Independent research is an individual effort and may be undertaken for academic credit with the prior approval of the student’s faculty advisor, the appropriate division chair, and the Office of Graduate Academic Services. The student is responsible for recruiting their own faculty advisor and obtaining the advisor’s consent and commitment before applying for an independent research project. Students work closely with the faculty advisor throughout the project. Authorization for an independent research project requires writing and submitting a formal proposal in accordance with the standards set forth by the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business. Independent research projects are considered to be electives and may be taken for either 1.5 or 3 course credits. If a student wishes to complete more than 3 credits of independent research, they may contract for more than one project, for a maximum of 6 elective credits toward the degree. Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 to qualify for an independent research project. Any student interested in registering for independent research should visit the student portal for more information.
To pursue independent research:
- Part-time MBA students must have completed at least 12 credits of core
- One-Year and Two-Year MBA students must have completed their first semester of core
- DBA students are not eligible for independent research elective projects. For rules and regulations about DBA dissertations students should contact the Office of Doctoral Studies.