g., lab, library, or community oriented), under the direction of a member of the Psychology faculty. Written report required for each semester of work.

PSY 495 (3 credits): Honors Research in Psychology
Empirical research project under the direction of a member of the Psychology faculty that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to Psychology. Required for graduation with Honors in Psychology. Granting of credit will be contingent upon presentation of a report of the research at a Departmental seminar and the filing of a formal APA-style research paper in the Departmental office before the end of the senior year.

SOC 281 (1 – 3 credits): Tutorial in Sociology
A course offering the beginning student interested in Sociology the opportunity to do individual reading and writing under the direction of a Sociology Department faculty member. Subject to be agreed upon between student and instructor. Number of credits to be determined in consultation with faculty advisor prior to registration.

SOC 481 (3 credits): Advanced Tutorial in Sociology

Subject to be agreed upon between student and instructor.