The directed reading program (DRP) pairs motivated undergraduates with graduate students to learn a topic together. Please see the document below for a list of sample categories and past course descriptions. Undergraduates with questions about the program or suggestions for future topics should email me, as should graduate students interested in mentoring.
Program description and sample topics
Stay tuned for application information!
Interested undergraduates will fill out a short application form, to be made available at the end of August. It will be due on Friday, September 6 at 5:00PM ET. When applying, you will propose a topic you would like to study; see the sample topics above for inspiration, but do not feel limited by them! Applicants will be notified of a decision shortly thereafter and registered in advance of the add/drop/swap deadline. If you have questions, please reach out to Ylli, Guangqiu, or Mitchell by email!
Students should select a topic of their interest when applying to the program, in order to be matched with an appropriate graduate mentor. Some potential/past categories are listed below, but you are encouraged to suggest a topic not listed! See the sample topics document above for selected DRP ideas.
Course credit will be offered to participating undergraduates who are not at or exceeding the credit limit, in the form of a 1-credit directed study course! The grading basis for this course is S/U. To obtain a satisfactory grade, participating students are expected to engage with the selected text independently, meet weekly with their mentor to discuss the material, and give a short presentation to their peers at the end of the semester.
Historic list of all past DRP projects can be found on our past project page.
The DRP is currently organized by graduate students Ylli Andoni, Alex Dunbar, Guangqiu Liang, Shilpi Mandal, and Mitchell Scott, with faculty advisor Prof. David Borthwick. If you are interested in joining the committee, please reach out!