IndieScholars.org presents
A 1-year program for advanced independent study
Next cohort starts July 29, 2025.

Our promise
Write and publish the best work of your life.
Build a platform, design a research agenda, connect with peers, and build an original body of work with feedback and support from a professional.
Justin Murphy
Justin Murphy received his PhD in 2014 and worked as a professor for 5 years before going independent on the internet in 2019.His research has appeared in IEEE Intelligent Systems, Foreign Affairs, International Studies Quarterly, and other peer-reviewed journals.Murphy now conducts his research and teaching on the internet full-time. He writes books, teaches online courses, and runs Other Life—a newsletter and podcast about philosophy and technology.Murphy started the first version of IndieScholars in 2019 because people started asking him for advice.

Curriculum
IndieScholars.org combines pre-recorded lecture videos and weekly group meetings with 1-on-1 project supervision in the style of MA and PhD programs. Over the course of 12 months.Over the first few weeks, we cover everything you need to know about building serious, long-term, independent writing projects on the internet. You'll build the infrastructure you need and begin writing. You'll receive focused, honest, and personal feedback periodically throughout the year, and you'll finish with a polished online web presence, a sustainable production system, the best writing you've ever produced in your life, and a clear plan for developing your project sustainably over time.Here are some of the things you'll learn:
The new playbook for reading, writing, and teaching as a vocation in the post-institutional era
How to identify your best and biggest idea
How to frame your best and biggest idea
How to position your work for a public audience
How to design a research agenda
How to publish consistently and effectively
Why "Personal Knowledge Management" is a myth
Why "Audience-Building" is a myth
How to plan, write, publish, and sell a book
How to design, teach, and sell courses
How to frame consulting and business services around your writing
The complete Indie Scholar model for building a full-time, 6-figure income reading, writing, and teaching on the internet
Course Details
Next cohort starts July 29, 2025.
Content
When you enroll, you'll be invited to book a first 1-on-1 call with me. We'll discuss your ideas and goals at length, and form an initial plan.Week 1• Private 1-on-1 Orientation (1 hour)
• Work through the curriculum on your own timeWeek 1-52• Group Q&A Sessions every Tuesday at 1pm CentralWeek 26• Private 1-on-1 Call for Review, Feedback, and Planning (1 hour)Week 52• Private 1-on-1 Call for Final Review, Feedback, and Planning (1 hour)
Community
After enrolling, you will receive an invitation to our private community.This is where participants share ideas, ask questions, exchange feedback, and organize extra-curricular events. The community also features a member directory and a searchable archive of all past discussions.The course community is private for participants in the course, but it's embedded in the larger Other Life community with 500+ academics, bloggers, authors, podcasters, Youtubers, founders, and investors working on long-term intellectual projects.
Your Work
It's great to build a public audience, but that's a long game.IndieScholars.org gives you a private audience of thoughtful readers and interlocutors straightaway.New posts in the "Share Your Work" section of the community frequently solicit dozens of thoughtful and constructive replies.Members of the community are frequently seeking podcast guests, interesting work to share with their audiences, startup co-founders, etc.
Hear what members are saying

Geoff Shullenberger, PhD
OutsiderTheory.com
"Immensely beneficial to me intellectually and personally. The library resources were essential for building my blog and podcast platforms, and the work sessions and conferences have helped me stay focused and productive."

Nina Power, PhD
NinaPower.net
"IndieScholars is the future: everything here is driven by genuine enthusiasm. Unlike contemporary academia, learning and communicating with others at IndieScholars encourages flourishing for all concerned."

Britt Olson, Screenwriter
"The IndieScholars community enabled me to create a fiction writing group with the kind of open-minded, generous people that I've been looking for."

Emmet Penney
Exhaust Podcast
"I don't think I'd have been willing to stake out my own turf and create my own content online if it wasn't for Justin Murphy and IndieScholars."
Frequently Asked Questions
Enroll
One-Time Payment
$3588
Private 1-on-1 project support over 1 year in the style of an MA/PhD
Self-paced video lecture curriculum
52 Weekly Group Q&A Sessions
Private course community with searchable member directory
Periodic community seminars in philosophy, social science, and other topics
12 Monthly Payments
$299
Private 1-on-1 project support over 1 year in the style of an MA/PhD
Self-paced video lecture curriculum
52 Weekly Group Q&A Sessions
Private course community with searchable member directory
Periodic community seminars in philosophy, social science, and other topics

IndieScholars.org presents
A 1-year program for advanced independent study
Next cohort starts July 29, 2025.
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