• Students find a faculty mentor for their LATS:4990 Independent Project Latina/o/x Studies. Contact the LATS Academic Advisor if you need help finding a faculty mentor.
• Students follow the instructions below to create a project proposal.
• Students complete an online Registration Preapproval form to request approval for their LATS:4990 Independent Project Latina/o/x Studies. They must upload their project proposal to the online form.
• Students will receive an email with permission to enroll in LATS:4990 Independent Project Latina/o/x Studies within 5 days of the final approval of the online form. The deadline to add a course without a Dean's signature is day 10 of the fall and spring semesters. Contact the LATS Academic Advisor with questions.
• Students must be in academic good standing to register for LATS:4990 Independent Project Latina/o/x Studies.
• If students want LATS:4990 Independent Project Latina/o/x Studies to satisfy any part of their Latina/o/x Studies minor requirements, prior approval must be granted by the LATS Academic Advisor.
• A maximum of 3 semester hours of LATS:4990 credit may be used in the Latina/o/x Studies minor.

Students must upload a project proposal to the online Registration Preapproval form. The proposal must be typed and must include:

• A one-page description of the project, including:
  • The dates and location of your work
  • A specific research question
  • A brief narrative
  • The final form of the project (research paper, poster presentation, multi-media project, etc)
  • The grading criteria to be used by your faculty supervisor (i.e., 40% methodology, 20% style, etc.)
• A rationale for the number of semester hours requested for the project
• A timeline for the project, including (but not limited to):
  • A plan for a preliminary literature review
  • How often and by what method you will consult with your faculty mentor throughout the project
  • Target completion dates for the first and second drafts of your project, if applicable
  • A final completion date
• A reading list, in a recognized bibliography format, including at least ten works consulted in your preliminary planning and identification of a research question
• If you intend to complete your independent study while off campus, you must include:
  • Information regarding your overseas contacts and resources;
  • Your plan for ongoing communication with your faculty mentor;
  • An explanation as to what preliminary work you intend to pursue before departure
• Proof that an application has been submitted to the Human Subjects Office, if necessary (see the Registration Preapproval form).

NOTE: Any research which involves "human subjects" must be reviewed by the University of Iowa Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to the initiation of the project. Proof of the determination/review process must also be submitted to the Latina/o/x Studies Program before the project proposal can be approved. Read a summary of the IRB process on the International Programs website. For all questions contact the IRB at (319) 335-6465; or complete the IRB Determination Form to find out if your research meets the definition of human subjects research.