The University mission includes as its cornerstone the principle of stimulating students to maximum intellectual growth and love of learning. Central to this mission is providing students with the opportunities, resources, and expertise to achieve academic, personal, and career goals.

The nature of graduate studies is to gain knowledge, skills, and understanding in a discipline that is broader in scope than that gained while completing the undergraduate degree. The graduate student is expected to have successfully completed upper-level undergraduate work and be prepared to engage in the discipline at levels significantly more advanced.

Graduate studies are comprised of three essential components: advanced coursework, independent study under the direction of a faculty member or a committee, and independent scholarly research which culminates in a capstone experience such as a thesis, a recital, or an exhibit. In some disciplines, examinations leading to certification or licensure comprise the capstone experience.

The goal of any graduate studies program is to foster intellectual breadth and provide training that leads to a successful career or additional graduate studies. Emphasis is placed on knowledge, skills, original research, problem solving, and creative expression.

Students enrolled in graduate studies at McNeese State University are encouraged not only to develop skills in independent learning so that each student may make a contribution to his/her profession or field of study, but also “to receive the education and training needed to participate fully and wisely in the intellectual, economic, and social life of our democratic society” (William J. Doré Sr. School of Graduate Studies Statement of Purpose). [Link to Catalog, 210]

Recruitment activities, admissions policies, academic expectations, carefully constructed course design, and comprehensive capstone experiences are some of the varied ways in which the University fosters academic success and independent learning in graduate studies. Faculty members engaged in scholarly, creative and service activities model exemplary professional behavior for both undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate students, however, are able to participate in these activities at all levels, an opportunity which initiates them into their professional lives in a environment of encouragement.

The University provides ample opportunities for graduate students to make bona fide contributions to the University and to their professional fields through research and teaching assistantships, internships, and scholarly work in collaboration with faculty. Course projects, capstone experiences, and theses provide opportunities for graduate students to engage in analysis, synthesis, and evaluation activities that are critical to success in individual fields.

Graduate Faculty

Programs and courses for graduate studies are designed by faculty members who have been approved for membership on the graduate faculty. Membership on the graduate faculty is by recommendation of the Dean of the graduate school and must be renewed every five years. The policies regarding membership on the graduate faculty, posted on the University home page, are below:

The graduate faculty consists of those members of the teaching faculty who have been so designated by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, upon recommendation by the Dean of DSGS acting upon appropriate nominations by the Graduate Council. The graduate faculty is composed of two types of membership: Member and Temporary Member as defined in the McNeese State University Faculty/Staff Handbook. Qualifications, appointment, and privileges of graduate faculty are cited in that document as follows.

Member Qualifications. A member of the graduate faculty must be a faculty member with an earned doctorate or degree that is considered terminal for the field or discipline (M.F.A.).

Member Appointment. Nomination is by the department head with approval of the dean of the college, the Graduate Council, the Dean of DSGS, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Recommendations must include evidence of professional activity related to graduate education such as research, publication, exhibition in regional and national meetings, and excellence in teaching. An appointment is for a maximum duration of five years.

Member Privileges. Members may teach graduate-level courses; serve as members of the Graduate Council; direct research; and serve on advisory committees for students pursuing master’s or specialist’s degrees.

Temporary Member Qualifications. An individual with an earned doctorate/ terminal degree in the teaching discipline or in a related discipline shall be eligible for appointment to the graduate faculty as a temporary member to teach a specific course provided approval is granted by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, the Office of Academic Affairs, and the President.

Temporary Member Appointment. Nomination is by the department head with approval of the dean of the college, the Dean of DSGS, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Recommendations must include supporting documents for the nomination.

Temporary Member Privileges. A temporary member may teach graduate-level courses.

Each graduate faculty appointment will be reviewed by the appropriate department head and the Graduate Council prior to reappointment. Names of Members are marked with an asterisk in the faculty section of the catalog.

Graduate School Admissions Policies

Admission to the Graduate School requires that students first be approved for general admission before being admitted to any individual program. These admissions requirements serve as a kind of gatekeeper to ensure that students who are admitted to graduate studies have an above-average undergraduate record. The summary of admissions requirements below illustrate these general requirements:

• GRE test scores for both degree-seeking and non-degree-seeking applicants;

• Proof of master’s degree may be accepted in lieu of GRE test scores, if applicant’s department approves of substitution;

• GMAT scores for MBA applicants;

• Complete and official college transcripts depicting all undergraduate and graduate courses taken and all grades received.

Admissions for International Applicants

• Complete and official college transcripts depicting all undergraduate and graduate courses taken and all grades received;

• English language proficiency as demonstrated by one or more indicators or a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited U.S. institution.

Admission to Individual Graduate Degree Programs

It is within the purview of each department in which a graduate degree is granted to establish further requirements for applicants to their graduate programs. The list below summarizes some of the additional requirements and reflects each department’s expectations that students applying for admission to graduate studies will have successfully completed baccalaureate requirements which will have prepared them for advanced academic work and independent learning:

College of Business - Master of Business Administration

• Formula scoring based on GMAT and undergraduate grade-point average;

• Some preparatory foundation courses;

• Computer proficiency.

Burton College of Education – Master Degrees

• Valid teaching certificate;

• Some teaching experience;

• Minimum GRE scores;

• Other requirements specific to the degree.

Burton College of Education – Master of Arts in Psychology

• Formula scoring based on GRE;

• Three-semester hours of statistics.

College of Engineering and Technology – Master of Engineering

• Baccalaureate degree from a nationally accredited university;

• Overall undergraduate grade-point average of 3.0.

College of Liberal Arts – Master of Arts in English and Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

• Formula scoring based on GRE;

• Adequate undergraduate preparation ad determined by department head and major professor;

• Acceptable writing sample for MFA in Creative Writing.

College of Liberal Arts – Master of Music Education

• Formula scoring on GRE;

• Baccalaureate degree in music, music education, or liberal arts with a major in music;

• Placement test;

• Some preparatory foundation courses.

College of Nursing – Master of Science in Nursing

• Baccalaureate degree in nursing;

• Minimum undergraduate grade-point average of 2.7 on 4.0 scale;

• Formula scoring on GRE;

• Eligibility for unencumbered licensure as RN in Louisiana;

• Statistics course with minimum grade of “C”;

• Evidence of physical assessment skills.

College of Science – Master of Science in Chemistry/Environmental Science-Chemistry

• Formula scoring on GRE;

• Bachelor of Science in science or science-related field.

College of Science – Master of Science – Mathematical Sciences

• Formula scoring on GRE;

• Calculus sequence;

• Placement test, if determined by department head;

• Some preparatory foundation courses

Academic Probation and Suspension

It is generally accepted that graduate students’ performance in their courses will be consistently above average and that students who are unable to maintain a 3.0 grade point average should not remain in the individual programs in which they have enrolled. The University publishes its expectations of student performance in its probation and suspensions policies for graduate students. The policies are stated below:

Probation. Graduate students whose graduate cumulative or term grade point average falls below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Once on academic probation, a graduate student will continue on probation until he/she earns a graduate term and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. (2006-07 University Catalog, 218)

Suspension. Graduate students on academic probation whose term grade point average falls below 3.0 will be suspended from further graduate studies. Students who earn a grade of “F” in any graduate course will also be suspended from further graduate studies. A grade of “I” will be converted to an “F” if it is not

removed by the designated date during the next regular semester in which the student is enrolled at the University. (2006-07 University Catalog, 218)

Program and/or Course Design

Program and course design is a critical component in creating an atmosphere in which graduate students thrive and feel encouraged to explore their interests beyond what the classroom experience requires. Faculty who design new courses and programs are aware of the importance of not only delivering instruction effectively in the discipline and ensuring that course content is both relevant and current, but also maintaining students’ interest and enthusiasm in that discipline.

In designing programs and courses for graduate studies, department heads, program coordinators, and teaching faculty are mindful of the need to ensure that graduate courses be more academically rigorous and advanced than undergraduate courses. Students enrolling in graduate courses can be assured that their graduate education will incorporate the following goals identified by the William J. Doré, Sr. School of Graduate Studies:

• Professional training, to contribute to increased competency in specialized fields;

• Research, to further the development of students in techniques and methods of scholarly research;

• Knowledge, to develop broader and deeper understanding of human knowledge;

• Preparation, to stimulate and encourage students to prepare themselves for further graduate study. (2006-07 University Catalog, 210)

In developing courses, graduate faculty are required to comply with requirements established by the University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors and the Louisiana Board of Regents. Those policies require that institutions planning new academic programs summarize in a letter of intent the credentials of faculty members who will be directly involved in the proposed programs. Before new programs are authorized by the Board, institutions must demonstrate that not only can they provide the resources necessary to initiate the program, but that faculty members are qualified to oversee and implement it.

University procedures for implementing new courses or programs requires that faculty initiatives be approved by department and college curriculum committees, department heads, and deans. Having passed through these stages, the initiatives are then reviewed by the Graduate Council before final approval from the Academic Advisory Council and the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Students are apprised of the course requirements through catalog descriptions, which indicate the kinds of independent learning critical to success in individual courses.

A carefully planned, clearly written, comprehensive syllabus is an important resource for both faculty and students. A well-designed syllabus performs many functions: it outlines course expectations, organizes information, sets the tone for class interactions, and guides student learning.

University policy implemented by the Graduate Council informs graduate faculty of the necessity of a well-developed syllabus. In addition to advising faculty about the basic elements that should be included in the syllabus, the Faculty/Staff Handbook provides some guidelines about incorporating student learning outcomes and assessments for those outcomes. Faculty in all courses are required to create syllabi for each course taught and submit to individual department heads. When necessary for preparation of the annual Master Plans/Progress Reports and/or professional agency or learned society review, or University program review, the syllabi are reviewed by department heads, program coordinators, or departmental committees for such elements as currency of course goals and student learning outcomes, assessments, course expectations, and appropriateness of textbooks. Syllabi are currently on file in the Office of Institutional Research for SACS review.

The excerpts from syllabi below illustrate the various ways that graduate courses engender independent learning and academic excellence through course projects. Projects at the graduate level are typically semester-long projects, which allow students to examine a topic in both breadth and depth. In some cases, students continue their research projects throughout several courses, culminating in a thesis.

English 581: Louisiana Folklore. Folklore 581 asks students to undertake a semester-long fieldwork project. Students are to select an item of folklore (cultural artifact, foodways, customs, storytelling, for example) about which they are to interview individuals who are associated with, create, or practice the cultural artifact. The finished project should include the data collected from the field experience and a 7-10 page paper which in some way captures the sense of the item. Students are expected to prepare presentations about the field experience and the item of folklore. Students are encouraged to submit their papers to the annual Louisiana Folklore conference for public presentation.

Psychology 540: Psychology of Gender. Psychology 540 asks students to create a “gender notebook” that captures information, exercises, and experiential observations about issues relating to gender. Students may also review related articles if they prefer not to record personal observations. Students enrolled for graduate credit complete the gender notebook and augment this activity with a field study in which they conduct primary research or a research and write a scholarly paper. Students are required to meet individually with the professor to determine areas of interest.

Education 635: Solving Instructional Problems in Secondary Education. Education 635 asks students to complete twenty hours of field activities including interviews, observations, and activities completed in a variety of educational settings. The knowledge developed in field experiences will reflect an understanding of the variety of educational contexts and how instruction is designed in each context and by various professionals. Students will then prepare a final project based on their field experiences and present it to the class. Students are also required to submit their project to the Louisiana Educational Research Association (LERA) for consideration as a conference presentation/publication. The skills gained will include the ability to reflect on instructional design, particularly as it relates to diverse students and to different professions within the field of education.

Theses and/or Capstone Experiences

Guided by qualified faculty advisors and mentors, graduate students are required to shoulder the major responsibility for producing creative and scholarly work. The rigor of producing these academic products stands the students in good stead in their professional lives. To be eligible for a degree, graduate students are required to write a thesis or to demonstrate acceptable research proficiency and reporting, as prescribed by the major department. A student who opts not to write a thesis must demonstrate competency through a comprehensive, licensing, or certification exam, or other experience as determined by the individual degree program. Regardless of the type of culminating experience, the expectation of the major department is that the student will complete his/her work independently.

The University Catalog notes that the thesis should demonstrate the student’s capacity for creative expression, research, the ability to organize and interpret data, and the ability to report research in an acceptable style (219).

Supporting Evidence

Examples of Independent Learning