Contract Courses, Fellowships, and Travel Projects 

Students can contract an individualized learning experience during any term, including Exploration Term, earning a quarter-unit to a full unit as part of their regular course load. Students may also contract non-credit-bearing experiential learning contracts (designated rise3). Working in collaboration with a faculty sponsor, individualized learning contracts empower students to investigate an area of study, professional practice, or issue of interest to them. For example, students might conduct research, do fieldwork, complete an internship, engage the community, or design their own course - any of which might incorporate domestic or international travel. 

How do I develop an individualized learning contract? 

Designing the perfect contract depends on your interests and goals. Start planning early in the term prior to the term you want to complete the contract; learning contracts are due at the time of registration for the upcoming term.  The main activities to crafting a contract include: identifying your learning goals; meeting with faculty and staff mentors; outlining the shape of your project; and submitting the learning contract.   

• Identify learning goals.  Drawing from your personal experiences, observations, and prior course work, identify an issue or concern that you want to learn more about, and, more importantly, why you want to learn about these things. Think specifically about how you will be different as a result of this self-designed learning experience. Consider your learning goals for all contract types: teaching fellowships, research investigations, internships, or community engagement.   
• Solicit feedback.  Work with a faculty member and other mentors including Krulak Institute staff, to identify the resources needed to meet your learning goals.  Think specifically about the relevant disciplinary literature you will need to read, as well as access to people or places that can support your learning goals.  You will need a faculty sponsor for the project.   

Resources for developing an internship can be found here.  

Resources for incorporating international travel into your contract can be found here.  

Resources for conducting research with a faculty member can be found here.

• Outline the project. Working with a faculty sponsor and other mentors, develop a plan for your project, including how you will spend your time, the specific outcomes or products you will produce at each stage, and the criteria you will employ to determine if your project was successful.   Think of your contract as your own syllabus for the course of study you are creating for yourself.   
• Submit the proposal. Finalize your contract with your faculty sponsor and submit it as a proposal. A faculty committee will review and approve your proposal, providing feedback if necessary. Once your proposal is approved, you will be registered for the project and it will appear on your course schedule for the upcoming term.   

The contract learning submission form is available here.  

An individualized major is created in response to specific needs and interests of the student. Students might craft an individualized major given specific career interests, plans for post-graduate study, or simply to better fulfill personal learning interests.  

How do I create an individualized major? 

To initiate the process, first-year and sophomore students should make appointments to consult their faculty advisor, other faculty mentors, and the appropriate Krulak Institute staff member. They can provide guidance on crafting specific learning goals, determining which course offerings would support the intended major, think creatively about individualized learning experiences within the major, and determine course sequencing, expectations, and capstone requirements.