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Michael J. Cohen, Ed.D.
Faculty
Akamai University Applied Ecopsychology
West Coast University

NOTE: This course being reconstructed due to new university and accreditation affiliations.

ECO 800: Certification in Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology (1 credit)

Certification Completion and Research Preparation Program

Institute of Global Education

This course is taken during the student's final semester at IGE, Using materials, methods and questions developed by themselves and others as part of prior courses in the degree program, along with new material, the student helps design and implement procedures that validate his or her adequacy and completeness in participating in the IGE Cooperative

Education program/process (as described in the links from the Introductory Letter) and meeting the academic challenges of the IGE Degree program.

Students will ask and answer questions for and in a competency exam, and produce journaled, course communicated, and other forms of evidence that serve this purpose. The student prepares a short research Validation paper that documents his or her preparedness to enter the final phase of their degree program at the University of their choice, and that is accompanied by a petition that may help generate scholarship funds for his or her program completion. The paper will display the student's adequacy in using research techniques and referencing of resource materials under APA guidelines. When approved by the faculty and a voluntary student cooperative study group, this paper serves as a certification of the student's successful completion of the IGE Graduate Student Cooperative component of their degree program.

PREREQUISITES

Participants must be involved in completing all academic coursework and tuition fees before completing this final required course.

COURSE TOPICS

*building effective thesis proposal

*building meaningful proposal for projects in lieu of thesis

*selecting and narrowing a research topic

*justification of need for the course and certification

*establishing an effective strategy

*selecting an appropriate methodology

*using a style manual

*building the academic argument and scholarly presentation

*presenting valid findings

*demonstrating the results

*identifying limitations

*drawing appropriate conclusions

*deriving recommendations

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The cornerstone of graduate degree work in the cutting edge field of Applied Ecopsychology is to demonstrate excellence in lieu of the expectations of various parts of society. In whatever form it takes, validation must represent the work in IGE by the participant. At the masters level, it is the demonstration of mastery of an advanced body of knowledge in a given field. This certification validation course is intended to empower the participants:

*to complete their degree program in conjunction with an IGE affiliated University

*to produce a certifying document or their work at IGE

*to understand the proper manner of reporting their educational excellence to others

BRIEF NEED STATEMENT

Effective preparation is the first key to successful completion of a degree program. A great deal of literature exists in support of building an effective certification of a students work and ability,

COURSE AUDIENCE

This course is open to all students

WHAT TO DO:

Document or List all the courses you have taken to show you have met all the requirements for Certification or Matriculation

If you are requesting credit for equivalent courses or BS or MS degree experience, document how you have spent the hours that provided the equivalency experiences.

Arrange to take the written and then the oral competency exam for you final certification or matriculation.

If you are going on to a degree, show or write 5-10 pages that demonstrate you know how to write using the APA Manual of Style that will be required for your Thesis or Dissertation. This paper may be an outline of your proposed topic for your degree. The paper may also be a statement of how you will apply this work in future personal or professional circumstances.

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Please ignore the information below until further notice

FACULTY-STUDENT COMMUNICATIONS

-Telephone Contacts

The student will initiate an initial telephone conference with the

instructor within one week of enrollment to clarify a plan of action for

the course. This initial contact will help familiarize the student and

instructor with one another, and permit the transmission of clear

expectations for completion of course requirements. At least a monthly

telephone contact, at the student's expense, should be continued for the

duration of the course.

-Email Communications

Frequent email communications between student and instructor should be

initiated and continued for the duration of the course. Email

communication may require up to three or more exchanges per week.

-Alternative Communications

Students may send communications and materials via postal service and fax,

as appropriate.

COURSE DELIVERY STYLE

Participants will gather supportive books and materials from their

coursework before undertaking the preparation of this presentation. Upon

preparation of the complete first draft of the Validation, participants will

submit the document for peer review. Following peer review, participants

will prepare and submit the proposal for formal review by the instructor and

an ad hoc review committee of peers.

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

Participants are required to make use of the materials from their previous

coursework and the American Psychological Association style manual to

conform their written work.

-Required Style Manual (select one)

American Psychological Association, (1983),Publication Manual of the

American Psychological Associaion, Third Edition. Washington D. C.

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

-Assignment #1: Conceptualizing the Project

Under the direction of the instructor, and referring carefully to the

materials from their coursework, identify your strategy for being certified to

complete your degree program.

-Assignment #2: Annotated Bibliography

Prepare a first draft of the paper's strategy. Use some of the criteria for the

MS waiver and RES 890 when applicable. Familiarize yourself with hints

found at http://www.ecopsych.com/eco500dissert.html

-Assignment #4: Manuscript Outline

Construct an outline of the papar's flow.

-Assignment #5: Peer Review

Submit your draft proposal to two colleagues or more familiar with the

research topic for peer review Based upon the outcome of the peer review

process, restructure your materials into a formal research proposal of 5-15

double spaced typewritten pages.

-Assignment #6: Formal Package

Submit the final project and petition.

SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING RESOURCES

See additional resource suggestions in RES 890

-Writing Guides

Strunk, W. and White, E. B. (1979) The Elements of Style, Third Edition.

New York: MacMillan.

Cook, C. K. (1985) Line by Line: How to Edit Your Own Writing. Boston;

INDIVIDUALIZATION OF STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS

The strategy for the Validation will be proposed

by the participant under the direction of the lead faculty. This will

permit maximum individualization of the project to the interests of the

student.

COURSE EVALUATION

The student's work will be evaluated based upon a review of the

components of the Validation and evidence of the peer review process.

COURSE GRADING DETERMINANTS

The course grade will be calculated based upon the following formula:

* implementing the strategy plan 50%

*annotated bibliography 20%

*manuscript outline 20%

*peer review 10%

COURSE COMPLETION TIMETABLE

Participants will have a maximum course time for any one course shall be 6

months.

WEEK #1: Initiate first telephone contact with the instructor for the

purpose of clarifying the plan of action for the course.

WEEK #2: Make first email contact with instructor, sending email

including written plan of action for instructor's feedback. Begin

conceptualizing the Validation according to the instructions in assignment

#1.. Maintain journal notations related to the salient points of the readings.

In collaboration with the instructor, identify and purchase a style manual

and other materials, as deemed essential for effective completion of the

research plan and the project.

WEEK #4: Complete the documentation elements in preparation for

building the research plan. Begin indepth evaluation of the material,

maintain complete and careful notations of the salient points of

all documents.

WEEK #8: Carefully complete preparatory materials and build an effective

annotated bibliography of them and their sources.

WEEK #10: Prepare the strategy elements of the Validation.

WEEK #12: Design the proposed manuscript outline.

WEEK #14: Submit first draft of the Validation to peer review.

WEEK # 16: Make final changes in the documents and submit final draft

of the Validation for review and approval by the instructor.

WEEK #18: Feedback will be received from the instructor.

WEEK #20: Corrected version of the Validation will be received by the

instructor for signing and submission to the dean from final approval.

WEEK #24: Contact instructor for final feedback.

SPECIAL NOTES AND INSTRUCTIONS

NOTE #1: Accelerated Progress

Students may progress through this course at a faster pace, as appropriate,

and under the careful direction of the Committee Chair.

NOTE #2: Grace Period

Students are encouraged to complete the course assignments well within

180 days allowed. However, on occasion, and as the situation merits, faculty

may voluntarily extend a 90 day grace period for students who have

circumstances which have made it unduly difficult or impossible for them to

complete the course requirements within the 180 days. Students should

request the grace period in writing from the instructor well before the end

of the semester.

NOTE #3: Leaves of Absence

Under special circumstances, students may request and can be awarded

formal leaves of absence from their studies. Students would not be required

to pay tuition for any new semesters which occur during the period of leave.

It is anticipated that a leave of absence will begin for most students

immediately following successful completion and approval of the formal

research proposal. The leave would extend to the next or subsequent point

of enrollment, should the student require completion of additional studies

related to the final project. A leave of absence related to the thesis or

dissertation will be allowed to extend through the completion of research

study, the preparation of the first draft of the manuscript, defense of

thesis or dissertation, and submission of the final approved manuscript.

Leaves of absence related to the final project will count toward the

maximum allowed period for completion of the degree. Written requests for

leaves of absence should be submitted to the Chair of the student's

committee for approval and confirmation with the Dean of the college.

FACULTY CONTACT INFORMATION

For the faculty contact information, please refer to the Lead Faculty

Information section of the Program Overview. If unclear of contact

information, communicate immediately with the University Administration.

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Project NatureConnect
Institute of Global Education
Special NGO consultant to United Nations Economic and Social Council.
P.O. Box 1605 Friday Harbor WA 98250
(360) 378-6313
nature@interisland.net
www.ecopsych.com

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