YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Master’s Degree
Final Examination Guidelines - Paper Option
Description:
The Kansas State University Graduate School requires a culminating experience in order to earn a master’s degree. The
culminating experience should verify the student’s competence to synthesize information across the program of study.
Students file an Approval to Schedule Final Exam form (ASFE) to notify the Graduate School of the time and date for their
culminating experience. The student’s supervisory committee administers and evaluates the culminating experience.
The final exam: paper option for the K-State Great Plains IDEA Youth Development Master’s degree program involves three
questions around topics/issues already studied. Students submit responses to these questions in a 25-30 page paper.
Students work with their Major Professor to select a two-week timeframe during the student’s final semester in which the
written exam is completed. On the first day of the two-week window, the Major Professor sends the exam via email. The
paper is returned to the Major Professor and is reviewed by the supervisory committee (allow ten days). The supervisory
committee provides recommendations for revisions, if necessary. It is not unusual for rewrites or revisions to occur, so plan
accordingly (i.e., do not schedule your two-week time frame close to the end of the semester)!
Action Steps:
• CONTACT your Major Professor to set the DATE and TIME of your final exam.
• EMAIL your exam date and time to the K-State Campus Coordinator at gpideacc@ksu.edu. The Campus
Coordinator will assist in the submission of an Approval to Schedule Final Exam form to the Graduate School.
• VISIT the K-State graduate school commencement website. http://www.k-state.edu/grad/students/gradandcomm.html
• Please note: the K-State Graduate School requires that students be enrolled in at least one credit hour during their
final semester.
After the Exam:
After your final exam, the Graduate School will send a ballot to your Major Professor. Your supervisory committee will sign
the ballot pass or fail to indicate completion of degree requirements.
Please keep in mind that the Approval to Schedule Final Exam form must be on file with the Graduate School office 2
weeks prior to the date of your final exam. Missing this deadline may jeopardize your opportunity to graduate on time.
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Master’s Degree
Final Examination Guidelines - Project Option
Description:
The Kansas State University Graduate School requires a culminating experience in order to earn a master’s degree. The culminating experience should verify the student’s competence to synthesize information across the program of study. Students file an Approval to Schedule Final
Exam form (ASFE) to notify the Graduate School of the time and date for their culminating experience. The student’s supervisory committee
administers and evaluates the culminating experience.
The Final Project is begun prior to a student’s final semester, but must be completed in the final semester. The Final Project is not connected
to a course nor is for graduate credit. Some students enroll in the FSHS 723 Practicum in Youth Development elective course (1-3 hrs.) with
remote supervision from their Major Professor in order to plan, implement, evaluate and report on the project they conduct.
The Final Project is to be conducted within a functioning youth service organization located near a student’s home or business, and needs to
be planned early enough so that organization is fully informed of and is in agreement with the project. Students are encouraged to design and
implement an applied Project and not a research Project due to the time and approvals required by Institutional Review Board (IRB) to undertake a quality research study. However, if a student is planning to pursue a PhD a research Project may be considered.
The Final Project’s product for critique and oral defense is a portfolio comprised of:
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
Part 1 - Introduction
Part 2 - Need for the Project
Part 3 - Implementation of the Project (integrates youth/human development theory, logic model and evidence of implementation)
Part 4 - Results
Part 5 - Conclusions and Recommendations
References
Appendices
This Portfolio is to be provided to the student’s Supervisory Committee for their review through posting on a designated, secure website
allowing for upload of photos, audio/video or other mixed media.
Action Steps:
•
•
•
•
CONTACT your Major Professor to set the DATE and TIME of your final exam.
EMAIL your exam date and time to the K-State Campus Coordinator at gpideacc@ksu.edu. The Campus Coordinator will assist in
the submission of an Approval to Schedule Final Exam form to the Graduate School.
VISIT the K-State graduate school commencement website. http://www.k-state.edu/grad/students/gradandcomm.html
Please note: the K-State Graduate School requires that students be enrolled in at least one credit hour during their final semester.
After the Exam:
After your final exam, the Graduate School will send a ballot to your Major Professor. Your supervisory committee will sign the ballot pass or
fail to indicate completion of degree requirements.
Please keep in mind that the Approval to Schedule Final Exam form must be on file with the Graduate School office 2
weeks prior to the date of your final exam. Missing this deadline may jeopardize your opportunity to graduate on time.