The Enriched Independent Study Unit program is a unique hybrid model of online and in-person education which allows students to develop their own research projects. Students will complete the stages toward crafting a research proposal online before coming to Toronto to conduct original primary research in their field. This project can be used as the Independent Study Unit (ISU) component of an Ontario secondary school credit course, as long as it meets one or more of the course curriculum’s specific expectations outlined by the Ontario Ministry of Education. These curriculum documents can be found at: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/subjects.html

Students will be mentored by educators, scholars, and others who have done extensive independent research. This program is based on the rigorous format of these mentors’ post-graduate university experiences. Stages 1 to 4 are flexible and can be completed online in as little as two weeks (or take more than five weeks). For Stages 5 to 6 (in-person delivery formats), the suggested timeline of stay in Toronto is two weeks, though some flexibility will be allowed depending on the research. Students, however, must meet the strict deadline for successful completion before the academic conference / gala. Stage 6 (academic conference / gala) will have a fixed date for all students in the same cohort of the program.