CURRICULUM

BACCALAUREATE AND MASTER

PROGRAM IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM

PROGRAM:
The Department of Medical Technology offers a complete program leading to the bachelor of science in medical technology. During the first three years, the student is enrolled in general education, science, and preliminary medical technology courses. The senior practicum includes two semesters at the university and one and one-half semesters at an affiliated hospital. The affiliated hospitals include Forrest General Hospital , Hattiesburg ; Biloxi ; Memorial Hospital , Gulfport ; and Singing River Hospital , Pascagoula .

Also, the department has a process for articulation with accredited medical laboratory technician (MLT) programs, which provides career mobility for the associate-degree-level technician.

Students completing the program are eligible to take national examinations for certification as medical technologists/clinical laboratory scientists.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:

Presently, the greatest number of medical technologists is employed in hospital laboratories. Most hospital laboratories perform a wide variety of routine and special diagnostic tests, ranging from simple manual methods to those using automated and highly technological instrumentation. The working conditions, salary, and opportunities vary with the size and type of laboratory.

Medical technologists are also employed in other types of laboratories. Privately owned laboratories, such as those in physicians' offices and clinics, are staffed by medical technologists. In addition to routine analyses, the regional laboratories may perform sophisticated or exotic tests not offered by the typical hospital laboratory. Public health laboratories offer positions for medical technologists that are regulated by civil service. Some pubic laboratories offer diversified services; others are confined to examination in specialized areas only. Also, medical technologists serve as research assistants in medical centers and in research and quality control industries. There are also opportunities for positions as sales or technical representatives with companies that manufacture or distribute laboratory equipment and supplies.

SUGGESTED CURRICULUM:

Practicum

ADMISSION TO JUNIOR-LEVEL COURSES
A minimum GPA of 2.0 overall and a "C" or better in College Algebra, and General Chemistry lectures and laboratories are required for entrance into junior-level MTC courses. MTC 202 and 203 are prerequisites or corequisites for all junior-level MTC courses. Students must make a "C" or better in these courses. Other prerequisites and corequisites for MTC 302/302L, 306/306L, 309/309L, and 315 are stated in the course descriptions found in the Undergraduate Bulletin.

PROGRESSION IN THE JUNIOR YEAR:
A student must make a "C" or better in junior-level MTC courses. The department repeat policy for these courses is:

1. A student may repeat one junior-level MTC course, to improve the grade, without permission from the department faculty.
2. A second repeat of junior-level courses will require specific permission of the faculty. To obtain permission, the student must present a justification in person before the faculty of the department. A favorable majority vote of the faculty is required for permission to repeat and continue as a major.

ADMISSION TO THE SENIOR YEAR

During the junior year, the student will apply to the department for admission to the senior year. Students should contact the Medical Technology Department for the application procedure. A minimum overall and science GPA of 2.3 is required before an application can be reviewed. Science courses used to calculate the science GPA include all BSC, CHE, MAT, CSS, and MTC courses in the curriculum. Hepatitis vaccination, physical report, and professional liability insurance are required. Application completion, successful completion of all courses in the curriculum, and demonstration of qualities and attitudes that are necessary to develop as a competent professional are required. When qualified applicants exceed class size, selection will be based upon GPA. The senior year consists of two phases: Phase I, two semesters on The University of Southern Mississippi campus; and Phase II, a six-month clinical session at one of the affiliated hospitals. Preferences for hospital assignments will not be considered.

PROGRESSION IN THE SENIOR YEAR
Consult the Medical Technology Student Policy Manual for progression policies for the senior year.

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
Regardless of courses taken previously, if English is not the native language of any student, evidence of English proficiency must be provided prior to admission into the senior year. The MTELP (Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency) requirement is "Proficiency II" and is preferred by the department. Alternately, a TOEFL of 550 may be accepted. In addition, a score of 4 ("functional language skills") must be earned on a fluency test administered by the English Language Institute. This fluency test is specifically designed to determine listening and speaking skills with respect to situations and language expected during the senior year of the program.

MLT MATRICULATION
MLT students who hold an associate's degree from a NAACLS accredited MLT program and certification as a Medical Laboratory Technician (or equivalent) from a nationally recognized certifying agency are not required to take the junior-level MTC courses, as long as their transcripts document equivalent courses taken as part of the community college program and a grade of "C" or above was obtained in each MLT course.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Essential functions, the nonacademic standards that a student must be able to master to participate successfully in the program, are as follows:

The Medical Technology student must be able to:

• observe laboratory demonstrations in which biological (i.e., body fluids, culture materials, tissue sections, and cellular specimens) are tested for their biochemical, hematological, immunological, microbiological, and histochemical components.
• characterize the color, odor, clarity, and viscosity of biological samples, reagents, or chemical reaction products.
• utilize a clinical grade binocular microscope to discriminate among fine structural and color (hue, shading, and intensity) differences of microscopic specimens.
• read and comprehend text, numbers, and graphs displayed in print and on a video monitor.
• recognize alarms.

Essential Motor and Mobility Requirements for Medical Technology

The Medical Technology student must be able to:

• perform laboratory testing adhering to existing laboratory safety standards.
• perform moderately taxing continuous physical work, often requiring prolonged sitting and/or standing, over several hours.
• travel to assigned clinical laboratory practicum sites.
• reach laboratory benchtops and shelves, patients lying in hospital beds or patients seated in specimen collection furniture.
• grasp, hold, transport, utilize specimens, reagents, hazardous chemicals and equipment in a safe manner as needed to perform laboratory testing.
• obtain patient specimens in a timely, safe, and professional manner (e.g. perform phlebotomy).
• use laboratory equipment (e.g. pipettes, inoculating loops, test tubes) and instruments to perform laboratory procedures according to established laboratory guidelines.
• use a computer keyboard to operate laboratory instruments and to calculate, record, evaluate, and transmit laboratory information.
  troubleshoot and correct basic equipment malfunctions.

Essential Communication Requirements for Medical Technology

The Medical Technology student must be able to:

• read and understand technical and professional materials (i.e. textbooks, journal articles, handbooks, and instruction manuals).
  follow oral and written instructions independently.
• clearly instruct patients regarding specimen collection.
• demonstrate sensitivity, confidentiality and respect when speaking with patients.
• communicate clearly, accurately and tactfully with faculty members, student colleagues, staff and other health care professionals orally and in a recorded format (writing, typing, graphics, or telecommunications).

Essential Intellectual Requirements for Medical Technology

The Medical Technology student must be able to:

• comprehend, measure, calculate, reason, integrate, analyze, evaluate, correlate, problem-solve and compare.
• recognize abnormal laboratory results (e.g. patient and QC) and take appropriate action.
• demonstrate critical-thinking and judgment skills appropriate to a given situation.
• independently prepare papers, prepare laboratory reports, and take paper, computer, and laboratory practical examinations.

Essential Behavioral Requirements for Medical Technology

The Medical Technology student must be able to:

• organize work and perform multiple tasks within given time constraints and under stressful conditions while maintaining the ability to communicate clearly.
• be able to manage the use of time and be able to systematize actions in order to complete professional and technical tasks within realistic constraints.
• possess the emotional health necessary to effectively apply knowledge and exercise appropriate judgment.
• be able to provide professional and technical services while experiencing the stresses of task-related uncertainty (i.e., ambiguous test order, ambivalent test interpretation), emergent demands (i.e. "stat" test order), and distracting environment (i.e., high noise levels, crowding, complex visual stimuli).
• be flexible and creative and adapt to professional and technical change.
• recognize potentially hazardous materials, equipment, and situations and proceed safely in order to minimize risk of injury to patients, self, and nearby individuals.
• adapt to working with unpleasant biologicals.
• support and promote the activities of fellow students and of health care professionals. Promotion of peers helps furnish a team approach to learning, task completion, problem solving, and patient care.
• be honest, compassionate, ethical, and responsible. The student must be forthright about errors or uncertainty. The student must be able to critically evaluate her or his own performance, accept and act on constructive criticism, and look for ways to improve (i.e., participate in enriched educational activities).
• show respect for individuals of different age, ethnic background, religion, and/or sexual orientation.
• exercise independent judgment and accept responsibility for own work.

In addition, the student must follow all established policies and procedures of the program and clinical affiliate sites.

Certain disabilities may limit employment opportunities. Moreover, immunocompromised individuals may put themselves at personal risk due to exposure to infectious agents that occur in all aspects of the laboratory.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
Scholarships, low interest loans, and college work-study monies are available from the university. For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office, 118 College Drive #5101, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001, (601) 266-4774.

ADMISSION:
Admission forms are procurable from and should be submitted to the University Admissions Office, 118 College Drive #5166, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001, (601) 266-5000.

INFORMATION AND CORRESPONDENCE:
For additional information please consult the current Undergraduate Bulletin or write to the Chair, Department of Medical Technology, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5134, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001. (601) 266-4908, E-mail: medtech@usm.edu.

GRADUATE PROGRAM

PROGRAMS
The Master of Science in Medical Technology degree programs seek to provide the student with skills and knowledge for professional enhancement. Graduates of the programs may be candidates for positions as laboratory managers, education coordinators, college or university medical technology faculty members, laboratory computer specialists, research laboratory technologists, departmental supervisors, etc. The programs are structured to provide the student with an area of specialization or expertise.

The Department of Medical Technology offers two programs leading to the master's degree in Medical Technology. One program is for individuals who possess certification as a medical technologist from a recognized national certifying agency. This certification is an entrance requirement.

The second program is for individuals who do not hold certification as a medical technologist from a recognized national certifying agency. This program includes a medical technology practicum that allows the individual to become eligible to sit for a certification examination. Certification from a recognized national certifying agency is an exit requirement.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
For both programs, in addition to meeting the general requirements of the Graduate School and university as stated in the Graduate Bulletin, the applicant must submit scores from the GRE and three letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation should be from persons qualified to assess the applicant's readiness for graduate study and should be sent to the department. Students admitted will receive either regular or conditional admission, as described in the Graduate Bulletin. Students admitted on conditional basis must make a grade point average of at least 3.00 on the first nine (9) hours of course work numbered 500 or above or on all course work taken while completing this nine (9) hour requirement). These courses will be designated by the graduate department faculty. Regardless of previous college experience, if English is not the native language of any student, evidence of English proficiency must be provided prior to admission into the graduate program. The MTELP (Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency) requirement is "Proficiency II" and is preferred by the department. Alternatively a TOEFL of 550 may be accepted. In addition, a score of 4 ("functional language skills") must be earned on a fluency test administered by the English Language Institute. This fluency test is specifically designed to determine listening and speaking skills with respect to situations and language expected during the practicum phase of the program.

To receive maximum consideration, graduate applications for the fall semester should be received by the department by April 15, and applications for the spring semester should be received by November 1.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
A minimum of thirty (30) semester hours of course work, excluding hours awarded for thesis, is required for the thesis option. A minimum of thirty-six (36) semester hours of course work is required for the non-thesis option. In addition, individuals who do not hold certification at admission must complete a practicum of forty-six (46) hours. A minimum of eighteen (18) semester hours must be in courses numbered 600 or above. The courses should interrelate and be directed toward an area of emphasis. An area of emphasis such as microbiology, chemistry, hematology, immunology, management, or education will be chosen by the student, and all course work designated and approved by the student's graduate committee during the first semester of the program. Students selecting the thesis option are required to write a thesis under the direction of a Medical Technology department faculty member on a subject approved by the student's graduate committee. The student's graduate committee is composed of a chair and two members recommended by the department chair and appointed by the graduate dean. Courses in which a student receives less than a "C" will not be counted toward the degree. A student may not have more than two practicum courses and two other courses with a grade of "C" or below. Upon completion of coarse work, all students must pass oral and written comprehensive examinations. Additionally, student selecting the thesis option must successfully present an oral defense of the master's thesis. Students must have at least a 3.0 GPA to graduate.

Non-major masters students must obtain permission of the instructor to register for MTC 502, 502L, 504, 504L, 506, 506L, 515. Registration for practicum level courses is limited as described in the Graduate Bulletin.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Essential functions, the nonacademic standards that a student must be able to master to participate successfully in the program, are as follows:

Essential Visual and Observation Skills for Medical Technology

The Medical Technology student must be able to:

• observe laboratory demonstrations in which biological (i.e., body fluids, culture materials, tissue sections, and cellular specimens) are tested for their biochemical, hematological, immunological, microbiological, and histochemical components.
• characterize the color, odor, clarity, and viscosity of biologicals samples, reagents, or chemical reaction products.
• utilize a clinical grade binocular microscope to discriminate among fine structural and color (hue, shading, and intensity) differences of microscopic specimens.
• read and comprehend text, numbers, and graphs displayed in print and on a video monitor.
  recognize alarms.

Essential Motor and Mobility Requirements for Medical Technology

The Medical Technology student must be able to:

• perform laboratory testing adhering to existing laboratory safety standards.
• perform moderately taxing continuous physical work, often requiring prolonged sitting or standing, over several hours.
• travel to assigned clinical laboratory Practicum sites.
• reach laboratory benchtops and shelves, patients lying in hospital beds or patients seated in specimen collection furniture.
• grasp, hold, transport, utilize specimens, reagents, hazardous chemicals and equipment in a safe manner as needed to perform laboratory testing.
• obtain patient specimens in a timely, safe, and professional manner (e.g. perform phlebotomy).
• use laboratory equipment (e.g. pipettes, inoculating loops, test tubes) and instruments to perform laboratory procedures according to established laboratory guidelines.
• use a computer keyboard to operate laboratory instruments and to calculate, record, evaluate, and transmit laboratory information.
  troubleshoot and correct basic equipment malfunctions.

Essential Communication Requirements for Medical Technology

The Medical Technology student must be able to:

• read and understand technical and professional materials (i.e. textbooks, journal articles, handbooks, and instruction manuals).
• follow oral and written instructions independently.
• clearly instruct patients regarding specimen collection.
• demonstrate sensitivity, confidentiality and respect when speaking with patients.
• communicate clearly, accurately and tactfully with faculty members, student colleagues, staff, and other health care professionals orally and in a recorded format (writing, typing, graphics, or telecommunications).

Essential Intellectual Requirements for Medical Technology

The Medical Technology student must be able to:

• comprehend, measure, calculate, reason, integrate, analyze, evaluate, correlate, problem-solve and compare.
• recognize abnormal laboratory results (e.g. patient and QC) and take appropriate action.
• demonstrate critical-thinking and judgment skills appropriate to a given situation.
• independently prepare papers, prepare laboratory reports, and take paper, computer, and laboratory practical examinations.

Essential Behavioral Requirements for Medical Technology

The Medical Technology student must be able to:

• organize work and perform multiple tasks within given time constraints and under stressful conditions while maintaining the ability to communicate clearly.
• be able to manage the use of time and be able to systematize actions in order to complete professional and technical tasks within realistic constraints.
• possess the emotional health necessary to effectively apply knowledge and exercise appropriate judgment.
• be able to provide professional and technical services while experiencing the stresses of task-related uncertainty (i.e., ambiguous test order, ambivalent test interpretation), emergent demands (i.e. "stat" test order), and distracting environment (i.e., high noise levels, crowding, complex visual stimuli).
• be flexible and creative and adapt to professional and technical change.
• recognize potentially hazardous materials, equipment, and situations and proceed safely in order to minimize risk of injury to patients, self, and nearby individuals.
• adapt to working with unpleasant biologicals.
• support and promote the activities of fellow students and of health care professionals. Promotion of peers helps furnish a team approach to learning, task completion, problem solving, and patient care.
• be honest, compassionate, ethical, and responsible. The student must be forthright about errors or uncertainty. The student must be able to critically evaluate her or his own performance, accept and act on constructive criticism, and look for ways to improve (i.e., participate in enriched educational activities).
• show respect for individuals of different age, ethnic background, religion, and/or sexual orientation.
• exercise independent judgment and accept responsibility for own work.

In addition, the student must follow all established policies and procedures of the program and clinical affiliate sites.

Certain disabilities may limit employment opportunities. Moreover, immunocompromised individuals may put themselves at personal risk due to exposure to infectious agents that occur in all aspects of the laboratory.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
Low interest loans, scholarships, and college work study monies are available to graduate students. For more information, contact: Financial Aid Office, 118 College Drive #5101, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406-0001, (601) 266-4774.

When available in Medical Technology, university assistantships are awarded to full-time students and entail one-half time of teaching or research assignment. Tuition is currently waived for assistantship holders. All students are automatically considered for an assistantship. Inquiries regarding assistantships should be sent to the department.

INFORMATION AND CORRESPONDENCE:
For additional information, consult the current Southern Miss Graduate Bulletin or write to:
Department of Medical Technology, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5134, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001, (601) 266-4908, e-mail: medtech@usm.edu

DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY GRADUATE HANDBOOK

Outline:

I.  Admission

A. Procedure

B. Requirements

II. Purpose

III. Advisement and Committee Assignment

IV. Program of Study:

A. Curriculum plans

1. For certified medical technologist
2. For individual who is not certified

B. Options

1. Thesis
2. Non-thesis

V. Course Work

A. Requirements

B. Example

VI. Comprehensive Examination

VII. Thesis Performance Procedure and Deadlines

VIII. Non-Thesis Options Deadlines

I. ADMISSION

A. Procedure

The Admissions Procedure details are found in The University of Southern Mississippi Graduate Bulletin. Once all information is received, the information is sent to the Department of Medical Technology. The Senior Faculty evaluates the information and vote regarding acceptance. A majority vote of the faculty is required to admit a student. Data that the faculty reviews include: GPA in undergraduate program, GPA in science courses in undergraduate program, courses in undergraduate program, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and Michigan Level II or TOEFL of at least 550 if applicable.

B. Requirements

For regular admission in both programs, the applicant must:

•  Hold a baccalaureate degree form an institution approved by a recognized accrediting agency.

•  Be eligible to re-enter in good standing the last college or university attended.

•  Present evidence, by official transcript, of a grade point average of at least 2.75 (figured on an A equals 4.0 scale) for the last two years of undergraduate courses in the field of proposed graduate study.

•  Present GRE score on the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE.

•  Present a MTELP of "Proficiency II" or TOEFL of 550 (regardless of previous college experience, if English is not the native language this requirement must be met).

•  Satisfy the appropriate department chair, college dean, and Graduate Dean that he/she shows promise of satisfying graduate degree requirements.

PURPOSE OF THE GRADUATE MTC PROGRAM

The Master of Science in Medical Technology degree program seeks to provide the student with skills and knowledge for professional enhancement. Graduates of the programs may be candidates for positions as laboratory managers, education coordinators, hospital or college/university medical technology faculty members, researchers, departmental supervisors, etc. The program is structured to provide the student with an area of emphasis, i.e. areas such as microbiology, chemistry, hematology, genetics, immunology, computer science, management, or education.

ADVISEMENT AND COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT

Once the student has been accepted into the Masters program, the student will meet with the Chairperson preferably before the first semester, but definitely by the first day of class to plan the courses for the first semester. For the first semester, the Chairperson will try to register the student for courses that are generic and can be applied toward any emphasis. During the first semester, the student will select the emphasis area and identify three faculty members (two of which must be MTC faculty) to serve on the committee. The Chair of the Committee will typically be the MTC faculty member who teaches in the emphasis area selected by the student. A Committee form must be completed and sent to the Graduate Office by the Chairperson of the Department in order to confirm the Committee. After the Committee is appointed, the student should make an appointment with the Chair of the Committee to discuss a date for the Committee to meet and determine coursework to be taken. The student's input regarding courses will be considered by the Committee; therefore, the student should develop a list of courses, which he/she wishes to take. If the student has selected the Thesis Option, he/she will coordinate the thesis activities through the Chair of the Committee. Once appointed, the Chair of the Committee serves as the student's advisor each semester.

PROGRAM OF STUDY

The Department of Medical Technology offers two curriculum plans leading to the Master's degree in Medical Technology. One program is for the individual who possesses certification as a medical technologist from a recognized national certifying agency. This certification is an entrance requirement.

The second program is for the individual who does not hold certification as a medical technologist form a recognized national certifying agency. This program includes a medical technology practicum at the 500 level with hours that do not count toward the total hours required for the Masters' degree, but that allow the individual to become eligible to take a national certification examination. Certification from a recognized national certifying agency is a mandatory exit requirement.

Two options are offered to students in either curriculum plan:

•  Thesis Option and

•  Non-Thesis Option. The Non-Thesis Option requires 36 hours of approved coursework. The Thesis Option requires 30 hours of approved coursework and 6 hours of Thesis. The student must declare the option prior to the Committee Meeting to determine coursework.

COURSEWORK

A. Requirements:

All students must take at least nine (9) hours of courses determined by the Committee to be scientific coursework. All courses may be in the College of Health or other colleges, as deemed appropriate by the Committee for the emphasis selected by the student.

In addition, typically the committee will not allow practicum courses to apply to the Master's degree for students who are certified medical technologists. Exceptions may be made if the student did not have the course in their original practicum or the Committee feels that the length of time has been such that an update is necessary.

B. Examples (not exhaustive) of courses acceptable as coursework:

• BSC 510 Human Parasitology
• BSC 512 Medical Entomology
• BSC 560 Pharmacology
• BSC 561 Histology
• BSC 562 Microtechnique
• BSC 563 Pathobiology
• BSC 564 Microscopy
• BSC 571 Advanced Genetics
• BSC 575 Medical Genetics
• BSC 576 Molecular Biology
• BSC 581 Pathogenic Microbiology
• BSC 582 Advanced Pathogenic Microbiology
• BSC 584 Virology and Tissue Culture
• BSC 585 Viral Pathogenesis and Diagnosis
• BSC 586 Immunology and Serology
• BSC 587 Microbial Physiology
• BSC 760 Cell Ultrastructure
• BSC 776 Topics in Gene Regulation
• BSC 780 Principles of Immunochemistry
• CHE 521 Biochemistry I
• CHE 522 Biochemistry II
• CHE 721 Proteins
• CHE 723 Enzymes
• CHE 725 Lipids
• CHS 525 Health Administration
• CHS 540 Introduction to Biostatistics
• CHS 622 Epidemiology
• CHS 623 Biostatistics
• EDA 710 School Law
• EDA 711 Higher Education in the United States
• EDA 712 The Community/Junior College
• EDA 713 Curricula In Higher Education
• EDA 715 Administration & Supervision of College Teaching
• EDA 717 Continuing Education & Community Service
• MGT 500 Management Theory
• MGT 610 Organizational Management
• MGT 620 Organizational Behavior and Practice
• MGT 630 Survey of Labor-Management Relations
• MTC 561 Oncology
• MTC 689 Seminar
• MTC 692 Special Problems in Medical Technology

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

Comprehensive Examinations will be both written and oral defense of the written. The Comprehensive Examination will be composed of at least six questions prepared by the Committee Chair and members. The Chair of the committee will be responsible for notifying the members regarding the deadline for submission of questions, compiling the questions and giving to the student, establishing deadlines with the student for completion of answers and returning questions/answers to the Chair, distribution of answers to Committee members for grading, and scheduling the defense of the written examination. Students will be given thirty (30) days to complete the examination (which includes weekends). The written examination requires answers that are referenced to current literature, which is generally considered to be within the past five years. The document is to be and double-spaced, with one inch margins and in a font comparable to Courier 10 cpi.

The written comprehensive examination is to be in Standard English. Edit the document for correct use of sentence and paragraph structure, choice of words, use of punctuation, spelling and grammar. Most word processing programs have options to expedite the processes of revising editing.

Each response should begin on a separate page, and the question should be restated as the title for the response. The response must be referenced in APA format. (APA guidebooks are available in the Hub bookstore if you are unfamiliar with the format.) Although references are essential, the response is to be in the student's own words. Plagiarism is to be avoided. A lengthy definition of plagiarism can be found in the Southern Miss Student Handbook. The penalty for plagiarism may be failure of the exam.

The members of the committee have the right to reject an exam, or any portion of it, that does not meet the above guidelines.

The Comprehensive Examination should be taken at the end of the semester that coursework is completed. The Comprehensive Examination absolutely must be taken within one semester following completing coursework. The time for the Comprehensive Examination must be established with and approved by the student's committee. For students on the thesis Option, the comprehensive and thesis may be defined at the same hearing if within one semester of completing coursework.

Thesis chapter, written oral exam questions, etc. must be submitted to the committee members so that the members have 10 working days for reading.

THESIS PERFORMANCE PROCEDURE

For students selecting the Thesis Option, the procedure is as follows:

1. Meet with major professor and discuss thesis topic.
2. Perform literature search on topic to determine viability of idea.
3. Develop proposal to include: Literature Review, Statement of Problem, Purpose of the Study, Methods, Statistical Analysis Method, Materials Needed, Equipment Needed, and Approximate Cost.
4. The Proposal should be given to the Major Professor.
5. After the Major Professor approves the Proposal, the major Professor will inform the Chair of the Committee (Major Professor and Chair of Committee may be the same person) who will call a meeting of the Committee to approve the Proposal. (Copies of the Proposal should be given to the Committee member two weeks prior to the meeting.)
6. After the Committee obtains approval, work can begin on the topic.
7. Thesis completion deadlines are according to the published Graduate School calendar; therefore student should consult the Graduate School .