Each graduate student is expected to conduct a directed
research/ development project or thesis for completion of the
degree; (see Plans A and B below). To propose an independent
project or thesis, the student requests a specific CIS faculty
member as the project advisor to chair his/her review committee in
agreement with the CIS faculty member. These are normally completed
as part of the required GCIS 605 Scholarship Seminar
course. Decisions about the topic, project advisor and the
committee members are shared between the student and the review
committee chair. The committee members participate in reviewing
quality and content for the directed research project/thesis and
its written component. These project proposals and formulation of
graduate project/thesis committees must be completed prior
to registration for any Thesis or Directed Research credits.
Proposal sessions are scheduled for the last few weeks of each
semester. Various communication channels are utilized to
disseminate the procedure and deadline on signing up for proposal
sessions. Students, who wish to register for GCIS698/GCIS799
credits for the coming semester, must follow the communicated
procedure and deadline to be scheduled in one of the proposal
sessions.
The directed research project/thesis advisor directs the
student's work and determines when to recommend the manuscript for
review by a faculty committee. The review committee is appointed by
the usual academic approval sequence and consists of at least two
full- time Gannon CIS faculty members familiar with the subject
material and one optional member from outside the CIS department.
The outside member can be from industry. The committee is
responsible for supporting the student in their work and assessing
the quality of the project. After final corrections are made in the
project and/or supporting documentation, the student will give an
oral defense of their work before the committee. The CIS faculty
member who chairs the review committee becomes the student's
academic advisor.
Plan A (Thesis)
The candidate is required to submit a 6-credit thesis as part of
the 30-42 credits of graduate course work and to pass a final oral
examination on the thesis material and related subjects.
Individuals considering further doctoral graduate studies are
recommended to pursue the thesis option. The content should
represent a researched and creative expression of the student's
advanced capability as a result of the graduate program. The thesis
should be proposed and approved
prior to the commencement of the thesis work. Proposals must
be approved prior to registering
for thesis credits.
Thesis students register for GCIS 799 Thesis when
beginning the research effort and after having received agreement
from a faculty member to be the chair of the student's research
effort. While enrolled in GCIS 799 Thesis, the student
will be required to satisfy other department-stipulated activities
such as attendance at research seminars, participation in research
presentations, and writing- or research-improvement seminars.
Students who elect to complete a thesis apply three of their thesis
credits as a graduate elective within their course of study.
Plan B (Directed Research)
The student is required to complete a 3-credit independent/team
project and to pass a final oral examination covering the student's
project area and related subject areas. The content of the
independent/ team project can be either (1) in-depth scholarship
culminating in a publishable-quality manuscript or (2) study and
development of a prototype-level application culminating in a
publishable-quality technical report. The content should represent
a researched and creative expression of the student's advanced
capability as a result of the graduate program. The directed
research project should be proposed and approved prior to
the commencement of the independent/team project work. Proposals
must be approved prior to
registering for project credits.
Directed Research students register for GCIS 698
Directed Research
when completing the research effort and after having received
agreement from a faculty member to be the chair of the student's
research effort. GCIS 699 Directed Research is used for
larger, non-thesis research projects. While enrolled in GCIS 698
and GCIS 699 Directed Research, the student is required to
satisfy other department-stipulated activities such as attendance
at research seminars, participation in research presentations, and
writing- or research-improvement seminars.