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• UWW Courses
• Sponsored Courses
• Independent Learning Courses/ Internships
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An individualized UWW degree allows for more flexibility in transferring previous college credits. Most courses that are completed with a C- or higher from accredited colleges will be transferrable. Some kinds of courses not normally accepted by UMass Amherst-such as vocationally oriented courses, internships, or unaccredited certificate programs—can be transferred once they have been approved as part of a UWW degree plan. UMass Amherst does not limit transfer courses based on the dates when they were taken, so many courses completed long ago will still transfer.
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University Without Walls Independent Learning Projects

Independent Studies and Internships

UWW 296, UWW 396, UWW 496, and UWW 498
Independent Study and Internship Numbers in Other UMass Amherst Departments

Because UWW students often have specific interests, scheduling challenges, or a desire to gain experience in a new career, they often incorporate an independent learning project into their UMass Amherst UWW degrees.

The independent study is usually a smaller scale project of 3-6 credits similar to a traditional course in amount and type of work expected at that credit level. It may, however, be a mix of reading and writing on the topic with an experiential component. For example, one student may choose to work on a project gathering data on a local stream over a three-month period, which would then be supplemented by readings on the subject of stream habitats and data collection methodology, resulting in a final project of submitting a long paper (or observational journal).

An internship differs from an independent study by being based within an organization and being supervised by someone of authority within that organization. As with an independent study, it is also sponsored and graded by a University of Massachusetts Amherst faculty member. UWW students seeking to change careers may gain experience through internships in a relevant field. Because most UWW students have continuing work and family commitments, their internships are often half time (6 credits) or less, rather than full-time internships of 12-15 credits.

Designing the Independent Learning Project

Most students work with a faculty sponsor from a related department to conduct projects as an independent study course within that department. Occasionally it is necessary to enroll under a UWW independent study or internship course number provided by the student's UWW advisor. Whether as a UWW course, or as a course in another department, the initial steps in designing an independent learning project include:

• drafting an independent learning contract form
• discussing with the sponsoring faculty member the course number level, number of credits, learning goals, activities, and means of evaluation
• submitting the independent learning contract form signed by both the student and the faculty sponsor (and on-site internship supervisor, if relevant) to the UWW advisor
• registering for the independent study course through Continuing & Professional Education

Normally each credit of independent study or internship reflects an average of three hours of related work per week over the semester. A twelve-credit internship, then, would commit the student to approximately thirty-six hours per week, nearly the equivalent of a full-time job.

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