This option gives the student an opportunity to apply research and knowledge of communication and development to a practical issue or problem in the field. Unlike the thesis, the professional project does not require original research; however, it should demonstrate rigor in design, methodology and analysis, and be suitable for presentation at an academic conference or professional forum. A project requires substantial effort and should not be undertaken without considering the time and resources available. There is no specified format or length for a project since it is case specific.
According to new rules introduced by the Directors Committee of the College of Communication, there exists the possibility of using templates for both MLA and APA writing and bibliographic styles. Students should discuss with their committee chair which style/template they wish to employ. Full versions of the templates are available on the CommDev website.
Examples of possible projects include:
- A communications campaign to address a development need
- A survey to analyze development needs or media consumption patterns
- A fully developed grant proposal to a funding agency
- A series of analytical articles on contemporary issues in the field
- A video or audio documentary on a development need
- A website on a development need
Requirements of the Professional Project
The student must identify a faculty member who is willing to direct the project, and two additional faculty members to serve on the advisory committee. At least one committee member must be from the School of Telecommunications.
The student must submit a formal proposal (maximum five pages, double spaced) that includes the following: purpose of the project, its significance, its relationship to the program of study, the methodology to be used, the presentation format, a list of resources needed and a timeframe. This proposal must be approved by the committee no later than the end of the fourth week of Fall Semester of the second year of study, or the fourth week of the fourth full quarter of a students study program (for those not beginning in Fall).
The student should register for hours in INST 696 (Professional Project) to undertake the project. With permission from the faculty project director, the student may enroll for up to five hours of INST 696 per quarter; no more than a total of 10 credit hours may count toward graduation requirements. Grades of PR will be submitted until the project is completed; normally, a grade of CR will be given, but the committee does have the option of awarding a letter grade. The student may be required to make a presentation at the weekly CommDev Colloquium. The final project is due by the end of the seventh week of Spring Semester.*
On review, the faculty committee will make one of the following decisions:
- CR or Letter Grade
- Unconditional pass
- Conditional pass (revisions or additional work required)
- Fail
*The time frame is based on the normal schedule for completion of the degree, with students entering in Fall Quarter and taking five or six quarters to complete the 70 hour minimum. However, it is recognized that some programs are delayed because of financial or visa problems, internships or personal circumstances, and that some students may graduate in a quarter other than Spring. In these cases, the schedule for the professional project will be adjusted accordingly.
Required Forms
- Capstone Requirement Approval
- Professional Project Proposal
- Professional Project Evaluation