VETERAN STUDENT HANDBOOK: GUIDE TO ORGANIZING YOUR ACADEMIC PORTFOLIO

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Dear returning student,

This guide was specially prepared for you, who are completing your academic journey. It contains essential guidance to help you correctly and efficiently organize all the academic documentation produced throughout your Master’s program.

Please know that the MUST University team is committed to your academic success and is available to guide, clarify doubts, and support you every step of the way. We count on your understanding and cooperation during this process.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?

As a returning student, you will need to:

1. Retrieve previously submitted assignments and documents, especially Webquests/articles;
2. Take responsibility for storing future documents.

Important: Get organized now, keep your portfolio up to date and, in the end, you will have a complete academic dossier in your hands. Managing your portfolio is your responsibility, but MUST University is by your side in this process and offers this guide to help you step by step!

RETROSPECTIVE PORTFOLIO ORGANIZATION

RECOMMENDED STRUCTURE

Create a main folder: "PORTFOLIO-MASTER-MUST-YOURFULLNAME"

Example: PORTFOLIO-MASTER-MUST-MARIA-SILVA

Inside it, organize the following subfolders:

 01-PERSONAL-DOCUMENTS

• Enrollment statement and a copy of your undergraduate diploma
• Copy of your undergraduate transcript
• Identification documents (ID, tax ID)
• Proof of enrollment at MUST
• Contract with the institution
• Other documents that prove your affiliation with MUST and your academic journey (such as transcripts, declarations, etc.)

 02-WEBQUESTS-COURSES

•  CODE-COURSE-NAME-1 (Ex: HCA520-HEALTHCARE-MANAGEMENT)
•  CODE-COURSE-NAME-2
•  CODE-COURSE-NAME-3

Inside each course folder, save only:

• WebQuest instructions
• Your original WebQuest/article submission
• CopySpider/Turnitin report (if available)

 03-FCP (FINAL COMPLETION PROJECT)

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

 04-SUPPLEMENTARY-DOCUMENTS

1. Certificates of participation in academic events related to the program
2. Proof of extracurricular activities linked to the program
3. Other relevant documents that demonstrate your academic performance and journey

Important: For every new course you take, repeat this process and, once completed, make sure all documents are organized and backed up in the cloud.

2. BACKING UP TO 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 it at drive.google.com using your Google account

Option 2: OneDrive: Access it at onedrive.live.com using your Microsoft account

RETRIEVING ALREADY SUBMITTED DOCUMENTS

HOW TO ACCESS YOUR PREVIOUS DOCUMENTS IN THE LMS:

1. Access the Learning Management System (LMS)
2. Click on the course you have already completed
3. Look for the WebQuest section
4. You will find and can download/save:

• The WebQuest proposal
• Your submitted paper
• The instructor's feedback

Important: Repeat this process for each course already completed.

MANAGING THE STORAGE AND ORGANIZATION OF YOUR PORTFOLIO

To make organization and retrieval easier, adopt the following standard:

1: USE A CONSISTENT NAMING FORMAT

Use the following format to name your files:

• DOCUMENT-TYPE_COURSE_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 the original formatting
• It is universally accepted
• It prevents accidental changes
• It makes printing easier when needed

3: CONVERTING DOCUMENTS TO PDF FORMAT

Free options to convert documents to PDF:

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

• Online tools: 
  • SmallPDF 
  • ILovePDF

 How to convert using ILovePDF? 

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

CONTINUOUS ORGANIZATION IS KEY! 

Student responsibility:

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

Don’t leave it until the end of the program! Staying organized helps you avoid losing documents and doing extra work.

AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM: MERGING YOUR PORTFOLIO

Once you have completed all your courses, you must merge your portfolio into a single PDF document:

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

MUST IS WITH YOU!

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

Start organizing now, keep your portfolio updated, and by the end of your program, you’ll have a complete and well-structured dossier of your academic journey, reflecting all your dedication and achievements throughout your master’s degree.