Rules of Acquisition

The following "rules" should be read, memorized, and followed by all Master of Education in Health Promotion students as they will assist all graduate students in completing the degree requirements. As a panel reviews these rules regularly, please return to this page for periodic updates. Note: there are also "life wisdom" encouragements listed (section: General - Self). Review and act on the appropriate suggestions!

General - Program

  1. Read, on a regular basis, everything and anything about the program and the deadlines associated with progress in the program.

  2. Comprehend everything that you read.

  3. Ask questions of your advisor, the graduate coordinator, the department chair, or office manager if you don't get rule 2.

  4. Meet regularly with your advisor - each semester - well before the enrollment period for an upcoming semester.

  5. Admit that missed information was your fault, not because it was only mentioned in class once or "hidden" on the program's web page and pledge not to let this happen again.

  6. Replace your misinformation with the corrected information.

  7. Learn to "write like a graduate student" (for those who do not understand what that means, the three illustrations below should help): a. No. (there will be a sample paragraph here) b. Close, but still no. (there will be a sample paragraph here) c. You got it! (there will be a sample paragraph here)

  8. Enjoy the process of the degree program.

  9. Use something that you've learned in your graduate classes in your professional life at least once a week.

  10. Plan ahead; look at what classes are offered which semester.

  11. Interact with department professors - they all have something unique to offer during your experience with your program.

  12. To wait for the program to "come to you" is a mistake - you make the program.

  13. Make an appointment with the University's Writing Center (895-3908) for help if you want / need to improve your writing skills.

  14. Enroll in UNLV's Teaching and Learning Center's Graduate Student Professional Development Program in College Teaching certificate program (895-4960) if you want to improve your presentation skills.

  15. Review the Health Promotion list serve and information supplied by the Graduate College for an update of all deadlines for the upcoming semesters.

General - Self

  1. Do something for yourself each day.

  2. Do something for your family members / partner each day.

  3. Thank someone who has helped you during this degree pursuit in an unexpected way at an unexpected time.

  4. Fill someone's bucket every week.

  5. Talk to Dr. Regin for an explanation of Rule # 4.

  6. Do more than what is expected.

  7. Do the best at everything that you do.

  8. Trust a crazy idea and see how far you can take it before you hit a stumbling block - then instead of abandoning the thought, let the problem percolate until you find a solution.

  9. Volunteer - you are much more likely to feel pleasure when you are giving to others.

  10. Dare to be yourself.

  11. Live each day as though it were your last.

  12. Smile - it makes people wonder what you've been up to.

  13. Never let yesterday use up today.

  14. Live like there is no tomorrow.

  15. Love like you've never been hurt.

  16. Dance like no one is watching.

  17. Eat a minimum of 5 fruits a day.

  18. Remember - this is a health promotion program - live what you are being taught!

Application Process

  1. Confirm with the HP office manager that all of your materials have been received.

  2. Attend the new graduate student orientation sponsored by the Graduate College.

  3. Attend the new graduate student orientation sponsored by the M.Ed. / HP program.

  4. Obtain a copy of the "Graduate Student Guide" from the graduate college

  5. Read the "Graduate Student Guide" from the graduate college.

  6. Read the "Graduate Student Guide" from the graduate college again.

  7. Once accepted, make an appointment with your advisor as soon as possible - don't wait for them to contact you.

  8. Request letters of recommendation and transcripts at least a month in advance.

  9. Be patient while your application is being processed.

  10. Apply to the graduate program before classes are taken - if at all possible.

Graduation Process

  1. Interact with other students regarding this process.

  2. Begin or continue your search for employment opportunities when completed with the program.

  3. Find out what paperwork needs to be filled out.

  4. Double check to make sure the paperwork is making its way through the graduation process.

  5. Triple check to make sure the paperwork is making its way through the graduation process.

Graduate Project

  1. The five verbs that best describe the steps in the graduate project are: select (your topic with help from your committee chair / advisor), conduct (the steps necessary to complete the graduate project), create (the written document), present (the project to your full committee) and submit (the project's text to a professional journal for publication).

  2. Apply for graduate student research funding from the Graduate Student Association once your topic has been determined and an abstract of the project written.

  3. Complete the graduate project worksheet after having met with your committee member(s).

  4. Remember that the graduate project takes 3 semesters to complete.

  5. Review previous graduate projects (available for review in the department office).

  6. Expect that you will submit to your committee / project chair for review and rewrite your graduate project 5 to 7 times before anyone else on your committee reads it for the first time.

  7. Obtain the correct signatures on the correct form before distributing your final graduate project document to your committee members.

  8. Set your oral presentation date as soon as you can find a time available for all of your committee members and there is a room available - neither faculty nor the office manager are responsible for this.

  9. Make sure the topic is one you enjoy, not merely one that one of your committee members is really interested in.

  10. Select you graduate program committee chair and committee members based on their expertise and interest in being involved in your project. Selection of a committee member because you "like them" is a weak reason and should be avoided.

  11. Finalize the writing of your project (with your committee chair's help) for submission to a professional journal once your project has been approved following your oral presentation.

  12. Consider carefully the selection of your graduate project committee chair - it does not have to be your advisor.

  13. Make sure you are enrolled in at least one credit during the semester you graduate.

Comprehensive Examination

  1. Follow the study recommendations given in class and posted on the web-page.

  2. Add at least one more reference in each paragraph of your answer as you review what you've created when writing your comprehensive exam.

  3. Verify that you have completed 30 hours in the program, that you have completed the health promotion core, and that you have completed the research core the semester you are asking to write the exam.

  4. Verify with all of your committee members, that they are willing to read and evaluate your exam according to the time lines posted on the web site.

  5. Make sure you are enrolled in at least one credit during the semester you graduate.

Mid-program Progress

  1. Complete parts one and two of the "Proposed Masters Degree Program" before the completion of 16 credits.

  2. Read the "Graduate Student Guide" from the graduate college again.

 

 

 

 

 

UNLV
 



Department of Health Promotion : Office BHS 311
Phone: (702) 895-4030 : Fax: (702) 895-3979
Email: health.promotion@ccmail.nevada.edu
School of Public Health : University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Copyright 2005 School of Public Health, UNLV