Students may register for directed reading classes under the supervision of a faculty member. Unlike other classes, however, a Directed Reading class is independent because you and the faculty member decide on the topic, course materials, and course expectations together.
The Directed Reading class is suited perfectly for exploring the state-of-the-art of a particular topic or for catching up with the latest research papers in a particular area. It is targeted for those graduate students who plan to graduate with a MS (thesis option) or a PhD.
The student and faculty member need to compose a directed reading syllabus as a written proposal before the start of the semester. This includes readings, assignments to be completed, what will be done during the semester, the outcomes or the credits earned and arrangements for frequency and type of communication between the student and faculty member.