The M.S. project should represent a significant application of your entomological understanding in an area relevant to your interests. It is not a thesis or term paper, rather it is original work that reflects a scholarly understanding of entomology. Projects can take many forms, but all projects must represent substantial intellectual contributions.
Requirements
The requirements for the course involve the submission of a topic, proposal, and portfolio. The required time-line is specified in the Course Syllabus and the Timeline section of this Web site. Final projects will be graded based upon their creativity, rigor, synthesis, and application of coursework. Projects should use good grammar and be professionally written. Failure to meet these standards or to meet deadlines associated with individual aspects of ENTO 888 will result in a No Pass grade or an incomplete in the course until the project is revised to standards. Because this is a required course for the distance M.S. program, students receiving a No Pass, will be required to reregister and retake the course to complete their degree.
Guidelines
Completing your M.S. project should be a rewarding experience. It is an opportunity for you to showcase your understanding of entomology in an area that matches your intellectual and professional interests. Pick a topic which you are truly interested in and is an original contribution to the field of entomology.
Pay special attention to course deadlines. Course deadlines are strict for a reason, to move you towards completing your proposal and project in a timely manner.
Typically, a 3-credit hour course can take 100 hours or more of in-class time and study outside of class. The M.S. degree proposal (ENTO 887, 1 cr.) and M.S. project (ENTO 888, 2 cr.) together comprise 3 credits and will take a significant amount of time to complete. However, quality work is not always a reflection of time. How do you know if your project has sufficient quality and depth to receive a passing grade? Projects completed with the goal of "being good enough" are rarely good, or enough. Students, who complete their projects in accordance with their approved proposal and who invest quality time and effort, will likely receive passing grades. Students should work towards the goal of being proud of their project.