Theses, projects, and dissertations

All Master of Science students are required to engage in an independent scholarly inquiry activity resulting in either a scholarly project or a thesis. The distinction between a scholarly project and a thesis option is neither the quality nor the quantity of effort; they are different forms of scholarly inquiry.

Scholarly Project and Thesis requirements

1. Demonstration of scholarship, including mastery of a focused area of knowledge. This focused area of knowledge must be relevant to the discipline or the advancement of nursing within the context of advanced and specialized nursing practice.
2. Completion of scholarly inquiry coursework:
   • NMETH 520 Scholarly Inquiry for Clinical Informatics Practice
   • NMETH 530 Scholarly Proposal Development
   • NMETH 598 Special Projects (minimum of 3 credits) *
     *May be completed in one or more quarters. Length of time varies based on the project topic.
     OR
     NMETH 700 Master’s Thesis (minimum of 9 credits) *
     *Will be completed across multiple quarters. Length of time varies based on the thesis topic.
3. Guidance by a Supervisory Committee who must approve a written plan. The Supervisory Committee must approve this plan before students begin NMETH 598 or NMETH 700.
   • For thesis students, the plan is the Thesis Proposal.
   • For scholarly project students, the plan is the Master of Nursing Scholarly Project Plan and Final Product Report form.
4. Completion and submission of the Use of Human and Animal Subjects Form.
5. Completion of The Final Examination and final quarter requirements.

Thesis

The thesis is an independent piece of research on a topic of particular interest to the student that involves the application of a research methodology.

• How to Structure a Research Proposal
• Steps in the Development of a Thesis

Scholarly project

A student’s scholarly project may address program needs, issues of quality assurance, policy analysis, or clinical problem analysis.

Scholarly Projects may involve:

• • research dissemination;
  • research utilization;
  • exploration of issues in quality assurance;
  • a research practicum, including participation in a study team, or work with an individual researcher or research facilitator;
  • clinical problem analysis;
  • a demonstration project;
  • the development of a scholarly paper, evaluation tool, film or proposal for submission to an external funding agency; and/or
  • participation in a public policy process.

• Steps in the Development of a Scholarly Project

Practice doctorate projects are systematic investigations of questions about practice and therapeutics that evaluate and/or translate all forms of evidence into practice. Each student collaborates with an agency to address a real-world clinical problem or health issue. Most often, a student will be engaged in only one phase or aspect of translating evidence into practice.

Examples of final projects include, but are not limited to:

• Appraising evidence and making recommendations of adapting clinical guidelines to the unique population or characteristics of a specific clinic or community
• Disseminating the latest evidence by training staff/community members
• Completion of a needs assessment
• Implementing changes in practice/organizational workflow or policies
• Evaluating the impact of a change in practice or new protocol
• Program development or evaluation
• Policy development or evaluation

Every DNP student is required to complete a final project.

The DNP Project requires 6 credits of NMETH 801: Practice Doctorate Project and 9 credits of NCLIN 801 Practice Doctorate Clinical Immersion (total 15 credits). You complete 3 credits of NMETH 801 each in autumn and winter quarters and NCLIN 801 in winter quarter only.

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