Interdisciplinary Studies & A Thesis?

In emailing my WNMU MAIS advisors, I found out that if I plan to do a thesis for my exit requirement, I need to get crackin' on ASAP so that I can have things together this spring. (Interesting, considering I Haven't even started the program yet.) However, before I get going, I wanted to ask for opinions.

My two areas of concentration are history and political science. I would do my thesis in the history portion. However, would a thesis even be worth it? If I plan on seeking a masters in history later, would it be better to write a thesis then, or should I go for a thesis now and do comps later? OR... should I do a thesis here AND a thesis there and build upon my topic of research?

What do you all think?

Thanks,
Matt

 

I would only do a thesis if WNMU required it or I thought it would help my career. Below is an email exchange I had today with WNMU.


I said:

Concerning the MA in Interdisciplinary Studies, I am interested in English (18 hours) and Education (18 hours). Will I have to write a thesis for each concentration, OR take a comprehensive final for each concentration, OR write a thesis for one concentration and take a comprehensive final for the other area of concentration?

WNMU said:

Thanks for your inquiry.
The exit requirements for the online MAIS program are determined by the individual academic departments. However, in the case of ENGL/EDUC, you would be required to take a comprehensive exam that would include questions from each of the two disciplines, as well as a question that combined the two.
A thesis is an option, but it is rarely selected by our students.
Katherine

Katherine Warren
Virtual Campus
Western New Mexico University
575.538.6549

 

I am contemplating the WNMU degree along with others. I believe you are talking about the degree plan that must be submitted the first semester. If I select this degree then I would do a course (or two) prior to enrolling - that way I would hopefully get an insight into the degree and then decide on a degree completion plan.

I tried looking for theses from WNMU but failed to find any.

 

Do they require proctored exams or how is WNMU handling this?

 

I think that the conventional wisdom is that one would choose to write a thesis if one were contemplating the even the most remote possiblity of pursuing a doctoral degree. Not only will the thesis serve as a (small) preparation for a dissertation, but it could also make you seem to be a more attractive candidate as you move through that doctoral admissions process. My own opinion is that it's a more valuable than the coursework alternative that is sometimes offered.

 

If you plan on teaching I guess this degree wouldn't hurt you to make a little extra bank. If you plan to go on to different things I don't see what purpose splitting up your masters is going to get you. You are at a point in your career where you need to start focusing on a single subject and specialize. What do you want for your next career step? This degree choice says you are still up in the air about it.

If you want an MA in History later, is it smart to spend beaucoup bucks on a degree that is hardly going to transfer? Are you eligable for the Colorado tuition waiver or live in New Mexico? I see you are in VA so I imagine your tuition is going to be fairly substantial.

http://www.wnmu.edu/admin/businessaff/Tuition_Fees/2009/Silver%20City%20Campus%20Non-Resident%20Tuition%20and%20Fees%20Fa%2008-Sp%2009%20revised.pdf

I can tell you what the degree looks like to an outside observer; it looks like someone is trying to get out of a thesis paper. Since you are so concerned about writing one you don't appear to be this kind of person. Why don't you just get an MA in History now?

 

He wants to teach college. Getting 18 credit hours in two areas will hypothetically lead to twice as many opportunities. For example, I want to teach 6-12 English language arts, but I also want to acquire 18 hours of graduate English credits, so I can adjunct online in the area of English. Therefore, I am considering the WNMU MA in IS to earn 18 credits in both Education and English.

 

I see history and political science (in this degree some courses can be either) as complimentary subjects.
Also tuition is very reasonable for out-of-state students provided no more than 6 units are taken at one time.

 

Mr. Turkentine: I've just decided to switch our Friday schedule to Monday, which means that the test we take each Friday on what we learned during the week will now take place on Monday before we've learned it. But since today is Tuesday, it doesn't matter in the slightest. Pencils ready!

 

Hypothetically... in reality it will be a disadvantage as people with specialized degrees will be in the front running. If Matt wanted to he could already be eligable to adjunct for education courses. I could do that and adjunct history as I have over fifteen graduate hours in it. I tried my hand at applying to CCs to adjunct History for the summer but the field was flooded with MAs in it. It is even worse trying to adjunct online as you are possibly facing every unemployed History MA in the nation. Then you have to take into account the actual name of the school as that carries alot of weight in academia. WNMU doesn't exactly turn heads on a CV. A half degree specialization from The Citadel didn't do anything for me, I doubt if WNMU will either. If you want to adjunct, get the full MA and get it from a ranked school.

 

First, I teach high school. Second, my high school offers college courses. Third, the school needs an on staff person to teach them. That's why I'm pursuing this degree. By obtaining 18 hours in each of these areas, I will be able to teach both the political science and US History courses that my school offers through our local community college. The key is that if someone on staff teaches the course, the school division gets a huge discount on tuition for each student, as opposed to having someone from the college come and do it. For next year, after completing the political science portion, I will be teaching two sections of political science. The following year I hope to be done the history portion of the degree and tack on an additional two sections of US History. Because I will be teaching the courses, as opposed to an adjunct from the college, I will save the school division 10K per section... that's $40,000. In a time of budget slashing in public education (where's our bailout???) that money could be greatly used elsewhere.

However, my reasons for working on the degree are not the point of my post. I was simply asking about a thesis. I have my answer.

-Matt

 

Excellent defense and response. You win. Let's move on.

 

Why would the school go to all this trouble to host classes through the CC? I do something similiar... its called AP and the kids get it for FREE.

 

Clarifications from an online professor

Why would the school go to all this trouble to host classes through the CC? I do something similiar... its called AP and the kids get it for FREE.


AP is NOT dual credit. They are very different. I am a public school librarian, and I teach four classes online per term for our local community college for high school students in the dual credit program, and the classes are not necessarily AP.

As an aside, ssteachn, in the world of public school academia, it makes no difference where one's degree is obtained as long as it's RA. The Harvard graduate makes the same as the one from Western New Mexico. That's the way the salary scales are figured...there's no negotiation at all over salaries for public school teachers based on colleges attended. WNMU and Harvard ARE considered equal on the public school scale. In higher academia, the school can make the difference in landing the job, but in the end, it's the quality of the individual instructor that counts as to job security. I teach online alongside several from "no-name" universities who are excellent and continue to be offered more classes than they can possibly handle. On the other hand, I taught with one young fellow from a "ranked" school, and he was a dismal failure. The moral? It always comes down to the individual and his or her work ethic and sense of responsibility.

basrsu

 

First off, AP courses do not provide guaranteed credit for students, while Dual Enrollment courses do. Furthermore, schools in Virginia get recognized for how many advanced courses they offer. Some of our students are able to leave high school with enough college credit to be considered juniors when they arrive at their four year institution.

And also, AP is NOT free. Students or the school, depending on local policies, must take up the fee for the exam at the end of the year. According to the college board website, AP Exam fees are $86. When our school can pay $30 per student for 6 credits of a college course, I'd say that's the better deal. As I said before, in a world where public education budgets are getting slashed, we look for every means to save a buck.

-Matt

 

I know exactly what it is. It is the rural solution to having a low student/faculty base that has trouble filling up AP seats. It is also a way for rural areas to avoid the baised ranking system given to low demographics that AP asigns. I think it is unfortunate that schools have to pay tuition and book rental to give a college credit class. I think it is great that you and Matt are or will be teaching these courses to save the district money. My hats off to you for that.

There is public school and there is academia... lets not confuse the two. If you want to call yourself CC faculty then you can, but I think it a stretch to call that academia.

Well that isn't academia. That is public school. If you are not negotiating a contract with the CC but are being paid your contract wage then you are not truly in academia.

Uh... of course.

You would be suprised how many bad instructors move on to tenure track positions. Those fancy degrees just look too good to let go. The politics is always present.

It would in a perfect world, but the politics of faculty listings and horrible instructors with big degrees (who have little aptitude to teach but publish) place them in their own job security.

 

Just for additional clarification, I teach for two four-year universities (one as an adjunct and the other full-time as a course developer, designer, and associate professor of English and education) in addition to my local CC gig.

basrsu

 

If they can't pass the exam they hardly deserve the credit. It may be my fault or theirs, but someone didn't do their job.

I only saw two AP courses for your school and they were rather obscure subjects. How many dual-credit classes are offered?

$30 for 6 hours... wow. Most of the dual credit programs I see charge the school more in book rental than that. Add on tuition and they are paying hundreds for 1 student per class.

 

>

AP is not open enrollment- students are tracked and placed. So, only a small percentage of the high school population have access to AP, and even then, the school will pick and choose which AP courses are offered. It might be 3 (as was the case when I was in high school) or 30.

AP classes only provide high school credit. You can, however, take an AP exam (which anyone can take). When I was in high school, I completed 4 AP courses but didn't know there was an exam! Now, however, I know a handful of homeschool students planning to sit AP exams this spring.

Finally, even if you take the exam, not all exams and not all scores are accepted for college credit. A minimum of 3 is needed, and in some colleges a 4 or 5 before you qualify. IF you qualify, the college decides if you actually qualify to get. Some colleges give credit (120 - 3 for AP credit), but other schools award Advanced Standing. Advanced standing only allows you to enroll in a higher level course as your starting point...you still need to complete 120 credits ($$$).

 

AP and dual enrollment meet different needs. AP is not open enrollment- students are tracked and placed. So, only a small percentage of the high school population have access to AP, and even then, the school will pick and choose which AP courses are offered. It might be 3 (as was the case when I was in high school) or 30.

AP classes only provide high school credit. You can, however, take an AP exam (which anyone can take). When I was in high school, I completed 4 AP courses but didn't know there was an exam! Now, however, I know a handful of homeschool students planning to sit AP exams.

Finally, even if you take the exam, not all exams and not all scores are accepted for college credit. A minimum of 3 is needed, and in some colleges a 4 or 5 before you qualify. IF you qualify, the college decides if you actually qualify to get. Some colleges give credit (120 - 3 for AP credit), but other schools award Advanced Standing. Advanced standing only allows you to enroll in a higher level course as your starting point...you still need to complete 120 credits ($$$).