Concordia College

Degree Requirements

Degree and Graduation Requirements

Students graduate according to requirements published in the catalog at the time of their matriculation at Concordia, or any one subsequent catalog published during their enrollment. Students who are readmitted two years or more after their last enrollment must satisfy requirements published in the catalog in effect at the time of readmission, or any one subsequent catalog published during their enrollment. Completion or graduation rates for the general student body are available from the Office of the Registrar.

Graduate students are expected to read and adhere to the values and responsibilities of the academic integrity code as identified on Page 21.
Graduate students are expected to comply with the general academic policies of Concordia as stated on Pages 39-41 of the Catalog.

Generalal Degree Requirements
Number of Credits Required
Master of Education Degree

A minimum of 7.5 courses or 30 semester credits of graduate level coursework required. The graduate program shall indicate the type of culminating or capstone experience that shall be required as a condition of progressing to candidacy for the master’s degree. Examples may include a thesis, a written or oral comprehensive exam, performance or exhibition, consulting engagement, successful completion of a capstone course, evaluation of a portfolio, or a combination of these, as determined by the program requirements.

Examining Committee
The student selects a committee to supervise the development and completion of the thesis, comprehensive study or project paper. The chair of the committee has background, expertise or interest in the topic and/or methodology that the student wishes to pursue. The student is required to meet with the committee as soon as a draft proposal has been prepared. The committee will provide input on the subject area, literature review, and methodology. All committee members, except for the expert from the field, must hold graduate faculty status.

The examining committee will have a minimum of three members. The members consist of:

1. The major adviser, who is selected by the student with the approval of the dean of the college. The major adviser-student relationship must be a mutually acceptable one. The major adviser will act as chair of the student’s committee and will be in charge of the Plan of Study. The student and major adviser will submit a proposed list of remaining members for approval to the dean of the college.
2. A second member, who must be a full or associate member of the graduate faculty within the department or discipline
3. A third member, who must be a full or associate member of the graduate faculty from a different discipline and/or department or program
4. A fourth member, who could be either a faculty member or a qualified off-campus expert in the field, may be submitted in some situations.
Note: If a potential committee member does not have graduate status at the institution, temporary status must be obtained. Talk to your adviser for information.
Students will register for 699 or 696 during the semester in which the master’s project or thesis is initiated.

Research Involving Human Subjects
If the proposed research involves human subjects, the research plan or project will be reviewed by an approved university procedure to assure the protection and rights of those subjects and the procedure established for obtaining informed consent. No research of this type will be initiated until it has been approved by an examining committee and the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Forms are available in the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies or can be found at www4.cord.edu/acadaffairs/irb/default.asp. Allow at least four weeks during the academic year for IRB approval.

Degree Complpletion Procedures
Refer to deadlines for specific programs for submission of forms.

Proposed Plan of Study: Form 1
Students are assigned an academic adviser upon admission to a degree program. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with the adviser to develop their Plan of Study to meet degree requirements. The Plan of Study should be recorded on Form 1, along with the signatures of adviser, department chairperson, and dean of the college, and submitted to the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies for final approval and placement in the student’s official file.

Examining Committee, Topic Approval and Human Research: Form 2

The student determines a topic for the thesis/project in cooperation with the examining committee. The examining committee will assure that appropriate action by the Institutional Review Board has been taken. The student then submits Form 2 to the department chair and to the dean of the college, who give their formal approval of the members of the examining committee and the topic.

Human Subjects Review: If human subjects are involved in the research, it is incumbent upon the student to submit appropriate forms to the Institutional Review Board and to have written approval before the research may be undertaken.

Announcement of Oral Examination: Form 3

When students are prepared to take oral examinations following the completion of their thesis/project, they set the time, place and date in consultation with their examining committee. The oral exam shall take place by Nov. 15 or April 1 of the semester in which the student intends to complete the degree.
The request for Announcement of Oral Examination (Form 3) must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the time of the examination and signed by each member of the committee. Attached to this form should be an Abstract of the final research or other work prepared for the final oral examination.
Students who fail the final oral examination cannot receive a passing grade on their thesis/project and will not receive the degree. Students may appeal through the appropriate department and the dean of the college to repeat the oral examination during a subsequent term.

Continuing registration requirement: Students must be registered for at least one semester hour credit (0.25 course) in the term in which the oral examination is scheduled. The registration may be in 699 — Master’s Thesis, 696 — Master’s Project or 698 — continuing enrollment.

Final Form for Thesis or Project Paper
Standards for the preparation of a research paper must conform to the manual of style required by the discipline in which the degree is taken. Students must work closely with their major advisers and examining committees in the preparation of the thesis/project.

The paper on which the thesis/project is printed must be at least 20 pound, 25 percent rag-content, white bond paper, printed on one side only. A minimum left-hand margin of 1 and one-half inches and a right, top and bottom margin of 1 inch are required (including appendices). Tables placed lengthwise on the paper should be placed so that the top of the table is at the left margin.

Neither the thesis nor the project paper should be bound in any permanent form prior to the oral examination. Upon final approval of the thesis/project, the examining committee will sign the signature page. Students should submit four unbound copies of the complete thesis/project to the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies. The library staff will bind the thesis/project.

Application for Graduate Degree: Form 4
Students may bring the Application for a Graduate Degree (Form 4) to their oral examination. When the examining committee approves the thesis/project, they will sign Form 4 to officially declare that the student has completed all of the requirements for graduation. Students are responsible for submitting Form 4, with required signatures, to the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies no later than one week prior to the date of Commencement.

Commencement
Students should notify the Office of the Registrar and the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies of intent to graduate as soon as possible but no later than eight weeks prior to Commencement.
There are two Commencement ceremonies during the year: at the end of fall semester and at the end of spring semester. Students who finish degree requirements during fall semester will be listed in the fall semester Commencement program and are eligible to participate in the fall ceremony; likewise, students who finish degree requirements during spring semester will be listed in the spring semester Commencement program and are eligible to participate in the spring ceremony. Students who finish their degree during the summer are eligible to participate in the spring ceremony immediately preceding their anticipated summer completion.

Academic garb should be ordered from the Bookstore no less than eight weeks prior to Commencement.