Current Independent Study Projects

Independent Interdisciplinary Research Seminar (752)
Prerequisite: Approval of IIRS director
Successful IIRS participants earn one full-credit
The Independent Interdisciplinary Research Seminar allows motivated, responsible students to
study topics not included in the Horace Mann curriculum or to continue research on a topic covered in a previous course. Each student in the IIRS designs a research project and pursues it through independent study guided by a faculty mentor. Students meet with their mentors at least once per week and with the seminar director once every other week. IIRS members also convene twice per week for an interdisciplinary seminar.

All participants keep journals in which they record their research. Each trimester they must produce evidence of their work, usually a research paper, a literary or artistic work, a scientific experiment, or a performance. The project's content determines the form of the final result. Project grades are commensurate with the Horace Mann grading policy and comprise two-thirds of the trimester grade.

During seminar sessions students teach each other about the knowledge acquired through their independent work. They also discuss a limited number of common readings. The grade for the seminar constitutes one-third of the trimester grade.

Senior Project
Seniors may apply to undertake a project on or off campus during the third trimester. Seniors whose applications are approved may drop one or more classes to allow sufficient time for their projects. Projects are usually internships, tutorials, or teaching apprenticeships.

Internships allow students to gain practical experience outside of school in fields related to their educational or vocational aims. Students have worked as laboratory assistants, city government interns, architects' apprentices, day care center helpers, museum assistants, and law office interns.

Each year, the program accepts a limited number of tutorial projects, in which students work with faculty members on creative arts projects or scholarly or scientific research.

Apprentice teachers work with teachers in the Horace Mann Nursery Division, Lower Division, or Middle School as teachers' assistants and student teachers.