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      1) what business or agency will be the focus of the PT;

     2) what problem or opportunity will be studied; and 

     3) which option will be used to address the subject.

The student in the MOD program may choose one of four options, depending on his or her circumstances and interests. These options include:

• Option 1 Applied Design Intervention
• Option 2 Grant Proposal Submission
• Option 3 Alternative Policy Decision
• Option 4 Business Plan

These options are discussed more fully on the sample MOD Project Theses page.  Each student has a copy of the Project Thesis Handbook (PTH) which provides guidelines for the entire PT.

Students should be encouraged to do an Option 3 (Alternative Policy Decision) project which focuses on their current place of employment, if at all possible.  This is by far the easiest option and requires the least amount of work.

Students who have a burning desire to start or expand their own businesses may select the Business Plan (Option 4).

Students who write proposals for a living or who have previously written grants, may wish to choose Option 2 (Grant Proposal Submission). The student will be required to submit the proposal submitted to the funding agency in addition to the completed PT.

The Applied Design Intervention (Option 1), is intended for the student who is either highly placed in the organization, or who has the complete support of the boss in making the change, may consider this option.  The student will be required to submit the product of this option (e.g., manual, policies, procedures) in addition to the completed PT.

Once the student has made these decisions, he or she completes the PT Topic Proposal Form located in the PTH.  The PTA receives and reviews the form.  The student may need further assistance in making these decisions or in narrowing the scope of the topic to a manageable size.  

Regardless of which option the student chooses, Chapters 1 and 2 are basically the same.  During Module 3 the students compete worksheets which will assist them in writing Chapter 1--Description of the Problem.  Chapter 2 is the Literature Review.  The content of Chapters 3, 4, and 5 will vary depending on the option chosen.

The Role of the Project Thesis Advisor

The PTA is the primary point of contact for the student while he or she is writing the PT and is assigned to a cohort of students prior to convocation.  The PTA will work with this group of students through the end of the MOD program.  Some campuses have built into the curriculum calendar blocks of time for the PTA to give the students detailed instructions.

It is the responsibility of the PTA to receive and evaluate each chapter submitted by the student.  The PTA marks the needed changes on the chapter and makes appropriate comments.  The student corrects the chapter and re-submits it for review.  This continues until the student has fully completed each chapter of the PT to the satisfaction of the PTA.

The PTA is advised to work closely with the Assessment Counselor, keeping him or her informed as to the students' progress or lack thereof.  At the midpoint of the program, the PTA will be asked to provide a written evaluation of the student's progress.  A grade is issued at this point.  It is for two credit hours.  A grade is also given at the end of the PT after the final oral report.  This grade is worth four credit hours.

Any serious problems which the PTA might be having with a student should be discussed with either the Campus Administrator or the Campus Director.  It is wise to keep the Assessment Counselor appraised of developing situations.

The final oral presentations should be a celebration of the students' achievements.  Personal acknowledgements by the PTA have been greatly appreciated by past students.

Overview of Project Thesis

Sample MOD Project Theses

Structuring Hypotheses

Forms

Contacts

Resources

Miscellaneous