Please Share Your Expertise

The MLC Office of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education publishes a blog called Issues in Lutheran Education. The purpose of this blog is to provide a platform for a professional conversation around issues that are important in Lutheran education. We rely heavily on contributions from our graduate faculty and students. If you receive papers from […]

Students Get Better Grades with Grammarly

MLC has purchased a site license for Grammarly Premium. Some of you may be using the free version, but Premium offers some advanced options. This tool is to be considered as a resource primarily for writers as they compose and edit their writing, whether academic or professional. 

Graduate Students Are Major Blog Contributors

MLC graduate students regularly contribute articles for Issues in Lutheran Education. This blog shares scholarly writings by Lutheran leaders to stimulate informed discussion about Lutheran schools. Almost 1,800 people subscribe through email, Facebook, and Twitter. The most-viewed article of 2022 was Roles of Men and Women: Separating “Can” From “Should” (and Why It Matters) by Dr. […]

Active Status Required

All graduate students must be enrolled in a course to maintain active status. EDU6999 and THE6999 Continued Graduate Studies have been created for students who otherwise do not plan to take a course. This policy change enables MLC to more accurately serve graduate students and track their progress.

Online Tool Makes Tracking Program Progress Easy

MLC graduate students and their advisors can quickly check their progress, noting which courses are still left in their program plan.

Successfully Guide Your Advisees to Completion

We believe the secret to your advisees’ successful completion of their master’s degrees involves not only hard work on their part, but also a good deal of planning from beginning to end. Our students have many questions about selecting courses, scheduling courses, completing their degrees, applying for graduation, and attending graduation. As their advisors, you are […]

21st-Century Principal Cohorts

Martin Luther College is working with the Commission on Lutheran Schools (CLS) and the Conference of Presidents (COP) to train cohorts of veteran teachers to serve as principals. This effort is new in two ways. First, cohort participants will be fully trained before becoming a principal. Second, cohort completers will be called to schools that […]

Graduate Studies Welcomes Two New Professors

Graduate studies will be adding two new courses spring semester, EDU5110 High-Impact Instruction taught by Dr. Kristina Rouech and EDU5322 Development of Young Children taught by Dr. Julie Sallquist.

Advisor Tips: The Comprehensive Exam

Advisees in the MS in Education (MS Ed) and Master of Art Theological Studies (MATS) programs will seek guidance if they desire to complete their program with the comprehensive exam. (The comprehensive exam is not an option for MS in Educational Administration.) Advisors themselves often have questions about the purpose and procedures of the exam. […]

Help Your Advisees Understand the IRB

Every student who wishes to complete a capstone project MUST submit an IRB application along with his or her capstone proposal to the Director of Graduate Studies. The detail to which the IRB application is completed is determined by whether human subjects are involved in the research.

As appropriate within courses and when advising for the capstone project, the course instructor/advisor should make use of opportunities to instruct students in ethical conduct of research and help them prepare applications for IRB approval. It is helpful to instruct students concerning the following:

• Understanding of the elements of informed consent,

• Developing readable (8th grade level) consent forms,

• Planning appropriate recruitment strategies when needed,

• Establishing and maintaining strict guidelines for protecting anonymity and confidentiality, and

• Allowing sufficient time (six weeks) for IRB review and completion of the project.

Submission Guidelines

  1. Student must receive approval of the capstone project or internship proposal from the capstone committee.
  2. Students must complete an application for IRB approval and all informed consent materials.
  3. The advisor must review, approve, and sign the proposal and IRB application as complete.
  4. Two copies of the proposal, the IRB application, and all consent or assent forms are submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies for initial review by the following individuals:i. IRB chairman,
    ii. Director of Graduate Studies
  5. The application will be screened by the IRB chairman with input from the Director of Graduate Studies to determine if the proposed activityi. involves no risk to the subject according to exempt criteria in 45 CFR 46.101, and so is exempt from full IRB review, or
    ii. requires full IRB review because it involves greater than no risk or non-exempt research.
  6. If required, the full IRB will meet to make a determination regarding the proposed activity.
  7. After review, the IRB may:i. approve the proposal as submitted,
    ii. approve with minor suggestions for changes,
    iii. approve with stipulations to be met before final approval is given, or
    iv. not approve.
  8. Complete documentation of IRB action will be sent to the researcher and a copy kept on file. 9. All non-exempt research is subject to continuing review at least annually, but possible more frequently as determined by the level of risk to the subjects.

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) meets as necessary and is made up of the following individuals:

Terry M. Dempsey, Public Representative 309 S. Minnesota St. New Ulm, MN 56073 Attorney Minnesota State Representative District 23A 1978 – 1992 Minnesota Fifth District Court Judge 1992 – 2002

Dr. Lawrence Olson, Graduate Faculty Representative & IRB Chair 1018 Southridge Rd. New Ulm, MN 56073

Dr. Carla Melendy, Graduate Faculty Representative 1015 12th St. S. New Ulm, MN 56073

Prof. David Sellnow, Undergraduate Faculty Representative 827 N. Minnesota St. New Ulm, MN 56073

Advisory Dr. John Meyer, Director of Graduate Studies, Martin Luther College 1101 Summit Ave. S. New Ulm, MN 56073

The complete IRB policy and application can be found on the Graduate Studies website:  IRB.