Introduction:
The purpose of the Professional Project is to give the student an opportunity to identify an ongoing problem within their given area of study and then to endeavor to find a solution. Like the Internship the student will likely spend a great deal of time on a particular job site. Unlike the Internship, the student will not spend time in hands-on learning at the job site but will instead use their time to study the site and the related conditions or performances related to the project goals.
Selecting a Topic for the Project
The selection of the topic for the project is an important part of the process. In most instances the topic will be very similar to those found in the graduate thesis. Rather than address the topic from a research or theoretical approach the topic in the project is addressed from the position of finding a solution. This makes the project more of a practical matter than one of theory; however, that does not mean that theory will not play an important part in the final product.
Selection of the graduate project may take many forms. For most students the selection is made based on individual interest or future career goals. A student who wishes to enter the investigative field should consider the types of work they will perform in their career. Specific career choices often help define the type of project. Students who wish to continue their education to the doctoral level, or those that intend to go to law school, may wish to select a project with a higher level of theory and research involved.
Number of Semester Hours to Complete the Project:
Graduate projects are very different from anything you may have done as an undergraduate. Many students confuse the "research" they performed as an undergraduate student as equal to that required of graduate students. The harsh reality is that the level of work required for a graduate student is many times greater than that required for an undergraduate project. The first major difference is that most projects or research tasks performed as an undergraduate were done as part of a larger class. In other words, a student may write multiple research papers for one higher level undergraduate class, so the work invested is spread among different projects.
Ultimately the question of graduate credit will depend on the type of project and the nature of the work required. As an example, in a project there may be a need to observe particular conduct or activities, and if those activities do not happen as expected then the observation period must be extended. Simply put, the project credit hours are not awarded until the project is complete.
Do I Have to Take All 6 Hours in One Semester:
No. In fact we recommend that students not take more than 2 or 3 hours in a given semester. Chances are the student will be taking other graduate classes at the same time. The student must earn a minimum of six (6) hours of credit in the project in order to graduate. That can be taken in 2, 3, or 4 hour increments. Taking all 6 hours in a single semester places a significant burden of production on the student, and this should only be attempted if the student is taking no more than 3 other credits during the same semester.
Some students elect to start the project during their second semester on campus. Taking 2 or 3 credits will provide a good starting point when extending the project over multiple semesters. Other students may elect to start their project in the third or fourth semester on campus. This is a personal choice. The secret to success is to define the project and set an appropriate time table for completion. Depending on the commitment, opportunity, and resources, the amount of time needed to complete the project may vary greatly.
What if I experience Problems During my Project:
On occasion an unexpected problem will arise that may prevent the student from completing the project as planned. The key to avoiding problems, though, is good planning. A major part of the project proposal is good planning. If the problem arises because the student failed to plan then that becomes part of the project itself. For example, if the student plans to study a police agency in another state then they should account for potential travel and time issues. If gas prices go up, which may in turn affect the student's travel ability, then the project is jeopardized based on poor planning. Poor planning and problem solving then becomes a part of the project evaluation process. In the worst case scenario, a poorly planned project may mean the student fails the course and must start over.
Under extreme conditions the supervising faculty member may allow project modification. The student must be able to demonstrate that the problem in question was outside the reasonably foreseeable planning or that the problem required some special approach.
Students are required to identify potential problems as early as practical. Students must then make an effort to solve the problem using their own resources, ingenuity, and ability. Students should not bring a problem to the faculty member until they have made reasonable effort to solve the problem in question. A significant portion of graduate success is being able to solve problems.
How Do I Start my Project:
The project actually begins as much as 1 semester before the student registers for the class. The first step is to identify the potential project topics, sites, and methods to be employed during the project. This is a significant part of the self-learning process associated with graduate education. A student should have a strong foundation in the subject matter before they ever bring a proposal to faculty. A part of graduate education is self-actualization, and being able to reasonable address the project from a learned position is very important.
The formal process of beginning the project begins with the completion and submission of the Pre-Project Proposal (PPP). The Pre-Project Proposal must be filed with the supervising faculty member no less than three (3) weeks prior to the semester in which the project will be completed. The Pre-Project Proposal must contain an identification of the project site, a statement of the problem or issue to be studied, and a statement of current knowledge within the context of the given problem.
It is expected that the PPP will cover between three (3) and nine (9) pages, depending on the student’s understanding and their expected work. It should be clear that a part of the PPP will be a brief summary of the student’s knowledge which should also include the pre-site study. Refer to the graduate student handbook for MSFS to find out more about the PPP.
How Much Time is Needed to Complete a Project:
The focus of the project is to identify a problem or issue within the field of choice and then to find a reasonable solution. The amount of time necessary to complete these tasks varies according to student competency as well as the type of study. Availability of subject or site is a major issue for some students. Understanding and raising the level of understanding may be a very different issue for other students. As famed baseball player/manager Yogi Berra said, "It ain't over 'til it's over."
Estimating the amount of time and effort needed to successfully complete a project is difficult. There are a few items which may help, though. The first is the student's own understanding of a given topic. We can use Blood Spatter Analysis as an example. In this project the student proposes to study the degree of competency in the science of blood spatter analysis held or maintained by investigators in a rural police agency. Clearly we can see that the first step is to identify the student's own understanding of the topic. A student should be prepared to demonstrate that they are competent in the area they plan to study during the project. In other words, how can a student judge the competency of another person without first having that competency?
The next step is to identify the methods for measuring the question or problem. In the case of the rural police agency the student may elect to study one agency or may study multiple agencies. A set of surveys sent to these agencies may provide measurable data which can then be used in the project. Likewise, direct observations may be just as valid in measuring the question at hand. The choice of methods is up to the student, under faculty direction and supervision. A part of the proposal should include the methods as well as the questions/problems to be studied.
The next step is to determine how much time is needed for the proper study. As noted above, some problems do arise so the student should anticipate as many as possible. Account for time needed in study, on site, or in analysis of data. This will help determine the breadth of the study itself. Other factors such as availability of equipment (if needed), travel, analysis, and ultimately writing of reports should be taken into consideration as well.