Description

This seminar is intended to provide advanced Master's students with guidance in conceptualizing, conducting and writing up their Master's projects. It offers a mixture of group planning and support as well as guided individual study for those students in international education who are working on their projects.

The seminar is divided roughly into three phases. During the first phase, we will work together as a small seminar clarifying and refining the plan for the Master's project. This phase culminates in a written plan or prospectus for you to share with your advisor and receive approval for the project design. For those who have completed a prospectus, this phase will serve as orientation to the timeline for completing the project. During the second phase, seminar members work independently and in bi-weekly meetings of everyone on their projects. Consultations are arranged as needed to ensure progress on the project. The second phase is designed for discussion of problems or issues that have arisen as the projects develop. The third phase entails weekly meetings to share progress, receive feedback on written work, and prepare for the presentation of the Master's project at a Center meeting.

Requirements and Expectations

There will be written assignments throughout the course to facilitate your progress on the project. During the first phase, these will focus on the plan for the project; subsequent assignments will be individualized. I also expect that you will attend all seminar sessions and engage fully in class discussions. Individual and small group meetings will be scheduled during the second phase, but we will meet bi-weekly also. All written assignments, especially the final project, should be completed in a timely manner and be typewritten for clarity following APA style. Use "Using the work and words of other authors" (Evans & Rossman) handed out in the first-year seminar as a guide and available on the CIE web site at: http://www.umass.edu/cie/Themes/#evans You could also obtain a copy of the Graduate School's Guidelines for Theses and Dissertations and follow their instructions in formatting all your written work.