Independent Study Project

Masters in Nursing Science Degree

NRS 538

Breyer State University
Instructor: Dale Mueller, EdD, RN

SYLLABUS

COURSE OVERVIEW: Welcome to this independent study course in nursing education, a graduate level course in the Nursing Education Track of the MSN program. This course is designed to allow you to develop or explore in depth a particular area of interest within an academic structure.

Various options for special projects, papers and activities are listed in the assignments area. You will submit a description of your intended independent work by the 5th week of the course, and completion of the work will occur by the 10th week. If the options as listed do not encompass an aspect of independent study that youwould like to pursue, I will review individual suggestions that you would like to propose for your independent study assignment.

Welcome to the course. Please do not hesitate to contact me via email at any time, should you have questions about getting started. I trust this will be a meaningful and exciting journey for you, the nurse educator, and for your future students in the realm of nursing and those colleagues, clients and communities who will benefit from advanced nursing practice.

TIME FRAME: This is a ten-semester hour course. This course is allotted 10 weeks of time. You must complete all of the requirements for the course successfully by the end of the 10-week period. The first day of week one will begin the day that you register for the course, or the day which you notify me that your textbooks have arrived and you are ready to begin your studies. Please be cognizant of the time frame. It is rare that extensions of time are permitted, unless you have good justification. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be awarded ten semester hours of credit.

TEXTBOOKS: There are no required textbooks for this course.

EXAMINATIONS: There are two components of the final examination for this course, an approved independent study program, and the delivery of the independent study work (a paper, or project as determined by agreement between you and I). The independent study program approval begins with a description of the intended work submitted by you to me for approval, and ends with a confirmation of approval from the instructor. The final independent study work consists of the fulfillment of the program as agreed.

The independent study program approval must be completed by the end of the 5th week in the course.

The final program fulfillment must be completed by the end of the 10th week in the course.

INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM OPTIONS: Listed here are Independent Study program options that are approved as far as scope. If you are selecting one of these options, then what is due by the 5th week is further detail about the choice of topic or subject matter so as to identify the breadth of your independent study. You may submit alternative suggestions to me for review.

1). Read and review two recent books in an area of professional interest. This option would result in a 10-15 page paper that includes a synopsis, review, and comments about relevance to practice.

2). Read and comment on a minimum of six (6) research articles in an area of professional interest. This option would result in a 10-15 page paper that includes a synopsis, review, and comments about relevance to practice.

3). Prepare an article for publication. This option would require the article to be at least 500 words, contain at least three (3) contemporary references, and submittal of editorial guidelines and the cover letter to the editor.

4). Prepare a presentation for a state or national conference. Evidence of acceptance of the presentation, panel discussion, or poster session will be required for this option.

5). Attend a conference or workshop and prepare a paper on the relevance of the information gained. The conference or workshop should be at least 3-days in length, or three one-day workshops will also be acceptable. This option would result in 10-15 page paper that includes a synopsis of the workshop information and a discussion of relevance of the information to current or future practice.

GRADING: The grading scale for this course is as follows:

90-100%    = A
80-89%      = B
70-79%      = C
Below 70% = Fail  

COMMUNICATION: I am available via email for you throughout this course. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments.

ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Dale is an assistant professor in the School of Nursing at a large traditional university in the US , and has enjoyed additional adjunct affiliations with many traditional and non-traditional colleges and universities over the past several decades. She is currently conducting a research study in nursing education that involves the ways that reflection can assist graduate and undergraduate nursing students to learn the rigors of nursing research and nursing contributions at their various levels of practice. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International, and is a frequent presenter at national and international nursing education conferences. She holds a Doctorate of Education from Pepperdine University, an MSN from St. Joseph's College of Maine, an MS in Clinical Psychology from California State University at Long Beach. She is board certified in Nursing Administration, Advanced, by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: The objective for this course is:

1). Demonstrate depth of expertise in an area of professional practice as described by fulfillment of an Independent Study Project.

INFORMATION: If you have any questions regarding this program, you may address them to adm@breyerstate.com. An administrative faculty member will respond to all questions.

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