Sample Syllabus of Record

1 (ED 695) Master’s Thesis

Syllabus of Record

Catalog Description: Involves either theoretical research or empirical research that identifies an issue or question, reviews the literature, designs a study, gathers and analyzes data or evidence, and presents interpretations or conclusions. Prerequisite: 27 credit hours; ED 660. Application required. Three credits.

Unit Mission, Philosophy, Values:

Our Mission: “Teaching, Leading and Learning in a Democratic Society” The College of Education prepares candidates who enhance the individual growth of their students while working to establish policies and practices that promote the principles of democratic education. The College articulates this mission as Teaching, Leading, and Learning in a Democratic Society.

Philosophy: Student Potential, Ethical Implications Believing that schools function as social and political entities as well as for the growth of individuals, the College of Education prepares teachers and leaders a) to enhance the academic and personal potential of their students b) to evaluate the social and ethical implications of educational policies and practices.

Values: “Expertise, Equity, Liberal Education, Social Responsibility” The College of Education values expertise to guide our practice, equity to guide our interactions, liberal education to guide our perspectives, and social responsibility to guide our commitment to democratic education. We value these ideals in our preparation of candidates, our development of faculty, and our relationships with the larger community we serve.

Unit and Program Standards:

Common Unit Standards: Michigan Department of Education; National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) Standards; Council for Social Foundations of Education (CLSE).

Common Advanced Program Standards: National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; College of Education Research Competencies.

Common Performance Assessment: Research Thesis

Course Objectives: The candidate will . . .

Identify a problem within an educational context; Review scholarly literature relevant to the problem; Design a study; Gather and analyze data; Formulate and present interpretations and conclusions. 2

Course Knowledge Base:

Babbie, E. (2003). The practice of social research. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Gay, L.R. (2002). Educational research: Competencies for analysis and application. Columbus, OH: Merrill.

Graziano, A. M., and Raulin, M. L. (1999). Research methods: A process of inquiry. NY: Harper Collins.

Guidelines for Preparation of the Masters Thesis/Project (current edition). Grand Valley State University.

McMillan, J. H., and Schumacher, S. (2000). Research in education: A conceptual introduction. NY: Harper Collins.

Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (current edition). Washington, DC