PROCEDURES, PROTOCOLS, & HINTS
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TO GET IN
1. Admission to Graduate study at UNI now available online at http://www.grad.uni.edu/admission/ . The minimum undergraduate grade point average (GPA) for admission is 3.00 . Complete an Application to Graduate at: http://www.grad.uni.edu/admission/applicationform.aspx , specifying degree choice on the application (821= MA Science Education, 827=MA Earth Science Emphasis, or 828=Physics Emphasis). Send the fee of $30.00 (payable by credit card if application is submitted on line) and application to the Office of the Registrar. Make arrangements to file official transcripts with UNI for bachelors degree and course work taken after your bachelors degree. Your application must list ALL institutions from which you have completed course work, starting with your bachelors degree to the present. The Graduate Records Exam (GRE) is NOT required for graduate work in Science Education at UNI.
2. Apply for Admission to Graduate study in Science Education:
a) Complete an Application to Graduate Study in Science Education (see Appendix I) and send to the Chair of Science Education, McCollum Science Hall 153, UNI, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0296.
b) If interested in a graduate assistantship and tuition stipend, obtain the application forms from the Chair of Science Education and return them to the Science Ed. Chair at the above address. Graduate Teaching Assistantships are available each year. Decisions awarding these are made in early March.
3. Acceptance and Initial Faculty Advisor:
You will receive a letter from Graduate Admissions once your application materials are complete. You will then receive a letter indicating your acceptance into graduate study in Science Education at UNI. You will be assigned a faculty advisor by the Chair of Science Education based on the information included on the Science Education application form, or you may ask a Science Education Faculty member to serve as your advisor and inform the Chair of your preference. A list of Science Education Faculty can be found on the Science Education home page at: http://www.science-ed.uni.edu/ . Click on the link "About Sci Ed". Pursue the assignment of an advisor if one is not assigned in a reasonable time frame as this is one of the keys to a successful graduate career.
4. Foreign Language/TESOL Exams:
TESOL exam scores are required for all International students for program admission. Science Education has no language requirements associated with the earning and awarding of the M.A. degree.
5. Connecting with MyUniverse:
Upon being admitted to UNI you will be assigned a student number. (If you previously attended/graduated from UNI you will reassume your previous student number). This number is your entree' into two UNI systems: Email and MyUniverse. See: https://access.uni.edu/help/new_stdt.html for instructions how to set you username and password. See: http://www.uni.edu/its/us/email/FAQs/FirstTimeUsers.htm for email instructions.
Usefulness of your “MyUniverse” portal:
- UNI email access
- Checking your U-bill
- Accessing student request form
- Accessing transfer credit evaluation form
- Accessing application to graduate form
- Accessing your Program of Study. You should do this at least twice a year .
- Numerous other connections such as Financial Aid, Rod Library, registration, etc.
TO CONTINUE
1. Meet with your advisor.
Meet with your advisor by phone, email or in person as soon as you have your advisor's name. Discuss MA options and initial course enrollment.
2. Graduate program requirements.
The MA in Science Education has one major: MA Science Education and can be taken in the generic form or as one of 2 emphases [Physics Education, Earth Science Education].
3. Program of Study.
Upon your admission to the MA in Science Education Program an official Program of Study is automatically created. The Program of Study (see Appendix G) lists all five required courses, research hours, and has locations for content and elective courses.
As you take courses other than these they are listed under “university electives”. For those courses which you and your adviser agree should apply to your program, you will need to file a Student Request to move the courses from “university electives” to either “content electives” or “open electives”. See section 8 for Student Request procedures. Student requests can be filed multiple times to update your Program.
4. Course Requirements
5. Course Offerings
6. Course Load
7. Research Credit
8. Expiration of Credits
9. Continuation Fee
TO GET OUT
1. Thesis versus Non-thesis Options.
The difference between the two options for the MA Science Education is based on the extent of independent research and creative activity. The number of research hours and the hours of course work are slightly different on the two options. Students choosing the thesis route are expected to do more extensive, independent and original work in a data collection research study. The Non-thesis option requires more course work and a less extensive product, ranging from a research paper to a creative component or a NBPTS certification portfolio. Students anticipating further graduate work (Doctoral degree) are advised to choose the thesis option.
2. Non-thesis Option: Comprehensive Exam.
A written comprehensive exam covering the core courses and research methods is required. More specific information can be found in Appendix E .
3. Thesis Option: Thesis Defense.
Students are required to present the research at a public thesis presentation. More information can be found in Appendix D .
4. Graduate Program Check List.
A check list for monitoring progress through your degree program is included
in Appendix A.
5. Graduating - Both Options.
Work with your advisor to submit an "Application for Graduation" available in your MyUniverse portal (link at the top of all Science Education web pages). This should be submitted by midterm of the semester of the summer session when you plan to graduate. You will be placed on the list of graduates. [It is easy to get off the graduate list, it is nearly impossible to get on it once the deadline has passed!]. If you are pursuing the thesis option, you must meet all time lines established by the Graduate College for thesis review and submission. Dates are available directly from the Graduate College on-line at http://www.grad.uni.edu/thesis/dates.aspx .
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THESIS OPTION
Thesis Committee:
The thesis committee consists of 3 UNI Faculty members, at least two of which must be Science Education Faculty, one of them serving as the Chair and major research advisor. Your initial faculty advisor may serve as the Thesis Committee Chair and act as your major research advisor, or if the area of research warrants, a new major advisor can be selected and become the Thesis Committee Chair. The thesis committee assists the student in defining course work, in research design, and in the writing of the thesis. The committee eventually accepts or rejects the thesis. Committee members must be selected before the research project is designed and conducted. Committee members should be chosen with the assistance of the major advisor.
Research:
It is strongly recommended that a research methods course precede initiation of the research project. A written proposal outlining the project must be presented to the entire committee BEFORE the study is started. If the study involves any human participants, a form must be submitted to the Institutional Review Board at UNI for approval to proceed.
The thesis option requires six (6) hours of research credit. These six (6) hours may be taken in any combination at any time during the program, but should not be started until some direction in research has been determined by the student and the major advisor. All research hours will receive a Research Continued (RC) designation until the completion of the thesis.
Thesis Preparation:
Samples of theses are available in the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) in McCollum Science Hall 160. Your advisor may also have samples available for you to review. Information regarding the preparation of the thesis is in the University Catalog as well as the Graduate College Thesis and Dissertation Manual http://www.grad.uni.edu/thesis/thesismanual.aspx . Science Education uses APA style, 5 th edition; however, the Graduate College manual supersedes this style in certain instances (such as margins and reference pages). Information regarding the preparation of the thesis is in Appendix D.
Thesis Presentation:
You will be required to present your research and finding in a public these presentation. This must be held before officially submitting the thesis to the graduate college. See the Graduate College calendar for semester deadlines at: http://www.grad.uni.edu/thesis/dates.aspx. More complete Thesis Option information is included in Appendix D.
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NON-THESIS OPTION
Major Advisor's Role:
The major advisor lends advice in creating your program of study. S/He also acts as the supervisor of the non-thesis component. Once you have decided on your non-thesis option, you and your advisor should select an Outside Reader who will read one of the drafts of your component.
Non-course requirements:
It is strongly recommended that the research methods course precede initiation of the non-thesis component. A written project proposal must be presented to the major advisor and to the Outside Reader BEFORE the project is started. The Non-thesis option requires three (3) hours of research credit. These three (3) hours may be taken in any combination at any time during the program, but should not be started until some direction for this option has been determined by the student and the major advisor. It is advisable to have decided which option to pursue by the time you have completed approximately one half of your course work. All research hours will receive a Research Continued (RC) designation until the completion of the creative component.
The final product will vary depending upon which option is chosen. (see Appendix E).
Non-thesis Options:
Non-thesis options can take various forms: a school-based project, a capstone research project culminating in a research paper, curriculum design, a technology project, etc. Your major advisor and your Outside Reader must approve the final product.
There are three options from which to choose.
#1) A research paper
#2) A creative component or
#3) A NBPTS certification portfolio.
See Appendix E for a full description of each option. Samples of all options are available in the Science Education Resource Center, McCollum Science Hall 160.. Science Education uses the APA 5 th edition style manual for written projects.
Comprehensive exam:
At the end of the course work portion of the non-thesis program the student will take and successfully complete a comprehensive exam. This exam is designed to assess competence in the course work in the program. The major advisor organizes the exam and the questions are written by the professors teaching the courses on the program of study. The exam consists of four (4) questions created to synthesize what was learned in the required core courses. If portions of the exam must be retaken, the advisor will consult you and reschedule the question(s). The comprehensive exam must be successfully completed and the advisor must file a "Report on Comprehensive Exam and/or Research Paper" upon completion of the non-thesis component.
Your final non-thesis component should be submitted no later than one week prior to the date of graduation for the semester or summer session. Three (3) copies should be mailed or delivered to the Science Education secretary, McCollum Science Hall 153. These copies will be professionally bound (one for the SERC, one for your major advisor, and one for you).
More complete Non-Thesis Option information is included in Appendix E .
Full Comprehensive Exam guidelines are included in Appendix F.
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