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Faculty, staff, and adjuncts are required to have chair/supervisor approval prior to submitting a proposal.
Regular Courses: Due April 4, 2025
Adjuncts and staff: Winter Study Regular Course Proposal form
Williams faculty: CourseLeaf
The Winter Study Program Committee use these criteria during the course proposal review.
Travel Courses: Due February 10, 2025
Prior to submitting the Winter Study Travel Course Proposal form, please review the Winter Study Travel Course Guidelines to ensure your proposal meets the expectations of the Winter Study Program Committee.
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Winter Study 99s present unparalleled opportunities for experiential education. Sponsors play a crucial role in assuring the educational value of the 99 experience by guiding student preparation, assisting in project design, and monitoring execution and analysis through appropriate evaluation.
If you lack experience in the subject matter of a student’s proposal, the student must cite and consult with a faculty member who has relevant expertise. If neither you nor the student seeking guidance know an appropriate alternative sponsor, refer the student to [email protected].
When you agree to sponsor a Winter Study 99, you should strongly emphasize to the student the importance of submitting a well-thought-out, complete and detailed proposal. Proposals not thoughtfully completed will be denied. Projects that take students away from campus should be thought of as exceptional. The nature of the project should dictate its being off-campus rather than the desire to leave campus dictating the nature of the project.
Sponsor’s Checklist
Sponsors should review the student’s proposal confirming that it satisfies the following conditions:
- Preparation: The student’s proposal provides evidence of adequate preparation to engage in the project being proposed.
- Content: The proposed project is focused, specific, and feasible. Learning goals are clearly indicated in the student’s proposal.
- Preparatory Materials: Students describe the preparatory materials needed for their project—reading list, annotated bibliography, archival materials, transcripts, videos, etc. If the project is a research project, the student describes the research methodology including how they will do interviews and/or outreach. Note: If a student’s project involves human subjects in some way (e.g., interviews), the methodology should be cleared with the Institutional Review Board. Here is more information about Williams College policy as it relates to human subjects.
- Evaluation: The product to be graded is appropriate. Note: Common forms of evaluation are a research paper, a performance, a multimedia presentation, or an exhibition—a daily journal is not adequate. If you are sponsoring a GROUP project, each participant describes their own work to be graded.
Here is the online Sponsor form.
Note that all Winter Study work must be completed and in the sponsor's hands by the last day of Winter Study.