Tutorial in a Selected Field
Tutorial in a Selected Field – PSCI 4901/4902
PSCI 4901/4902 are half-credit [0.5] individualized study courses negotiated between you and an instructor. Unlike other courses, the Tutorial is an independent study course because the student and the faculty member decide on the topic, course materials, and course expectations together. It’s an opportunity for students to explore in-depth a particular topic or area of knowledge in Political Science, with the guidance of the faculty member.
Tutorial courses are intended for students to build on and extend knowledge acquired from other Political Science courses. They should not duplicate courses that are already offered by the Department. It is expected that students will have already completed courses, including at the 2000-level, in the subject area of the tutorial. Tutorials are open only to Political Science Honours students with fourth year standing and may involve one student or multiple students, at the discretion and with the agreement of the faculty member.
How to Set Up a Tutorial Course
Students interested in doing a Tutorial course are responsible for identifying a potential topic and approaching a potential faculty member to supervise it. Faculty members are not obligated to undertake tutorial courses and do so at their own discretion. Only regular Political Science faculty members can supervise Tutorial courses. Contract instructors and faculty members from other departments may not supervise PSCI 4901/4902.
If you’re considering a Tutorial course, you should contact potential faculty members at least one month before the planned start of the term. The earlier you approach a potential faculty supervisor, the more likely they are to agree.
Once you have obtained the agreement of a faculty supervisor, you must work with them to complete the PSCI 4901 or PSCI 4902 Tutorial in a Selected Field proposal form and develop a course outline that includes all the following components:
- A course title and a paragraph describing the topic of the Tutorial;
- Learning goals and objectives;
- A list of required readings necessary to meet learning goals and objectives;
- A description of the deliverables, including assignments, participation, or other elements that will count towards the evaluation of the student’s performance and grade, including corresponding due dates and relative weights of each;
- A statement regarding the penalty for late submission of work;
- Frequency and manner of planned contact between the student and instructor.
The completed and signed Proposal Form and proposed outline should be submitted to the Undergraduate Supervisor for approval. Permission to register in PSCI 4901/4902 will be given only after this process is completed and approval is granted.
If you have any questions about the Tutorials, please contact the Undergraduate Supervisor.