The National Graduate School of Quality Management NGS/U

1
The National Graduate School of Quality
ManagementNGS/U

• Orientation for Incoming Students

All materials presented within the Orientation
for Incoming Students is also contained within
the Student Handbook. The following set of
slides highlight some key points that every new
student should know. Refer to the Student
Handbook for additional clarification and
official policy statements.
2
Overview
3
Topics to be Addressed

• NGS/U Accreditation
• Academic Tenets Assessment
• Student Responsibilities
• General NGS/U Policies and Procedures
• Financial Aid
• Additional Resources and Information
• The Doctor of Business Administration Program

4
Regionally AccreditedNationally Recognized

By the New England Association of Schools and
Colleges (NEASC) through its Commission on
Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE) 209
Burlington Road Bedford, MA 01730-1433 781-271-002
2

5
Academic Tenets Assessment
6
Tenets of the NGS/U Learning Community

• The institution achieves its academic goals
  through the commitment and performance of its
  faculty and students
• NGS/U promotes a learning environment that
  encourages
• a cooperative spirit and teamwork
• respect for diversity and inclusiveness of people
  and their ideas
• intellectual curiosity and inquiry
• tangible and quantifiable outcomes for the
  customer
• concern for the customers goals, needs, and
  expectations
• continual learning and measurable improvements
• a balance between theory and practice
• sharing real-life experiences while adhering to
  the highest standards of confidentiality and
  ethical behavior

7
Assessment Instruments

• Assessment of educational outcomes is conducted
  at the course level, the semester level, and by
  the overall effectiveness of the DBA Curriculum
• Faculty assess individual and team outcomes
  against educational objectives in each course
• The Dissertation Project Supervisor and the
  faculty conduct Juried Reviews and assess student
  application of theory learned, semester-by-semeste
  r, for each doctoral dissertation project
• Overall program effectiveness is evaluated by
  analysis of the student Dissertation Project,
  wherein results are validated by sponsors
• The NGS/U administration assesses the results of
  the Program by monitoring cost savings achieved
  at sponsoring organizations student promotions
  or advancements directly attributed to the
  attainment of the degree and via surveys

8
Student Responsibilities
9
Student Responsibilities

• Honor all NGS/U academic tenets
• Read the NGS/U Student Handbook
• Download all course materials from Blackboard
• Purchase required books and supplemental
  instructional aids as described in each course
  syllabus
• Complete all assignments in a timely and
  professional manner
• Report anticipated absences to NGS/U faculty

10
Student Responsibilities

• Confer with faculty on manner in which to make-up
  any missed course work or class-time as a result
  of deployment
• Seek academic counseling from faculty at the
  first sign of a problem that will affect
  individual performance
• Follow-up with faculty to remediate incomplete
  grades within the required time frame
• Meet all program requirements

11
Advance Absence Notification

• Due to temporary duty, deployment, long-term
  illness, disability or extraordinary hardship
• you must take the following Proactive steps
• Send written notification to faculty and
  studentservices123_at_ngs.edu
• making appropriate coordination for course
  completion
• Coordinate make-up work and a timeline for
  submission
• Submit assignments within the timeframe
  established by the Professor or course
  syllabus
• Request an academic plan to meet course
  requirements and the specific terms outlined in
  the academic plan
• for more than one course, contact
  studentservices123_at_ngs.edu
• While absent, maintain communication with your
  Professor, Dissertation Project Supervisor and
  team members
• continue to contribute to team presentations by
  providing input
• keep documentation and logs of all progress
  input
• Upon return, provide proper notification and
  reconnect with your team

12
Classroom Etiquette

• Follow all rules of military installations and
  civilian facilities
• Be punctual
• Do not use tape recorders without permission from
  faculty and consensus from class members
• Adjust communications equipment to vibrate mode
• Avoid disruptive class behaviors
• Do not perform other work while class is in
  session
• Return classroom to previous condition

13
General Policies Procedures
14
Admissions Requirements

• Stated in the Student Handbook (Section 5)
• NGS/U must receive by the end of Course One
• Official Masters Degree transcript
• Contact your college
• Have your transcript sent directly to NGS/U
• If your undergraduate degree is from outside of
  USA, you must submit a transcript request to The
  Center for Educational Documentation
• Log into your Application account for the address
  downloadable form
• Two letters of recommendation
• Reference letter forms are available
• Log into your Application account for the
  downloadable Form
• Have both sent to
• Keeper of Records
• The National Graduate School
• 186 Jones Road
• Falmouth, MA 02540

15
Student Council Representative
Every Cohort Group will select a class
representative

• Chosen before or during course one
• Primary liaison between the class and NGS/U
• Assists in program administration and logistics
• Acts as classroom facility manager (including
  equipment)
• Assists with special events (such as graduation
  planning)

16
Class Cancellation Policy

• NGS/U will notify students in a timely fashion if
  class is cancelled or rescheduled for any reason
• Notices are sent via email, phone and any other
  appropriate means to reach the student by
  Faculty or other NGS/U employees only
• Students may call the Inclement Weather and
  Special Notification Hotline _at_ 800-838-2580
• NGS/U makes every attempt to maintain established
  schedules and reserves the right to make changes
  to the schedule when necessary

17
Course Assessments

• Completed at the end of each course
• Completed anonymously via on-line survey
• Helps NGS/U identify opportunities for
  improvement in
• courses
• faculty
• class logistics and facilities
• Helps instructors improve learning outcomes
• NGS/U is committed to continuous improvement!

We appreciate your feedback!
18

• Financial Assistance

19
Student Accounts

• Bursars Office 1-800-838-2580, Extension 509
• Tuition Assistance (TA) Form submission
• Corporate Voucher submission
• Handles all payments and account questions
• Access your Student Account information online
• http//216 206 161 17 to check tuition account
  balance

20
Student Responsibilities

• Know your benefits local Education Services
  Officer (ESO) policies
• TA Forms
• See ESO for approval procedure and send approved
• form to NGS Bursar
• VA obtain your Certificate of Eligibility
• NGS/U will provide instructions regarding
  authorized site codes and NGS/U certifying
  official
• Visit www.gibill.va.gov
• Corporate vouchers Submit to Bursar

21
NGS/U can help you with Financial Aid!We Will

• Tell you whats available and how to combine
  resources
• Provide detailed guidelines to determine your
  cost of attendance ( www.ngs.edu/financialaid )
• Offer support for intelligent borrowing
• Explain the process for securing loans
• Talk to a Financial Aid Counselor
• financialaid_at_ngs.edu or 1-800-838-2580, Ext 509

22
Stafford Loans and Bank of America Private Loans

• Visit www.ngs.edu/admissions/financialaid
• Or call 1-800-838-2580, Ext. 509
• for more information
• Can be used for tuition, fees, books, computers,
• and other school expenses!
• Remember, loans must be repaid!

23

• Additional Resources and
• Information

24
The NGS/U Student Handbook

• Outlines all policies
• Can be accessed on-line
• Log into the NGS/U site at www.ngs.edu
• Go to Students/Current Students/Catalog and
  Current Student Handbook
• http//www.ngs.edu/html/current_students.htm
• The Student Handbook is also accessible from a
  link on the Orientation Course Module
• It is the only source for NGS/U regulations
  concerning Students Services issues

25
Student ID Cards

• Student IDs may get you discounts on books,
• computers, etc.
• Visit www.studentdiscount.com
• Digital photo will be taken by NGS/U staff person
  at an orientation event held prior to the first
  class
• If you miss this event, then email an uploaded
  picture (head shot of yourself) to photo_at_ngs.edu
  
• Your NGS/U student ID will be mailed to you or
  delivered to your class!

26
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Program
27
The DBA Degree

• Emphasis on applied research versus pure
  research
• What is the difference?
• Applied Research Designed to solve specific
  practical problems
• Pure Research Designed to acquire broad basic
  knowledge

28
The DBA Degree continued

• Prepares graduates to
• Lead Manage organizational efforts related to
  the various disciplines Quality Systems
  Management Homeland Security Policy Quality
  Management Environmental Quality Policy
  Quality Management
• Advance the body of knowledge and best practices
• Demonstrate measurable improvements in their
  sponsor organizations

29
Graduation Requirements

• Complete 20, 3-credit doctoral courses
• Maintain a 3.0 grade-point-average
• Complete a senior-level Dissertation Project with
  enterprise-wide results
• Demonstrate understanding through supervised
  teaching at the graduate level
• Publish an article or text related to the
  dissertation project in a recognized and refereed
  medium
• Orally present the results of your work during a
  Doctoral Dissertation Defense

30
Curricula Overview

• Divided into four Semesters academic gates of
  approximately six months each
• Formal summative assessment required at end of
  each gate to assure achievement of designated
  learning
• DBA Specialization Selection accomplished during
  First Semester because
• Dissertation Project has been designated
  proposed
• Champions and Guiding Coalition have been
  selected
• Performance Measurement Agreement has been defined

31
DBA Program Delivery Format

• Accelerated, low-residence
• Courses Dissertation Project completed
  simultaneously
• Approximately half of courses completed
• in residence
• Remaining courses completed virtually
• (Substantive Internet access required)
• NGS/U cluster sites located nationally and
  internationally

32
Dissertation Project Requirements

• Completed on an Individual Basis, each must
  include and/or address
• Organizational sponsorship
• A Senior-level Champion, pre-approved by the
  NGS/U Faculty
• Explicit links to organizational value stream,
  priorities and/or enterprise-wide objectives

33
Dissertation Project RequirementsContinued

• Performance measures jointly pre-approved by the
  organizational Champion and NGS/U Faculty
• A schedule for in-progress reviews by the
  Candidate, Champion and Faculty
• Significant impact
• Measurable Financial benefits to the sponsor

34
Electronic Coursework Submission

• DBA students will submit assignments and
  Dissertation Project information into the student
  learning portal BlackBoard. Considered one of
  the best used in American doctoral programs
  today, BlackBoard allows students to
• Electronically enter assignments into the
  BlackBoard Digital Drop Box
• Receive assignments directly from Professors
• Receive Email messages
• Chat with peers

35
Additional BlackBoard Resources

• BlackBoard provides
• Access to course materials (syllabi, slides,
  etc)
• Announcements to students
• The General Information Course (training) for
  All Students
• Class schedule - date, time, and location of
  classes
• Book list (Buy books early. New courses begin
  every 5 weeks! Recommend you buy books a
  semester at a time)
• Additional Links to
• Financial Aid
• Student accounts
• Student Handbook

36
Sensitive Proprietary Information

• It is understandable that some Dissertation
• Projects will be sensitive in nature. For that
• reason, NGS/U has made available a secure
  site in which project information is limited only
  to the Professors who require access to evaluate
  student progress toward the completion of degree
  requirements.

37
Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)

• During the 16-year history of The National
  Graduate School, the institution has mentored
  students in the implementation of many
  highly-sensitive projects. As a result, it is
  very familiar with NDAs and will, therefore,
  require any member of the Administration, Faculty
  or Staff to provide a signed copy whenever
  necessary to protect the confidentiality of
  proprietary information associated with any
  Doctoral Dissertation project

38
Student Support Teams

• Dissertation Projects implemented in most
  accredited doctoral programs across the nation
  are completed individually, therefore the same
  will occur at NGS/U.
• Students will, however, be assigned to Support
  Teams in which they will benefit from personal
  and professional collegiality, academic support,
  as well as opportunities to apply and test the
  principles of team dynamics in relation to the
  myriad dissertations projects proposed by their
  peers.

39
Faculty Teams

• NGS/U also employs the team approach in its
  assignment of faculty. As a result, students
  receive instruction from a vast range of
  professionals who possess expertise in an array
  of appropriate, related fields.
• All courses and dissertations will be taught and
  examined by
• Faculty Content Teams that include
  subject-matter-experts qualified to teach
  specific courses
• Juried Review Teams who review DBA Projects

40
The Doctoral Dissertation Process

• Intensified Quick Start Approach
• In Course 1 - begin to conceptualize your
  prospective dissertation topic
• No later than Course 3 - finalize selection of a
  topic and prepare a Dissertation Problem
  Statement as well as Research Questions
• By end of First Semester (Course 4) - prepare and
  submit a DRAFT of the first three Chapters of
  your Dissertation

41
The Dissertation Process- continued -

• Conduct research while completing coursework
• Present a trial version of your Dissertation
  Defense to the Doctoral Dissertation Committee
  during your Initial Colloquium.
• Taking advantage of recommendations from your
  Dissertation Committee, make any necessary
  revisions to your document presentation
• Present your dissertation during the Final
  Colloquium commonly known as the Doctoral
  Dissertation Defense.

42
The Colloquiumko-loke-kwe-um

• - A traditional requirement of nearly every
  accredited doctoral program nationwide.
• - Two-part process that requires both Initial
  and Final presentations of your Doctoral
  Dissertation.
• - Both colloquium and colloquia (plural) are
  common terms, however the former is applied at
  NGS/U.
• - Includes a detailed description of findings
  specified in your Five Chapter Dissertation
  DRAFT.
• - Presented during Course 19, it serves as a
  valuable opportunity to receive feedback from the
  Dissertation Committee as you prepare for the
  Final Colloquium commonly known as the
  Doctoral Dissertation Defense.

43
Doctoral Dissertations In General

• Technically, a manuscript
• Several common formats used in the US
• American Psychological Association Style (APA)
• Modern Language Association of America (MLA)
• Chicago Style
• Turabian (variation of Chicago Style specifically
  used for student theses and dissertations)
• American Chemical Society Style (ACS Format)

44
The NGS/U Dissertation

• Written in the Five-Chapter format of the APA
  Style (Seven-Chapter format written for some
  Social Behavioral Science dissertations at
  other institutions)
• The Chapters are entitled
• - Introduction
• - Review of Related Literature
• - Methodology
• - Results
• - Conclusions and Summary

45
Doctoral Candidacy

• A significant academic milestone!
• Doctoral Candidate and Doctoral Student are
  often interchangeably used, however,
• Doctoral Candidacy is Official ONLY following
• Approval of Dissertation Project by sponsoring
  organization and Dissertation Project Supervisor
• Submission of a Signed Dissertation Project
  Charter
• Oral presentation of the Dissertation Project
  during the Initial Doctoral Dissertation
  Colloquium
• Maintenance of a 3.0gpa with no outstanding I
  grades

46
Dissertation Preparation Resources

• Publication Manual of the American Psychological
  Association (Fifth Edition)
• Includes format guidelines and instructions
  related to dissertation preparation, in general
• NGS/U Doctoral Dissertation Guide
• Provides instructions specific to NGS/U
  dissertations
• NGS/U Doctor of Business Administration Programs
  Reference Manual
• Your resource for nearly every other DBA Program
  issue

47
Dissertation Project Support
You will be granted access and a training package
during the first Dissertation Project class
48
Research Databases

• NGS/U offers the following to assist
  doctoral-level researchers acquire the
  information necessary to complete their
  dissertations
• FirstSearch Online Database
• ProQuest Doctoral Dissertation Databases, Volumes
  A B
• Web-of-Science (Michigan Library Consortium)
• Naval Postgraduate School Homeland Security
  Digital Library

49
Research Databases- continued -

• ERIC
• MEDLINE
• ArticleFirst
• GPO (WorldCat Dissertations Theses)
• Clase and Periodica
• Electronic Collections Online
• ProceedingsFirst
• PapersFirst
• The World Almanac
• OALster
• CAMIO
• CONTENTdm
• ArchieveGrid
• And more

50
EXAMPLEFirstSearch Online Database
http//firstsearch.oclc.org

• Interactive Online Information system
• It includes
• Books
• Journal Articles
• Films
• Computer Software
• Other Materials

51
FirstSearch Online Database

• 1 Access FirstSearch from Blackboard
• 00 GENERAL INFORMATION FOR ALL STUDENTS
• Student Services
• 2 Click on FirstSearch Link Database

52
FirstSearch Online DatabaseGetting Started
http//firstsearch.oclc.org

• This is the FirstSearch Home Page. Enter the
  Authorization and Password which is located on
  your Library Guide and listed below
• Login Pending
• Password Pending

53
FirstSearch Online Database
You can ask FirstSearch to list all the databases
that are available for your research. Or, you
can search by topic, or check the recommended
databases.
54
FirstSearch Online Database
FirstSearch will list the databases so you can
choose the one that best fits your criteria. If
you experience any difficulties, please email
techsupport_at_ngs.edu
55
DBA-Specific Grading Criteria

• DBA Program students must complete 20 courses to
  graduate
• In keeping with NGS/U grading requirements,
  students must maintain a cumulative grade point
  average of 3.0 throughout enrollment in the
  Program
• A grade of F in any course will preclude the
  award of credit for that course.
• All I grades must be remediated before a
  student can graduate
• Only two Cs are permitted to remain as final
  grades

56
Grading Criteria - Continued

• While the Doctoral Dissertation Project will be
  individually completed, DBA students will
  occasionally work in Teams during classroom
  sessions. The following distinct, yet consistent
  areas are evaluated for grading in each course.
• Individual and assigned support team
  preparation for class
• Readings, completion of assignments
• Individual and team analysis of data
• Technical accuracy and relevance of analysis
• Individual and team contribution
• Advancing knowledge, adding value to customers
• Individual and team presentations
• Effective delivery of content, accurate display
  of visual information
• Overall class participation
• Collaboration with classmates, contribution to
  class discussion, performance in assignments,
  assimilation and implementation of key concepts

57
Grading Criteria Matrix
A 4.00 C 2 30
A- 3.70 C 2 00
B 3.30 F 0
B 3.00 I Incomplete
B- 2.70 W Withdrawn

• NGS/U uses the letter grade system (A,B,C,F,I,W)
• Courses in which grades of I, F , and W
  are earned cannot be credited toward DBA degree
  requirements

58
The NGS/U Staff is here to help you!
(800) 838 2580, Ext. 123 (800) 838 2580, Ext. 123
Student Services studentservices123_at_ngs.edu
Financial Aid financialaid_at_ngs.edu
VA assistance vainfo_at_ngs.edu
Admission Status admissions_at_ngs.edu
Student Academic Records Grades, Transcripts, etc keeperofrecords_at_ngs.edu
Technology Assistance Web, Blackboard, passwords, etc techsupport_at_ngs.edu
Bursar bursar_at_ngs.edu
59
Wishing You Success

• Welcome to The Team!
• Make the most of it. Its a tremendous program!
• The more you put into it, the more you get back.
• You will find yourself applying what you learn
  long after graduation.
• You will make friends for life
• Have fun!!!
• Join the NGS/U Alumni Association after graduation