Independent Work
Conducting research while living in the part of the world about which you are writing can enrich any scholarly effort and firmly establish the link between foreign study and Princeton departmental work. In some departments, independent work can be supervised by an on-site adviser, appointed by Princeton, who will guide you in your project and alert you to local resources that pertain to your research. Your on-site adviser evaluates your paper and assigns a grade that is sent to Princeton and recorded on your Princeton transcript. In other departments, a faculty member on the Princeton campus will advise you. You will need to keep your long-distance adviser apprised of your progress by e-mail, phone, or Skype. Even if a faculty member at Princeton is supervising your independent work, you should seek advice from professors/scholars on-site. Princeton faculty can often help you identify useful contacts abroad.
Most complications that arise when doing independent work in a new environment can be circumvented by planning ahead, keeping in touch with your adviser, and by designing a project that takes advantage of what the host country offers.
Your Study Abroad Proposal lists the deadline (postmark date) for completing your independent work. Be sure to note this date!
As is the case with students on campus, you may request an extension if circumstances beyond your control prevent you from meeting the independent work deadline. Taking early stock of research conditions, including such matters as library borrowing privileges and hours of operation, is a good way to avoid last-minute panic. But if your best-laid plans fail you, do not hesitate to contact Mell Bolen, Director, Study Abroad Program, to ask for more time. Extensions must be approved by your departmental representative, the adviser in charge of independent work, and the Office of International Programs, in consultation with your college dean.