Thesis

(3-6 Credit Hours)

EDUC 696 /EDUC 697  or MGMT 696 /MGMT 697  Prerequisite: EDUC 601 /MGMT 601  or EDUC 602 /MGMT 602  and Permission of the Dean of Graduate Programs 

A student may select to propose to complete a Thesis which involves a formal research of a topic related to the student’s field of interest. It can conform to experimental, descriptive, or historical approaches, and is presented in the most current standard APA (American Psychological Association) five-chapter configuration. Unlike an Action Research Project, the focus of the endeavor will not be the participant’s own teaching situation. The student’s Faculty Mentor and the Dean of Graduate Programs grant approval of the project.

EDUC 696 - Thesis/Action Research Project I /EDUC 697 - Thesis/Action Research Project II  or MGMT 696 - Thesis/Action Research Project I /MGMT 697 - Thesis/Action Research Project II  may be chosen to be completed within one single project or by two separate projects. Thesis part(s) is/are to be completed within the semester in which the student is approved for.

The criteria as identified in the approved description include:

1. The student is to have completed the required research courses, EDUC 601 - Study Design & Data Collection  or MGMT 601 - Study Design and Data Collection  and/or EDUC 602 - Statistical Methods & Data Analysis  or MGMT 602 - Statistical Methods & Data Analysis .
2. The Thesis should relate to the student’s practitioner status or interest.
3. The Thesis represents the culmination of the program. The intention is for this Thesis to be completed near the end of the program. Some judgment needs to be exercised by the Faculty Mentor in determining what constitutes “near the end,” but the recommended time for registering for the project would be after completing a minimum of 27 hours of the approved program.

The requirements for completion of the Master of Science Degree Thesis are as follows:

1. The student consults with the Dean of Graduate Programs to arrange for a Faculty Mentor and to discuss potential topics and procedures for the Thesis. The Faculty Mentor oversees the thesis process.
2. The student discusses the timeline for the completion of the Thesis with his/her Faculty Mentor.
3. Request a faculty member of your choice to serve and the mentor for your research project and then complete the Permission to Register/Acceptance form required for the action research project (EDUC 696  or MGMT 696 ). This form will be found on the Graduate Programs webpage, under Current | Perspective Students. Submit the form to the Dean of Graduate Programs who will arrange for your registration in the course and verify the Faculty Mentor assigned to oversee your project.
   1. Statement of essential topic (e.g., thesis statement) and rationale for the Thesis
   2. Brief, preliminary review of literature
   3. Description of procedures to be followed, including the timeline with estimated completion date
   4. Description of population (if applicable)
   5. Assessment strategies
   6. Projected conclusions (i.e., hypothesis), if applicable
4. The Faculty Mentor arranges a meeting with the student to review proposal and note corrections and suggestions. The revised proposal is submitted to the Dean of Graduate Programs to determine if project is exempt from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process. If the project is exempt, the student proceeds under the direction of the Faculty Mentor. If IRB approval is necessary, the Board will consider the proposal and may request additional information. If the project is not approved by the IRB, the student returns to Step #3 and proceeds with the approval process. When approved, the Faculty Mentor notes this on the Permit to Register Form.
5. The Office of Graduate Programs will be in contact with the approval of Action Research Project(s) submitted. Once, approved Action Research Project(s) work may begin and should be completed within the semester assigned.
6. The student begins the Thesis. Student meets electronically with the Faculty Mentor at regularly- scheduled sessions. It is the responsibility of the Faculty Mentor to monitor progress.
7. The student presents the completed Thesis to the Faculty Mentor for review and possible recommendation of revisions. The Thesis may be a minimum of 10 pages for every credit hour received.
8. The student revises if necessary.
9. A copy of the final Master of Science Degree Thesis to be submitted electronically to the Faculty Mentor.
10. The Faculty Mentor reviews the completed thesis and approves or rejects the completed thesis.
11. Faculty Mentor submits the final Master of Science Degree Thesis and the Acceptance Form to the Dean of Graduate Programs.
    1. Final Thesis is archived in the Office of Graduate Programs.
12. The Faculty Mentor assigns the appropriate final grade to the Dean of Graduate Programs.
13. The Dean of Graduate Programs submits the final grade to the Student Records Office.
14. If the Thesis is not completed during a regular grading period, the Faculty Mentor may recommend a grade of “Incomplete.”
    1. “Incomplete” coursework must be completed within two years of the original semester started or grade will academically roll to an ‘F’.