Current MPS-OL Students

Throughout the program, you will work with an academic advisor to develop your Academic Plan and register for courses each semester. Your academic advisor is a graduate faculty member in Leadership Programs. Your academic advisor is listed in your admissions letter to the program. You can also find their name in your Workday Student account. If you have not already, please get in touch with your academic advisor and schedule an initial appointment to discuss various components of the MPS program and plan for your first semester of classes. Each semester, you should meet with your academic advisor to discuss your progress and your courses for the following term and make any appropriate updates to your Academic Plan in Workday, which is the platform you'll use to register for classes, finalize payment, and keep track of your progress in the program. 

Academic advisors for MPS students in Leadership Programs are:

Dr. Brent Goertzen
bgoertze@fhsu.edu
785-628-4303

The Graduate School assists academic departments and their students with various operations. For active students, Graduate School is the place that connects students to diverse learning opportunities.

On the Graduate School's Facebook page, you'll find event announcements and information about research opportunities. You can also join the Graduate School for their weekly "Lunch & Learn" series, through which faculty, staff, and fellow students share about various topics.

Be sure to visit the Graduate School to find relevant policies and procedures regarding transfer credit, time limits, grades, appeals, and awards, among other items.

It is common for students to experience academic "shock" when taking their first graduate-level course. The reading and writing requirements may be the most shocking elements of graduate courses. Reading at the graduate level is denser and grounded in peer-reviewed research, and writing in our program requires APA formatting. Below are a few resources to help you prepare for expectations regarding reading graduate material and writing your assignments. All resources are provided by Forsyth Library, which offers excellent support for research-related coursework. 

Graduate Level Reading

Regarding graduate study, it is vital to understand the variety of sources you'll interact with in your coursework. As stated above, most of your readings will be scholarly articles from peer-reviewed journals; however, there are other source types you may interact with depending on the course you are taking. It is important to note that most writing you will complete in your coursework must be supported with credible, scholarly work, such as peer-reviewed journal articles or academic published texts.

• Types of Sources
• Reading Scholarly Articles
  • Library Guide
  • Video
• Searching for Literature
  • Library Guide - Literature Reviews
  • Video - Searching for Literature
  • Video - Writing a Literature Review

Graduate Level Writing

• Writing in APA Format
  • Library Guide to APA
  • Interactive Games for Learning APA
    • APA Reference List
    • APA In-text Citations
  • Library Guide - Citation and Document Styles
  • Video - Citation Management
• Writing Tips

Visit the Forsyth Library website for more resources, including Ask-a-Librarian, Interlibrary Loan, tutorials, and more!

All students will complete a three-credit hour culminating experience, discussed briefly in the program overview video. There are two options from which a student can choose: 1) a research project or 2) an internship. You should consult your advisor about which culminating experience is best for you.

Research Projects – LDRS 895

Students will examine a selected problem relating to leadership theory, organizational leadership, leadership development, or leadership education. This type of experience is recommended for students who wish to continue their education at the doctoral level.

Students who wish to complete a research project are advised to enroll in LDRS 870: Readings in Organizational Leadership as an elective course during the semester before their culminating experience. The Readings course will help students get a "jump-start" on their research project and allow them the time to review the literature for their research project.

Internships – LDRS 890

Students will complete a practical experience in an organization of their choice, allowing them to participate in a meaningful leadership experience. Internships can be completed in a variety of ways. Students may obtain training through an organization external to their current working environment or conduct a project within the organization for which they are currently employed. If the latter, the student should complete a project which is above and beyond their typical duties and through which the student can apply various leadership concepts and skills developed throughout their time in the MPS program.

Students who plan to complete an internship should consult with the course instructor at least one semester before the semester in which they enroll in this course. This consolation will guide the student to prepare an internship plan they will follow in their final semester.

All students earning a graduate degree from Fort Hays State University must complete a comprehensive examination in their field of study. The comprehensive Exam for the MPS-OL program is in the form of an ePortfolio.

The ePortfolio is how graduates demonstrate mastery of the program's six learning goals. You will do this by critically reflecting on the "artifacts" you select that show meeting these goals (e.g., papers, discussion postings, interviews, group projects, journals, peer assessments, etc.) completed in your classes. Where appropriate, you can also critically reflect upon selected artifacts from your professional practice (e.g., team and individual projects, professional development activities, etc.).

You are encouraged to begin work on your ePortfolio after your first semester in the program and continue to make progress on it throughout your learning experience. When you enroll in your culminating experience class (during your last semester), you will be guided through various activities to finalize your work and submit your ePortfolio for evaluation.

As you progress on your ePortfolio throughout the program, ensure you follow our detailed ePortfolio guidelines and utilize the evaluation to guide your artifact collection (download the artifact chart) and narrative writing. 

Watch the video below to learn how to prepare for your ePortfolio—narrated by Dr. Brent Goertzen.

One of our recent graduates, Ms. Megan Zeman, successfully passed her ePortfolio in May 2022. In the video below, she discusses her process of managing artifacts, participating in critical reflection, and designing her submission.  

TigerNetID

Your TigerNetID username and password will allow you to access many FHSU technology resources. You must activate your TigerNetID by choosing a password and security questions, and then you can use it to access Workday, Blackboard, Gmail, and more. If you ever forget your password, you can use your security questions to reset it. 

Set up your TigerNetID on the Technology Services webpage. 

Workday Student Portal

Workday Student is a cloud-based system through which all FHSU-related business is conducted. You completed your application for admission in Workday; You will continue to use the system while enrolled at the University to manage your academic record, semesterly course schedule, and financials, among other items.

Instructions for Workday processes are updated regularly to coincide with system updates. To ensure you have the most up-to-date materials, visit the Workday Student Resources webpage. These resources will show you how to: onboard to the system, register for courses, pay tuition and fees, manage financial aid, and apply for graduation.

Further, Workday's myFHSU "worklet" links multiple resources across the University to help you succeed in the program.

Blackboard

Blackboard is FHSU's learning management system through which all courses will be conducted. Online courses will be administered entirely through Blackboard, while on-campus courses may use Blackboard limitedly (e.g., entering grades).

Login to Blackboard. 

TigerTech provides several tutorials on its webpage if you've never used Blackboard. 

Gmail

Your university-assigned Gmail email address is considered the official communication channel for students of FHSU. All notifications/announcements from Blackboard, university administration, faculty, and staff will go to this email address. You must check it frequently to stay up-to-date on important events within your courses or program.

You can access your Gmail by going to http://mail.fhsu.edu/

Office 365/OneDrive

FHSU students can take advantage of FREE access to Microsoft Office 365. Learn more here!

FHSU has a wealth of services intended to help you succeed. 

• TigerTech Helpdesk
  • Can assist with TigerNetID issues, Blackboard, Gmail, or Office 365 questions. 
• Forsyth Library
  • Our librarians can assist you with research and academic writing.
• Online Bookstore
  • See the list of required course materials for your upcoming classes, make purchases, or sell your old textbooks. 
• Financial Aid
  • FAFSA, military assistance, etc.
• Scholarships (general application)
  • Information regarding the open student application contains scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students.
• Online Student Scholarships
  
  • Information for first-time FHSU Online students.
• Student Accessibility Services
  • FHSU offers reasonable accommodations to students with documented learning, physical, and psychological disabilities. Find more information from the SAS office. 
• Counseling Services
  • Get support from a professional counselor at FHSU or a referral to someone closer to your location.