B.I.S. Guide

Use this guide to plan your progress through the B.I.S. program.

1.         Find out if the program is appropriate for you:

·         Check out the web site: www: weber.edu/BIS.

·         Call Pam Jones, the B.I.S. administrative assistant, at 626-7713 to come to one of our twice weekly information meetings.

2.         Complete the B.I.S. course contract:

·         Visit with the department chairs and/or advisors for your three areas of emphasis to work out a course of study.

·         Make sure you have 120 total semester hours, 40 credits of which are upper division hours, by the time you finish your contract and capstone.

·         Build research oriented classes into your contract in preparation for the capstone.

·         Write the statement of purpose explaining why you want to complete a B.I.S. degree.

3.         Make an appointment with Dr. Sitzman to work through the completed/ signed contract:

·         After Dr. Sitzman has signed the contract, you will receive a formal letter of acceptance into the program, along with a new graduation evaluation and a copy of your contract.

4.         Do the course work on your contract:

·         If you want to make any changes to your contract, you must complete a Substitution Form, available at the B.I.S. office, which the department chair for that area of emphasis signs.  Return the signed form to the B.I.S. office.

·         It’s a good idea to visit with Dr. Sitzman at least once a year to talk about your progress.  Just make an appointment through Pam (626-7713).

5.         Register for Education 3800:

·         This class is a required prerequisite for Education 4800, and will prepare you to successfully complete the B.I.S. capstone thesis project, as well as to professionalize yourself in terms of your career and/or graduate school.   It is offered in online in Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.

·         Take Education 3800 two semesters before your graduation, so you can plan to finish your capstone in your last semester.

            While you’re in Education 3800, you will:

·         Set up your Capstone Committee:  Invite one faculty member from each of your three areas of emphasis to sit on your committee.

·         Register for Education 4800:  The BIS office will give you the permission slip that allows you to register for 4800.  You register for Education 4800 once, even if you take two or more semesters to complete your capstone project.  You will earn three upper division credits for your capstone when you finish.  You will receive a “T” grade at the end of the semester which will be changed to a grade when you complete your project.

·         Write a prospectus, explaining the “what”, “why”, and “how” of your project.

·         Write a professional resume.

6.         Call your Prospectus meeting:

·         Project a time and date at least one to two weeks ahead, and be prepared to negotiate times and dates to accommodate all three faculty members.  All three members of your committee must be present at the meeting, either in person or by conference call (the B.I.S. department can provide that capability if you need it) and it is your responsibility to ensure a time and date they can attend.

·         Contact Pam at 626-7713 if you’d like the B.I.S. office to schedule a room.

·         Send your committee a paper copy of your prospectus BEFORE the meeting so they have time to read it.

·         Make your prospectus meeting useful: ask questions and seek guidance.

·         At the meeting, ask your committee to sign the Prospectus Meeting form to show they attended.  Return the signed form to the B.I.S. office.

·         If your project involves  research on human subjects, you will need to complete the IRB form available at http://catsis.weber.edu/irb/

·         After the meeting, e-mail your committee with a summary of the discussion so that you all have a written agreement on the expectations of the project.

7.         Work on your capstone thesis:

·         Send your committee drafts on a regular basis, at least three times, so they have the time and opportunity to give you feedback.

·         Make sure each member of your committee has at least two weeks to read the final draft of your thesis before holding the oral defense.  Don’t expect your committee to give you a grade at the Oral Defense meeting if they haven’t had an opportunity to read and respond to your work ahead of time.

·         The oral defense is NOT the time for corrections to be discussed—this must be done before the meeting when your committee provides feedback on the FINAL draft. Any corrections suggested at that time must be incorporated before the final defense so that your project is totally complete when the meeting occurs.

8.         Call an Oral Defense meeting:

·         Project a time and date at least one to two weeks ahead, and be prepared to negotiate times and dates to accommodate all three faculty members. Dr. Kathleen Sitzman, the B.I.S. Coordinator MUST be present at your capstone defense so be sure to contact Pam Jones in the B.I.S. office to find out when Dr. Sitzman is available so that you can plan your meeting accordingly with the other committee members. EVERY MEMBER OF YOUR COMMITTEE MUST BE PRESENT AT YOUR ORAL DEFENSE, either in person or by conference call, and it is your responsibility to ensure a time and date that they can attend.

·         After the defense, submit the signed Oral Defense Form and a clean, bound copy of your completed capstone thesis to the B.I.S. office.

·         Write a thank you note to each member of the committee; they’ve given you their time and expertise.

9.         Apply for graduation:

·         In the first 6-8 weeks of your last semester, when you’ve registered for your final classes, make an appointment Dr. Sitzman to work through the “Graduation Dean’s Sign Off”. This is a required step for graduation and must be completed in addition to filling out the graduation form and paying fees to student services. The form lists what you’ve done, what’s left to do, and allows you to apply for graduation. It must be signed by the Provost.

(Revised: April 30, 2008)