1. Graduate School More in-depth than at the undergraduate level Expectations of faculty are greater 1. More initiative 2. More reading 3. Use of journals 4. Being able to review the literature

2. Graduate school Carefully following all instructions Using APA style Purchase the APA Manual, 5 th edition It is particularly important to use APA style for the internship or thesis Dressing appropriately for presentations

3. Required courses and Independent Studies No substitutions for required courses Limit on independent studies Remember that a course has 45 contact hours, and that a student should spend 2 hours for every hour in the classroom This means that an independent study should entail a MINIMUM of 135 hours, and likely more for a good grade

4. Independent studies A student doing an independent study should have a plan before getting permission to enroll, and be able to account for how those minimum 135 hours are to be spent.

5. Initial Study Plans & Applications for Candidacy A student should do an initial study plan during the first semester. After completing 9 hours he/she should fill out an application for candidacy A person may easily change the initial study plan If the student deviates from the application for candidacy form, other forms must be completed

6. Internships and Theses Which one? Your career goals influence your decision 1. If you have little work experience in the field, and do not ever plan to get a doctorate, an internship might be your choice 2. If you think you might go on for a doctorate, you should do a thesis

7. Guidelines for internships and theses The graduate school has developed guidelines for theses and internships, posted on their website. These must be carefully followed The department also has procedures and guidelines. These must be carefully followed http://www5.semo.edu/criminal Click on programs and then on M.S. in Criminal Justice

8. Guidelines There are procedures and guidelines for internships and thesis proposal and the thesis, as well as information about courses Generally these papers take about 2 semesters to complete DO NOT plan on graduating in a particular semester

9. Thesis & Internship DO NOT make life-altering plans contingent on graduating in a particular semester DO NOT make promises to employers as to when you will graduate Graduate students everywhere routinely tend to underestimate the amount of time needed to complete these projects

10. Theses and internships The poorer the quality of the work, the longer it will take for faculty to make corrections If the guidelines are followed, then the process will go more quickly and smoothly Following committee suggestions to the letter will also make the process move more quickly

11. Theses & Internships Do not pick and choose among the recommendations made by the committee Do all of them A few students have appealed to the Graduate Dean, trying to persuade him to override committee decisions This has not been successful

12. Theses & Internships In fact, the Graduate School has sometimes rejected theses that have been approved by the committee