* Academic
Advisement:
Frequently Asked Questions
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I would like to apply for a graduate assistantship. Would you give me information about that?
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I've been admitted to the program, but with a provisional status. What do I need to do?
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I received a C from one of the required courses. Am I in trouble?
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How long would it take me to finish the IPT master's degree program?
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I'm interested in taking a course from another institution. May I transfer the credit to BSU?
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What is the 1-credit IPT595 Readings and Conference (Prep for the Comprehensive Exam) course?
For more information, contact your advisor.
Q: I've been recently admitted to the IPT program and I'm ready to take my first IPT class. Which course should I take?
IPT536 (Introduction to Instructional and Performance Technology) is the best choice for your first semester. It will give you an overview of the IPT field and help prepare you for the other courses in the curriculum. If IPT536 is not offered in the semester, contact your advisor for other options.
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Q: How many courses per semester should I take?
Most of our students (about 85%) take 1 class a semester - see http://ipt.boisestate.edu/ipt4me.htm. Of course, what you do will depend on how much time you can spend on school, given your work and family situation, and you’re the best judge of that. Trying to juggle a job, a family, and school is difficult. For your first semester, limiting yourself to one class is probably a good idea. If that goes well, you can take two classes the following semester.
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Q: How much time am I expected to spend for a course?
It can be a little bit different depending on the weekly schedule, the learning subject matter, your previous knowledge and experience, etc.
The rule of thumb is that you calculate the number of hours that you need to spend per week for a course by multiplying the number of the credits by 3 (e.g., 3 x 3 credits = 9 hours/week for a 3-credit course and 3 x 4 credits = 12 hours/week for a 4-credit course). You will spend those hours for completing reading assignments, conducting research, completing homework, reading messages and responding to them (in an online class), studying for tests, etc.
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Q: How do I register for a course?
All registration, for on-campus and online courses, is done through Boise State’s BroncoWeb system. See http://ipt.boisestate.edu/registration.htm. You are strongly encouraged to contact your advisor for his/her advice on course sequence and selection.
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Q: I'm an Idaho Resident and live in/near Boise. I've been taking on-campus classes. Can I take online classes too?
Of course, you can. There are several steps that you must complete prior to enrolling in an IPT online course. You must contact Jo Ann Fenner, the Associate Program Developer in order to get the information and guidance on how to enroll in online classes. See http://ipt.boisestate.edu/prebootcamp.htm. See the information about the online fee as well - http://ipt.boisestate.edu/costs.htm.
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Q: What happens if I can't enroll in a course for a semester (e.g., due to traveling, being ill or being too busy at work)? Can I skip a semester and enroll in a course the following semester?
Yes, you can. When you are ready to enroll in a course again, you will have to reactivate your student account with the university by resubmitting a graduate admissions application form to the Graduate College - see http://ipt.boisestate.edu/returning.htm. Note: You can skip a Summer session between the two regular semesters without having to reactivate your student account. But if you enrolled in a Fall semester, and skipped the following Spring semester and plan to enroll in the following Summer session or Fall semester, you will have to reactivate the account.
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Q: I would like to apply for a graduate assistantship. Would you give me information about that?
Each graduate assistant is assigned to a faculty member and s/he works closely with the faculty member. Each year, there may be some openings for graduate assistantships. There is a deadline for submitting a GA application. See http://ipt.boisestate.edu/graduate_assistantship.htm. If the application deadline has already passed or the openings have been filled, consider applying for the following academic year.
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Q: Because of a personal reason, I can't continue and complete the course that I'm taking right now. what options do I have?
Three options are available depending on the circumstances: 1. you may drop the course and receive a full refund of the fee payment, 2. you may withdraw from the course (no refund), or 3. you may request a grade of incomplete (no refund).
If it is early during the semester, you may be able to drop the course or withdraw from the course. Review the BSU academic calendar - http://ipt.boisestate.edu/calendar.htm and check the deadline for dropping a course and receiving a full refund and the deadline for withdrawing from a course (no refund). If you drop the course by the 'drop' deadline, nothing will appear on your transcript. If you withdraw from the course by the 'withdraw' deadline, you will get a W or a WF on your transcript.
If both deadlines have passed, the only option is to request a grade of incomplete. However, you must know that you are eligible to request a grade of incomplete when the following three conditions are met:
(1) if you have successfully completed up to the last 3 weeks of the semester
(2) if extenuating circumstances (e.g., being ill) prevent you from completing the course requirements, and
(3) if your instructor agrees to allow you to complete the course after the semester has ended.Contact your instructor and see if you are eligible for requesting a grade of incomplete. If so, you will need to discuss specific rules and procedures with your instructor and you will be given a timeframe within which you are asked to complete the remaining coursework. You will fill out and submit the Contract for a Grade of Incomplete form (see http://ipt.boisestate.edu/forms.htm) with your signature to your instructor. Your instructor will sign the form and submit it to registrar's office. Then, you will get a grade of "I" (incomplete) for the course on your transcript for now. After you complete the remaining coursework you will receive an actual grade (A, B, C, etc.) and the I on your transcript will be replaced with the actual grade.
Whether you decide to drop the course, withdraw from the course, or request a grade of incomplete for the course, do not make a decision on your own. Contact your advisor and your instructor for advice before you make a decision.
Also do not abandon a course; you will most likely get an F on your transcript as a permanent record. If you receive a final grade of F in one of the required courses, you will be withdrawn from the graduate program and academically disqualified from any further graduate courses at BSU.
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Q: I've been admitted to the program, but with a provisional status. What do I need to do?
The answer to this question should be in the letter you received from the Graduate College. Usually a student with a provisional status must receive a grade of A or a B in their first couple of courses, in order to prove the competence to be admitted to the program with a regular status.
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Q: I received a grade of C from one of the required courses. Am I in trouble?
In a word, yes. Below is the academic scholarship requirement stated in the BSU Graduate Catalog, which will answer your question:
Academic Scholarship Requirement: The IPT program has high academic expectations for its students. Grades below B in required or elective courses cannot be used to meet the requirements of the M.S. degree in IPT. A student who earns a grade of C in a required course will be asked by the Program Committee to retake the course or to take another course deemed to be equivalent in purpose. With special permission of the Program Committee, a student may apply 3 ELECTIVE credits of C toward the degree. If a student leaves a course during a semester without following the proper procedures to drop or withdraw, the student will receive a final grade of 'F' in the course. A student who receives an 'F' in a REQUIRED course is automatically excluded from ANY further Master's degree work at BSU.
See the BSU graduate catalog for more information about acceptable academic performance and course repeat policy. Try hard to maintain a good academic performance in all classes. If you are not doing well in class (reasons can vary), do something before it is too late! Contact your instructor or your advisor for advice.
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Q: What are the four independent study courses (IPT590, IPT591, IPT595, & IPT596)? Would you explain more about them?
Below are descriptions about the four types of independent study courses:
IPT590 Practicum/Internship - This course is used by IPT students as an internship experience. A prospectus requiring faculty sponsor, employer, and student agreement must be submitted before registering for the course and the student’s final grade is determined by the faculty sponsor. IPT students may count no more than a total of 3 semester hours of IPT 590 to their program. The Application for Practicum/Internship form is available on the web - see http://ipt.boisestate.edu/forms.htm.
IPT591 Project (as a non-culminating activity) - IPT591 is originally used as a culminating activity for those who choose to write a project at the end of the program (see the Q/A about a thesis and a project). The second (and more recommended) way in which IPT 591 may be used is to enroll in 1 to 3 credits (per project) and engage in an independent development project under faculty direction (Research projects should be conducted under IPT 596). You must first have the recommendation of your advisor and obtain a faculty sponsor for the proposed project. Then prior to registration in IPT591, an agreement form must be signed by the faculty sponsor. A combined total of 9 semester hours from either IPT 591 or IPT 596 may be applied toward your program, with no more than 6 of those being earned in any given semester or session. The Application for IPT591 Project form is available on the web - see http://ipt.boisestate.edu/forms.htm.
IPT595 Readings and Conference - With the aid of a faculty sponsor, the student selects a cohesive set of readings and discusses them with the faculty member on an agreed-upon schedule throughout the semester. The planned reading list may be changed (with faculty approval) to respond to emphases and interests stimulated by initial reading. Students are expected to do at least 50 hours of reading, thinking, and conferring for each credit hour earned. The Readings and Conference Worksheet form is available on the web - see http://ipt.boisestate.edu/forms.htm.
IPT596 Directed Research - At the discretion of the student’s advisor and under the direction of a faculty sponsor, the student performs research on any approved subject relating to IPT (A faculty sponsor must be found prior to registration, and an agreement form must be signed by the faculty sponsor prior to registration for the course). A combined total of 9 semester hours from either IPT 591 or IPT 596 may be applied toward a student’s program, with no more than 6 of those being earned in any given semester or session. See this WORD document for more information about IPT596. The Application for Directed Research form is available on the web - see http://ipt.boisestate.edu/forms.htm.
If you want to take an independent study course (any one of IPT590, IPT591, IPT595 and IPT596), follow the steps below:
Clearly define your plan and submit a brief proposal (describing your goals and activities in less than a paper) to your advisor via email.
Upon your advisor's initial approval on your proposal and with help of your advisor, you will find a sponsoring faculty. Your proposal can be turned down because an appropriate sponsoring faculty is not available for your study.
Discuss with your sponsoring faculty and determine the overall goals, processes, outcomes, evaluation criteria, etc. Then fill out and submit the form to your advisor.
Obtain approval on the form (e.g., academic advisor, sponsoring faculty, department chair, etc.).
Register for the course after Linda Burnett opens a section.
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Q: What are the four culminating requirement options?
You have four options: A comprehensive oral exam, a portfolio, a project, and a thesis. See the Degree Requirements - http://ipt.boisestate.edu/degree_req.htm.
1. You may choose to take a comprehensive oral exam at the end of the program. You are eligible to take the comprehensive exam after you have taken all required courses and have completed at least 27 credits.
2. You may choose to submit your portfolio - See http://ipt.boisestate.edu/degree_req.htm#Portfolio%20Option and review the Portfolio Guidelines.
3-4. You may choose to complete project or a thesis. If you do so, you will take 6 culminating credits of IPT591 Project or 6 culminating credits of IPT593 Thesis. Note for non-Idaho resident students - There is a residency requirement for the project or thesis option. Petitions for exceptions can be made to the IPT Program Committee. Otherwise, non-Idaho residents who are in the online program may pursue the portfolio or the comprehensive oral exam options with no obligation to be on campus at any time.
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Q: What's the difference between a project and a thesis?
A project is similar to a thesis in that you write Chapter 1 through 4 or 5 and defend your work at the end. An easy way to distinguish them is that a project is to produce something (usually Chapter 3 will be the product of your project), whereas a thesis is to research something. For example, a student in a previous year did a project by producing A Manual of Integrating and Managing One to Five Computers in the Elementary Classroom (available from the BSU Library). Another student did a thesis titled Attitude Toward Computers as a Predictor of Technology Competency (also available from the BSU library).
See "Project, Thesis, and Dissertation Requirements."
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Q: How long would it take me to finish the IPT master's degree program?
It depends on how many courses you take each semester and how successful you are in those courses. Obviously the more classes you take, the sooner you’ll graduate. If you take one course a semester, including summers, you should graduate in a little more than 4 years. If you take one course a semester with an occasional second course added in, you should graduate in a little more than 3 years. Keep in mind, however, that graduate course work will require a lot of time and energy on your part (remember the "credits x 3" rule of thumb). You’ll want to maintain a balance between school, family, and job without putting an unnecessary strain on any aspect of your life. It can be a difficult balancing act sometimes.
Below are several possible paths to graduation. Let's assume that you are a part-time student; you started the program in a fall semester; you are going to take a summer class as well; and you are going to choose the comprehensive oral exam option.
[1] If you take two classes (5-7 credits) in regular semesters and one course (2-3 credits) during the summer, you will be able to graduate in 2 - 2 2/3 years: e.g.,
Spring Summer Fall 5-7 credits
(IPT536 & an elective)5-7 credits
(IPT535 & IPT530)2-3 credits
(an elective)5-7 credits
(IPT537 & an elective)5-7 credits
(IPT560 & an elective)2-3 credits
(an elective)5-7 credits
(IPT550 & an elective)take the comprehensive oral exam [2] If you occasionally take more than one class in a semester, you will be able to graduate in 3 - 3 1/3 years: e.g.,
Spring Summer Fall 4 credits
(IPT536)4-7 credits
(IPT535 & an elective)2-3 credits
(an elective)4-7 credits
(IPT537)4-7 credits
(IPT530)2-3 credits
(an elective)4-7 credits
(IPT550 & an elective)4-7 credits
(IPT560)2-3 credits
(an elective)Take an elective and the comprehensive oral exam [3] If you hope to take a class at a time, you will be able to graduate within 4 years: e.g.,
Spring Summer Fall 4 credits
(IPT536)4 credits
(IPT535)2-3 credits
(an elective)4 credits
(IPT537)4 credits
(IPT530)2-3 credits
(an elective)4 credits
(IPT550)4 credits
(IPT560)2-3 credits
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Q: I'm interested in taking a course from another institution. May I transfer the credit to BSU?
Yes, you can transfer up to 9 credits from other accredited institutions (the grade should be an A or a B) that are not older than 7 years from your graduation date. For example, if you are targeting to graduate in 2006, credits you earned in 2001 satisfies the 7-year policy, but credits you earned in 1998 are not.
Students sometimes ask if they can transfer credits from another institution before they take the course. The decision is usually made the other way around - i.e., you take a course from an accredited institution, and submit materials to the department. The Program Committee will decide if the credit is transferable or not.
The materials that you may be asked to submit include:
The proof that the institution is an accredited institution, the syllabus, the course description, a copy of the transcript, the number of credits that you earned, and the number of credits that you want to transfer to BSU, and any products that you produced from the course (e.g., a term paper, or a project).
The Program Committee may ask for more information if needed. It is possible that the Program Committee disapproves your request when the credits are not transferable to BSU.
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Q: I'm about a half way through the program (i.e., I have taken 18 out of 36 credits). Do I need to do anything?
Fill out the Application for Admission to Candidacy form - http://ipt.boisestate.edu/forms.htm. The form is required for you to submit to the Graduate College when you've finished most of the coursework. But it is a good idea to start planning and recording the data using the form right now. It also helps your advisor provide more adequate advice to you.
Q: I've completed most of the coursework, and I'm planning to take the comprehensive exam in the following semester. Is there anything that I need to do in order to be eligible to take the exam and to graduate?
You must complete and submit the Application for Admission to Candidacy form and the Completion of Graduate Degree form to Linda Burnett - the forms are available on the web: http://ipt.boisestate.edu/forms.htm. There is a deadline for each semester. You should check the deadline for the semester when you want to graduate - see http://ipt.boisestate.edu/2graduate.htm.
At the same time, you will also have to schedule the exam. Contact Linda Burnett to schedule your exam date and time. There is a deadline for completing your comprehensive exam as well. See Linda Burnett's contact information.
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Q: What is the 1-credit IPT595 Readings and Conference (Prep for the Comprehensive Exam) course?
The course is designed for students who are about to take the comprehensive exam and want to receive guidance on how to prepare for the exam. It is a 1-credit elective course. If you decide to take the course, it is recommended that you take it during the semester right before you plan to take your comprehensive exam.
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Q: Would you tell me more about the comprehensive exam?
It is an oral exam, conducted by 2 IPT faculty members, that will take about 90 minutes. For on-campus students the exam takes place in the IPT conference room. For on-line students the exam is takes place on the telephone.
There are standard questions that you’ll be given ahead of time. You’ll also be asked to submit your own questions at least two weeks prior to the scheduled exam date. But t he exam isn’t limited to these questions. During the exam, you may be asked to answer other, more specific questions (this means that you shouldn't study for the given basic exam questions only). You can bring in brief written notes to help refresh your memory during the exam. But you aren’t allowed to read those notes as your answers to the questions.
At the end of the exam session, you’ll be asked to step out of the room (or you’ll be put on hold) and the committee members will make a decision (pass or fail). Then they’ll tell you the result.
It is recommended that you start collecting and organizing important information as soon as you start the program. Make a binder for each class where you store all the important instructional materials. Building your own IPT-related glossary is a good idea as well.
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Copyright © 2000-2007
Department of Instructional & Performance Technology
ET-327, College of Engineering,
Boise State University, 1910 University Dr., Boise,
ID 83725-2070
Voice: 208.426.1312; Fax: 208.426.1970; Email: lburnett@boisestate.edu
Last
updated on
June 27, 2008