OSSISURB

FAQS:

• General Ossisurb faqs
• oss faqs
• research faqs
• is faqs
• other faqs

GeneraL OSSISURB FAQS

Q: How do I register for an OSSISURB activity?

A: See registration information.

Q: I am thinking about doing an Independent Study (or OSS or research project) that will involve related engineering and AHS topics. Should I apply for ENGR credit or AHS credit?

A: You can split the credits between the two disciplines. For example, you could do a 4 credit IS, with 2 ENGR credits and 2 AHS credits. The application form allows you to fill in the number and type of credits. Note that you can have up to two types of credit for one project, and you can only use integer numbers of credits.

Q: Can I get OSSISURB credit for working on a student design competition?

A: Maybe. However, you would need to find an advisor willing to agree to a Plan of Study and Assessment Plan. Usually, working on a design competition itself would not qualify, but you might augment your work on the design competition in order to build up an activity that has the required components, including a Plan of Study and Assessment Plan. You might prefer to apply for Passionate Pursuit credit.

Q: I registered for the Olin Self Study (or IS or research) during Spring Registration. Do I need to hand a project coversheet to the Registrar?

A: Yes.

Your spring registration was mainly a placeholder. The project coversheet provides a way to keep track of the projects that everyone is working on, as well as the learning and assessment plan that goes with it. The project coversheet lets the Registrar know that faculty members have agreed to the Plan of Study and Assessment Plan. If you do not hand in the project coversheet by the end of the Add Period, the Registrar will be forced to drop you from the activity.

Q: Can I have a Wellesley {Brandeis, Babson} faculty member supervise my OSS, IS or R activity?

A: No.

The OSSISURB policy and precedent is that an OSSISURB activity requires supervision by an Olin faculty, including supplying a grade (or P/NC) for the activity. The policy is in place for two main reasons:
1) To make sure that only Olin faculty are responsible for supplying grades to Olin students.
2) To make sure that Olin College does not strain our relationship with Wellesley (and our other partners) by asking for too many faculty resources.

OSS FAQs

Q: How do I register for an OSS activity?

A: See registration information.

Q: How do I submit my final OSS report?

A: Archiving OSS Deliverables

Q: Do all 4 credits of my OSS need to be related? I'm finding that I'm not that interested in my OSS topic anymore but I did a 2 credit study last semester. Could I do another 2 in another topic, or would I just have to do another 4 if I wanted to pick something else?

A: The OSS is meant to be a single 4 credit activity. Some students find that splitting the schedule for the work (nominally 12 hours per week) is best done over two semester, but the credits cannot be split between two projects. The reason for this, under the current system, is to encourage a self-motivated, self-run project of depth and rigor commensurate with a full length Olin course. However, it is possible to revise your project plan during the course of the project. You are encouraged to work with your faculty advisor to realign your project with your interests.

You may choose to restart the OSS with a new 4 credit project.

Research FAQs

Q: How do I register for an Research activity?

A: See registration information.

Q: I started working on a Research-F project with a faculty member, but found that I could not spend as much time as I had intended once the semester got going. Can I change the number of credits? What if I wanted to drop the project altogether?

A: The application process wherein students write a Plan of Study and Assessment Plan are intended to make you think about and plan for the number of degree credits you want. First, you should try to take into account how busy your semester will be before you commit to too many credit-hours. (Remember, 1 credit = 3 hours/week). But, if you do find yourself in the situation described above, you have several options. You have until the end of drop period (around the 45th day of classes) to drop the activity completely. You can also reduce the number of credits anytime up until the Last Day to Drop, however you can only add credits through the end of the Add period. After the Drop date, you can withdraw from the activity, but you will receive a "W" on your transcript. Of course, you should discuss these options with your faculty adviser before you take any action!

Q: I have a great idea for a research project, but I'm not sure how to go about making it happen. Can I get funding to cover the supplies I will need? How do I find a faculty adviser?

A: First, you will need to develop your idea to a point where you can clearly state the objectives of your work, and how you will go about achieving those objectives. Second, you need to find a faculty adviser willing to oversee your work. If you have no idea who is qualified to advise your project, start with your academic adviser or another faculty member you know, and ask for suggestions. You should feel free to approach faculty members directly. Tell them about your idea and ask for feedback. You will need a faculty member to agree to advise you before you can apply to OSSISURB. To apply, carefully read the guidelines, and follow the instructions on the application. Research projects are all eligible for funding - you will need to submit a detailed budget request, along with a copy of of your coversheet, directly to ossisurb@lists.olin.edu.

Independent study FAQs

Q: How do I register for an IS activity?

A: See registration information.

Q: Can I do an Independent Study to learn the material covered in a class that doesn't fit into my schedule?

A: No, independent studies may not be done in place of regularly offered classes at Olin, Wellesley, Babson or Brandeis. Independent studies are meant to expand your options beyond those classes offered at BBOW, and this policy helps us preserve the resource of faculty time.

Q: I know that I can do my Olin Self Study as part of my SCOPE project, but I'm also thinking about developing my own project. What are the advantages and disadvantages of these two options?

A: The clear advantage in doing your OSS as part of your SCOPE project is that you will be learning material that is directly applicable to the SCOPE project you are working on. Your SCOPE adviser is already committed to advising your OSS and you can coordinate with the other students on your SCOPE team to cover all the topics that may be critical to success of your project. However, we don't want to limit students who have other ideas for projects, and therefore you may apply to do a non-SCOPE OSS. See the new definition of OSS to help you define your project.

Q: I'm a senior now, and I did a 4 credit independent study last year. Can I count this as my Olin Self Study?

A: Sorry. This was only an option for the Class of 2006.

Q: I did a research project in 2004 worth 2 non-degree credits. Can I apply to retroactively get degree credit for this activity?

A: Starting in Fall 2005, students can get degree credit for research. However, the new policy is not retroactive. No credit will be awarded for prior activities.

other faqs

Q: How do you pronounce OSSISURB?

A: There are many variations. We like ozzy-surb, ah-sys-surb, and oh-sy-surb. You can come up with your own variation!