Four weeks ago today, I started Graduate School at Southern New Hampshire University. I'll be going for an MA in Communications.
We had a paper due the first week, and mine is posted below. In the paper, we first had to compare and contrast our undergraduate experience with what we expect our graduate experience to be, then give a very brief overview of our chosen program.
I got full points (45 out of 45). In the comments, my professor, Dr. Gabe Willis, said, "Excellent work here, William! I really enjoyed getting to know a little more about you throughout reading this paper. Great job! Dr. Willis."
We had a paper due the first week, and mine is posted below. In the paper, we first had to compare and contrast our undergraduate experience with what we expect our graduate experience to be, then give a very brief overview of our chosen program.
I got full points (45 out of 45). In the comments, my professor, Dr. Gabe Willis, said, "Excellent work here, William! I really enjoyed getting to know a little more about you throughout reading this paper. Great job! Dr. Willis."
Like most people, when I
graduated high school, I looked forward to going off to college. It would be my
first real time away from home, and a chance to have some real experiences. I
went to school at the University of Maine-Farmington, about 5 hours from home,
and it was exciting. While there, I met
people from all over New England and the country. As a science/education major,
my days were filled with all manner of scientific equipment and theory mixed
with educational methodology. In
between, I took the chance to do some things that I had never done before: go downhill
skiing and have my own radio show on the campus station. My undergraduate
program was very difficult, but it offered an opportunity to grow and learn in
whole new ways.
That sense of growing and learning is a similarity between the
undergraduate and graduate level experience, however there are also many
differences. The infrastructure, for instance. In Maine, I had actual
classrooms and laboratories. Now, twenty-two years later, I am an on-line
student. This is something I have to learn how to do. Online learning did not
exist back then; the Internet itself barely existed. In a classroom there are other students right
there with you and you can get instant feedback; with on-line learning, you are
more alone, and have to wait for feedback—even if it is only for a few minutes.
Another difference is I have to take more responsibility for scheduling my
work. This program has due dates, but there are no specific class times. I have
to be sure to set a schedule that fits with work and life. I have a full time
job, so school work will be nights and weekends.
The expectations of graduate school are more specific. As Dean Belanger
says in his video, we are here to “become experts in [our] chosen field.” My
chosen field is Communications. In order to become an expert, it is important
to take seriously all of the assignments, and even use outside experiences. For
example, interviewing members of our communications team at work, Blue Cross
Blue Shield Massachusetts, to find out how they handle communications in the
health field.
For each of the first two terms, I will be taking only one course. Intro to Graduate Studies this term, and
Communication, Media, and Society
next term. The former will give me a
good foundation on on-line learning and a solid step back into being a student,
while the latter will start my program courses by giving me an overview of what
we can do, and have done, in the communications space, which includes
Marketing, New Media, and Public Relations, and Health. For the remaining
courses, I will first check for prerequisites, and sequence accordingly,
remaining with one per term.
The Communications program uses the APA (American Psychological
Association) citation standards. These
standards are used in such places as business, social science, and nursing.
Ethical standards vary slightly from field to field. For instance, in
the public health space, digital health is coming into the forefront.
Practitioners, and all of us, really, must keep in mind the realities of modern
technology, and the pitfalls. In his 2015 article ‘5 Do’s and Don’ts of Digital
Communication in Healthcare”, Eric Swirsky gives very practical advice to
medical professionals on how to handle this technology. For example, if you
encourage the use of this technology, explain the risks.
Resources to use in the program include the writing coaches, the Shapiro
Library, and all the professors and fellow students. I predict a very
successful time here, and a successful new career in health communications.
Citations
Belanger, Matthew. (2014, Nov. 24). SNHU-501 [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jICMlNn_SEs
Swirsky, Eric. (2015, July 16.) “5 Do’s
and Don’ts of Digital Communication in Healthcare”. [Web Log]. Retrieved from https://www.elsevier.com/connect/5-dos-and-donts-of-digital-communication-in-healthcare
