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In addition to completing all graduate
core courses and all required courses in a chosen
emphasis area, each degree-seeking (i.e.,
non-certificate) MHS student must elect to: a) complete
a Master’s Thesis; b) complete a Master’s Project; or c)
complete a number of additional elective courses
(students in the Environmental Health emphasis who wish
to complete a Thesis or Project must still take one
additional elective course). Both the Thesis and the
Project options have their own course designations, with
the Thesis designated as MHLTHSCI 593 and the Project
designated as MHLTHSCI 591. The number of credits a
student must take of either MHLTHSCI 593 or 591 varies
by emphasis area, from four (in the Health Policy
Emphasis area) to six (in the other four emphasis areas)
credits. No student may enroll for project or thesis
credits until they have successfully completed Health
Science Inquiry (MHLTHSCI 505) and Program Evaluation in
the Health Sciences (MHLTHSCI 555), and completed at
least 18 credits of selected course work.
Thesis:
A
Master’s Thesis is an ideal option for students who are
interested in research and who wish to make a
substantial contribution to the field of public health
through empirical investigation. In the Health
Sciences, the Thesis entails an original research effort
designed and executed by a graduate student under the
supervision of his or her advisor and other supervisory
committee members. As described by the Graduate
College:
“A
research thesis is characterized by a clearly stated
proposition or hypothesis that is investigated using
analysis and synthesis of data or other scholarly
evidence; the thesis must include a discussion of the
relevant literature and demonstrate the ability of the
student to independently and successfully address a
significant problem with the concepts and methods that
are accepted in the major field of study.”
The
Thesis research itself must be founded on a question or
problem developed as a hypothesis to be tested. The
Thesis may take be either:
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An
experimental study, in which variables that affect
the outcome or the answer to the question are
identified and controlled. In this case, the
question or problem is to be solved or answered
using rigorous methodological, statistical, and
sampling techniques. A clinical trial or laboratory
experiment serve as examples.
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An
observational/descriptive study, in which there is
no interference by the observer on the variables.
Techniques of data collection include interviewing,
surveying, and file research, with statistical
methods applied as appropriate. Qualitative studies
or survey research are examples of this form of
study.
There
are several important steps in the Thesis process. It
is essential that students follow these steps closely,
as neither the MHS program nor the Graduate College
accepts deviation from the process.
-
All
students wishing to enroll in MHLTHSCI 593 and begin
the Thesis process must have met the prerequisites
required for enrollment in MHLTHSCI 593 (completion
of MHLTHSCI 505 and MHLTHSCI 555, and completion of
at least 18 credits of selected coursework).
-
Enrolling in MHLTHSCI 593 and forming a supervisory
committee. A supervisory committee is composed of
members of the graduate faculty, and is charged with
the guidance of a student in the MHS program. The
committee consists of a major advisor who serves as
the chair, plus at least two (but not more than
four) additional members. The major advisor is the
primary mentor for the student and must hold full
rank in the graduate faculty. A majority of the
committee membership must be graduate faculty of
full or associate rank in the MHS program.
-
Begin working on a Thesis proposal (actually, MHS
students have a major head start on this process by
completing portions of the proposal in Health
Science Inquiry [MHLTHSCI 505]—a prerequisite for
Thesis work). The Thesis proposal, which must be
approved prior to the research being conducted,
presents the background, objectives, scope, methods,
and timelines of the proposed research. Before the
research is conducted, students must have their
research proposal approved by the Institutional
Review Board (IRB) as well. Complete information on
IRB policies and procedures is available at
http://boisestate.edu/research/
-
Conducting the Thesis research. Although the
research is intended to be an individual project and
is the responsibility of the student, this research
should be done in close collaboration with the
advisor for the purposes of guidance, and must
follow exactly the methods that the supervisory
committee approved.
-
Writing the Thesis. After performing the research,
the student, working with the major advisor, may
write up his or her research according to the
Preparation and Submission of Theses, Projects, and
Dissertations. A Thesis that is not written to
conform to the standards of the Graduate College,
which are detailed in this publication, will not be
considered acceptable by the supervisory committee
or the Graduate College.
-
Defending the Thesis. The Thesis defense, also
referred to as the “oral examination,” involves the
student presenting his or her completed research to
their supervisory committee, graduate students, and
other invited guests, in which the student discusses
the research project, answers questions, and
generally demonstrates expertise regarding the
research he or she conducted. Students who meet
these objectives are considered by the supervisory
committee to have successfully defended the Thesis,
or to have “passed” the oral examination. Such
students then are able to make any final edits or
changes to the written Thesis that are required by
the supervisory committee, and to prepare the final
written Thesis for submission to the Graduate
College (the Thesis must be received and approved by
the Dean of the Graduate College at least three
weeks before commencement). Students who fail to
demonstrate expertise in defending their Thesis are
considered to fail their oral examination, and are
subject to further guidance from the supervisory
committee on how to proceed.
Students enrolled in MHLTHSCI 593 will receive a grade
of In Progress (IP) until a final grade of either Pass
(P) or Fail (F) is assigned by the MHS program.
Students who successfully defend their Thesis/pass the
oral examination, have a Thesis in final form that is
fully approved, and who meet all procedural requirements
related to the Thesis, are assigned a grade of P for all
MHLTHSCI 593 credits. A grade of F is assigned to all
MHLTHSCI 593 credits if the student fails to
successfully defend the Thesis/pass the oral
examination.
Project:
A
Master’s Project is an ideal option for students who are
interested in making a substantial contribution to the
public health field but who are not interested in
conducting an empirical research study. The Graduate
College describes a Master’s Project as “A substantial
exercise that demonstrates the ability of a master’s
student to carry out independently and successfully a
professional activity similar to what may be encountered
in the workforce.” Examples are the development and
implementation of a program-specific evaluation
strategy, the development of a policy manual for a
managed care facility, the development of a substance
abuse health education curriculum for a specific
population, or the implementation of a pilot study.
The
procedure for completing a Master’s Project include the
steps below. It is essential that students follow these
steps closely, as neither the MHS program nor the
Graduate College accepts deviation from the process.
-
All
students wishing to enroll in MHLTHSCI 591 and begin
the Project process must have met the prerequisites
for enrollment in MHLTHSCI 591 (completion of
MHLTHSCI 505 and MHLTHSCI 555, and completion of at
least 18 credits of selected coursework).
-
Enrolling in MHLTHSCI 591 and forming a supervisory
committee. A supervisory committee is composed of
members of the graduate faculty, and is charged with
the guidance of a student in the MHS program. The
committee consists of a major advisor who serves as
the chair, plus at least two (but not more than
four) additional members. The major advisor is the
primary mentor for the student and must hold full
rank in the graduate faculty. A majority of the
committee membership must be graduate faculty of
full or associate rank in the MHS program.
-
Begin working on a Project proposal (actually, MHS
students have a major head start on this process by
completing portions of the proposal in Health
Science Inquiry [MHLTHSCI 505]—a prerequisite for
Project work). The Project proposal, which must be
approved prior to the research or activity being
conducted, presents the background, objectives,
scope, methods, and timelines of the proposed
research or activity. Before the research or
activity is conducted, students must have their
research proposal approved by the Institutional
Review Board (IRB) as well (if applicable).
Complete information on IRB policies and procedures
is available at
http://boisestate.edu/research/
-
Conducting the Project research or activity.
Although the research or activity is intended to be
an individual project and is the responsibility of
the student, this research or activity should be
done in close collaboration with the advisor for the
purposes of guidance, and must follow exactly the
methods that the supervisory committee approved.
-
Writing up the Project. After performing the
research or activity, the student, working with the
major advisor, may write up his or her work
according to the Preparation and Submission of
Theses, Projects, and Dissertations. A Project
that is not written to conform to the standards of
the Graduate College, which are detailed in this
publication, will not be considered acceptable by
the supervisory committee or the Graduate College.
-
Defending the Project. The Project defense, also
referred to as the “oral examination,” involves the
student presenting his or her completed research or
activity to their supervisory committee, graduate
students, and other invited guests, in which the
student discusses the research or activity, answers
questions, and generally demonstrates expertise
regarding the work he or she conducted. Students
who meet these objectives are considered by the
supervisory committee to have successfully defended
the Project, or to have “passed” the oral
examination. Such students then are able to make
any final edits or changes to the written Project
that are required by the supervisory committee, and
to prepare the final written Project for submission
to the Graduate College (the Project must be
received and approved by the Dean of the Graduate
College at least three weeks before commencement).
Students who fail to demonstrate expertise in
defending their Project are considered to fail their
oral examination, and are subject to further
guidance from the supervisory committee on how to
proceed.
Students enrolled in MHLTHSCI 591 will receive a grade
of In Progress (IP) until a final grade of either Pass
(P) or Fail (F) is assigned by the MHS program.
Students who successfully defend their Project/pass the
oral examination, have a thesis in final form that is
fully approved, and who meet all procedural requirements
related to the Project, are assigned a grade of P for
all MHLTHSCI 591 credits. A grade of F is assigned to
all MHLTHSCI 591 credits if the student fails to
successfully defend the Project/pass the oral
examination.
Below
is a listing of Theses and Projects completed by MHS in
recent years.
Amy,
Loretta S. Improving the Informed Consent Process
through the Use of a Question and Answer Tool.
April 2004. A thesis
Avery,
Rhiannon N. An Exploratory Study on Impact of
Participation in Youth Action Councils on Development of
Assets. October 2002. A thesis
Becker, Mary L. Development of
a Lactation Screening Tool for Dyads-Birth to 2
Months Using a Delphi Process.
March 2005.
Bishop,
John David. Improving Patient Satisfaction of
Pediatric Dietary Services. November 2003. A thesis
Bradley,
Barbara J. A Descriptive Study of
Idaho
Rural Health Clinics.
July 2002. A project
Brown,
Julie L. Ferritin Iron Release by Anthracylines:
Investigations of the Basis for Cardiotoxicity and
Implications for Drug Development. April 1999. A
thesis
Campbell, Aaron D. Childhood Immunizations: A Pilot
Study Evaluating the Effectiveness of Reminder/Recall
Systems and Perceptions of Patient Tracking Systems.
April 2002. A thesis
Cross, Karen A. Evaluation of
National Recommendations and the Comparison to State
Medicaid and Private Insurance Policies
for Weight Loss Surgery.
April 2005. A project
Dickas,
Lisa M. State Regulation of the Professions of
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology in
Idaho: Is it Really
Needed?
January
2000. A project (2)
Farner,
Kirby L. Assertive Community Treatment: A
Comparative Study Between Independent and Dependent
Living. February 2001. A thesis (2)
Frye,
Carrie L. Comprehensive Tobacco Control in
Idaho for Fiscal Years
2001 and 2002.
October 2002. A project
Gray,
Gayle A. Exploratory Study of Telemedicine Medicaid
Reimbursement Status: Participating and
Non-Participating States and its Impact on
Idaho’s Policy Making
Process.
November 2003. A thesis
Harding,
Kimberly A. A Pilot Study on Perceptions of
Environmental Health Risk in
Kootenai County, Idaho.
April 2002. A thesis
Hatfield, Lisa L. A Chronic Disease Self-Management
Program and its Evaluation Tool: A Case Study.
April 2000. A thesis
Hawkins,
Heidi L. A Study of Rural Hospital Antimicrobial
Resistance Proficiency. April 2004. A thesis
Kittridge, Shawna L. Pharmaceutical Group
Purchasing: A Summary Paper for the Reforming States
Group. April 2002. A case study
Knipple,
Stacy M. Evaluation of the Effect of Implimenting an
Impact Evaluation Within the Idaho Home and
Community-Based Waiver Program. November 2004. A
thesis
LaPlante, Sarah.
Idaho
Physicians’ Reports of Knowledge, Attitudes, and
Behaviors of Pain Management in Terminally Ill Patients.
July 1999. A thesis
Lewis,
Pamela. Development of a Chart Review Protocol for
More Accurate and Definitive Diagnosis of Invasive Group
A Streptococcal Infections. April 2003. A project
Lowe,
Douglas C. Ranking Groundwater Pollution Potential
Using a Standardized Decision Tool: Commercial and
Industrial Businesses in
Kootenai County, Idaho.
March 2002. A thesis
Loutzenheiser, Gayl. Implementing Outcome Reporting
and an Evaluation Framework in a Learning Center for
Students with Learning Disabilities – Lee Pesky Learning
Center, Boise, Idaho. April 2005. A project
Malan,
Daniel S. A Culturally Competent Early Childhood
Caries/Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Prevention Program for
Latina Mothers and
Caregivers.
June 2003. A project
McGovern, Brian Michael. Determining Storm Water
Quality Awareness among
Boise
City and Garden City Communities.
July 2005. A thesis
McMillan, Steven. Ethics and Infectious Disease
Interventions: An Educational Module. May 2003. A
project
Menchaca,
Shaun D. Evaluating The Practice of Rural Hospitals.
April 2004. A thesis
Moran,
Patti M. Policy and Environmental Supports for
Cardiovascular Health: An Assessment and Inventory of
Idaho Worksites.
July 2000. A project
Mulder,
Carol A. An analysis of State Mandated Birth Control
Benefits: An Idaho Insurance Company’s Perspective.
March 2001. A project
Parks,
Sherry. Establishing a Patient Safety Collaborative
in
Idaho.
July 2005. A project
Poppenga,
Janice. A Feasibility study of the Implementation of
a State-Wide Health Tracking System in Idaho.
November 2004. A project
Rafla,
Hala G. Fate of Nutrients and Pathogens from
On-site Disposal Systems to Ground Water and Application
of Different Models Used as Screening Tools to Detect
Hazardous Parameters. July 2000. A thesis
Reader-Jolley,
Danielle.
Idaho Influenza
Pandemic Preparedness Plan (Draft). November
2002. A project
Ricks,
Shane P. Substance Abuse,
Chemical Dependency and Drug Diversion in Nursing: A
Resource Manual for Nurse Managers.
April 2005. A project
Rojnkureesatien, Tassanee. Local Development
Planning Process for Rehabilitation in the Area Affected
by Natural Disaster: The Case of Phipun District,
Nakorn Sri Thammarat,
Thailand.
December 1994. A thesis
Root,
Helen L. Factors Influencing Public Health: Nurses’
Job Satisfaction. April 2001. A thesis
Salmon,
Susan R. Developing a Residential Treatment Program
for Substance Abusing Women and Their Children.
April2001. A project
Schroeder, Christine A. The Development of a
Resource Manual of Dietary Assessment Tools for Use in
Clinical Trial Research. December 2003. A project
Schumacher, Susan F. An
Idaho
Workforce Needs Assessment of Health Information
Management Professionals.
November 2005. A Project.
Shaw-Tulloch, Elke D. Two Idaho-Relevant Case Study
Scenarios Developed for the Environmental Health
Graduate Student in the Master of Health Science Program
at
Boise State University.
April 2002. A project
Spencer,
Dieuwke A. A Case Study of a Time Limited
Participatory Planning Project Managed by a Hierarchical
Organization. April 2005. A project
Story,
Chandra R. Evaluation of Abstinence- Only Education
Strategies in
Idaho.
April 2004. A thesis
Stricklin, Linda RN, BSN.
Delegation: The Licenced Nurse’s Role and
Responsibilities. April 2000.
A project
Surber,
Corey. Qualitative Assessment of an Electronic
Health Record in an Integrated Health Care Delivery
System. August 2000. A thesis
Taylor,
Richard S., R.N. Antibiotic Resistance Rates of
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus and
Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus in Idaho Hospitals
from 1994 to 1998. May 2000. A thesis
Van
Dyke. Veterans Oral History Project. April
2004. A project
West,
Stephen E. Environmental Conflict Resolution Through
the Use of a Citizen Advisory Group. November
2000. A thesis
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