The purpose of an Independent Directed Reading (IDR ) course is to provide students with a flexible option to complete coursework for their degree. Some students find that they have to cancel a scheduled class due to changes in work schedules or PCS dates, or they want to pursue a specific area of interest in greater depth. Whatever the reason, students in the IR Program may opt to take IDR courses for up to fifty percent of the credit hours required for the degree. However to be eligible to enroll in an IDR a student must have completed at least one face-to-face class in the International Relations Program.

To set up an IDR, a student needs to contact the instructor with whom they are interested in taking the course. The student must then obtain the information needed to fill out the IDR Proposal Form. A copy of this form is available by clicking the link, from the IR Program Planner or from the forms section of this web site. The student should send a completed copy of the form to the IR Program office address at the bottom of the form. The course number for International Relations IDR courses is CAS 5960. The section number differs with the instructor of the course and the location of the student. Independent Directive Readings are always S/U graded.

Once the IDR Proposal form is received in the IR office, it will be sent to the proposed instructor for approval. Click here for the IDR timeline.

Once approval is obtained, the student will be notified by e-mail to register for the course with the field coordinator. Students should check IDR enrollment deadlines for the semester they are planning to take the course.

IDR’s are normally used as elective courses and not to fulfill core course requirements. However, under extraordinary circumstances the Director of the International relations Program and the Dean of the graduate College may approve an IDR as a core course. If a student is requesting that an IDR be allowed to count as a core course, they must indicate this on the form and provide justification for the request. Core IDR's MUST be taken from the approved CORE requirements.

For a listing of instructors available for IDR click here.