FIRST-YEAR STUDENT HANDBOOK: GUIDE TO ORGANIZING YOUR ACADEMIC PORTFOLIO

Dear student,

Congratulations on starting your academic journey at MUST University!

This manual was specially designed for you, as you begin this important stage of your professional life. Here, you will find essential guidelines on how to properly organize your academic documents from the very first day of class.

MUST University cares about your success not only during your program, but also in your future processes. That is why we have prepared this detailed guide.

Welcome to our academic community!

WHY IS THIS MANUAL IMPORTANT FOR YOU?

You have just joined an international master’s program and are now beginning a new chapter in your academic and professional journey.

Throughout this journey, it is essential to collect and organize evidence of your development and the activities completed during the course. Therefore, building an academic portfolio — a structured set of documents and materials — is highly recommended. It will allow you to track your progress, record your achievements, and keep your academic documentation up to date.

Taking responsibility for organizing and maintaining your academic records from the beginning is a commitment that directly contributes to your academic development.

Important: Managing your portfolio is your responsibility, but MUST University is here to support you throughout the process with this step-by-step guide!

STARTING FROM SCRATCH: YOUR STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

1. CREATING YOUR DIGITAL STRUCTURE FROM YOUR FIRST COURSE

On your computer:

A. Create a main folder on your desktop or in a location with easy access, and name it:

PORTFOLIO-MASTER-MUST-YOUR-FULL-NAME

Example: PORTFOLIO-MASTER-MUST-MARIA-SILVA

B. Inside this main folder, create the following subfolders:

 01-PERSONAL-DOCUMENTS

 02-WEBQUESTS-COURSES

 03-TCF

 04-ADDITIONAL-DOCUMENTS

2. MAKING A BACKUP IN THE CLOUD (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

To avoid losing important documents, we recommend backing up this folder structure from your computer to the cloud:

Option 1: Google Drive: Access at drive.google.com by logging into your Google account

Option 2: OneDrive: Access at onedrive.live.com by logging into your Microsoft account

3. SUGGESTIONS OF WHAT TO SAVE IN EACH FOLDER

01-PERSONAL-DOCUMENTS

• Copy of undergraduate diploma
• Copy of undergraduate transcript
• Identification documents (ID, Tax ID)
• Proof of enrollment at MUST
• Contract with the institution
• Other documents that prove your link with MUST and your academic path (such as transcripts, statements, etc.)

02-WEBQUESTS-SUBJECTS

For each subject you take, create a subfolder using the following format:

3. CODE-NAME-OF-SUBJECT (e.g.: HCA520-HOSPITAL-MANAGEMENT)

Inside each subject folder, save only the following essential items:

• Your original Webquest/article submitted
• CopySpider/Turnitin report
• Professor’s feedback

HOW TO SAVE A DOCUMENT FROM THE LMS?

1. Access the Virtual Learning Environment (LMS)
2. Enter the corresponding subject
3. Locate the Webquest section
4. Save/download the desired file
5. Choose the correct folder on your computer

03-FCP

• Final version of the Final Completion Project
• Signed examination board minutes
• Other documents related to the FCP

04-SUPPORTING-DOCUMENTS

• Certificates of participation in academic events related to the course
• Proof of extracurricular activities related to the program
• Other relevant documents that demonstrate your academic progress and performance

MANAGING AND ORGANIZING YOUR PORTFOLIO

1: MAINTAIN A NAMING STANDARD

Use the following format to name your files:

• DOCUMENT-TYPE_SUBJECT_YOUR-NAME

Examples:

• WEBQUEST_HCA520_MARIA-SILVA.pdf
• FEEDBACK_HCA520_MARIA-SILVA.pdf
• COPYSPIDER_HCA520_MARIA-SILVA.pdf

2: PREFERRED FORMAT

Save all documents preferably in PDF format, because:

• It preserves original formatting
• It is universally accepted
• It prevents accidental changes
• It facilitates printing when needed

3: CONVERTING DOCUMENTS TO PDF FORMAT

Free options to convert documents to PDF:

• Microsoft Word/Google Docs:
  • Open the document
  • Click on "File" → "Save as" → Select "PDF"

• Online websites:
  • SmallPDF
  • ILovePDF

How to convert using ILovePDF?

• Go to www.ilovepdf.com
• Select the desired tool (e.g., “Word to PDF”)
• Click on “Select Word files”
• Choose the file from your computer
• Click “Convert to PDF”
• Download the converted file by clicking “Download PDF”

CONTINUOUS ORGANIZATION IS KEY!

Student's responsibility:

You are responsible for maintaining your portfolio by saving and organizing each document throughout the course. This greatly facilitates the later recognition process.

Don’t leave it for the end of the course! Continuous organization prevents document loss and rework.

To avoid accumulating tasks, we recommend:

AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM: COMBINING YOUR PORTFOLIO

When you finish all your courses, you must combine your portfolio into a single PDF document:

1. Organize all saved documents in chronological order
2. Visit (suggestion): www.ilovepdf.com/merge_pdf
3. Upload all files (webquests) in the desired order
4. Click on “Merge PDF”
5. Download your complete portfolio
6. Save the file with the name (suggestion): COMPLETE-PORTFOLIO-YOUR-FULL-NAME.pdf

MUST IS WITH YOU!

We know that building and maintaining academic organization can be challenging, but you are not alone. The MUST University team is here to guide you, clarify any doubts, and support you every step of the way.

Start organizing now, keep your portfolio up to date, and by the end of your program, you will have in your hands a complete and well-structured academic dossier that reflects all your dedication and accomplishments throughout your Master’s journey.