Preparing your Creative Component for the MPA

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Preparing your Creative Component for the MPA

• Prof. Kurt Thurmaier, Facilitator
• Public Policy Administration Program
• Department of Political Science
• Iowa State University
• Presented Fall 2005

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Purpose of Creative Component

• Why do you have to do this in the first place?!?!
  
• http//www.grad-college.iastate.edu/degree/chapter
  7.htmlAcademic
• Every nonthesis student must present substantial
  evidence of individual accomplishment (e.g., a
  special report, capstone course, integrated field
  experience, annotated bibliography, research
  project, design, or other creative endeavor).
• A minimum of two credits of such independent work
  is required on every program of study (POS) for a
  nonthesis masters degree.
• The element of creative independent study must be
  explicitly identified on the POS.
• The format of the creative component is
  determined in cooperation with the POS committee.

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Types of Creative Component Projects

• What projects qualify as a CC?
• a special report
• capstone course
• integrated field experience
• annotated bibliography
• research project
• design
• or other creative endeavor.
• What do I need to do to pass? see POS committee

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Program of Study Committee

• The key academic committee
• Needs one outside member (political science
  counts)
• Normally formed in the second semester (should be
  done by now!)
• Provisional major professors assigned today

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POS COMMITTEE Major Professor

• Review and sign forms requiring the major
  professors approval.
• Preside at meetings of the POS committee.
• Guide the graduate student doing research by
  conferring regularly to review and evaluate
  progress.
• Guide the student in development of communication
  skills through assistance in preparing
  manuscripts for presentation or publication.
• Criticize constructively the written draft(s) of
  a thesis or dissertation before it is circulated
  to other members of the POS committee.
• Work with the student in editing the written
  draft(s) of the thesis or dissertation.
• Approve and sign final submission copies of the
  thesis or dissertation before it is submitted to
  the Graduate College Thesis Office.
• http//www.grad-college.iastate.edu/degree/chapter
  6.htmlSummary

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POS COMMITTEE as a whole

• Advise the student during development of creative
  component, thesis or dissertation, either
  individually or in conference with other
  committee members.
• Participate in the preliminary oral examination
  of a doctoral student and decide whether to
  recommend that the student be advanced to
  candidacy for the degree.
• Read the creative component, thesis, or
  dissertation critically and suggest corrections.
• Conduct a final oral examination for Ph.D.
  candidates and decide whether to recommend
  granting of the Ph.D. degree.
• Conduct a comprehensive oral examination of a
  masters student and recommend whether the degree
  should be granted.
• http//www.grad-college.iastate.edu/degree/chapter
  6.htmlSummary

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Human Subjects Review

• Diane Aments Presentation

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DEADLINES!

• THEY ARE REAL!
• Check Graduate College website for each semester
  deadline http//www.grad-college.iastate.edu/d
  eadline/deadlines.html

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Creative Component Summary

• Substantial evidence of individual
  accomplishment
• Creative component vs. thesis
• Discuss with your POS committee well in advance!
• Oral defense
• Grad College deadlines look ahead, reason back