The Global Health Studies Program offers students the opportunity to earn credit for independent work with a University of Iowa faculty member. Independent projects must be approved by the Global Health Studies Program prior to student registration.

For a full list of CLAS policies on independent study, visit the college's Undergraduate Independent Study Policies page. 

Enrollment Criteria and Instructions

• Students find a faculty mentor for their GHS:4990 Independent Project in Global Health. Contact the GHS Director (Dr. Kristine Muñoz) at globalhealthstudies@uiowa.edu 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 GHS:4990 Independent Project in Global Health. They must upload their project proposal to the online form.
• Students will receive an email with permission to enroll in GHS:4990 Independent Project in Global Health 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 globalhealthstudies@uiowa.edu with questions.
• Students must be in academic good standing to register for GHS:4990 Independent Project in Global Health.
• If students want GHS:4990 Independent Project in Global Health to satisfy any part of their Global Health studies certificate, minor or major requirements, prior approval must be granted by the Global Health Studies Program (contact globalhealthstudies@uiowa.edu).
• A maximum of 3 s.h. of GHS:4990 credit may be used in the GHS certificate or minor.
• A maximum of 6 s.h. of GHS:4990 credit may be used in the GHS B.A. or B.S..

Instructions for the Project Proposal

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.), and;
• 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, and
  • 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; and
• 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 Global Health 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.