National University has guidelines for formatting your thesis which must be followed by all master's degree in education students. The cover page will have the thesis title, date, student name and number, as well as the university and course name. A further page contains a table of contents, a list of charts and tables and an abstract of the thesis. An introduction section outlines your work, followed by the main body, which contains your analysis and findings. A conclusion will summarize the information and may be followed by an index, depending on the length of your thesis. At National University you are also required to submit a summary of the thesis before you submit the final project.
The master of science in education program at National University is tailored to students who wish to specialize in school leadership, administration and school psychology. A thesis in this program will deal with developing school systems of administration. The thesis will also focus on areas outside the classroom including organizations such as government and school boards. It may look at the allocation of funds and the administration of school districts. The school psychology and counselling master's degrees require students to look at the development of student support systems within the school. The master of science thesis must rely on quantitative research -- the use of statistics, exact data and the examination of trends. Students should be fairly objective and exact in their findings.
The master of arts in education program at National University is designed for practicing teachers who wish to advance their knowledge of education theory or teach in a specialized field such as language, special education or cross cultural education. Students will use qualitative research. Thus, they should focus on observations within the classroom, interviews and oral testimonies. The thesis will be more subjective than a thesis within the sciences, and relies greatly on the writer's own personal ideas and practices rather than what statistical data shows.
To complete a thesis in a master's degree program in education at National University, students must also complete the required coursework by both handing in assignments and attending classes. Depending on your specific degree, the coursework will range from 45 to more than 100 units, with more units in the master of science program. Most classes must be taken at the university, with some available online.