North Carolina Central University

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REG - 10.01.2 Instruction of Independent Study Courses Regulation

Authority:
Chancellor
Responsible Office:
Academic Affairs
Contact:
Office of the Provost, [email protected], 919-530-6230
History:
Approved July 9, 2014; Revised August 10, 2017, Last revised & approved on April 27, 2026
Related Links:

1. Purpose

The purpose of this regulation is to define the terms and limitations associated with teaching an Independent Study course.

2.  Scope

This regulation applies to all instructional full-time faculty members employed at North Carolina Central University, including tenured, tenure-track, and special faculty appointments.

3. Definitions

3.1   Instructional Teaching Load: The number of courses or semester credit hours each full-time faculty member is expected to teach in a semester or an academic year.

3.2   Standard Annual Instructional Teaching Load: The number of organized courses a full-time faculty member is assigned during an academic year.

3.3 Special Faculty Appointments: Faculty appointments that are non-tenure track and typically established for specific, limited, or specialized purposes. These appointments may include, but are not limited to, adjunct, visiting, clinical, research or lecturer positions. Individuals in special faculty appointments are generally employed on a fixed-term contract and may have responsibilities focused on teaching, research, or service as defined by their appointment terms, but are not eligible for tenure.

4. Faculty Workload

The normal instructional teaching load at NCCU is twelve (12) hours a semester for undergraduate courses and nine (9) hours a semester for faculty who only teach graduate courses. The instructional teaching load of faculty in professional schools is based on accrediting body requirements, which may vary from the normal instructional teaching load at the University.

5. Independent Study Courses

5.1   A faculty member assigned a full load may teach one Independent Study course per semester, with any exception requiring the approval of the respective dean.

5.2   Independent Study courses are excluded from the calculation of the instructional teaching load for review and monitoring of instructional teaching load for full-time faculty.

5.3   Each College and School shall include an agreed upon listing of all independent study courses in the University Undergraduate Catalog and the Graduate School Course Catalog for courses that qualify as independent study courses for each respective College or School.

6. Compensation

Payment for teaching an Independent Study course shall be included in the faculty member’s annual salary. An Independent Study course does not qualify as an “overload contract” pursuant to Section 6.1.3 of the 2017 NCCU Faculty Handbook that would entitle a faculty member to receive a separate contract for teaching a course overload.