Faculty Contact Information:
1. Telephone: 0033-(0)3-88-22-21-10. I live in France and the first two numbers indicate the country code and the following 0 is only used when calling within France. Otherwise, drop the first 0 when dialing. I have an answering machine and will be able to contact you within 24 hours within the week.
2. Email: My email address is: priceb@faculty.ed.umuc.edu. With the number of students in class writing to me about various issues, it may be helpful to include a summary of any previous correspondence to help my memory.
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Consultation:
Consultation is available by either email or telephone, although email is probably more reliable as I will also be commuting a lot.
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Required Texts and Readings:
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Supplementary Readings:
| All graduate students should be prepared to utilize the UMUC online library to obtain the various resources necessary to develop a Professional Paper. | |
Recommended Journals:
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Course Description:
| Prerequisite: Advancement to candidacy in the M.P.A. program and successful completion of the graduate PA comprehensive examination. This course will explore the methods and models for policy analysis and program evaluation; methods of collecting and analyzing evaluation data; processes for linking evaluation to policy formulation and program management. Emphasis is on how to conduct formative evaluations of government programs. Students are also able to make the appropriate distinctions between the administrative systems that make government programs work as well as how the impact of these programs on the quality of life in society is measured. Students produce a professional paper within their chosen area of interest. This course is graded Pass (P) or Fail (F) and is normally conducted over two terms. | |
Course Goals:
Bowie State University requires all graduate students to complete an advanced research paper. In Europe, this requirement serves as a capstone to the students' programs of study. As such, it is designed to assist students in all degree programs to move beyond the classroom by consulting with experts from their chosen professions and engaging in professional activities. Students are encouraged to participate in the professional associations most likely to either disseminate or publish the results of their advanced research projects. UMUC Europe Graduate Programs faculty and staff refer to these projects as Professional Papers. UMUC Europe Graduate Programs contribute to the professional development of their graduate students by publishing final drafts on a dedicated web site and providing funding to attend professional conferences. Additional information on these initiatives may be found at www.ed.umuc.edu/graduate/.
Definition of a Professional Paper
- A Professional Paper is based on research conducted solely by the author. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Academic, professional, or trade journal articles,
- Case studies,
- Policy analyses, policy proposals, project management reviews, and program evaluations,
- Pre-procurement or pre-implementation analyses of new technologies or best practices,
- Grant proposals, and
- Responses to Requests for Proposals (RFPs). This final example is consistent with the type of papers written for the UMCP M.A. in Counseling and Personnel Services.
- The length, style, and format of the final draft of any Professional Paper are defined largely by the nature of the audience and the standards employed in that particular segment of the profession. Audiences and venues for publication and dissemination of final drafts may include but are not limited to:
- The readership of academic, professional, or trade journals, including online journals,
- Conferences conducted and organized by professional associations such as ACA or EB-ACA, ASPA, ICMA, AOM, ACM, AITP,
- Political institutions (Congress, state legislatures, regulatory boards, city councils, school boards, state mental health boards, etc.),
- Management teams (government and non-profit agency directors, boards of directors, CEOs and CIOs, schools principals, etc.), and
- Funding organizations (National Science Foundation, National Institutes for Health, National Institute for Mental Health, Rand Institute, Hoover Institute, etc.).
- Any Professional Paper, written for UMUC Europe Graduate Programs, regardless of audience, length, style, or format, uses the APA citation style and reference style.
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Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course the student will be able to accomplish the critical tasks of developing a professional paper, including to:
- Identify a relevant research question and developing a strategy to answer that question (see the Professional Paper web site for examples of proposals).
- Identify the audience most interested in the question (examples listed above).
- Identify literature and other sources of expert information on the question.
- Present the research question, the research design, the target audience, and a broad outline of the final paper (called The Proposal) to peers and a subject matter expert.
- Obtain permission from UMUC officials to use human subjects if the research design warrants.
- Obtain written permission from the management of the organization(s) involved with the research.
- Examples include, but are not limited to, military units, government contractors, DODDs schools, and restricted websites.
- Evaluate feedback received and making changes to the proposal as appropriate.
- Execute the research design.
- Write the Professional Paper that clearly and accurately reports the research findings in a format that meets the needs of the audience.
- Present a draft of the Professional Paper to peers and a subject matter expert.
- Evaluate feedback received and making changes to the final draft as appropriate.
- Submit the final draft to the target audience.
The student will receive 3 semester hours of credit toward his or her master's degree upon successful completion of the course. The role of the student is to:
- Initiate and complete each of the critical tasks in a timely manner,
- Be the sole executor of the research design and author of the Professional Paper,
- Cite all sources of expert information according to the APA style guide,
- Present and defend the proposal, progress reports, working drafts, and the final draft in a timely manner,
- Engage in discussions with the subject matter expert, the classroom instructor, and graduate student peers in a professional manner,
- Evaluate feedback received and make appropriate changes to the proposal, the research design, the literature review, the report of findings, the discussion, and the recommendations,
- Evaluate feedback received and make appropriate changes to the length, style, and format of the Professional Paper, and
- Provide Graduate Programs with an electronic copy of the final draft of the Professional Paper and the documentation from the subject matter expert.
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Grading Information:
This course is graded on a Pass or Fail basis only. Students who successfully complete the work in this course receive a Pass, which indicates a minimum grade of B. Students who do not successfully complete the requirements receive a grade of Fail.
The grade F(a) is used to designate academic failure. F(n) is used to designate failure for non-completion. Grades of Incomplete or Withdrawal are governed by UMUC-Europe policies. For further details, please refer to the available online at UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog. Hard copies of the catalog are available in your local Education Center. | |
Course Requirements:
Graduate school at the master's level focuses on helping students obtain the education needed for success as professionals in their chosen fields. Thus, UMUC-Europe Graduate Programs and Bowie State University share the common goals of promoting excellence in academic scholarship through thoughtful inquiry and the skillful application of knowledge and theory for the betterment of society.
In order to maximize your graduate educational experience in general and this course in particular, the following are required:
Research Proposal---------------------------- 10% (if late: 5%)
Literature review with research assumptions - 10% (if late: 5%)
First Draft of Research Paper --------------- 20% (if late: 10%)
Identification of appropriate venues for
publication or dissemination------------------ 5% (if late: 2%)
Final Draft of Research Paper---------------- 40%
Participation in the review of other proposals
and final paper------------------------------ 10% (if late: varies based on proportion late)
Timely replies to class inquiries ------------ 5% (if late: varies based on proportion late)
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Description of Course Requirements:
Research Paper: A research paper must define the problem or research area of interest, explain the relevance of the topic in relation to current affairs, and provide some indications of what will happen in the future. Evaluations will be based on content, presentation, and quality of expression. Papers are expected to meet or exceed accepted graduate-level English and scholarship standards. Papers must conform to the APA documentation style. To aid the student in succeeding, the course provides the student with multiple checkpoints and opportunities to receive feedback from the instructor and other students.
Resubmission of course work from previous or concurrent courses (whether or not taken at UMUC, UMUC-Europe or BSU), partially or in its entirety, is not acceptable in this course and will result in an automatic failure on the assignment, unless the student makes specific written arrangements with the instructor by the second week of the course. If work from a previous class is being used for this course, the student is obligated to submit a copy of the final draft from that previous course prior to the second week of this course. The student and the instructor will use that draft as the beginning point of the paper in this course. If work from a concurrent class is being used, the student is obligated to provide the instructor of this course with written documentation that the other instructor is in full agreement. In all cases, the student and the instructor will develop and agree to a written outline of the paper for this course that includes all references to be cited, including work completed in other courses.
Research Proposal: A one to two page paper containing a clear statement of:
the purpose of the research, research questions, and preliminary thesis;
the boundaries of the research area;
an outline of the research sub-topics;
the methodology used, i.e. literature or field research;
a preliminary reading list.Literature review and research assumptions: A 5 – 6 page paper summarizing the academic and professional literature most relevant to the student’s topic and making explicit the student’s theoretical and conceptual assumptions.
First Draft: A full-length paper that students are expected to submit for discussing their interim results with the group and accept/provide constructive criticism from/for other group members in the course of paper preparation.
Identification of appropriate venues for publication or dissemination: A written statement following the literature review and first draft discussing a variety of possible venues for publication or dissemination of the student's research findings.
Final Draft Presentation: Participants will present their research findings and conclusions to the class using appropriate audio-visual and handout materials.
Class Participation: The essence of a seminar is the exchange of information among peers. Thus, members of the group will be expected to interact on each other's research areas in class plus via the Internet. That interaction should also involve positive comments and recommendations on how research topics can be strengthened.
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Course Schedule:
Deadlines for Submissions
The following is a list deadlines for the papers class. A single asterisk (*) indicates that you will submit the assignment in your individual section (the study group that I created for you and me to work alone on your paper) and in a class conference thread. Students will be assigned the task of commenting on others' posts in the class conferences, so these posts will constitute the class participation component of your grade. Otherwise, a double asterisk (**) indicates that you submit only in your individual section.
End of Week One
Selection of Topic and Subject Matter Expert.
* posted in both individual section and class conference thread
End of Week Three
Research Proposal.
* posted in both individual section and class conference thread.
End of Week Four
Students provide feedback on fellow students' research plans.
End of Week Five
Literature Review and Research Assumptions
* posted in both individual section and class conference thread. Also submitted to Subject Matter Expert with Research Plan for review.
Wednesday of Week Eight
First Draft due
* posted in both individual section and class conference thread. Also submitted to Subject Matter Expert for review.
End of Week Nine
Students provide feedback on their fellow students' first drafts.
End of Week Ten
Identification of appropriate venues for publication or dissemination
** posted in individual section and submitted to Subject Matter Expert.
End of Week Eleven
Final Paper given to Course Instructor and Subject Matter Expert for review and recommendations.
End of Week Thirteen
Presentation of Final Copy for signing by Course Instructor and Subject Matter Expert
End of Week Fourteen
Final copy (both in paper and MS Word format) and signed cover sheet submitted to Graduate Office.
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Academic Policies:
The University has a license agreement with Turnitin.com, a service that helps prevent plagiarism from internet resources. I may be using this service in this class by either requiring students to submit their papers electronically to Turnitin.com or by submitting questionable text on behalf of a student. If you or I submit part or all of your paper, it will be stored by Turnitin.com in their database throughout the term of the University's contract with Turnitin.com. If you object to this temporary storage of your paper, you must let me know no later than two weeks after the start of this class. Please Note: If you object to the storage of your paper on Turnitin.com, I may utilize other services to check your work for plagiarism.
The official university policy on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty can be found at http://www.umuc.edu/policy/aa15025.shtml. Section I.C. states: "Faculty may determine if the resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC), partially or in its entirety, is acceptable when assigning a grade on that piece of course work. Faculty must provide this information in their written syllabi. If the resubmission of course work is deemed to be unacceptable, a charge may not be brought under this Policy and will be handled as indicated in the written syllabi."
Please refer to Description of Course Requirements for specific information on how resubmissions will be treated in this course and to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog for information on the following:
Academic Integrity
Course Load
Exception to Policy
Grade Appeal Process
Make-up Examinations
Nondiscrimination
Students with Disabilities
Hard copies of the catalog are available at your local Education Center. | |
Faculty Bio:
For those of you curious about my professional background, I am a Collegiate Professor, teaching both undergraduate psychology and graduate counseling classes for Maryland. I grew up in the Ozarks of Missouri and have all my degrees from Midwestern institutions (Central Missouri State, University of Kansas, and Iowa State University). This is my sixth year teaching for UMUC in the overseas division. My two major professional interests include the interface between mental health policy and law and cross-cultural issues in counseling and psychology.
I consider my most significant early adulthood experience being a two-year service in the Peace Corps in the Central African Republic. I am currently involved in a humanitarian assistance project of providing library materials in Cameroon through the organisation "Terre des Hommes" (A World of Human Beings).
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