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Graduate Studies

General Graduate Program Requirements

Programs of Study

To serve the educational needs of western Nebraska and adjoining areas, Chadron State College offers programs of study leading to:

• Master of Arts in Education
• Master of Business Administration
• Master of Education
• Master of Science in Organizational Management

Regulations Governing Graduation

The following regulations apply to graduation from all graduate programs.

1. Course application toward graduation

   1. Credit earned by correspondence (self paced) study will not be accepted in fulfilling requirements for a master’s degree.
   2. No coursework carrying the INS (inservice) prefix may be applied toward a master’s degree.
   3. A graduate student may apply up to six semester hours of coursework taken on an independent study basis toward a master’s degree program.
   
    

2. Transfer of Credit

   1. Master’s Degree: A maximum of nine semester hours graduate credit may be transferred from other approved colleges or universities. All transfer credit must carry a grade of “B” or higher. Transfer credit with grades of “P” or “S” will not be accepted. Acceptance of transfer credit is contingent upon approval of the Graduate Committee, Dean of Graduate Studies, and the Graduate Council. Transfer credit may not be counted toward meeting the minimum residence requirement.
   
    

3. Time Limit on Coursework

   1. Master’s Degree: All requirements for the master’s degrees must be met within a period of seven years from the year the student completes the first graduate course that is to apply toward the degree.
   2. Validation of Out-of-Date Credit: Coursework that has been taken prior to the specified time limit before completion of the degree is considered to be outdated. This coursework may be applied to the graduate degree if a grade of “B” or higher was attained and if one of the following occurs:
      1. the equivalent CSC course is audited with the stipulation that the professor teaching the course must sign a statement verifying regular attendance, satisfactory performance on the final examination (if one is given), and performance at a level to warrant validation of the course
         or
      2. a written or oral examination covering the subject matter is successfully completed as certified by an appropriate faculty member(s). If an oral examination is given, at least two graduate faculty members must be present. The Dean of Graduate Studies and the graduate committee chairperson will appoint the faculty to administer the examination. Details of the time and place of the examination must be registered with the Graduate Office. Approval to validate credit must be obtained through the graduate committee and Dean of Graduate Studies.
      
       

4. Course Level Requirements

   1. Master’s Degree: At least one-half of the semester hours required for the master’s degree must be taken in classes in which only graduate students may enroll (600 level or higher).
   
    

5. Curriculum Patterns

   1. Master’s Degree: All graduate students seeking the degree of Master of Arts in Education, Master of Education, or Master of Science in Organizational Management should complete EDCI 631, “Introduction to Graduate Study,” within the first 12 hours of their program of study. All graduate students (including those seeking the M.B.A. Degree) must select one of the following plan options:

      Plan I (Thesis with Oral Examination)

      Plan I - Requires a thesis pertaining to the field of specialization. Six semester hours of credit are awarded for successful completion of the thesis.

      Following are general guidelines for preparation and submission of the thesis and accompanying oral examination.

      1. After acceptance into graduate study and successful completion of Introduction to Graduate Study” or its equivalent and at least two-third’s of total number of program hours are completed, the student presents a thesis proposal under the guidance of the advisor. This presentation is to be made in a formal meeting with the student’s graduate committee. The thesis must convey conclusions on some subject directly related to the candidate's area of specialization. Although the topic does not necessarily have to be original or to seek new answers, it should attempt to establish a point previously unsupported or to verify existing knowledge. The thesis topic should be so designed that the student receives training in the art and techniques of scientific inquiry, employing one or more of the commonly accepted tools of educational research.
      2. The student’s committee has the responsibility to carefully scrutinize, make recommendations and accept, accept with modifications, or not accept the proposal.
      3. After acceptance by the committee, the proposal and outline will be submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies for approval.
      4. Those choosing the thesis option must register for a total of six (6) semester hours thesis credit. Registration for all six hours or any portion thereof may be made at the beginning of any semester or summer term following approval of the thesis proposal. Written approval from the Institutional Review Board is required if the student will be using a data collection tool that involves human or animal subjects.
      5. The student is ultimately responsible for the progress and completion of the thesis.
      6. The thesis will be written under the direct supervision or guidance of the advisor.
      7. The accepted writing style is APA, however some disciplines may require their particular style.
      8. When the student and advisor are satisfied with the thesis, it is to be submitted to the student’s committee for review and approval.
      9. After acceptance of the thesis by the advisor and committee, an oral examination will be scheduled. Copies of the thesis must be presented to the committee members at least two weeks before the scheduled date of the oral examination. The oral examination will include questions regarding the thesis, coursework, and other material relevant to the student’s field of study. The oral examination must be taken at least FOUR weeks prior to the date of graduation or granting of the degree. (The final date for oral examinations is posted each term in the Graduate Office.) Students completing oral examinations after the specified date will not be eligible for graduation until the next graduation or diploma granting date. Approval forms will be signed by the committee after successful completion of the thesis and oral examination.
      10. All Plan I students must include an abstract of 150 words in their thesis.
      11. The examining committee members will sign a statement verifying the outcome of the oral examination. This statement is to be presented to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
      12. After the candidate has successfully passed the oral examination, he/she will deposit four copies of the thesis and one additional copy of the abstract to the Dean of Graduate Studies. One copy will be placed in the Library, one copy will be archived, one copy will be presented to the thesis committee chairperson, and one copy will be returned to the student. The remaining abstract will be retained in the student’s file. The expense of binding is the responsibility of the student. Contact the Graduate Office for specific instructions.

      Plan II (Scholarly Project with Oral Examination)

      Plan II requires a scholarly project pertaining to the field of specialization. Three (3) semester hours of credit are awarded for successful completion of the scholarly project.

      The project is to be designed in consultation with the student’s graduate committee.

      Following are general guidelines for preparation and submission of the project and accompanying oral examination.

      1. After acceptance into graduate study and successful completion of “Introduction to Graduate Study” or its equivalent, the student should present a scholarly project proposal under the guidance of the advisor. This presentation is to be made in a formal meeting with the student's graduate committee. The scholarly project must convey conclusions on some subject directly related to the candidate's area of specialization. Although the topic does not necessarily have to be original or to seek new answers, it should attempt to establish a point previously unsupported, or verify existing knowledge. The scholarly project topic should be so designed that the student receives training in the art and techniques of scientific inquiry, employing one or more of the commonly accepted tools of educational research.
      2. Those choosing the project option must register for three (3) semester hours credit. This registration may be made at the beginning of any semester or summer term following the approval of the project topic.
      3. The student is ultimately responsible for the progress of the project.
      4. The accepted writing style is APA, however some disciplines may require their particular style.
      5. When the student and advisor are satisfied with the project it is to be submitted to the student's committee for review and approval.
      6. After acceptance of the project by the advisor and committee, an oral examination will be scheduled. Copies of the project paper and related materials must be presented to the committee members at least two weeks before the scheduled date of the oral examination. The oral examination will include questions regarding the scholarly project, coursework, and other material relevant to the student’s field of study. The oral examination must be taken at least FOUR weeks prior to the date of graduation or granting of the degree. (The final date for oral examinations is posted each term in the Graduate Office.) Students completing oral examinations after the specified date will not be eligible for graduation until the next graduation or diploma granting date. Approval forms will be signed by the student’s committee and presented to the Dean of Graduate Studies after successful completion of the oral examination.
      7. All Plan II students must include an abstract of approximately 150 words in their scholarly project.
      8. After the candidate has successfully passed the oral examination, he/she will present FOUR copies of the project paper plus one additional copy of the abstract to the Dean of Education Graduate Studies. Each project paper should be contained in an approved black theme binder. One copy will be placed in the Library, one copy will be archived, one copy will be presented to the supervising professor, and one copy will be returned to the student. The remaining abstract will be retained in the student’s file. The expense of binding is the responsibility of the student. Contact the Graduate Office for specific information.

      Plan III (Coursework with Oral Examination)

      Plan III does not require a scholarly project or thesis. Students are required to complete the designated coursework in their area of specialization.

      Students choosing this option will be required to successfully pass an oral examination. The oral examination will include questions regarding coursework and other material relevant to the student’s field of study. Approval forms will be signed by the student’s committee and presented to the Dean of Graduate Studies after successful completion of the oral examination.

      The oral examination must be taken at least FOUR weeks prior to the date of graduation or granting of the degree. (The final date of oral examinations is posted each term in the Graduate Office.) Students completing oral examinations after the specified date will not be eligible for graduation until the next graduation or diploma granting date.

      Note: Plan III is not be available in all departments. Contact the Dean of Graduate Studies for more information.

   2. Residence Requirements

      1. Master’s Degree: At least twelve of the semester hours required for advanced degrees must be classified as “residence credit.” “Residence credit” courses are those taught by a member of the Chadron State College Graduate Faculty, either on or off-campus.
      
       

   3. Oral Examination

      All candidates for the master’s degree are required to pass a final oral examination in their area of concentration. Students choosing the thesis or research project paper option will have questions relating to the thesis or research project paper included in this examination.

      The student's graduate committee will conduct the oral examination. If a member of the committee is unavailable and rescheduling is inappropriate, a substitute may be appointed by the Dean of Graduate Office. With the candidate’s knowledge, the examining committee may invite other individuals to be present at the oral examination.

      The oral examination must be taken at least FOUR weeks prior to the date of graduation or granting of the degree. Students completing oral examinations after the specified date will not be eligible for graduation until the next graduation or diploma granting date.

      Prior to the oral examination, a personal data sheet is to be prepared by the student and distributed to all members of the examination committee. It should include such items of information as professional and educational background, courses completed, and anticipated educational and career goals.

      Following successful completion of the oral examination, approval forms will be signed by the student’s committee and presented to the Dean of Graduate Studies.

   4. Portfolio

      All candidates for the Master of Arts in Education, and Master of Science degrees are required to compile a professional and academic portfolio in their area of concentration. The portfolio is a purposeful, collaborative, self-reflective collection of the student’s work generated during the process of the graduate program. The portfolio should include a personal data sheet including such items of information as professional and educational background, courses completed, and anticipated educational and career goals.

      The procedures and content needed for portfolio construction are outlined in materials obtained from the Graduate Office.

      The student will submit the completed portfolio, for assessment by his/her graduate committee, prior to the final oral examination. Upon review and acceptance of the student’s portfolio, approval forms will be signed by the student’s committee and presented to the Dean of Graduate Studies.

   Second Master's Degree

   Students holding a master’s degree may seek a second master’s degree in another program area. If the first degree was not awarded by Chadron State College, the student should apply as stated under “Admission to Graduate Study.” If Chadron State College awarded the first master’s, the student should contact the Dean of Graduate Studies. A second master’s requires appointment of a graduate committee; additional coursework; acceptance into Graduate Study, Graduate Status and applications for Oral Examination and graduation. No more than twelve semester hours of approved coursework from the previous degree may be applied toward a second master’s degree.