All course information is listed within this syllabus.

EMGT 894: Capstone Experience — Paper (3 credits). Students develop an independent study project investigating an ecosystem management issue and write a paper describing their investigation and conclusions. This syllabus is for students planning to take the course for a total of three credits. Students taking the course for three credits will write a paper based on research of existing sources of information. The paper will clearly describe the ecosystem management issue, review literature relevant to the issue, identify potential ways to address the issue, and evaluate the pros and cons of possible solutions. Students taking the course for six credits will write a paper based on research of existing sources of information and based on original data or analysis carried out by the student. Their paper will clearly describe the ecosystem management issue, review literature relevant to the issue, identify potential ways to address the issue, describe the methods, data and results of their analysis, and evaluate the pros and cons of possible solutions.

Prerequisite: Completion of at least half of the courses (15 credits) toward the Master of Professional Studies program in ecosystem management and administration

Instructor

Instructor for EMGT 894

Marc E. McDill, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Forest Management

Department of Ecosystem Science and Management
310 Forest Resources Building
University Park, PA 16802

Phone (Office): 814-865-1602
E-mail: Use Canvas Inbox

Research Interests

Forest management, forest management planning, forest inventory, deer-forest interactions, oak regeneration

Course Overview

This project is the culminating effort of the MPS degree program. In conjunction with their academic advisor, students will select a topic or issue in ecosystem management that they will independently investigate. The topic or issue could take the form of a case study, or for students with work experience in an ecosystem management field, it could be an issue they have dealt with or are currently working on. The investigation will require research and review of relevant scientific, technical literature, and gathering of information and data related to the topic. Students will demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge, principles, and methods learned in the required and elective courses that comprise the ecosystem management and administration MPS degree program.

Students will write a formal research paper. Students will assess and interpret the literature, information, and data. They will also present and defend their conclusions based on their research in an oral presentation. The presentation can be given online through a video conferencing application, such as Zoom. The student's advisor and at least one other Penn State faculty member will evaluate the student's paper and presentation.

Course Objectives

The Ecosystem Management Project is the culminating effort of students who complete the MPS degree. In this project students will demonstrate their ability to:

  • identify a problem or issue related to ecosystem management,
  • access information (publications and data) relevant to that issue,
  • analyze and interpret information from their literature review, and
  • communicate their findings and support their conclusions.

Course Outline

Module 1: What's a Master's Paper? (2 weeks)

Module 2: Plagiarism and Research Ethics (2 weeks)

Module 3: Paper Proposal (10%) (1 week)

Module 4: Writing Your Paper (8 weeks)

Module 5: Final Paper Presentation (15%) (2 weeks)

    Course Breakdown

    The course can be divided over up to 3 semesters. For students taking the course for three credits, modules can be split over up to three semesters as shown in Table 1.

    Table 1: Timing of module completion for all possible 3-credit sequences
    Semester 3 Credits* 2+1 Credits 1+2 Credits 1+1+1 Credits
    1 Modules 1–5 Modules 1–4c Modules 1–3 Modules 1–3
    2 N.A. Modules 4d–5 Modules 4–5 Modules 4a–c
    3 N.A. N.A. N.A. Modules 4d–5

    *Credit sequences (e.g., 2+1 means 2 credits in semester 1 and 1 credit in semester 2)

    Course Schedule

    Due dates depend on whether the student is taking the course for three or six credits and on their credit sequence (one, two, or three semesters). Students will be given a schedule with dates for module completion based on their situation on the first day of class.

    Course Materials

    Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check the World Campus Course Catalog approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.

    Required

    ISBN: 978-0226239736
    Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., Williams, J. M., Bizup, J., & FitzGerald, W. T. (2016). The Craft of Research (4th ed., Ser. Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing). University of Chicago Press. (E-Book option available)

    For pricing and ordering information, please see the Barnes & Noble College website.

    Materials will be available at Barnes & Noble College approximately three weeks before the course begins. It is very important that you purchase the correct materials. If your course requires one or more textbooks, you must have exactly the correct text required (edition and year).

    E-Book Option

    An online version of one or more of your texts is available at no cost as a Penn State Library E-Book. Some E-Books will only be available online, while others will be available to download in full or in part. You may choose to use the E-Book as an alternative to purchasing a physical copy of the text. You can access the E-Book by selecting Library Resources in the Course Navigation Menu, and then selecting the E-Reserves link. For questions or issues, you can contact the University Libraries Reserve Help (UL-RESERVESHELP@LISTS.PSU.EDU).

    Assignments

    Assignments and their grading contributions are listed in the course outline above and in the Grading Policy below. Each student will have their own schedules for turning in assignments based on where they are in their credit sequence.

    Final Exam

    There is no final exam.

    Late Submission Policy

    This course has specific benchmarks, and each student is given a schedule for meeting each benchmark (schedules vary based on where a student is in their credit sequence). Students are responsible for meeting deadlines indicated in their schedule. The instructor will not inform students of missed deadlines. Assignments can be submitted at any time prior to the scheduled due date but will not be accepted for full credit after the scheduled deadline.

    Grading Policy

    Grades by assignment for students taking the course for 3 credits.

    The following table is the grading criteria for the course.

    Grading Criteria
    Requirement Point Value
    Week 1 Introductions 5
    Initial Paper Topic Proposal 50
    Ethics Case Study 45
    Plagiarism and Ethics Quiz 50
    Annotated Bibliography 50
    Preliminary Literature Review 50
    Final Literature Review 50
    Paper Proposal 100
    Paper Draft 1 100
    Paper Draft 2 150
    Final Draft 200
    Oral Presentation of Final Paper 150
    TOTAL: 1000

    The following table is the grading scheme for the course.

    Grading Scheme
    Letter Grade Percentage
    A 100% – 94%
    A- < 94% – 90%
    B+ < 90% – 87%
    B < 87% – 84%
    B- < 84% – 80%
    C+ < 80% – 77%
    C < 77% – 70%
    D < 70% – 60%
    F < 60%

    Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information.

    NOTE: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see "Graduation" under World Campus Student Resources.

    Online Students Use of the Library

    As Penn State World Campus students, you have access to many of the materials that the library offers to students. The library website has a lot to offer, but can be overwhelming. A guide has been created to serve as your introduction to important library resources, services, and important pages within the library. The Online Student Library Guide is updated regularly by the online librarian and is intended to provide a level of comfort through an introduction to help you feel comfortable navigating the library website to find valuable information for your coursework.

    Technical Requirements

    This course is offered online and it is assumed you possess the minimum system requirements and computing skills to participate effectively. A list of technical requirements is listed on World Campus' Penn State Technical Requirements page.

    Minimum Skills

    • You should have an understanding of basic computer usage (creating folders/directories, switching between programs, formatting and backing up media, accessing the internet).
    • You must be able to conduct word processing tasks such as creating, editing, saving, and retrieving documents.
    • You must be able to use a web browser to open web pages, download files, and search the internet.
    • You must be able to use an e-mail program to send and receive messages and to attach and download documents/files.
    • You must be able to download and install programs or plug-ins from the internet.

    Getting Help With Canvas Courses

    Canvas support is available 24/7 via chat or phone.

    It is in your own best interest to be as specific as you possibly can. Try to include information such as the specific course page, quiz question, etc. you were on; what you attempted to do when that failed; the exact language of any error message displayed on your screen; the date and time when your problem occurred; and any other pertinent information (does the problem happen consistently and always in the same way, etc.).

    Support Services

    As a student, you have access to a variety of services and resources, including advising, tutoring, library services, career services, and more. Please visit the following resources for more information:

    Accessibility Information

    Netiquette

    The term "Netiquette" refers to the etiquette guidelines for electronic communications, such as e-mail and discussion postings. Netiquette covers not only rules to maintain civility in discussions but also special guidelines unique to the electronic nature of messages. Please review Virginia Shea's "The Core Rules of Netiquette" for general guidelines that should be followed when communicating in this course.

    Penn State Policies

    Login Policy

    Students are expected to log in regularly to keep up to date with announcements, discussions, etc. The class will progress at a regular pace throughout the semester and there are specific due dates and times for assignments, etc.

    Course Availability

    Your course will be available to you beginning the first day of class and will remain open for one year. After one year the course will close.

    Academic Integrity

    Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest, and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at The Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance with this principle. Consistent with this expectation, students should act with personal integrity, respect other students' dignity, rights, and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts. Academic integrity includes a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation, or deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental ethical principles of the University community and compromise the worth of work completed by others (see Faculty Senate Policy 49-20, G-9 Procedures, and the Code of Conduct).

    Please read the academic integrity guidelines for the College of Agricultural Sciences.

    A lack of knowledge or understanding of the University's academic integrity policy and the types of actions it prohibits and/or requires does not excuse one from complying with the policy. Penn State and the College of Agricultural Sciences take violations of academic integrity very seriously. Faculty, alumni, staff, and fellow students expect each student to uphold the University's standards of academic integrity both inside and outside of the classroom.

    Educational Equity Statement

    Penn State takes great pride in fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity at the Report Bias page.

    Privacy Policies

    For information about Penn State's privacy statement and what it encompasses, please read their Web Privacy Statement. Visit Penn State's FERPA Guidelines for Faculty and Staff page for information regarding its rules governing the privacy of student educational records.

    Copyright Notice

    All course materials students receive or to which students have online access are protected by copyright laws. Students may use course materials and make copies for their own use as needed, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor's express permission is strictly prohibited. University Policy AD40, Recording of Classroom Activities and Note-Taking Services, addresses this issue. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University's Code of Conduct, and/or liable under federal and state laws.

    Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

    Many students at Penn State face personal challenges or have psychological needs that may interfere with their academic progress, social development, or emotional well-being. The University offers a variety of confidential services to help you through difficult times, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, consultations, online chats, and mental health screenings. These services are provided by staff who welcome all students and embrace a philosophy respectful of clients' cultural and religious backgrounds, and sensitive to differences in race, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

    Accommodations for Persons With Disabilities

    Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources page.

    In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus' disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

    Accommodations for Military Personnel

    Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.

    Use of Trade Names

    Where trade names are used, no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by World Campus, Outreach and Cooperative Extension, the College of Agricultural Sciences, or The Pennsylvania State University is implied.

    Subject to Change Statement

    Please note that this Course Syllabus is subject to change. Students are responsible for abiding by such changes.

    Course Availability

    If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search to start planning ahead.