Letter of Intent to Offer a Previously Approved
Off-Campus Interim Course

If an instructor is repeating an off-campus interim course that has been taught within the past four years, it is sufficient to submit a letter of intent that provides the information listed below. For courses to be taught in January 2008, this letter should be submitted by November 10, 2006.

The Letter of Intent must include:

  1. Title of the course and course number.
  2. Pre-requisites required for applicants.
  3. Any major, concentration or GE attributes offered in the course. (Please indicate those that have been previously approved and those for which you intend to make a new application.)
  4. Indicate any major changes you plan to make in the itinerary, activities or course assignments. (If the changes amount to a significantly different course, IDOCS may request that you provide more detailed information.)
  5. A tentative syllabus as well as an itinerary.
  6. A preliminary budget.
    • Work with your liaison in the Off-Campus Studies Office in preparing the budget estimate
    • The budget form for 2008 Interim programs is available at http://www.stolaf.edu/committees/idocs_interimbudform.pdf or through your liaison in IOS.
    • The final budget for 2008 will be developed prior to March 1, 2007 in collaboration with your IOS office liaison.
  7. The Letter of intent must include the signature of the Instructor and the Department Chair.

Note: IDOCS needs to be assured that all off-campus interim proposals adhere to the following guidelines. If the resubmitted course proposal changes what has been reported in the previously approved version of the course, indicate how each matter will be handled differently this time around.

  • The approximate number and nature of contact hours planned for the course (may include: class meetings, lectures by the instructor or guest lecturers, and supervised course-related activities) should total 40 or more hours.
  • The number of instructional days for the course should be a minimum of 24 days and a maximum of 28 days, including travel to and from the sites.
  • Course proposals should clearly indicate how the instructor plans to determine a final course grade for the students. (In the absence of a precise break-down of the grading scheme, a general statement regarding assessment of student learning is acceptable.)
  • In conformity with the Registrar’s Office’s regulations for on-campus interim courses, all student assignments should be turned in no later than the final day of scheduled activities for the off-campus interim