Scholarly Inquiry

Requirements of the culminating paper:

• Describe in detail the two additional courses taken, how these courses enabled the student to specifically meet one or more of  curriculum option learning outcomes and one or more MN program goals
• Explain how the coursework reflects scholarly inquiry activity (e.g., what research was conducted? What evidence was acquired? Was a concept analyzed or researched? Were evidence-based best practices identified?)
• Describe how coursework will be integrated with future professional goals
• Student must enroll in 1 credit of TNURS 596 in order to have the culminating paper evaluated by the committee; should be completed in the final quarter at UWT
• Student must submit one copy of the culminating paper with title page to the Chair for approval.

Additional requirements:

• All graduating students must complete the end of program survey. Students should be aware that they will take two, 500-level courses (minimum of three credits each) and 1 credit of TNURS 596, for a total of 7 credits. Students must take the courses for a grade and achieve a grade of 2.7 or higher. The student’s supervisory committee determines the format of the final examination, a requirement of the University of Washington Graduate School. Public presentation of coursework option at discretion of supervisory committee

Created by MNC; approved by UW Tacoma Nursing faculty May 2008; revised and approved Oct 22, 2013

Successful completion of the thesis must:

1. Demonstrate use of scientific inquiry, including a formal, written proposal identifying researchable questions and methods; data gathered to answer the question, data analysis, discussion and conclusions.
2. Be relevant for the discipline of nursing and within the context of advanced and specialized nursing practice,
3. Be primarily an independent or collaborative project, and
4. Have results and processes communicated via a formal written report filed with The Graduate School. The thesis is catalogued in the UW Library System and the written document must conform to The Graduate School's requirements for Final Submission of Your Electronic Thesis or Dissertation (ETD).
5. Include completion of a minimum of nine credits of TNURS 700.
6. Include submission of an Electronic Thesis/Dissertation (ETD).  Students submitting an ETD should read through information posted on The Graduate School website: Final Submission of Your Electronic Thesis or Dissertation.

Process for thesis

• A Supervisory Committee Form must be signed by your chairperson and committee member(s). The original form must be submitted to the Graduate Advisor.
• All students forming supervisory committees must complete and submit the Use of Human and Animal Subjects for Theses and Dissertations Form, confirming they have been informed of the need to comply with the University of Washington's rules regarding the Human Subjects Division and/or Institutional Animal Care and the Use Committees' requirements for researchers. This form should be completed before creating a committee.
• The proposal or plan for thesis must be approved by the supervisory committee prior to the student beginning activities (or course work) to fulfill the plan. A master’s thesis requires the student to work with his or her supervisory committee in developing the research proposal. 
• If the thesis involves the collection of data from or about human subjects, a human subjects application is required. (See Information on human subjects.)
• During the working phase of the thesis, students and faculty maintain close contact with meetings, phone calls, or e-mails. The frequency and nature of contact varies depending on the student’s need and the faculty involved. Faculty expect students to contact them regularly about their progress.
• Once a student has a committee and is enrolled TNURS 700 (thesis), student must remain continuously enrolled  (AUT, WIN, SPR) in TNURS 700 until graduation, unless the student has obtained on-leave status from the UW Graduate School.

Steps for the final approval of the thesis

• Each student should discuss with his or her committee chair the final product for the thesis and the final exam. Begin this process early, as it is common to have multiple drafts of papers that must be reviewed.
• Once the thesis is nearing completion, the student will present drafts of the manuscript to the supervisory committee chair. Students should allow at least two weeks for the chair to read the paper and provide feedback. The decision to give materials to other member(s) of the committee is a shared decision by the student and the chair.
• The supervisory committee approves the thesis prior to the final examination of the student (see "Final Examination for Master's Degree"). All committee members must have a final copy of the thesis two weeks before the final exam.
• If the student is engaged in research with data from or about human subjects, the student should retain all signed consent forms for the time specified by UW Human Subjects.
• The thesis MUST be approved by the supervisory committee and each title page signed (original signature) by the chair of the committee.
• The student needs to submit the final paper to the Graduate Program Advisor (this can be done electronically).  
• All graduating students must complete the end of program survey.