Directed Study Graduate Courses Are Not Suitable For All Students

If pursuing a graduate degree in the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences, a student may have the option to pursue a directed study. A directed study is a course built cooperatively by the teacher and the student, consisting of a block of in-depth reading, sometimes a research project, and usually a lengthy final paper or report. As irresistible as the student-teacher ratio may seem, directed study is not, by any means, a necessity for every student. In fact, it is at times not suitable at all. Its success depends on a number of factors. Here are a few things one should know before enrolling in a directed study course.
Benefits of Directed Studies
A directed study, or directed reading, is instructed by a specialist in a particular area, most likely a faculty member in the student’s department. In most cases, because of the degree of specialization and the rarity of overlapping student interests at the same school, it is custom designed to make up for generality in other courses.
The first and most obvious advantage is the freedom and flexibility this type of structure can afford. Both student and instructor have the possibility of wrapping the course around their availabilities, like rescheduling a meeting to better accommodate what could be, on either end, a hectic set of obligations.
Moreover, a student can spend what is often a limit of one or two directed studies per degree to partially revitalize a dull or irrelevant course selection during a given semester. Students often use a reading course to brush up on some required theory, author’s work, or line of research before beginning their own research or conduct an empirical study of his or her own.
A student may also be given the opportunity to complete a chapter of his or her thesis or dissertation. To this end, it can be extremely helpful; provide much needed practice at intellectual discussion, critical thinking, independent organization, and research methods; and allow for more frequent and detailed feedback on the student’s work. After all, a thesis or dissertation is a much bigger directed study that many master's and all doctoral students must have the experience to complete.
Responsibilities of the Faculty Member
Professors’ teaching styles vary. That is why one must get a sense of how he or she intends on structuring and carrying out the course before entering it. The reading list, topic and line of inquiry of some directed studies are completely determined by the professor, often the student’s program supervisor. He or she takes the time to assess the student’s abilities, recognizes a lack of experience or knowledge in a certain area relevant to the student’s path, and then carefully crafts a fitting syllabus. This method works for students who need to adhere to an established checklist and may have difficulty finding their way without one.
The opposite occurs when the student is left largely to construct his or her own course, guiding questions, paper topic and reading list, an unaccompanied explorer in uncharted territory. This can function quite well if the student is rigorous, motivated, has a global understanding of the field and the contributions and positions of important authors or researchers, and can efficiently preview the reading list for relevance.
It is important in any situation for a student to establish a strong relationship with his or her cooperating professor. One should be able to call, drop in or e-mail questions at any point outside meeting times. A course without the the support of colleagues to consult can prove difficult for less vocal or habituated students, so the professor should make up for this by being as reachable as possible.
Knowing One’s Own Study Habits
Students frequently bite off more work than they can chew and only realize their mistake when it’s too late. A loosely structured directed study can be deceiving, especially when student and professor only meet monthly. Balancing a month’s worth of readings, amid other coursework, teaching, research assistantships and extracurriculars, without leaving an insurmountable heap for the last few days, is especially challenging.
The most effective way to avoid falling behind is to a) never meet the professor less than once every two weeks; b) agree on a clear, specific reading, written or lab assignment to complete for each meeting time; and c) take into account other obligations and establish a routine for directed study coursework.
Decision to Choose Directed Study
Depending on the format chosen and the student’s knowledge of his or her own capabilities and habits, taking a directed study can yield varying results. Many graduate students have the motivation, organization and curiosity to survey and absorb vast amounts of literature and research. Those who think they require guiding instructions must be sure to establish a clear format, objectives, reading list and workload with their instructors. Otherwise, they should stick to the standard course offering.

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