The program alternates two nine-day intensive residency periods each calendar year with 6 months of individually guided independent study. During the nine-day residencies, students attend study skills workshops, faculty presentations, and choose faculty advisors. They then work with those advisors individually and in small study groups to plan their customized learning contract for the next 6 months. The residency is a time for self-renewal and reflection, academic preparation and the formation of study and support networks. Residencies are held quarterly at a conference center thirty miles north of Boston.
Participants live at the residency site unless their homes are close by and they prefer to commute.
If students live more than 500 miles from Lesley University and have earned more than 60 academic credits, they may arrange to attend a single 20-day residency. Details regarding this option are available from the IRO program office. For students within traveling distance of Cambridge, mid-semester meetings are held quarterly on the Cambridge campus. Between residencies, students prepare independent projects with careful guidance from faculty advisors, and in certain cases, with the help of consultants and field supervisors. On average, students earn between 12 and 16 credits each semester.