M.Ed. in Environmental Education Student Checklist
The following checklist provides an overview of thesis guidelines for the initial, intermediate, and final stages of a project.
- Select Committee of 2-3 members, including the Chair (Chair can be Ken, Bruce, Julie, or Mark) *By end of first semester (middle of the second semester at the latest!)
- Develop a draft of your Graduate M.Ed. Program Plan (Graduate Program Plan Addendum)
- Meet with your Committee for approval of your Program Plan and discussion of thesis/final project topic and potential problem statement or research question; All Committee Members sign your Program Plan; Chair brings completed Program Plan to Lynn Velander (Executive Administrative Specialist to Collegiate Graduate Programs) in 115 Bohannon Hall; Lynn Velander will provide your committee with a signed copy of your Program Plan. *Be sure to have an approved program plan on file before the end of your second semester or a hold will be placed on your record*. Discuss with your committee when to register for first set of EHS 5990 credits.
- Begin your literature review and finalize your problem statement and/or research questions, under the guidance of your Committee; Discuss with your Committee which option is most appropriate given your problem statement (your options are research, field, or a curriculum project; for students selecting the research option, you can discuss with your Committee whether a traditional thesis format or journal article format is more appropriate). CEHSP Research Guidelines and information on resources and services for Environmental Education research.
- Work on Ch. 1-3, under the guidance of your Committee and following the Thesis Proposal Guidelines and Thesis Formatting Guidelines
- Complete Collegiate Graduate Programs Research Project Proposal form and a "final" draft of your research proposal/Ch. 1-3.
- Meet with your Committee for approval of your Research Project Proposal; All Committee Members sign Proposal; Chair brings completed Proposal to Lynn Velander; Provide your Committee with a copy of the signed Proposal.
- Schedule to present your Colloquium with Tom Beery, with approval of your Chair (Colloquium Guidelines).
- Complete your application to the Institutional Review Board (IRB); See their website at http://www.research.umn.edu/irb/; Chair signs completed IRB application *Your Research Project Proposal must be approved before submitting your application to IRB.
- After you have IRB approval, collect and analyze your data.
- Complete Ch. 4-5 and re-visit Ch. 1-3 and modify/add as needed, under the guidance of your Committee (check with Committee as to how they would like to be kept informed of your progress); Write an abstract of 150 words.
- Complete an Application for Degree form and UMD Departmental Masters Commencement Attendance Questionnaire - turn forms in to the Registrars Office in 21 Campus Center (see graduation information and note application deadlines, as applications are due very early in the semester!)
- Schedule your final seminar with Tom Beery, with pre-approval of your Chair.
- Complete your portion of the CEHSP Committee Recommendation for a Degree form and prepare your Title Page for your thesis/field project.
- Meet with your Committee for your Defense (a reflection on "so what?" and "now what?"); Committee signs your Committee Recommendation for a Degree form and your two high-quality title pages.
- Have thesis printed, bound, and distributed according to thesis printing and binding guidelines. Bring signed bound thesis (2 copies) along with the Committee Recommendation for Degree form to Lynn Velander.
- Participate in Commencement
- Work with your Committee to submit your work for publication.