HDFS 291 is the course number for supervised individual study. A student who wants to pursue a specific topic in the field of HDFS that is not covered in a specific course offering may ask a program faculty member to supervise work on the topic. Students propose a topic of study and a rationale for it, including what prior HDFS course work applies to it, and then work out a detailed plan for the project with the faculty member, who must grant permission for enrollment. HDFS 291 does not count as a 200 level seminar or towards HDFS degree requirements for majors, major concentrators, minors or IDIMCs. In specific instances when a student is not able to schedule a required seminar or an approved substitute for it, the student may request to have the supervised study approved as a substitute for the requirement. Such substitutions must be approved by the HDFS program faculty.

The plan of the study must be detailed and approved in advance by the supervising faculty. It may be flexible, but the possible avenues within it must be specified in advance. The work must be at an advanced level and equivalent to the work in an advanced seminar of the same number of credits.