SED 698 THESIS OR GRADUATE PROJECT
Instructional Technology or Science Specialist
Compare with 697 Directed Comprehensive Studies
Important Notes
- Students who who select one of these options must formulate their committee at least two semesters prior to graduation.
- The committee must consist of three CSUN faculty members, one of whom will serve as your advisor.
- Your proposal must be approved by your committee before your proceed with your thesis or project.
- Communicate regularly with your advisor during the course of the project.
- Make a website for your project and post your work on a regular basis. Notify your committee of updates.
- Meet with your committee at least one month prior to completion to review your project or thesis.
- Allow time for revisions.
Essential Reading
Graduate Services
Contract/Newsgroup:
- Contract: Please download, complete, and post on the Newsgroup
- Newsgroup: Please post all of your progress here.
Structure of Thesis or Project.
- Note: Chapters 1, 2, and 3 should be completed in SED 690
- Chapters 4 and following should be completed in SED 698. You receive credit for SED 698 when you thesis or project is complete and has been accepted by your committee.
| Chapter | Thesis (detail) | Project (detail) |
| 1 | Introduction: Research Problem | Introduction: Project Goals |
| 2 | Literature Review | Literature Review |
| 3 | Research Methodology | Methodology for Project |
| 4-? | Data & Interpretation | Finished Product |
| Final | Summary and Discussion | Summary and Discussion |
| Bibliography | Bibliography | |
| Appendix | Appendix |
Thesis, Project, or Comprehensive Exam? Masters candidates must complete a graduate thesis, project or pass the comprehensive examination. The thesis is research-oriented and is helpful for students who wish to pursue a doctoral degree. The project is an applied endeavor that results in a product useful to the candidate and other educators. The comprehensive examination assess a candidate's understanding of the issues introduced in the program and is generally the most expedient project.
MA Thesis or Project: "The Master's thesis or a graduate project identified on the student's program is the culminating academic experience leading to an advanced degree. A Master's thesis or a graduate project provides a demonstration of a graduate student's ability to explore, develop, and organize materials relating to a specific problem or an applied orientation within a field of study. The student must exhibit an ability to pursue research and investigation in a rigorous and perceptive fashion and to present the results in an extended scholarly statement in a clear, direct, and concise manner. The university shelves a copy of approved theses in the Oviatt Library and keeps the original copy in the archive. This allows the work to be publicly available to other students, faculty, and outside researchers. The thesis or the graduate project, therefore, becomes a visible and permanent measure of the quality of scholarship expected of a graduate student." (From Guidelines for the Preparation of Theses and Graduate Projects)
Thesis: A Master's thesis is based on the results of original research which substantiates a specific view as expressed in a hypothesis, a concept, or a question. A Master's thesis can consist of making a synthesis of existing data and/or the development of new data in the laboratory or in the library.
Project: The term graduate project is used to describe a piece of original, creative work such as:
- innovative curriculum guides
- full-service instructional websites
- multimedia instructional products
- development and implementation of a technology plans
- curriculum-based computer programs
- development and assessment of unique laboratory experiments