Thesis/ARP (Applied Research Project)

Thesis Guidelines

All SAA students who are completing a thesis should follow the University Thesis Guidelines. These guidelines and other information can be found at the Graduate Studies website. More information about starting the thesis process within the SAA program will be added to this site soon. Important dates to remember are April 15th (deadline to defend the thesis) and May 1st (deadline to submit thesis to Graduate Studies Office to graduate in May).

Applied Research Project (ARP) Guidelines

All SAA Online students develop their AP with the following guidelines in mind:

  • The ARP will relate to the discipline of student affairs
  • The ARP will be completed in collaboration with a student affairs program/office/unit on campus
  • The ARP will have practical application to a student affairs area in a higher education setting and is a project that can be put into action in a higher education setting
  • The ARP may involve the creation of research (rather than utilizing data or repeating what was already obtained in a prior research project by the student)
  • The ARP will be an individual effort
  • The ARP will likely require IRB approval at the campus where the research is being conducted and at UW-L
  • The ARP will be described in a professional paper
  • The ARP will be shared with classmates at the NASPA Conference as part of the Capstone course
  • The ARP will be shared in a “poster session” at the UWL reception at the NASPA Conference – we hope this becomes an annual informal, networking event for all
  • The ARP results will be shared with the SAA program and the program/office/unit where the research was conducted

Note: Please submit your Thesis/ARP title & graduation year to Sara at flack.sara@uwlax.edu.