If you wish to pursue an in-depth study of a particular topic with an instructor who shares interest and has expertise in this topic, consider applying for WRDS 499.
General course description
Students wanting to take WRDS 499 are responsible for selecting a suitable topic area, finding a supervisor, and working with the supervisor to develop a suitable course project and course outline (e.g., course description, rationale, objectives, structure, readings, assessments, schedule).
Course projects will require that the student engage in advanced study of their selected topic area and produce an end-of-project deliverable that takes one of the two forms below:
- A research paper that engages with research and practice in the field of Writing Studies.
- A multimodal writing and communication project that engages with research and practice in the field of Writing Studies.
Students will also work with their supervisor and with WRDS program administrators to apply for and (if the application is approved) to enrol in the course. Students can apply up to 6 credits of WRDS 498 toward their Minor in Writing and Communication.
Please note: Students are responsible for initiating and completing this work in advance of the term in which they plan to take the course.
Application deadlines
3 credits from any one of these courses:
-
- Arts One
- APSC 176
- ASTU 100
- ASTU 101
- CAP 100
- CAP 101
- CHEM 300
- COMM 196
- ENGL 100
- FRST 150
- LFS 150
- SCIE 113
- SCIE 300
- WRDS 150
- WRDS 350
Steps to apply
Students who qualify (see ‘Prerequisites’ above) and would like to complete a WRDS 499 Directed Studies course should complete the following steps.
- Students must work with a faculty member (i.e., tenured or tenure-track professor of any rank; or lecturer) who agrees to act as instructor-of-record and supervisor in the course. Supervisors must specialize in areas that align with the student’s selected topic area. Supervisors must be willing and able to work with the student throughout the course — from its inception to its completion.
- Students are responsible for identifying and approaching potential supervisors, and students are encouraged to do this well in advance of the term in which they plan to take the course.
- Students must choose a supervisor in consultation with — and with the full knowledge and support of — the faculty member(s) involved. In standard cases, students work with one supervisor (a WRDS faculty member) whose areas of interest qualify them to supervise the student’s project.
- In special cases (e.g., when a topic area is multidisciplinary or transdisciplinary), students may work with co-supervisors, one from each research area/discipline: one must be from the WRDS unit and the other may be a UBC-V faculty member from another program or unit whose research interests align with the student’s topic.
Working together, student and supervisor are responsible for designing a course project that requires that the student engage in advanced, in-depth study of their selected topic area and produce an end-of-project deliverable:
- A research paper that engages with research and practice in the field of Writing Studies, or
- A multimodal writing and communication project that engages with research and practice in the field of Writing Studies.
The project (and project deliverable) should be appropriate for the student’s topic area, within the purview of the supervisor’s areas of interest and expertise, feasible to complete with the resources available, and suitable for an ambitious 400-level undergraduate learning experience.
The following components of the project must be submitted for feedback and assessment by due dates / deadlines that are clearly indicated in the course outline:
- An early-term project plan (e.g., a project proposal and bibliography)
— due in the first half of the course. - A mid-term progress report (e.g., preliminary findings, outline, draft, story board)
— due in the second half of the course. - An end-of term final project (i.e., the completed research paper or multimodal project)
— due at the end of course.
- Working together, student and supervisor are responsible to developing a course outline that includes a course description, objectives (i.e., learning outcomes), rationale, structure (type and frequency of meetings and activities), readings, assignments and assessment, and a schedule or timeline.
- The course outline can be provisional and subject to revision, but it should be comprehensive enough to demonstrate the need for and value of the course, the rigour and feasibility of the course, and the logic and fairness of assignments and assessments (assignments should showcase and assessment should reflect the student’s achievement of course learning outcomes).
The student and Supervisor must submit the “WRDS Directed Studies Approval Form” (see link below) to the WRDS Program Office for review / approval by the WRDS Chair and JWAM Director by the following deadlines:
- May 1, if the student intends to register in the course in Winter Term 1.
- November 1, if the student intends to register in the course in Winter Term 2.
- February 1, if the student intends to register in the course in Summer Term 1 or Term 2.
If the course is approved, the student is responsible for working with the Supervisor and WRDS Program Office to formally register in the course no less than a month from the start date of the course.