Your advisor is a key person in helping you succeed in completing your master’s project.  It is important to select someone who shares your interest in your selected topic and one whom you respect and trust.  In your selection, do not be afraid to ask lots of questions or interview potential advisors (they may do the same).  Your advisor will give you direction and guidance, please be open to receive this guidance and assertive to question if something is not clear.  When you approach a faculty member about becoming your advisor, be prepared to briefly describe your topic of interest or ideas.

• Criteria for Project
• Student-Advisor Agreement Form for Master’s Project

Advisor Responsibilities

Advisors will spend approximately 20-25 hours supporting you in the completion of your project and reviewing your work.  Your advisor:

• Helps you develop a focused, specific topic for your project;
• Reviews and approves the Master’s Project Proposal;
• Submits the Master’s Project Proposal to TCSJGradStudies@sjcoe.net;
• Helps you develop a realistic and efficient timeline for completing your project;
• Reviews the final literature review completed in the Writing a Literature Review course;
• Reviews and provides feedback at agreed upon project benchmarks;
• Approves the final manuscript;
• Forwards the manuscript for a second read; and,
• Provides guidance and assistance with preparation for presentation/publication.

Student Responsibilities

Student responsibilities are outlined thoroughly within the Master’s Project Overview.  To be successful, you must make yourself available to meet with your advisor, follow their guidance, and meet the timelines to which you both have developed and agreed.

Throughout your time at TCSJ you have been preparing for the development of your master’s project.  What have you been thinking about?  What sparked your interest?  What made you deepen your inquiry?  What do you want to do/learn more about?

When you have decided what master’s project you want to propose, complete the Master’s Project Proposal Form and submit the form to your master’s project advisor.

Hear about the project options from Master of Education alumna, Ruth Alvarez Mojica in the video below.

Master’s Project Options by Teachers College of San Joaquin
 

Research conducted by Teachers College of San Joaquin (TCSJ) students must be reviewed by the TCSJ Institutional Review Board (IRB) before proceeding with data collection for a research study.  Once a Masters Project Proposal is approved, each candidate who is conducting research is required to submit the TCSJ IRB Research Protocol and supporting documents to the Chair of the IRB (Dr. Mitchell Mesimer) at TCSJGradStudies@sjcoe.net. If a candidate is not conducting research, the IRB Research Protocol is not required.

Candidates will be notified via email of the IRB’s decision to accept or deny the application.  If the researcher’s application is denied, revisions will be requested and the application will be reconsidered upon re-submission.  Gathering data for a project may not commence until the candidate gains approval from the IRB.

• Master’s Project Non-Research Format Guidelines

• Master’s Project Research Format Guidelines

Once your master’s project is formatted according to the guidelines above and has received a final review from your project advisor, the advisor must send an electronic link of your manuscript to TCSJGradStudies@sjcoe.net for a second read.

Directions for Project Presentation