Effective Fall 2015
All students pursuing a master's degree at UNL are required to complete either a written comprehensive examination or an oral examination within 24 months of graduation. This requirement varies by the degree and specialization a student pursues as outlined below.
Students completing the MEd with an administrative endorsement (elementary or secondary principal, curriculum supervisor, special education supervisor)
Students completing the MEd with an administrative endorsement will fulfill the requirement by taking an examination in EDAD 811 Practicum during the semester they complete the practicum. The examination is developed to help the student prepare for the Praxis II examination required for administrative endorsement by the Nebraska Department of Education. Information on the examination will be distributed during the first class session of EDAD 811 each semester.
Students completing the on-campus Student Affairs Administration program (MA option I or option III)
Students completing the on-campus Student Affairs Administration program will fulfill this requirement by either completing an oral examination related to a thesis (option I) or submitting a written response to a case study (option III). The decision to complete this requirement under option I or III should be made in consultation with your advisor before the end of your first semester in the program. Individuals meeting the requirement by completing the case study (option III) will receive the case study during the first spring semester class meeting of EDAD 966 Student Affairs Seminar. The deadline to submit the case study will be the second Friday of February. Individuals completing the requirement through the thesis (option I) will present an oral defense and complete an oral examination of the thesis with a committee of three faculty members. Deadlines to successfully complete the oral examination are established by the Office of Graduate Studies and are published on the graduate studies website at http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/current/degrees/masters.
Students who began the online MA in education administration (and any other student not pursuing a P-12 administrative endorsement or not a member of the on-campus student affairs cohort) prior to Fall 2021 semester
Students who began the online MA in educational administration, whether you have switched to the 30-credit program or not, will complete the comprehensive examination, also referred to as capstone project (paper), at the beginning of the semester in which you intend to graduate. Students must apply to complete the capstone project by emailing the department’s graduate secretary, Cindy DeRyke, at cderyke1@unl.edu to inform her of your intent to take the comprehensive examination. Please refer to the Higher Education Administration MA in your Canvas dashboard for specifics and deadlines.
The capstone project for the higher education administration focus will be evaluated by a committee of two faculty members and must adhere to the following specifications:
- The Master’s capstone project may include references to course content and experiences such as projects, major course papers, and/or internships only in support of the question to be answered.
- All claims and arguments made by the student in the Master’s capstone project must be supported and include reference citations using current APA guidelines.
- The Master’s capstone project is expected to illustrate graduate-level writing which includes correct spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and subject/verb agreement.
- Papers should not exceed 15 pages double-spaced (including references), excluding a title page, with one-inch margins and a twelve-point font. Students should provide their name only on the title page and include the question to be answered (as provided by your advisor) at the top of the first page.
- The capstone project is to be an independent effort that reflects your personal learning as a graduate student in Educational Administration.
Students who began the 30-credit online MA in education administration in the Fall 2021 semester (and any other student not pursuing a P-12 administrative endorsement or not a member of the on-campus student affairs cohort)
Students who began the 30-credit online MA in education administration in the Fall 2021 semester will complete a Capstone Course during the second Spring semester (2023) of their program. The Capstone Course will replace the capstone examination previously required.
Revised by the Faculty March 2015