MPS-OL Program Information

All students will complete a three-credit hour culminating experience, discussed briefly in the program overview video. There are two options from which a student can choose: 1) a research project or 2) an internship. You should consult your advisor about which culminating experience is best for you.

Research Projects – LDRS 895

Students will examine a selected problem relating to leadership theory, organizational leadership, leadership development, or leadership education. This type of experience is recommended for students who wish to continue their education at the doctoral level.

Students who wish to complete a research project are advised to enroll in LDRS 870: Readings in Organizational Leadership as an elective course during the semester before their culminating experience. The Readings course will help students get a "jump-start" on their research project and allow them the time to review the literature for their research project.

Internships – LDRS 890

Students will complete a practical experience in an organization of their choice, allowing them to participate in a meaningful leadership experience. Internships can be completed in a variety of ways. Students may obtain training through an organization external to their current working environment or conduct a project within the organization for which they are currently employed. If the latter, the student should complete a project which is above and beyond their typical duties and through which the student can apply various leadership concepts and skills developed throughout their time in the MPS program.

Students who plan to complete an internship should consult with the course instructor at least one semester before the semester in which they enroll in this course. This consolation will guide the student to prepare an internship plan they will follow in their final semester.

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The ePortfolio (Comprehensive Exam)

All students earning a graduate degree from Fort Hays State University must complete a comprehensive examination in their field of study. The comprehensive Exam for the MPS-OL program is in the form of an ePortfolio.

The ePortfolio is how graduates demonstrate mastery of the program's six learning goals. You will do this by critically reflecting on the "artifacts" you select that show meeting these goals (e.g., papers, discussion postings, interviews, group projects, journals, peer assessments, etc.) completed in your classes. Where appropriate, you can also critically reflect upon selected artifacts from your professional practice (e.g., team and individual projects, professional development activities, etc.).

You are encouraged to begin work on your ePortfolio after your first semester in the program and continue to make progress on it throughout your learning experience. When you enroll in your culminating experience class (during your last semester), you will be guided through various activities to finalize your work and submit your ePortfolio for evaluation.

As you progress on your ePortfolio throughout the program, ensure you follow our detailed ePortfolio guidelines and utilize the evaluation to guide your artifact collection (download the artifact chart) and narrative writing. 

Watch the video below to learn how to prepare for your ePortfolio—narrated by Dr. Brent Goertzen.

One of our recent graduates, Ms. Megan Zeman, successfully passed her ePortfolio in May 2022. In the video below, she discusses her process of managing artifacts, participating in critical reflection, and designing her submission.  

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The Graduate Course Experience & Forsyth Library

It is common for students to experience academic "shock" when taking their first graduate-level course. The reading and writing requirements may be the most shocking elements of graduate courses. Reading at the graduate level is denser and grounded in peer-reviewed research, and writing in our program requires APA formatting. Below are a few resources to help you prepare for expectations regarding reading graduate material and writing your assignments. All resources are provided by Forsyth Library, which offers excellent support for research-related coursework. 

Graduate Level Reading

Regarding graduate study, it is vital to understand the variety of sources you'll interact with in your coursework. As stated above, most of your readings will be scholarly articles from peer-reviewed journals; however, there are other source types you may interact with depending on the course you are taking. It is important to note that most writing you will complete in your coursework must be supported with credible, scholarly work, such as peer-reviewed journal articles or academic published texts.

• Types of Sources
• Reading Scholarly Articles
  • Library Guide
  • Video
• Searching for Literature
  • Library Guide - Literature Reviews
  • Video - Searching for Literature
  • Video - Writing a Literature Review

Graduate Level Writing

• Writing in APA Format
  • Library Guide to APA
  • Interactive Games for Learning APA
    • APA Reference List
    • APA In-text Citations
  • Library Guide - Citation and Document Styles
  • Video - Citation Management
• Writing Tips

Visit the Forsyth Library website for more resources, including Ask-a-Librarian, Interlibrary Loan, tutorials, and more!

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