REMS Graduate Handbook

About the REMS program

The School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Aviation (SEFLA) is a community of scholars engaged in the passionate pursuit of research that has impact in education and aviation, the intellectual development of people who will lead our society in the future and service in our local, state, national and international communities. The Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics (REMS) graduate program is one of many programs within SEFLA.

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  This handbook is intended to serve as a guide for Oklahoma State University graduate students and faculty in REMS. REMS program students earn their graduate degrees in Educational Psychology which offers a MS and a PhD option in Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics. These options are sometimes referred to as “specialization options.” REMS also offers graduate students the opportunity to obtain three graduate certificates: 1) Statistical Methods and Analyses in Educational and Behavioral Sciences, 2) Program Evaluation, and 3) Educational and Psychological Measurement. Students and faculty may find this handbook useful as a reference for planning coursework and advising. The handbook directs you to information on admissions requirements, the application process, degree and certificate requirements, financial assistance, and other important information relevant to faculty and students within the REMS program. However, it does not cover every possible expectation or situation. Consultation with the student’s temporary advisor, committee chairperson, and/or thesis/dissertation advisor is recommended for further clarification of a specific issue.

  Refer to The Graduate College website and OSU Catalog for general requirements of the Graduate College, specific course descriptions, and other useful information (e.g., publications on the Appeals Procedure, Graduate Assistant Handbook). In Stillwater, the Graduate College office is in 202B Whitehurst, 405/744-6368. In Tulsa, the Graduate office is located on the 1st Floor of Administration Hall, 918/594-8455.

  Careful study of this handbook, the University Catalog, and the Graduate College web pages will aid you with long-term planning of your program of study, help you to avoid misunderstanding of requirements and expectations, and increase the likelihood that you will a highly positive experience as a graduate student in the REMS program here, at OSU.

  Graduate students are expected to be aware of and satisfy all regulations governing their work and study at the university. The STUDENT is responsible for keeping up-to-date with all program, college, and university requirements and deadlines. Not doing so can result in substantial financial consequences and delays to a student’s graduation timeline.

Degree and certificate program descriptions

REMS students receive their masters and doctoral degrees in Educational Psychology with an option in Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics (REMS). Educational Psychology is concerned with all aspects of psychology that are relevant to education. Students come into the REMS program with a variety of backgrounds: some have former degrees in an education-related field, some have psychology degrees, and others have a statistics background.

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  Current students are full-time or part-time students in Stillwater, Tulsa, or surrounding areas; some have graduate assistantships, while others hold full-time jobs within the University, as K-12 school administrators, or as professionals in service agencies, to name a few. REMS alumni work throughout Oklahoma, the U.S., and the world as faculty, researchers, university affiliates, independent program evaluators, assessment coordinators, test developers, K-12 and college and university administrators, and at least one College President. Though we are housed in the College of Education and Human Sciences our alumni are faculty in business schools, psychology departments, medical schools, as well as in education.

  The REMS degree option is unique in that, while most doctoral programs require proficiency in research tools, these research methods and statistics are more than a tool in the REMS program. Research methods, evaluation procedures, measurement, and statistics are a primary focus of study. This is evident in the curriculum of the program, in the types of dissertations REMS students produce, and in the types of research faculty conduct. For example, REMS faculty and students have developed statistics and tested them using Monte Carlo simulations. They have developed and evaluated cutting-edge assessment techniques, and they evaluate models and methods of program evaluation. The study of methodological issues within various content areas is also a focus of the REMS program.

  REMS students are provided an academic experience congruent with the triadic mission of the university – instruction, scholarship, and service. Students receive excellence in instruction and mentoring within and out of the classroom through their academic coursework and through opportunities to research with faculty. Practicum opportunities and assistantships allow students to practice and develop their research skills in applied settings such as OSU Center for Educational Research and Evaluation (CERE) and OSU University Testing and Assessment (UAT). Students receive encouragement from the initial stages of their academic programs to develop a professional service identity. They are encouraged to present the results of their research at conferences, often accompanied by REMS faculty member.

Program and certificate information

For information about the REMS Master of Science (MS), the REMS Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), and REMS graduate certificates: 1) Statistical Methods and Analyses in Educational and Behavioral Sciences, 2) Program Evaluation, and 3) Educational and Psychological Measurement. For more information about the program, faculty, and admission please visit this page.

Degree requirements

Degree requirements for the REMS Masters of Science, the PhD degree, and Graduate Certificate programs are located at https://education.okstate.edu/rems/

Selecting your advisory committee and filing a plan of study

A Plan of Study (POS) serves as a contract between a student and the university. Graduate education at OSU is highly personalized, and your POS is the blueprint for successful completion of your degree requirements. This document, created by you and your advisory committee, identifies the coursework you must complete in order to satisfy the program’s requirements and attain your M.S. or Ph.D. degree in REMS. Please note: no grade lower than a “B” will satisfy a course listed on your POS.

Comprehensive exams

Comprehensive Exams are required for both masters and doctoral students. Information on comprehensive exams for both the Masters and Doctoral degree programs may be found here.

Thesis/Dissertation

Graduate students should refer to the graduate college for important thesis/dissertation guidelines and dates.

Institutional Review Board (IRB). After your advisory committee has approved your proposal, you should submit an application for approval of the research to the OSU Institutional Review Board (IRB). You must successfully complete or update on-line IRB research training before you can submit the IRB application.

After the IRB approves the proposal, you may begin collecting and analyzing the data in order to complete the results and discussion sections of the dissertation. When the dissertation advisor feels that the dissertation is ready for final consideration by the advisory committee, a final oral defense of the dissertation is scheduled and conducted.

Students are responsible for knowing and adhering to Graduate College dates and requirements. Failure to do so may result in additional financial costs and delay in graduation.

Creative component

The creative component is an option for students in the master’s program instead of the thesis option and gives the student flexibility in their final product (i.e., a research paper, published manuscript, etc.) culminating your MS degree. The student will have a committee (which may consist of the same faculty for their plan of study committee) and you should begin thinking about the topic of your Creative Component during your second year. In order to facilitate your timely completion of the Creative Component, it is necessary for you to work with your advisor/committee chair to decide on a topic, format, and requirements for the final product to be presented formally to your entire committee in a public forum.

Expectations of REMS students

REMS students should be familiar with program and university requirements. Graduate students are also encouraged to develop a professional identity as REMS scholars and researchers by attendance and presentations at regional/national/international conferences.

All University policies and procedures regarding student conduct and academic integrity will be followed. It is the students’ responsibility to be familiar with university policy regarding student conduct and academic integrity.