INDEPENDENT STUDY IN THE LONDON PROGRAM.

Students wishing to undertake independent research while they are in London are invited to apply to the London Program to receive up to three independent study credits for their work. If the application is successful, these three credits will count as part of a student's 15 credits on the London Program. Such applications will be entertained by the London Program only if the project is supervised by a Notre Dame faculty member on campus and full academic credit is being awarded for the project by the appropriate department on campus. All applications should contain the following material:

• A "Letter of Introduction" from the supervising faculty member describing the nature of the research to be undertaken by the student: the student will need this letter to gain access to institutions where the research is to be conducted. The student should keep the original, but a copy of it should be filed with the London Program.

• A statement of any administrative and/or academic support that the London Program will be expected to provide to facilitate the research project.

• An "Independent Study Proposal" including:

• A summary of the research project and a list of the archives to be used;
• An outline of the nature and frequency of contact between the student and the supervising faculty member on campus; and
• Details of the assignments to be completed in the course of the research

Having accepted such an application, the London Program will then apply to the Registrar’s Office on behalf of the student for course registration details.  Applicants should note that the final decision in granting academic credit for independent study in the London Program lies with the appropriate department on campus. To ensure that registration proceeds smoothly and to enable us to take care of any special needs in a timely manner, applications must be submitted to the US office of the London Program at least one month before departure for London.

The London Program will provide successful applicants with as much support as it can. This usually entails giving general advice on practical matters regarding doing research in London; ensuring that students meet all their deadlines; and acting as a local liaison between students and sponsoring faculty members on campus. However, the London Program cannot take academic responsibility for research projects.

In support of these projects, we offer a limited number of grants to fund undergraduate research in the London Program. For further details, please click here.

Various other sources of funding are also available to help undergraduates carry out research while abroad.

Sponsoring faculty are usually in the best position to help students identify discipline-specific funding for these purposes. In addition, students may wish to explore funding opportunities provided by the following Notre Dame institutes and outside organizations:

•Notre Dame's Nanovic Centre for European Studies
•Notre Dame's Kellogg Institute for International Studies
•Notre Dame's Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies
•Notre Dame's Center for Social Concerns
•Notre Dame's Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts (Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program)
•The Forum on Education Abroad

Sometimes, these funds are designed to cover minor additional research expenses that a student may incur while in the London Program. Other grants may be used to prolong a student's stay in London to carry out research, or they may be used to facilitate a return journey to London to continue a piece of research.