IR HUM: Student Course Proposal and Application

Interested students should apply for admission into the IRHUM program as soon as possible upon completion of general education requirements (typically by the end of the second year and, except in extraordinary circumstances, no later than the end of Autumn Quarter of the third year). Transfer students in particular are urged to apply at the earliest point that they can.

• Applications currently accepted on a rolling basis. 

To be eligible for consideration and before you submit an application, you must

• Carefully review all of the program of study information provided on the IRHUM catalogue page: http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/thecollege/Inquiryresearchhumanities/
• Consult with the IRHUM Faculty Chair and/or Co-Chair, to discuss the feasibility of designing and implementing the planned study and research program.
• Consult with your Academic Advisor to audit your course proposal and ensure it appears to meet all requisite degree completion requirements and can be successfully accomplished.
• Confirm that you have a minimum B average in your preceding course work (you will be asked to submit a transcript to prove this).

After your consultation, you may submit a complete application that includes the following components: 

• Two-part written proposal that is error-free, succinct, and well-crafted language in order to receive full consideration. 
  • Part One: Motivation Statement: The first part of the proposal consists of a 750-word motivation statement, explaining the student’s intellectual motivation and academic preparation for embarking on an individualized program of humanistic inquiry, and describing in broad outlines the research interest(s), as well as the program of study to pursue those interests. Students are encouraged to briefly describe questions and/or specific topics they may explore in a BA thesis, as well as the names of up to three potential faculty members with a rationale for their choices. This will further clarify the student's intentions for the IRHUM major and its culminating research experience for the review committee. 
  • Part Two: Course Prospectus: The second part of the proposal consists of a list of courses that comprise a potential program of study described in the motivation statement. This list may include courses the student has already taken as well as courses the student intends to take. While a list of proposed courses is a required part of the application, it is understood that these will undergo modification contingent on the availability of courses from year to year. Please note: this is a proposal and the committee appreciates that it will likely change over the course of the major. That said, any major changes to the course prospectus must be discussed with and approved by the IRHUM Co-Chair and then forwarded to the student’s College adviser.
  • Updated transcript (please pull an unofficial copy from your MyUChicago account and upload a pdf. Screenshots will not be accepted)