thesis proposal exam

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to footer
• Strategic Vision for Research

Thesis Proposal Exam

The Thesis Proposal Examination consists of the preparation of a written research proposal (15 pages maximum) and an oral presentation and defense of the same before a faculty committee. The purpose of the examination is to judge the student’s apparent ability to plan and conduct high-quality, PhD-level research in chemical engineering. The topic, magnitude and significance of the proposed research should be suitable for the ensuing doctoral program.

There are no restrictions on candidate/advisor consultations, but the extent of these interactions must be disclosed to the examining committee and the graduate office.

The examination will be taken no later than May 31 in the year after passing the Doctoral Candidacy Exam (DCE). For most students, this thesis proposal exam will be taken during their second year in the graduate program. Failure to take the thesis proposal exam in a timely fashion, absent approval of a petition to the faculty for special consideration, constitutes a lack of satisfactory progress toward the PhD degree and constitutes grounds for removal from the PhD program.

The examination date must be chosen in consultation with the candidate’s advisor and the other committee members at least three (3) weeks in advance of the proposed examination date. After scheduling the exam, the candidate informs the graduate program office by completing and submitting the  Request for Thesis Proposal Examination Form (PDF).

A one-page  Project Summary  (PDF)for the written research proposal must be submitted with the Written Proposal. The Written Proposal and Project Summary must be distributed to the Graduate Program Office and the committee members at least one week in advance of the scheduled examination date.

A reminder of the various due dates will be sent to the student and committee after the examination is scheduled.

Examining Committee

The Thesis Proposal Examination Committee consists of at least three faculty members from chemical engineering (including the proposed Dissertation Committee Chair(s)) and at least one cognate faculty member from outside the Chemical Engineering Department. Most students use the Thesis Proposal Exam Committee members as their Dissertation Committee members as well.

The examination consists of the preparation of a written research proposal and an oral presentation and defense of the same before the Thesis Proposal Examination Committee. At the oral examination, the candidate will present a 20-30 minute summary of the research proposal and subsequently be asked questions on the proposal and related matters. The total time for the examination is typically 60–90 minutes. The committee may be expected to pose any question relating to the substance and background of the proposed research and the applicant’s preparation for conducting the research.

Immediately before the oral examination, the advisor shall inform the other committee members of the extent of the collaboration with the candidate and also give an impression of the candidate’s performance in research already conducted.

In evaluating the thesis proposal examination, the primary criterion will be the applicant’s apparent ability to plan and conduct high-quality, PhD-level research in chemical engineering, as measured by the scholarly and technical breadth and depth displayed in the examination.

The examining committee will rate the written proposal and oral presentation as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor and provide a few comments to explain the basis for the rating. A rating of Good signifies a proposal and presentation that just meets minimum standards and is the lowest possible passing score. These ratings and comments will be shared with the student and given to the graduate office.

Success on the examination fulfills one of the requirements for the PhD degree. A student who does not pass the thesis proposal exam in their first attempt may take it a second time but no later than October 15. Failing twice to pass the thesis proposal examination is considered sufficient reason to terminate the applicant’s enrollment in the Department’s Doctoral Program.

Thesis Proposal Exam Results Report

Guidelines for Preparing for the Thesis Proposal Examination

• The applicant should read the  Proposal Writer’s Guide  (Office of Research and Sponsored Projects of The University of Michigan). The discussion of the Introduction, Background and Description of Proposed Research sections will likely be the most useful.
• The  written proposal (WP)  may be organized in any form that the applicant feels is most appropriate but should include the items listed below. Some suggestions for suitable preparation for the  oral examination (OE)  are also indicated.

Introduction  (including a statement of the problem, purpose and significance of the research).

Background  (including a literature survey and a description of research already performed by the applicant).

WP:  The literature review should be selective and critical.

OE:  The applicant is expected to be intimately familiar with the relevant literature, the opinions of previous workers in the subject, and to be critical of shortcomings in earlier work.

Description of Proposed Research  (including method or approach and expected difficulties). This must constitute about 50% of the text of the written proposal. The Project Description should provide a clear statement of the work to be undertaken and must include: objectives for the period of the proposed work and expected significance; relation to the present state of knowledge in the field and to work in progress at Michigan and elsewhere. The Project Description should outline the general plan of work, including the broad design of activities to be undertaken and, where appropriate, provide a clear description of experimental methods and procedures.

WP:  A specific research program should be put forth (e.g., identify variables to be studied and their levels); the expected research program sequence; decision points expected during the course of the research; the methods of data reduction, evaluation, interpretation and presentation, etc.

OE:  The applicant is expected to display a thorough grasp of the physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, etc., relevant to the conduct of the theoretical or experimental research program. The methods used by others or proposed to be used should be thoroughly understood.

A  timetable  for conducting and reporting the research: The timetable should be clearly based upon the scope of the work described in the description of the proposed research.

List of references . Each reference must include the names of all authors (in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication), the article and journal title, book title, volume number, page numbers and year of publication.

Curriculum Vitae .

The written research proposal must not be longer than 15 pages of text (including figures, excluding title page, list of references, and CV), of which about 50% must be the description of the proposed research.

Use one of the following typefaces: Arial, Times, Times New Roman, Palatino (if using a Mac), Courier New, Palatino Linotype, Computer Modern family of fonts at a font size of 11 points or larger. A font size of less than 11 points may be used for mathematical formulas or equations, figure, table or diagram captions and when using a Symbol font to insert Greek letters or special characters.

No more than six lines of text within a vertical space of one inch.

Margins, in all directions, must be at least an inch.

While line spacing (single-spaced, double-spaced, etc.) is at the discretion of the proposer, established page limits must be followed.

The  project summary  (pdf) is not more than one page, and it should be a self-contained description of the activity proposed. The summary should include a statement of objectives and methods to be employed. It must clearly address the intellectual merit of the proposed activity. It should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and, insofar as possible, understandable to a scientifically or technically literate lay reader. Potential hazards and safety precautions should be identified. The members of the proposed dissertation committee should be included on the Project Summary.

• MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff

Thesis Proposal Exam

The thesis proposal examination typically takes place 1-2 years after passing the Preliminary Oral Examination, and at least 6 months prior to the Final Doctoral Oral Exam. The recommended time between the Thesis Proposal Exam and Final Thesis Defense is at least 1 year, however, this is not a hard requirement. If the time between the Thesis Proposal Exam and Final Thesis Defense is less than 6 months, consent is required from all committee members to proceed on this timeline prior to the scheduling of the oral exam.

The Thesis Proposal Examination is organized around a presentation of thesis proposal material. The examination may also test the full range of a student's expertise in a given subject area to evaluate his or her preparation for thesis research and the suitability of a thesis research plan. The thesis proposal should be a self-contained document providing an overview of the student’s research topic and its objective(s), prior related work, the work that the student has already completed, and the work that is being planned for the remainder of the studies. The suggested length of the thesis proposal is 25-50 pages in a format meeting the university's thesis formatting guidelines and should be provided to the committee at least a week prior to the exam.

Committee members for the thesis proposal exam are usually the same as the Preliminary Oral Examination Committee , however, changes are allowed. The committee for the thesis proposal exam should follow the  policies  in place for the OPE. The student, in consultation with her/his advisor, should review their committee and consult with the Graduate Program Coordinator to ensure that any committee changes align with relevant department policies prior to the Thesis Proposal Examination.

Once a student's committee is finalized, the student must complete the  Thesis Proposal Examination Reporting Form . The Thesis Proposal Examination is internally administered and a Thesis Proposal Examination Report Form will be generated and sent to the student electronically after submitting their committee through the online portal. The Thesis Proposal Examination Report Form must be completed immediately after the exam and submitted to the Graduate Program Coordinator with all signatures within 24 hours of the examination. If you can not meet this timeline, you must contact  [email protected]  right away.

Outcome of the Examination

Committee members may vote to pass, pass with reservations, or fail a student taking the Thesis Proposal Examination. At least three passing votes are required to pass the exam. Students who fail the examination may be terminated or may be allowed, upon the unanimous recommendation of the committee, to retake the examination. No more than one reexamination is allowed and the reexamination committee must consist of the same committee members. For more information about the Thesis Proposal Examination, please speak with your advisor or the Graduate Program Coordinator . 

More About Ph.D. Process

• Computer science background requirement
• Doctoral thesis credits
• Final dissertation and thesis defense
• Ph.D. admissions
• Ph.D. candidates on the job market
• Preliminary Written and Oral Examinations
• Future undergraduate students
• Future transfer students
• Future graduate students
• Future international students
• Diversity and Inclusion Opportunities
• Learn abroad
• Living Learning Communities
• Mentor programs
• Programs for women
• Student groups
• Visit, Apply & Next Steps
• Information for current students
• Departments and majors overview
• Departments
• Undergraduate majors
• Graduate programs
• Integrated Degree Programs
• Additional degree-granting programs
• Online learning
• Academic Advising overview
• Academic Advising FAQ
• Academic Advising Blog
• Appointments and drop-ins
• Academic support
• Commencement
• Four-year plans
• Honors advising
• Policies, procedures, and forms
• Career Services overview
• Resumes and cover letters
• Jobs and internships
• Interviews and job offers
• CSE Career Fair
• Major and career exploration
• Graduate school
• Collegiate Life overview
• Scholarships
• Diversity & Inclusivity Alliance
• Anderson Student Innovation Labs
• Information for alumni
• Get engaged with CSE
• Upcoming events
• CSE Alumni Society Board
• Alumni volunteer interest form
• Golden Medallion Society Reunion
• 50-Year Reunion
• Alumni honors and awards
• Outstanding Achievement
• Alumni Service
• Distinguished Leadership
• Honorary Doctorate Degrees
• Nobel Laureates
• Alumni resources
• Alumni career resources
• Alumni news outlets
• CSE branded clothing
• International alumni resources
• Inventing Tomorrow magazine
• Update your info
• CSE giving overview
• Why give to CSE?
• College priorities
• Give online now
• External relations
• Giving priorities
• Donor stories
• Impact of giving
• Ways to give to CSE
• Matching gifts
• CSE directories
• Invest in your company and the future
• Recruit our students
• Connect with researchers
• K-12 initiatives
• Diversity initiatives
• Research news
• Give to CSE
• CSE priorities
• Corporate relations
• Information for faculty and staff
• Administrative offices overview
• Office of the Dean
• Academic affairs
• Finance and Operations
• Communications
• Human resources
• Undergraduate programs and student services
• CSE Committees
• CSE policies overview
• Academic policies
• Faculty hiring and tenure policies
• Finance policies and information
• Graduate education policies
• Human resources policies
• Research policies
• Research overview
• Research centers and facilities
• Research proposal submission process
• Research safety
• Award-winning CSE faculty
• National academies
• University awards
• Honorary professorships
• Collegiate awards
• Other CSE honors and awards
• Staff awards
• Performance Management Process
• Work. With Flexibility in CSE
• K-12 outreach overview
• Summer camps
• Outreach events
• Enrichment programs
• Field trips and tours
• CSE K-12 Virtual Classroom Resources
• Educator development
• Sponsor an event

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Thesis proposal examination.

The Thesis Proposal Examination is designed to evaluate a candidate’s ability to plan, conduct and communicate independent research in both oral and written form.  The quality of the proposal document is an important part of this evaluation.

Each year the department holds a thesis proposal preparation guidance session.  Students who have completed the Comprehensive Examination are encouraged to attend.

Prior to the Examination

The  Committee Signature Form must be completed prior to the Thesis Proposal Exam by the student and presented by the student to the Committee Chair at the exam.  This sheet will be signed by the  Doctoral Committee  at the completion of the exam and returned to the Director of Graduate Programs by the Committee Chair.

The thesis proposal document should include the following elements:

The Thesis Proposal Examination is typically taken between twelve and twenty-four months following the successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination and more than nine months prior to the final PhD Dissertation Defense. The candidate must submit a written thesis proposal to the Doctoral Committee a minimum of two weeks prior to the oral examination date.

In some circumstances, your advisor(s) may recommend a different timeline for this examination. It is the responsibility of the advisor to communicate any modifications of the examination schedule to the Director of Graduate Programs.

The Doctoral (PhD) Committee

Each PhD candidate in the department will be directed and advised by a Doctoral Committee. The Committee will be responsible for:

The composition of the committee should be mutually agreed upon by the student and their advisor. It is important to note that the Comprehensive Examination committee members are not necessarily the same as members of the student’s Doctoral Committee. One member of the Doctoral Committee serves as Chair and typically this individual will serve as the candidate’s principal thesis advisor. The Doctoral Committee must consist of at least four members, including:

• The College of Engineering

Thesis Proposal/Oral Exam

Oral examination, thesis proposal document.

Students are required to pass an oral examination to qualify for the doctoral degree. This proposal consists of a document submitted to an approved Thesis Committee at least one week prior to an oral presentation of the proposal to the Committee.

The nature of the proposal may vary, depending on the project, but it should provide motivation as well as describe and justify the envisioned approach along with summarizing progress made to date. Preliminary results supporting the proposed research are beneficial, but not required, for the Thesis Proposal/Oral Exam.

Each committee is free to choose its own criteria by which to judge the quality of thesis proposal. These criteria tend to include:

• a proposal document that conforms to the BE Handbook’s guidelines,
• a feasible research plan proposed and defended by the student that will result in a body of work that will meet the committee’s criteria for graduation, and
• scholarship in the research field demonstrating that the student is capable of executing original, informed research in that field.

Thesis Committee

The Thesis Committee must be approved prior to the scheduling of the thesis proposal/oral exam presentation. See the Thesis Committee page for more information on assembling a committee.

The Thesis Proposal/Oral Exam must take place by December 1 of the 3rd year, with the specific date scheduled before the beginning of the Fall Semester of the third year.

If the student and advisor are convinced that a delay would serve the student’s interests better, they must petition the Graduate Committee by August 1st of the summer following the 2nd year with their reasoning along with their commitment for a target date; the Graduate Committee will approve or deny the petition request. Failure to complete the Thesis Proposal/Oral Exam according to this policy will constitute unsatisfactory progress with respect to subsequent enrollment and funding support. Under these circumstances the student will not be able to register for the spring semester of their 3rd year.

Registration

The student should be sure to register for  Thesis Proposal (20.951)  for 0-24-0 credit units during the term in which the Proposal is defended.

The formal presentation of the Thesis Proposal will serve as the Oral Examination. The purpose of the Oral Exam is to test the student’s ability to explain their thesis project, defend their scientific rationale, and propose alternate approaches, as necessary. BE’s oral examination is focused on subject matter in the proposal and related to the proposal. It is not intended as a general examination on biology.

Format of the exam

The student should prepare a 30-minute presentation based on the research plan outlined in the Thesis Proposal Document . The Thesis Committee members will have read and thought about the Thesis Proposal Document ahead of time. Given that the meeting lasts up to 2 hours, there will be ample time for questions/discussion during your presentation. If questions arise about the format or style of the presentation, the student should contact the Thesis Committee Chair.

The student is responsible for arranging the Thesis Proposal/Oral Exam meeting with the Thesis Committee Members. Students should plan for the meeting to take 2 hours. Generally, this meeting should be scheduled at least two months in advance because it may be difficult to find a mutually agreeable time for all involved. Students are also responsible for reserving the location; they may contact the BE Academic Office for help reserving a room. Once this meeting has been scheduled, the Thesis Committee members and the Academic Office must be notified by e-mail about the day, time, and location of the presentation.

The student should hand out printouts of their presentation slides to the Thesis Committee Members on the day of the meeting.

Evaluation Form

The day of the presentation, the student should provide the Committee Chair with an “ Oral Examination for the Doctoral Degree ” form. The Committee Chair must complete this form to confirm the outcome of a Thesis Proposal/Oral Exam Presentation. The completed form should be submitted along with any comments or recommendations made by the Thesis Committee to the Academic Office. From there, copies will be distributed to the student, the advisor, and the Committee Chair.

If the proposal as presented is acceptable, a Pass grade will be recorded for 20.951, the student changes status from a graduate student to a PhD candidate, and the student is expected to begin a schedule of regular meetings with their thesis committee.

If the proposal requires changes or improvements to be considered acceptable, a Pass grade will be recorded and the student will advance to PhD candidacy but the student will be expected to improve the proposal according to the committee’s specifications before their next meeting.

If the proposal is unacceptable, the student will not be admitted to PhD candidacy. The student may either leave the program or complete a Master’s thesis . A student that completes a Master’s may apply for reinstatement into the PhD program or graduate with a Master’s degree.

At least one week prior to the Thesis Proposal presentation, the student should deliver a copy of the Thesis Proposal Document to each of the Oral Exam Committee Members and to the BE Academic Office. A signature from the Academic Office is required to confirm that the proposal adheres to the format described below.

Students who would like assistance in improving their writing skills or in any stage of writing a thesis proposal should contact the BE Communication Lab or the MIT Writing and Communications Center .

Thesis Proposal Guidelines

Title Page (One page) Include the title, the date, your name and signature, the advisor’s name and signature, and the notation “Thesis Proposal”.

Abstract (Less than 300 words on One page)  State the significance of the proposed research. Include long-term objectives and specific aims. Describe concisely the research design and methods for achieving these objectives. Highlight the specific hypotheses to be tested, goals to be reached, or technology to be developed, which are intended to be your original contributions. Avoid summaries of past accomplishments.

Overall & Objective Specific Aims (One page Maximum)  Articulate the overall objective of your thesis project, and outline a set of specific aims by which your work is intended to accomplish this objective. Be sure to clearly state the hypotheses to be tested, goals to be reached, or technology to be developed.

Background & Significance (Three to Five pages)  Sketch the background leading to the present research, critically evaluate existing knowledge, and specifically identify the gaps that your research is intended to fill. State concisely the importance of the research described in this proposal by relating the specific aims to the broad, long-term objectives.

Research Design & Methods (Six to Eight pages)  Along with the Objective & Aims section, this is the most important part of the proposal. The majority of your time should be spent making this part of your proposal strong, direct, and completely clear. Describe the research design and the procedures to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project; it is generally most effective to do this according to the same outline as in the Objective & Aims section. Include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted. Describe any new methodology and its advantage over existing methodologies. Discuss the potential difficulties and limitations of the proposed procedures and alternative approaches to achieve the aims. As part of this section, provide a tentative timetable for the project. Point out any procedures, situations or materials that may be hazardous and the precautions to be exercised.

Preliminary Studies (Three to Four pages)  This section may alternatively be located before the Research Design & Methods section) Use this section to provide an account of your preliminary studies that are pertinent to your research project and that support your specific aims. Note: it is not necessary to have obtained a substantial amount of preliminary data in order to submit or defend the proposal, although it will be expected that you have begun to undertake some of the key methods to assess their feasibility.

Literature Cited (No page limits)  List all references. Each reference must include the title, names of authors, book or journal, volume number, starting and ending page numbers, and year of publication. References should be limited to relevant literature. References are not included in the page limits. However, only references pertinent to the proposed research should be included.

Appendix (No page limits)  Copies of published or submitted articles pertinent to the proposed research for which you are an author may be included. Such publications are neither expected nor required at the time of Thesis Proposal presentation.

Format and Page Limitations 

Proposals must be single spaced using 12 pt font and 1 inch margins. Figures may be embedded into the text, but they must be readable. The font within figures must be at least 9 point and the figure captions must be at least 10 point.

• Devote one page each for the title page, abstract and specific aims.
• Use between 13–17 pages for the remaining sections (Background & Significance, Preliminary Results, and Research Design & Methods). Note that although the maximum recommended page limits for these sections add up to a total of 17 pages, you are expected to expand and contract these sections as you see fit so that the total is no more than 17 pages.
• Page limits include both text and figures. References are not included in the page limits.
• The total length of the document should not exceed 20 pages (including 3 pages for the title page, abstract and specific aims; not including references or appendices).

Where do I begin? Navigating the Thesis Proposal Process

Introduction.

The thesis proposal is a challenging task to complete itself and does NOT need to be any harder. In this article, we outline the steps needed to complete the thesis proposal, some common challenges graduate students face, and resources to help you navigate them. If you have specific interest in the written thesis proposal, we encourage you to check out our guide on the thesis proposal document . If you want to learn more about the oral component of thesis proposal, check our guide to the oral component .

Return to ToC

Planning Your Thesis Proposal

Timeline. The following timeline should give you a general sense of when you need to complete each step in the process. Make regular appointments with Comm Fellows to keep yourself accountable to internal deadlines you set for yourself!

Choosing your committee. Your thesis committee serves as subject matter experts and technical consultants to your research project. Therefore, you want to choose faculty members whose expertise is closely related to your research project and who you are comfortable going to for advice, feedback, and consultation. Aside from your thesis proposal and thesis committee meetings, you are encouraged to have frequent one-on-one interactions with committee members to discuss technical aspects of your project. In addition, your committee members will potentially serve as recommendation writers for your career beyond your PhD.

You should work with your advisor to carefully select committee members who fit these characteristics and will best help you achieve success in your PhD. In doing so, consider the following requirements from the graduate student handbook:

“The Thesis Committee must have two or more members in addition to the research advisor(s). At least two members of the Thesis Committee must be faculty members in Chemical Engineering. At least one committee member must be a Chemical Engineering faculty member who is not the research advisor. The research advisor will serve as the Thesis Committee Chairperson. For students in the PPSM program, the research advisor need not be a Chemical Engineering faculty member, but must be a PPSM faculty or affiliate. For students in the CSE PhD program, the Thesis Committee must contain a member of the Center for Computational Engineering (CCE).”

Scheduling your proposal. Once you have identified committee members, you should personally invite them to be part of your thesis committee. If they accept, you can immediately start planning a date for your oral presentation, which will dictate your individual timeline. Consult with your advisor (or their administrative assistant) to identify a series of potential dates and times, and relay these to your committee members (and their administrative assistants). Once you establish a date and time, you should immediately reserve a conference room – your group’s administrative assistant can help with this. Consider resources you will need when presenting, such as whiteboards/chalkboards, projectors, and ample seating.

Typically, in the fall, thesis proposals will be anywhere from late October to mid-December, depending on your committee’s availability. When scheduling, keep in mind major conferences in your field that may restrict availability, such as AIChE, BMES, etc.

Advisor input

Advisor input on your thesis proposal varies widely across the department and there are no uniform guidelines. Some advisors will treat this as an exam and provide little to no support while others will be with you every step of the way. Discuss with your advisor how much input/feedback you can expect and what their expectations are for your proposal before you begin the process.

Identify the idea of your proposal

Interact with your advisor and peers to evolve your idea. Interesting ideas usually arise from interpersonal interactions, where multiple parties sharing different perspectives all contribute to the ideation process. If you are unsure what topic is appropriate for your thesis proposal, you can seek suggestions from your advisor. Summarize the data you have so far (it can be your preliminary data, data that others in your lab have collected, or literature data), give some thoughts on your own ideas for your thesis proposal, and ask your advisor for feedback. If you don’t have an idea in mind, be honest with your advisor and ask for your advisor’s opinions. Apart from your advisor, who might be too busy to give you timely feedback, you could also seek suggestions from your lab mates. They are the ones who have recently gone through their own thesis proposal, and they may have invaluable insights for you to learn!

Create a bulleted list of your project’s vision and impact. When you have a clearer understanding of your project, a good way to organize your thoughts is to write, item-by-item, a list of your project’s vision and impact. This list could serve as a reference when you are writing them in a coherent way.

List out a set of aims to solidify your idea. Once you have a clearer idea in mind, the next step is to list out a set of aims to solidify your idea. These aims should provide achievable steps that allow you to approach your thesis. Again, consult your advisor or your lab mates to see if they agree with your plan, or they can suggest other alternatives for you to consider.

Understand your Committee

Your thesis committee members are your only audience. This is a unique situation, because you know who your audience is and their technical background. While this defined audience and scope is different from what you typically experience, you could use this to your advantage to effectively motivate them.

Learn your committee’s background. One of the important steps to motivate your audience is to learn their background. Once you are aware of who will be on your committee, you can tailor the amount of background and technical content directly to your audience. Consider what your committee members already know as experts in their specific field. Provide enough detail that all committee members will be able to understand your proposal. Consult with other students in your group or in classes above you who have had overlapping thesis committees to get a sense of the background and technical detail required for each committee member.

Your committee should be your ally! Consider your committee members as your allies who are trying to help you to navigate the field that you will be exploring. They want to learn your critical thoughts on a scientifically challenging problem, because that is what is going to help you grow to become an independent researcher. To cultivate this independence, you can provide your problem with a scope and show what you are feasibly planning to accomplish.

Tips for preparing your thesis proposal

Seek help regardless of where you are in the process. Not only ideation, but also the rest of the process, needs participation and help from others. It is through interacting with others that we gain insight from our practice and grow as a researcher. Talk to your advisor, lab mates, friends, and Comm Fellows and ask for help! This shouldn’t be a lonely process . Comm Fellows are often the most available and accessible resource for you to discuss about the content and structure of your thesis proposal. We provide a safe space for you to share concerns about your work. You can sign up for an appointment at any point in the process. Book an Appointment here .

Begin with the end in mind. You will need a plan to carry out your thesis proposal, as this is typically a weeks-long project to complete. Reverse plan from the day you will finish your thesis proposal presentation, to the day you need to submit a copy of your written thesis proposal, and eventually to the day that you need to start. Lay out what needs to be finished and when it needs to be completed, which will allow you to keep yourself accountable. Allow for some flexibility in your plan so you can adapt to the roadblocks and new challenges that arise along the way.

Focus on the now and your plans. Sometimes, worries about limited data and past challenges can be overwhelming and distract you from preparing your proposal. In addition, you may feel stressed leading up to the day when you hand in or present your proposal. It is perfectly human to have concerns about the past and future, everyone experiences them to some degree. What you have control of is the present and your plans for future events. Focusing on these tangible aspects will give you a much better sense of control and reduce your worries.

If you are concerned that your committee might ask about your past work, you can prepare a response to their inquiry, and ask your advisor or your lab mates for feedback. If you think that the state of your research is unclear to the point that you don’t feel comfortable presenting it, then you could consider moving your proposal timeline to a later time. If you decide to do this, make sure to consult with your advisor and propose a timeline to verify that you are on track.

Start small and start often. Instead of trying to tackle the entire document at once, which often will lead to anxiety, burnout, and frustration, see if you can break it down into manageable steps. Often, we fall into the trap of worrying about the completion of the document, despite the worries themselves not helping us in anyway. Gently remind yourself to focus on starting instead of finishing, because that is what you can choose to act on. Starting small will give you confidence and starting often (for even half an hour) will lessen your workload.

Be patient with yourself. Everyone’s thesis proposal has some challenge – it is universal and unavoidable. Being aware that the process is nonlinear for everyone and expecting setbacks when you start can help you respond more efficiently when difficulties occur. Be kind and patient towards yourself, because you need them to take care of yourself. Ask yourself: What can I do now to make myself comfortable when working on my proposal?

Use tools to manage your reference. As the number of references you are reading and citing during your preparation stage becomes larger, it is easier to organize them using a dedicated citation management software (e.g., Zotero, Mendeley, Endnote). A citation management software not only does a good job in bookkeeping, it also can help you to track your own ideas that stemmed from the literature. Since you will be likely to co-write and edit manuscripts with your lab mates, you can use the same citation management software as your lab. Plan ahead some time to install the software and become familiar with how to use it – it might take more time to learn than you think.

Thesis Proposal

In the thesis proposal, the PhD or DES student lays out an intended course of research for the dissertation.  By accepting the thesis proposal, the student’s dissertation proposal committee agrees that the proposal is practicable and acceptable, that its plan and prospectus are satisfactory, and that the candidate is competent in the knowledge and techniques required, and formally recommends that the candidate proceed according to the prospectus and under the supervision of the dissertation committee. It is part of the training of the student’s research apprenticeship that the form of this proposal must be as concise as those proposals required by major funding agencies.

The student proposes to a committee consisting of the student’s advisor and two other researchers who meet requirements for dissertation committee membership.  The advisor should solicit the prospective committee members, not the student. In cases where the research and departmental advisors are different , both must serve on the committee.

The student prepares a proposal document that consists of a core, plus any optional appendices. The core is limited to 30 pages (e.g., 12 point font, single spacing, 1 inch margins all around), and should contain sections describing 1) the problem and its background, 2) the innovative claims of the proposed work and its relation to existing work, 3) a description of at least one initial result that is mature enough to be able to be written up for submission to a conference, and 4) a plan for completion of the research. The committee commits to read and respond to the core, but reserves the right to refuse a document whose core exceeds the page limit. The student cannot assume that the committee will read or respond to any additional appendices.

The complete doctoral thesis proposal document must be disseminated to the entire dissertation committee no later than two weeks (14 days) prior to the proposal presentation. The PhD Program Administrator must be informed of the scheduling of the proposal presentation no later than two weeks (14 days) prior to the presentation. Emergency exceptions to either of these deadlines can be granted by the Director of Graduate Studies or the Department Chair on appeal by the advisor and agreement of the committee.

A latex thesis proposal template is available here .

PRESENTATION AND FEEDBACK

The student presents the proposal in a prepared talk of 45 minutes to the committee, and responds to any questions and feedback by the committee.

The student’s advisor, upon approval of the full faculty, establishes the target semester by which the thesis proposal must be successfully completed. The target semester must be no later than the eighth semester, and the student must be informed of the target semester no later than the sixth semester.

The candidacy   exam  must be successfully completed  before  the  proposal can be attempted.  The proposal must be completed prior to submitting the application for defense. [Instituted by full faculty vote September 16, 2015.]

Passing or failing is determined by consensus of the committee, who then sign the dissertation proposal form (sent to advisors by phd-advising@cs.  Failure to pass the thesis proposal by the end of the target semester or the eighth semester, whichever comes first, is deemed unsatisfactory progress: the PhD or DES student is normally placed on probation and can be immediately dismissed from the program. However, on appeal of the student’s advisor, one semester’s grace can be granted by the full faculty.

Last updated on October 16, 2023.

Find open faculty positions here .

Computer Science at Columbia University

Upcoming events, veovo: employer info session.

Wednesday 1:30 pm

Coffee and Questions

Wednesday 2:00 pm

Alumni Chat ft. Shahreen

Wednesday 5:30 pm

Virtual Employer Informational Session: Snowflake

Friday 2:00 pm

In the News

Press mentions, dean boyce's statement on amicus brief filed by president bollinger.

President Bollinger announced that Columbia University along with many other academic institutions (sixteen, including all Ivy League universities) filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York challenging the Executive Order regarding immigrants from seven designated countries and refugees. Among other things, the brief asserts that “safety and security concerns can be addressed in a manner that is consistent with the values America has always stood for, including the free flow of ideas and people across borders and the welcoming of immigrants to our universities.”

This recent action provides a moment for us to collectively reflect on our community within Columbia Engineering and the importance of our commitment to maintaining an open and welcoming community for all students, faculty, researchers and administrative staff. As a School of Engineering and Applied Science, we are fortunate to attract students and faculty from diverse backgrounds, from across the country, and from around the world. It is a great benefit to be able to gather engineers and scientists of so many different perspectives and talents – all with a commitment to learning, a focus on pushing the frontiers of knowledge and discovery, and with a passion for translating our work to impact humanity.

I am proud of our community, and wish to take this opportunity to reinforce our collective commitment to maintaining an open and collegial environment. We are fortunate to have the privilege to learn from one another, and to study, work, and live together in such a dynamic and vibrant place as Columbia.

Mary C. Boyce Dean of Engineering Morris A. and Alma Schapiro Professor

{{title}} {{fullname}}

Courses This Semester

• {{title}} ({{dept}} {{prefix}}{{course_num}}-{{section}})

• Language Requirements
• Creative Research Option for the PhD Dissertation
• Collaborative Programs
• Undergraduate Literature & Critical Theory Program
• How to Apply
• Safety Abroad
• Northrop Frye Professors
• Lectures & Webcasts
• Enrolment instructions
• Sessional Dates
• Current Complit Courses
• Course Descriptions
• Course Schedules
• Relevant Courses
• Our Faculty
• Biographies
• Faculty Login
• Postdoctoral Researchers
• Program Requirements
• Thesis Topics
• Registration
• SGS Funding Resources
• Arts & Science Awards
• Good Standing
• Field Proposals & Examination
• Defense Guide
• Academic Resources
• Study Space & Carrels
• Career Planning
• Student Publications
• Transverse journal
• Complit Student Blog
• Alumni profiles
• Alumni Theses
• Application instructions
• Health Insurance (UHIP)
• Instructions
• Requirements
• Faculty Job Postings
• Hiring Policy
• Unit 1 Positions (U of T HR and Equity)

Field Paper, Exam, and Thesis Proposal

Field paper, exam, and thesis proposal.

After the completion of coursework, the next step is the Field Paper and Exam, intended to prepare you to write the thesis. It has three components:

1. A 5-7-page Field Proposal including a reading list of materials for which you are responsible. This is due in the Spring of the second year.

2. A 30-page Field Paper that discusses the texts on the reading list and their relation to your research question. This is due in the Fall of the third year.

3. A 2-hour oral Field Exam on the Paper and the reading list. This takes place 2-3 weeks after the submission of the Field Paper.

 A 5-7-page  Thesis Proposal is due two months after the Field Paper. Then you start your thesis.

Timeline (Second year of PhD)

By April 1       Form with the signatures of professors who agree to be members of the committee submitted to the graduate administrator.

By May 1         Draft of Field Proposal submitted to Supervisor

By May 31       Meeting with committee to approve Field Proposal and set dates when the Field Paper is due .

Sample Field Papers are available from the Centre for consultation by students preparing to write their own Paper.

Early Fall         Field Paper submitted

Two weeks later         Oral Exam

Two months later      Thesis Proposal due

All PhD students are required to enrol in COL4000Y (Practicum on Research and Bibliography in Comparative Literature), a credit/noncredit course, in addition to the agreed upon number of full course equivalents in their individual program. Normally students enroll in COL4000Y in the Spring term of the second year of the Doctoral program (PhD 2). The course has no specific content, but it recognizes the work done in preparation for the Field Examination. Once the Field Examination has been completed, students receive credit for the course and this is entered on the candidate’s transcript as a CR (not a letter-grade).

After you pass the Field Exam, you are “admitted to candidacy” and become a “doctoral candidate” (ABD).

All course and language requirements must be met before the Field Exam may be taken. The Field Proposal, however, may be submitted before these requirements are satisfied.

Establishing the Committee

  The thesis committee is three professors: a supervisor and two other members. In approaching potential committee members, it is useful for the student to have a 1½ – 2 page proposal imagining the thesis that you can show to people. You can send this to a potential member, saying that it represents your current thinking and asking if he or she would agree to discuss it with you.

Plan to have a three-person committee on board by April 1. A form with their signatures must be submitted by this date.

The Field Proposal (5-7 pages)

The Field Proposal is generated from the dissertation topic but the Field is larger than the thesis and discusses the types of questions you’ll be asking in the thesis, the kinds of texts you will study, and the larger conceptual framework in which you are discussing them. The Field Proposal locates your research interests in a larger arena of intellectual endeavour,  your “field” in an intellectual or professional sense. Its temporal, spatial, topical, and ideological range must extend significantly beyond the dissertation topic itself.

Keep in mind when writing the Field Proposal: What do you need to know to write the thesis? Research takes place in a scholarly field. That field may be a genre, a period, national literatures, or a particular critical approach. A Comparative Literature thesis will inevitably be interdisciplinary and the field will likely reflect this.

One possible way of structuring the proposal would be to divide it into the following sections:

a) A discussion and justification of the primary corpus. How and why do the primary works selected lead out into the larger field, and how can knowledge of that field subsequently enable detailed and contextualized analysis of the primary texts?

b) A discussion of the theoretical and methodological framework of both the field and the more focused thesis project.  This section should outline the reasons underlying the choice of theoretical approaches and should explain why such a theoretical framework will enrich the reading of the primary works.

c) An explanation of how the thesis will evolve from the larger field set out above.

 The number of items on the Field Proposal reading list will vary, but a total of 50-75 items is reasonable.

Approval Process

Once the Field Proposal has been written in consultation with the supervisor, the committee can meet together to discuss the proposal and plan the Field Paper, This meeting of the whole committee with the student should take place by May 31.

At that meeting there will be an official form that everyone signs. The form also sets out the date when the field paper is due and the oral exam will be taken. Once the Field Proposal has been approved and signed by all committee members, you are responsible for giving it and the signed form to the Graduate Administrator, who then distributes it to the Centre’s Executive Committee. The Executive Committee must approve the proposal before the exam is scheduled.

The Field Paper (due in the Fall of the third year)

The Field Paper is a written paper of roughly 30 pp (7,500 words), delineating major themes or issues that have emerged from your readings and relating the primary or core texts on your reading list to those themes. The result should present the current state of research and your critical assessment of it, including the still-open questions that emerge from the current research and that the thesis may propose to address.

The Field Paper should aim for a balance of depth and breadth. In other words, the aim of the Field Paper is not a survey or summary of all the items on your list, but rather, the development of a fruitful set of questions produced in and through engagement with the core texts on your list. Well in advance of the Paper (at least 3 months), at the Preliminary Meeting with your committee, you should work together with your supervisor and committee to formulate some of the questions to be addressed in the Field Paper and to determine the guidelines and expectations regarding its parameters. The committee may choose to divide the field paper into discrete questions that are addressed in separate sections. If questions arise while you are writing the paper, you should seek further guidance from your supervisor and committee. It is strongly advised that your should meet with your committee two months prior to the due date of the field paper to discuss your progress on the paper and address any issues or questions that arise as you are writing.

The Field Paper and Exam provide a foundation for your dissertation research but are not synonymous with that research: as you will discover, that research is just beginning. In some cases the Field Paper may become a preliminary version of the Introduction to the thesis, or another thesis chapter. The Paper should also contribute to the subsequent defining of the thesis topic and the outlining of the topic in structured chapters in the Thesis Proposal that is to be submitted within 2 months of the Oral Examination.

The precise deadline is established with the exam committee in consultation with the student.  A hard copy of the Paper must be delivered to the Graduate Administrator in advance of the oral exam. The Paper, together with the reading list on which it is based, forms the basis of discussion and questioning during the oral examination.

The Field Exam (two or three weeks after the submission of the Field Paper)

  The Field Exam is oral and normally lasts for not more than two hours. There are two parts:

 1. The oral part of the Examination begins with a textual explication by the candidate, no more than thirty minutes in length, of a specific passage or poem from a work in the primary reading list, assigned by the supervisor for preparation at least three days in advance. The other committee members will also receive the text  in advance.

2. An examination of the candidate based on the reading list of the original Field Proposal and the written Field Paper. Each examiner typically has a turn of roughly 20 minutes to ask questions. Some examinations become more a free-flowing conversation, but each examiner has his or her say.

  Examination Results

  The Committee decides, by consensus, whether the candidate has shown sufficient mastery of the Field to be allowed to proceed to the writing of the Dissertation. If that is the case, the Centre notifies the School of Graduate Studies that the student has passed the Field Examination. In exceptional cases, the Committee may decide that a candidate’s performance merits a special “with distinction” mention to be entered on his or her record. Such a mention can only be assigned upon the unanimous recommendation of the Committee.

If the committee decides that the candidate has not shown a sufficient mastery of the Field to proceed to the Dissertation, the Examination is adjourned. A new Paper and oral exam must then be rescheduled within one year. This could be on the same Field Proposal or on a modified one, as the committee decides.

If the Committee for a student’s second Examination decides that s/he has failed to demonstrate a sufficient mastery of the Field to proceed to the Dissertation stage, his or her candidacy for the degree will be terminated.

The Thesis Proposal (Due two months after the Field Paper)

  A 5-7-page document, the thesis proposal sets out in detail the structure of the thesis. A rationale should be provided for the structure, and each chapter should be outlined in enough detail to make clear the trajectory of the argument, the primary materials to be used in each chapter, which questions animate the chapter, and the kinds of conclusions or answers that may be expected.

This document is drawn up with the aid of the supervisor. It is also submitted to the graduate administrator.

Updated Jan 13, 2020

Support comparative literature.

• Give to the Linda Hutcheon Scholarship Fund
• Give to the Peter Franklin Memorial Scholarship Fund

Employment Opportunities

• Faculty Openings

Upcoming Events

• Future Events →

Latest News

• 93 Charles St. W., 3rd. fl, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 1K9. • Tel: (416) 813-4041 Fax: (416) 813-4040

Thesis Proposal

The Thesis Proposal is an opportunity for formal feedback from the Thesis Committee. It is not an examination, and there is no Pass or Fail consequence, however the progress of the student will be assessed by the committee and will be evaluated based on the criteria of “not meeting expectations”, “meeting expectations”, or “exceeding expectations”. Students who are not meeting expectations will receive detailed feedback on how to remediate gaps in knowledge or training.

Each student will complete a Thesis Proposal that includes a written document an oral presentation of the proposed project to the Thesis Committee by the end of the Summer Quarter of the third year. 

Pre-Proposal Meeting

Students are required to meet with the Thesis Committee either individually or as a group at least once before the Thesis Proposal. Students will familiarize the committee members with their project and identify topics that should be addressed in the written and/or oral proposal.

Thesis Proposal Defense:

The written proposal must be submitted to the members of the Thesis Committee at least 2 weeks before the presentation. Scheduling of the oral presentation is the responsibility of the student.

The written thesis proposal document should follow the current guidelines required by the NIH for an NRSA submission. At minimum, it should include a Title, Abstract, Specific Aims, Background and Significance, Preliminary Date, Experimental Design and Methods, and Reference sections. The format and content of the written document should be discussed in advance with the Thesis Advisor and/or committee together or individually. See   “Written Thesis Proposal Guideline" section of NUIN Proposal and Committee Guide  for more detail.

The oral presentation of the thesis proposal should include a formal presentation of the Background and Significance of the project, relevant Preliminary Data, and the major elements of the Experimental Design and Methods. Students should prepare approximately 45 minutes worth of slides, but should expect to answer questions from the committee throughout the presentation, as well as participate in a discussion at the end.  Often, this means the meetings last more than 1 hour, and this should be considered when scheduling.  These procedures are designed to allow the Thesis Committee to critically review and offer suggestions to strengthen the proposal.

Submitting the Thesis Proposal/Committee Meeting Status Report:

The thesis proposal milestone cannot be marked as complete until the student has filled out a Prospectus Form on GSTS, and has returned a both a PDF copy of the written proposal, and a signed NUIN Thesis Proposal/Committee Meeting Status Report  to NUIN.

NOTE: Refer to "Proposal and Committee Guide" for more detailed information on this milestone.

Follow NUIN on

MIT Department of Biological Engineering

Search form.

• DEI Collaborative
• DEI Current Efforts
• DEI Newsletter
• Learning Resources
• Faculty Directory
• Staff Directory
• Open Faculty Positions
• Prospective Undergraduate
• Major Degree Requirements
• Minor Programs
• Undergraduate Thesis
• Research Prize
• BE Student Life
• Career Resources
• Master's Degree
• Graduate PhD Application
• Application Assistance Program
• Graduate FAQ
• Graduate Life
• Meet The Graduate Students
• PhD Course Requirements
• Advisor Selection
• PhD Written Exam
• Thesis Committee
• PhD Oral Exam
• PhD Dissertation Requirements
• BE Graduate Student Board
• Teaching Assistant Award Winners
• BE Communication Lab
• Research Areas
• Wishnok Prize
• BATS Resources
• BATS Archive
• For Undergraduate Students
• Professional Development
• For Post Docs
• Covid-19 Resources
• Laboratory Safety
• Faculty & Instructors

The formal presentation of the Thesis Proposal will serve as the Oral Examination. The purpose of the Oral Exam is to test the student’s ability to explain their thesis project, defend their scientific rationale, and propose alternate approaches, as necessary. The nature of the proposal may vary, depending on the project, but it should provide motivation as well as describe and justify the envisioned approach along with summarizing progress made to date. Preliminary results supporting the proposed research are beneficial, but not required, for the Thesis Proposal or the Oral Exam.

The Thesis Proposal/Oral Exam must take place by December 1 of the 3rd year, with the specific date scheduled before the beginning of the Fall Semester of the third year. If the student and advisor are convinced that a delay would serve the student's interests better, they must petition the Graduate Committee by August 1st of the summer following the 2nd year with their reasoning along with their commitment for a target date; the Graduate Committee will approve or deny the petition request. Failure to complete the Thesis Proposal/Oral Exam according to this policy will constitute unsatisfactory progress with respect to subsequent enrollment and funding support. Under these circumstances the student will not be able to register for the spring semester of their 3rd year.

The student is responsible for arranging the Thesis Proposal/Oral Exam meeting with the Thesis Committee Members and for reserving the location (plan for the meeting to take two hours). Generally, this meeting should be arranged at least two months in advance because it may be difficult to find a mutually agreeable time for all involved. Once this meeting has been scheduled, the Thesis Committee members and the Academic Office must be notified by e-mail about the day, time, and location of the presentation. The Thesis Committee constituted for the Oral Exam may change over the course of the student’s research, as determined by the student and advisor with approval by the Graduate Program Chair. Beyond administration of the Oral Exam, the Thesis Committee is meant to provide guidance on the various aspects of the student’s project; Thesis Committee members should therefore be selected with this goal in mind.

The student should be sure to register for Thesis Proposal (20.951) for 0-24-0 credit units during the term in which the Proposal is defended.  At least one week prior to the Thesis Proposal presentation, the student should deliver a copy of the Thesis Proposal to each of the Oral Exam Committee Members and to the Academic Office.

The student should prepare a 30-minute presentation. The Oral Exam Committee members will have read and thought about the Proposal ahead of time. Given that the meeting lasts up to two hours, there will be ample time for questions/discussion during your presentation. If questions arise about the format or style of the presentation, the student should contact the Oral Exam Committee Chair. The student should expect to be examined in depth on subject matter directly and tangentially related to all aspects of the Proposal. The questioning need not be restricted to the Proposal itself, but may expand into areas impinging on the Thesis topic.

The day of the presentation, the student should give the thesis chair a “Report of Thesis Proposal/Oral Exam Meeting” form. The Committee Chair must complete this form to confirm the outcome of a Thesis Proposal/Oral Exam Presentation. The completed form should be submitted along with any comments or recommendations made by the Thesis Committee to the Academic Office. From there, copies will be distributed to the student, the advisor, and the Committee Chair. If the Proposal presentation is acceptable, a “Pass” grade will be recorded for 20.951.

• Graduate School

How to Write a Master's Thesis Proposal

How to write a master’s thesis proposal is one of the most-asked questions by graduate students. A master's thesis proposal involves a copious amount of data collection, particular presentation ethics, and most importantly, it will become the roadmap to your full thesis. Remember, you must convince your committee that your idea is strong and unique, and that you have done enough legwork to begin with the first few drafts of your final thesis. Your proposal should serve as a foundational blueprint on which you will later build your entire project. To have the perfect thesis proposal, you need to have original ideas, solid information, and proper presentation. While it is a good idea to take assistance from thesis writing services , you still need to personally understand the elements that contribute to a master’s thesis proposal worthy of approval. In this blog, we will discuss the process of writing your master’s thesis proposal and give you tips for making your proposal strong. Stay tuned!

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 8 min read

How to decide the goals for your master's thesis.

If you are pursuing a master’s or a PhD , you will be undertaking a major research paper or a thesis. Thus, writing a thesis proposal becomes inevitable. Your major objective for pursuing a master’s degree is to improve your knowledge in your field of study. When you start your degree, you delve deeper into different concepts in your discipline and try to search for answers to all kinds of questions. If you come across a question that no one can answer, you can select that question as your research thesis topic.

A master's thesis proposal will have multiple sections depending on your decided layout. These sections will continuously support your argument and try to convince the reader of your core argument. The structure will also help you arrange the various parts of the paper to have a greater impact on the readers. A paper should always begin with you giving a brief summary of the topic and how you have come across it. The introduction is particularly important because it will give the readers a brief idea about the topic of discussion and win their interest in the matter.

After the summary has been given, slowly you need to progress into the body of the thesis proposal which would explain your argument, research methodology, literary texts that have a relation to the topic, and the conclusion of your study. It would be similar to an essay or a literary review consisting of 3 or 4 parts. The bibliography will be placed at the end of the paper so that people can cross-check your sources.

Let's take a look at the sections most master's thesis proposals should cover. Please note that each university has its own guidelines for how to structure and what to include in a master’s thesis proposal. The outline we provide below is general, so please make sure to follow the exact guidelines provided by your school:

Restate your primary argument and give us a glimpse of what you will include in the main master\u2019s thesis. Leave the reader wanting more. Your research proposal should talk about what research chapters you are trying to undertake in your final thesis. You can also mention the proposed time in which you will complete these chapters.  ","label":"Conclusion and proposed chapters","title":"Conclusion and proposed chapters"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

A thesis proposal needs to be convincing enough to get approval. If the information is not enough to satisfy the evaluation committee, it would require revision. Hence, you need to select and follow the right methodology to make your argument convincing. When a research proposal is presented, the reader will determine the validity of your argument by judging the strength of your evidence and conclusions. Therefore, even writige:ng a proposal will require extensive research on your part. You should start writing your thesis proposal by working through the following steps.

Interested in a summary of the points covered below? Check out this infographic:

Exploring your topic in detail

You need to delve deeper into your chosen topic to see if your idea is original. In the process of this exploration, you will find tons of materials that will be supportive of your argument. When choosing your research topic and the problem you want to explore, you should always consider your primary research interest (yes, the one which you had mentioned in your research interest statement during grad school applications) for a better master’s thesis. You have a high probability of performing better in an area that you have always liked as compared to any other research area or topic.

Reviewing the literature

You have to include all the sources from where you have formed your argument and mention them in the thesis proposal. If you neglect to mention important source texts, the reader may consider it to be plagiarism. Furthermore, you want to keep track of all your research because it will be easier to provide references if you know the exact source of each piece of information.

Finding opposing arguments for your study

You should also mention any texts that would counter your argument and try to disprove their claims in the thesis. Make sure to use evidence if you try to disprove the counterarguments you face.

Emphasizing the importance of your research

At the end of the thesis proposal, you need to convince the reader why your proposal is important to your chosen field of study, which would ultimately help you in getting your topic approved. Thus, it is essential to outline the importance of your research thoroughly.

Drafting your proposal

After doing proper research, you should go ahead and draft your proposal. Remember you will not get it right in just one draft, it will take at least 50 attempts to come up with a satisfactory proposal. You should proofread your draft several times and even have a fellow student review it for you before sending it further to your research supervisor.

Getting your proposal evaluated by your supervisor

After you have written sufficient drafts, you need to get your proposal evaluated by your research supervisor. This is necessary to meet the graduate research requirements. It will ensure the clarity and correctness of your proposal. For your supervisor to evaluate your proposal, you should complete the research methodology part along with sufficient proposed work.

Since your supervisor will play a crucial role in your master's research thesis, you must choose a supervisor who can be your ultimate guide in writing your master's thesis. They will be your partner and support system during your study and will help you in eliminating obstacles to achieving your goal.

Choosing the ideal supervisor is a pretty daunting task. Here’s how you can go about the process:

You should approach your professor with an open mind and discuss the potential goals of your research. You should hear what they think and then if you both mutually agree, you can choose them as your supervisor for your master\u2019s thesis. "}]">

Length of a Master’s Thesis Proposal

The length of a master’s thesis proposal differs from university to university and depends on the discipline of research as well. Usually, you have to include all the above-mentioned sections, and the length is around 8 pages and can go up to 12-15 pages for subjects such as the liberal arts. Universities might also define the number of words in the guidelines for your master’s thesis proposal and you have to adhere to that word limit.

Are you debating between pursuing a Masters or a PhD? This video has details that can help you decide which is best for you:

How to Format a Research Thesis Proposal Correctly?

Now that you know how to write a thesis proposal, you must make it presentable. Although your school might give your specific instructions, you can keep in mind some of the general advice:

• You can use some basic font like Times New Roman and keep the font size to 10 or 12 points.
• The left margin should be 1.5 inches and all other margins should be 1 inch each.
• You should follow double-spacing for your content.
• The first line of paragraphs should be indented 0.5 inches and the paragraphs should be left or center aligned.

Tips to Write a Strong Master's Thesis Proposal

When you are writing your master’s thesis proposal, you should keep these tips in mind to write an excellent master’s thesis proposal with all the correct elements to get approval from the evaluating committee:

Select your research objectives wisely

You should be clear on what you wish to learn from your research. Your learning objectives should stem from your research interests. If you are unsure, refer to your grad school career goals statement to review what you wanted out of grad school in the first place. Then, choose your objectives around it.

Write a clear title

The title of your research proposal should be concise and written in a language that can be understood easily by others. The title should be able to give the reader an idea of your intended research and should be interesting.

Jot down your thoughts, arguments, and evidence

You should always start with a rough outline of your arguments because you will not miss any point in this way. Brainstorm what you want to include in the proposal and then expand those points to complete your proposal. You can decide the major headings with the help of the guidelines provided to you.

Focus on the feasibility and importance

You should consider whether your research is feasible with the available resources. Additionally, your proposal should clearly convey the significance of your research in your field.

Use simple language

Since the evaluation committee can have researchers from different subject areas, it is best to write your proposal in a simple language that is understandable by all.

Stick to the guidelines

Your university will be providing the guidelines for writing your research proposal. You should adhere to those guidelines strictly since your proposal will be primarily evaluated on the basis of those.

Have an impactful opening section

It is a no-brainer that the opening statement of your proposal should be powerful enough to grasp the attention of the readers and get them interested in your research topic. You should be able to convey your interest and enthusiasm in the introductory section.

Peer review prior to submission

Apart from working with your research supervisor, it is essential that you ask some classmates and friends to review your proposal. The comments and suggestions that they give will be valuable in helping you to make the language of your proposal clearer.

You have worked hard to get into grad school and even harder on searching your research topic. Thus, you must be careful while building your thesis proposal so that you have maximum chances of acceptance.

If you're curious how your graduate school education will differ from your undergraduate education, take a look at this video so you know what to expect:

Writing the perfect research proposal might be challenging, but keeping to the basics might make your task easier. In a nutshell, you need to be thorough in your study question. You should conduct sufficient research to gather all relevant materials required to support your argument. After collecting all data, make sure to present it systematically to give a clearer understanding and convince the evaluators to approve your proposal. Lastly, remember to submit your proposal well within the deadline set by your university. Your performance at grad school is essential, especially if you need a graduate degree to gain admission to med school and your thesis contributes to that performance. Thus, start with a suitable research problem, draft a strong proposal, and then begin with your thesis after your proposal is approved.

In your master’s thesis proposal, you should include your research topic and the problem statement being addressed in your research, along with a proposed solution. The proposal should explain the importance and limitations of your research.

The length of a master’s thesis proposal is outlined by the university in the instructions for preparing your master’s thesis proposal.

The time taken to write a master’s thesis proposal depends upon the study which you are undertaking and your discipline of research. It will take a minimum time of three months. The ideal time can be around six months. 

You should begin your master’s thesis proposal by writing an introduction to your research topic. You should state your topic clearly and provide some background. Keep notes and rough drafts of your proposal so you can always refer to them when you write the first real draft.

The basic sections that your master’s thesis proposal should cover are the problem statement, research methodology, proposed activities, importance, and the limitations of your research.

A master’s thesis proposal which clearly defines the problem in a straightforward and explains the research methodology in simple words is considered a good thesis proposal.

You can use any classic font for your master’s thesis proposal such as Times New Roman. If you are recommended a specific font in the proposal guidelines by your institution, it would be advisable to stick to that.

The ideal font size for your master’s thesis proposal will be 10 or 12 points.

Want more free tips? Subscribe to our channels for more free and useful content!

Apple Podcasts

Like our blog? Write for us ! >>

Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions, get started now.

Talk to one of our admissions experts

Our site uses cookies. By using our website, you agree with our cookie policy .

FREE Training Webinar:

How to make your grad school application stand out, (and avoid the top 5 mistakes that get most rejected).

Time Sensitive. Limited Spots Available:

We guarantee you'll get into grad school or you don't pay.

Swipe up to see a great offer!

University Libraries

Writing a dissertation or thesis proposal, what is a proposal, what is the purpose of a proposal.

• Video Tutorials
• Select a Topic
• Research Questions
• Search the Literature
• Plan Before Reviewing
• Review the Literature
• Write the Review
• IRB Approval

The proposal, sometimes called the prospectus, is composed mainly of the Introduction, Research Questions, Literature Review, Research Significance and Methodology. It may also include a dissertation/thesis outline and a timeline for your proposed research. You will be able to reuse the proposal when you actually write the entire dissertation or thesis.

In the graduate student timeline, the proposal comes after successfully passing qualifying or comprehensive exams and before starting the research for a dissertation or thesis.

Each UNT department has slightly different proposal requirements, so be sure to check with your advisor or the department's graduate advisor before you start!

• Examples of Proposals from UTexas More than 20 completed dissertation proposals are available to read at the UT Intellectual Entrepreneurship website.
• Dissertation Proposal Guidelines This document from the Department of Communication at the University of Washington is a good example of what you might be expected to include in a proposal.

The purpose of a proposal is to convince your dissertation or thesis committee that you are ready to start your research project and to create a plan for your dissertation or thesis work. You will submit your proposal to your committee for review and then you will do your proposal defense, during which you present your plan and the committee asks questions about it. The committee wants to know if your research questions have academic merit and whether you have chosen the right methods to answer the questions.

• How to Prepare a Successful Dissertation Proposal Defense Some general tips for a proposal defense from synonym.com

Need help? Then use the library's  Ask Us service. Get help from real people face-to-face, by phone, or by email.

• Next: Resources >>
• Last Updated: Nov 13, 2023 4:28 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.unt.edu/Dissertation-thesis-proposal

Additional Links

UNT: Apply now UNT: Schedule a tour UNT: Get more info about the University of North Texas

UNT: Disclaimer | UNT: AA/EOE/ADA | UNT: Privacy | UNT: Electronic Accessibility | UNT: Required Links | UNT: UNT Home

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Starting the research process
• How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

Published on October 12, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on November 21, 2023.

A research proposal describes what you will investigate, why it’s important, and how you will conduct your research.

The format of a research proposal varies between fields, but most proposals will contain at least these elements:

Introduction

Literature review.

• Research design

Reference list

While the sections may vary, the overall objective is always the same. A research proposal serves as a blueprint and guide for your research plan, helping you get organized and feel confident in the path forward you choose to take.

Table of contents

Research proposal purpose, research proposal examples, research design and methods, contribution to knowledge, research schedule, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research proposals.

Academics often have to write research proposals to get funding for their projects. As a student, you might have to write a research proposal as part of a grad school application , or prior to starting your thesis or dissertation .

In addition to helping you figure out what your research can look like, a proposal can also serve to demonstrate why your project is worth pursuing to a funder, educational institution, or supervisor.

Research proposal length

The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.

One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.

Download our research proposal template

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.

• Example research proposal #1: “A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management”
• Example research proposal #2: “Medical Students as Mediators of Change in Tobacco Use”

Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:

• The proposed title of your project
• Your supervisor’s name
• Your institution and department

The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.

Your introduction should:

• Introduce your topic
• Give necessary background and context
• Outline your  problem statement  and research questions

To guide your introduction , include information about:

• Who could have an interest in the topic (e.g., scientists, policymakers)
• How much is already known about the topic
• What is missing from this current knowledge
• What new insights your research will contribute
• Why you believe this research is worth doing

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review  shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.

In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:

• Comparing and contrasting the main theories, methods, and debates
• Examining the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
• Explaining how will you build on, challenge, or synthesize prior scholarship

Following the literature review, restate your main  objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.

To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasize again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.

For example, your results might have implications for:

• Improving best practices
• Informing policymaking decisions
• Strengthening a theory or model
• Challenging popular or scientific beliefs
• Creating a basis for future research

Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .

Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.

Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.

Download our research schedule template

If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.

Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:

• Cost : exactly how much money do you need?
• Justification : why is this cost necessary to complete the research?
• Source : how did you calculate the amount?

To determine your budget, think about:

• Travel costs : do you need to go somewhere to collect your data? How will you get there, and how much time will you need? What will you do there (e.g., interviews, archival research)?
• Materials : do you need access to any tools or technologies?
• Help : do you need to hire any research assistants for the project? What will they do, and how much will you pay them?

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .

Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.

I will compare …

A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.

Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.

A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.

A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.

A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.

All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.

Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, November 21). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved March 14, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-proposal/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to write a problem statement | guide & examples, writing strong research questions | criteria & examples, how to write a literature review | guide, examples, & templates, what is your plagiarism score.

Preliminary Examination for Ph.D. - Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering - Purdue University

Preliminary Examination for PhD

Printable copy of these instructions and check sheet

About the Preliminary Examination

Purpose: The preliminary examination is given to determine whether a student is adequately prepared to conceive and undertake a suitable research topic.

Format : The preliminary examination may include a written exam component, if the doctoral advisory committee so requires, but normally it is an oral examination primarily associated with a written thesis proposal. 

Before beginning to write your thesis, you are strongly advised to review the information on the Graduate School Thesis and Dissertation Office website .

During the preliminary examination, the student is typically expected to exhibit:

• A clear understanding of the research problem
• An awareness of pertinent background literature and current efforts in the research area of interest
• Some initial progress toward solving the research problem
• A plan to execute the remainder of the thesis research

Timing : Students may not schedule their preliminary examination until after they have submitted their final plan of study. 

Students must complete the preliminary examination at least two academic sessions/semesters (counting summer sessions) for which they are registered before taking the Final Examination.  Since one goal of the preliminary examination is to provide research direction and feedback, it should be taken early enough to allow the doctoral advisory committee to make an effective contribution. 

To ensure timely academic progress, the preliminary examination is to be taken by PhD students with an MS after no more than six semesters in the PhD program and by direct PhD students after no more than eight semesters in the program. 

Delays: If this deadline is not met, students must request an extension of the deadline. The delay request form is available from Elisheba VanWinkle ( [email protected] ) in the ECE Graduate Office. The form must include:

• The reason(s) for the delay and specific actions planned to remedy the situation.
• A new proposed date for the preliminary exam, no more than one year past the deadline. 
• Once submitted back to the ECE Graduate Office, the form will be reviewed and approved by the ECE Associate Head for Graduate and Professional Programs.  

A completed form is required each semester past the deadline or new proposed date before registration for the subsequent semester is allowed.

Exam results:

• If you pass the preliminary examination, the doctoral advisory committee certifies that you have passed the examination by signing the “Report of the Preliminary Examining Committee” (Form 10) through the Graduate School Web Database. 
• If you fail the preliminary examination, at least one academic session (fall, spring, or summer) must elapse before a re-examination is permitted.

Scheduling the Preliminary Examination

Important! Complete Steps 1-3 at least 3 weeks before the preliminary examination date.

Step 1: Schedule your preliminary examination with your advisory committee members.

At least 3 weeks before the desired date of the preliminary examination, consult with all the members of your advisory committee to find a suitable date and time to hold the examination. Your examination should be held on the West Lafayette campus or may, with the approval of your doctoral advisory committee, be held virtually.

Step 2: Reserve a room for the preliminary examination.

Once you have established the date of your preliminary examination, reserve a room:

• Go to the Resource Allocation Tool .  
• Enter the desired date and select a room.
• Click View Calendar .
• Scroll down to see the calendar.
• After confirming the availability of the room, select Request Reservation in the left-hand navigation.
• Select the room and enter a date and time; click Continue .
• In the Select an Administrator list, select Elisheba Van Winkle.
• You will receive an email confirmation.

If you are unable to reserve a room using the instructions above, send the request by email to Elisheba Van Winkle ( [email protected] ). 

On the day of the exam: If the room is locked, see an area secretary for a key. If the area secretary is not available, see the ECE Graduate Office (MSEE 140).

Step 3: Submit Form 8 in myPurdue to officially schedule the preliminary examination and submit an abstract.

Follow these steps to submit Form 8 and submit your abstract: 

• Log into   myPurdue and go to the Plan of Study Generator under the Academics tab.
• This request requires approvals from the Graduate Office, the chair of your advisory committee, and the Graduate School.
• Send an abstract (250 words or less) of the thesis research clearly defining the problem and its significance to Matt Golden ( [email protected] ).

Late requests: Please be aware that late requests to schedule your preliminary examination do not allow sufficient time to process your request and adequately publicize your examination date.  Any requests to schedule a preliminary examination less than three weeks in advance must be approved by Matt Golden and will be approved only in exceptional circumstances.

Examination posting: The time and location of the preliminary examination will be posted on the ECE website. University regulations permit visitors to attend the preliminary examination.  Such visitors are permitted to ask questions of the candidate after having been recognized by the major professor, but they may not be present while the committee deliberates on its decision.

Step 4: Provide a copy of your thesis proposal to all committee members at least 2 weeks before the preliminary exam.

Results:The doctoral advisory committee will report the results of the preliminary examination through the Graduate School Web Database.

• Honors Undergraduate Thesis
• Program Resources

Thesis Proposal Examples

The Honors Undergraduate Thesis program requires students to submit a research proposal to the Office of Honors Research prior to advancing to the Thesis semester.

Generally, a scientific research proposal will include a brief introduction to the research topic, a literature review, and a methodology that will explain how the student plans to meet the objectives of the research. A proposal in the Arts and Humanities will generally include an introduction and a creative work (e.g. screenplays, short stories, artwork) or theoretical analysis.

Students will create a signature cover page for the thesis proposal that will list the entire committee and HUT Liaison. The Thesis proposal cover page template can be found here .

The following are examples of substantially researched, properly formatted research proposals and their respective signature pages. These examples should be used for reference only and not necessarily as templates. Students should his or her Thesis Chair and committee regarding the structure of the proposal, information that should be present, and documentation style.

What is a Thesis Proposal?

A thesis proposal is a document that outlines the thesis topic, defines the issues that the thesis will address, and explains why the topic warrants further research. It should identify a problem and provide a proposed solution to that problem.

Proposals representative of the sciences (both hard sciences and social sciences) should generally include the following:

• A brief introduction, which will define the thesis topic and explain the purpose of the thesis.
• A literature review that outlines the most relevant readings and theories which pertain to the thesis topic.
• A methodology section, which should include the research questions, hypotheses, participants, materials, and procedures.
• A bibliography or reference list. Most of the sources should be from peer reviewed articles or books. As with other academic papers, the use of internet sources should be limited.

For students conducting more theoretical or comparative analyses, the structure could also take the form of chapters that define and specify each concept, and a concluding chapter that brings all of these ideas together.

For students in the arts, a proposal and thesis may take the form of a creative project. In this instance, the proposal may include:

• A brief introduction, which includes the thesis statement, general intent of project, what the project should accomplish, and justification for considering the project a legitimate endeavor.
• A literature review, which includes any supporting literature that justifies the intention of the project.
• A method for accomplishing the project. Include any necessary background or equipment needed for the project, where the project will be conducted, and a proposed timeline for completion.
• A bibliography or reference list.

An alternative structure would be for students who are writing their own short stories, novellas, or screenplays.

Here, the thesis should include a clear mastery of the skill set by producing chapters of the novella, poetry selections, or the working/final screenplay. [/accordion-item][/accordion]

Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences Biomedical Sciences

College of Arts and Humanities Art History History English-Creative Writing English-Literature Philosophy

College of Business Administration Finance

College of Nursing Nursing

College of Education and Human Performance Elementary Education English Language Arts Education

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Computer Engineering Mechanical Engineering

College of Health and Public Affairs Legal Studies Sports and Exercise Science 

College of Nursing Nursing -->

College of Sciences Anthropology Chemistry Mathematics Physics International & Global Studies Psychology Sociology

• Best Paper Awards
• The Shannon Centenary
• Lecture and Seminar Series
• Faculty Honors
• Student Awards

Qualifying Examination

The PhD Qualifying Examination (Exam) must be taken after a student completes at least 24 units of graduate course work. The Exam is typically taken by Viterbi students in years 3 or 4 of their PhD program.   The Exam lasts between one to two hours. The Exam consists of a seminar-style presentation of the student's research to date together with a plan for what will be completed by the time the student is ready to graduate. It is common for committee members to ask questions during the presentation. An additional Q&A session follows the student's presentation. The committee will ask the student to leave the room to deliberate and come to a decision on whether the student has passed the exam. The student is then invited back in and informed of the result of the exam. The committee may also ask the student to step out for a couple of minutes prior to the Exam start so the advisor can discuss any relevant issues about the student and answer questions from the committee.  The student must prepare a written Thesis Proposal as a part of the Exam. This must be shared with the committee no less than one week prior to the Exam. The proposal typically contains an introduction, chapters/papers describing work completed to date, and a final chapter on plans for work to complete the PhD. This document often serves as an initial draft for the final thesis.

At least 60 days before the Qual Exam, complete the Appointment of Qualifying Exam Committee Form located at https://viterbigrad.usc.edu/academic-services/forms/ . This is the processing time for the Docusign forms to be completed before students take the exam. Discuss membership of the committee with your PhD Advisor before completing the form.

The committee requires five faculty members with the following conditions:

• three with their primary appointment within ECE, with at least two with a tenured/tenure track appointment
• one with a primary appointment outside of ECE with a tenured/tenure track appointment. Tenured/tenure track faculty with a courtesy appointment to ECE may serve as an outside member.

At least one week before the date of the Exam the PhD student must provide to all members of the committee, electronically, the following:

• Thesis Proposal Document
• Pointers to, or copies of, relevant publications
• Current Curriculum Vitae (CV), including a listing of relevant graduate coursework and grades

After the Committee Form has been signed by the Department Chair and the Viterbi Dean, a Report on PhD Qualifying Exam (RoQ) will be generated and sent to the chair of your committee (your advisor) for the day of your exam.   Mandatory registration is needed in EE 794A and B in consecutive semesters. Continued registration is required in 794C, D, and Z in subsequent semesters after having passed the exam, until the dissertation is defended.

Published on November 1st, 2016

Last updated on September 7th, 2023

• Awards and Honors
• Media Coverage
• Message from the Chairs
• Open Faculty Positions
• Open Positions
• Faculty Startups
• Meet the Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Staff
• Bachelor of Science Program
• Master of Science Program
• Doctor of Philosophy Programs
• Bachelor of Science
• Master of Science
• Doctor of Philosophy
• Faculty Office Hours
• Masters Student Honors Program
• Student Services FAQs
• Ming Hsieh Institute
• Computer Engineering
• Communications, Information, Learning & Quantum Group
• Signal and Image Processing Institute

PhD Thesis Proposal & Critique

by Keira Horowitz

Aug. 24, 2017

• Program in Media Arts and Sciences

Share this post

Phd thesis proposal.

After completing the General Exam milestone, students can begin preparation of the Dissertation Proposal and register for MAS.950: Preparation for PhD Thesis. The proposal committee must be approved by MASCOM and the proposal must be presented at a public proposal critique by the end of year 3 of the doctoral program, allowing for nine months before the dissertation defense.

To begin the proposal process:

• The student will submit to MAS (via the MAS Degree Tracker ) an abstract (one page maximum) and proposed committee members (with short bios of any non-MAS committee members)
• The student will also be expected to let their advisor and committee members know that we need their confirmation of approval via email.

MASCOM will review and approve the abstract and committee members. Students will receive approval via email confirmation from MAS staff.

After receiving committee/abstract approval, the student may go on to write the full proposal (using the guidelines listed below) for sharing with their committee. The completed proposal must be submitted to MAS via the MAS Degree Tracker .

We would expect that the student will also remind their advisor and committee members to send (via email to the MAS staff) confirmation of approval of the proposal document and any notes/comments. This new requirement means that MASCOM is no longer reading/approving the proposal document. Approval is dependent upon the student’s committee and verified by the MAS staff.

Thesis Proposal Guidelines

The Thesis Proposal should present a plausible argument for a specific approach to a well-defined problem, with the intention of making an original and significant contribution to knowledge in the field.

The proposal should include:

• Abstract: A short overview of the key goals, questions, and expected contributions.
• Goals or Problem Statement: What general problem are you addressing (often illustrated by a scenario)? Why is this a significant problem? What are your motivations? What makes this an especially appropriate problem for an MAS Dissertation?
• Research Questions: What specific questions are you addressing?
• Background: The intellectual framework and historical context for the Dissertation, including related research (with literature references). This section might be derived from the written component of your General Exam.
• Research Plan: How will you carry out your research? What methodologies will you use? How will you evaluate the results?
• Expected Results and Contributions: What results do you expect? What is new in the proposed research? Keep in mind that a PhD is, by definition, an "original and significant contribution to the field". What will you produce besides the document (physical artifacts, software, demos, videos, etc.)?
• Timeline: A set of milestones to serve as checks on reasonable progress. Obviously subject to change in the face of the fortunes of research life! Don't forget there must be a minimum of nine months between the proposal critique and the dissertation defense.
• Resources Required: What equipment or other resources will be needed?
• Suggested proposal length is around 15 pages.

Once the MAS staff receives the completed proposal (with committee approval), the student will be allowed to schedule their proposal critique. MAS staff can book the room and make the announcement. Please allow at least 2-3 weeks from final proposal submission to the date of the critique.

The student will present at a public critique (see below). Afterwards, committee members will provide written feedback to the advisor and student (via email). If necessary, the student may need to edit or rewrite parts of the proposal. MAS and MASCOM will defer to the advisor’s decision on this issue, based on the content of the committee comments.

Proposal Critique Guidelines

The Proposal Critique will consist of:

• a 30-40 minute public presentation (open to all members of the Media Lab community)
• a 15 minute Q & A session with the general audience
• a 30 minute private session with the full dissertation committee

To complete the proposal and critique process, the advisor must confirm to MAS when the committee has given final approval for the proposal. MAS will then confirm acceptance of proposal with advisor and student. A grade for MAS.950 will be given at end of current semester and the student can go forward to register for MAS.THG until completion of program. There must be at least nine months between the critique and the thesis defense.

Barry Vercoe

Professor of Media Arts and Sciences

Spring 2022 Media Arts and Sciences Course List

Classes offered by the Program in Media Arts and Sciences for the Spring 2022 semester

Fall 2021 Media Arts and Sciences Course List

Classes offered by the Program in Media Arts and Sciences for the Fall 2021 semester

Fellowship & Scholarship Opportunities

The Office of Graduate Education has a wealth of information and resources on how to find and obtain graduate fellowships. Please explore t…

• Duke University »
• Pratt School of Engineering »
• Degree Program
• Enrollment and Graduation Rates
• Career Outcomes
• Campus Tours
• How to Apply
• Double Majors
• BME Design Fellows
• For Current Students
• 4+1: BSE+Master's Degree
• Degree Programs
• Concentrations
• Certificates
• PhD Program
• Meet Our Students
• Certificates & Training Programs
• Major Research Programs
• Centers & Initiatives
• Research News
• Faculty Profiles
• Awards & Recognition
• About the Partnership
• Proposal Process
• Oversight Committee
• Welcome from the Chair
• Vision & Mission
• Facts & Stats
• Serving Society
• Our History
• Community Resources
• DEIC Across Duke BME
• Report a Concern
• Email Newsletter
• Media Coverage
• Driving Directions

Policies & Forms

Login to access.

• Preliminary Exam Form
• Fourth-Year Progress Report Meeting
• Dissertation and Defense
• Conference Travel Documentation
• Academic Forms

Go to Download Site

Duke NetID Required

• MFA Exam and Thesis
• Taking Courses
• Getting Settled

Find details for your MFA exam and thesis.

The MFA exam is taken during the penultimate semester of your coursework. If you plan to graduate in May, you'll take the exam in the preceding October (3rd Friday); if you plan to graduate in December, you'll take the exam in the preceding March (3rd Friday). Students will receive the exam via email on a Friday afternoon and have the entire weekend to complete it, emailing it back on Monday morning.

The exam consists of three published reading selections in the student's primary genre and a writing prompt. The student will choose one of the reading selections as the basis of their response. The craft response (1,500 to 2,000 words) requires skills in close reading and knowledge of practical criticism and aesthetics. The second part of the exam is a more philosophical response (1,500 to 2,000 words) based on the student's writing aesthetic. The faculty has developed an extensive suggested reading list to aid you in preparing for the exam (available on our department SharePoint site ). We suggest that you consult this list early in your course of study. Other resources for the MFA exam—including a grading rubric and sample exam responses in all three genres—will be made available on our department SharePoint site on/near October 1 through when the exam is distributed. An email will go out around October 1 with the link to this specially-made folder and with more specific exam instructions.

Note: Before you can take the MFA exam, you must have established a thesis director and committee, and you must have received approval of your submitted thesis proposal (see below).

Students will submit the Intent to Take MFA Exam form (available on SharePoint) and submit it to the thesis director for signature by the due date on the form. This notifies the director to submit the published writing selection for the student's analytical response, and notifies administrators to prepare an exam for the student.

Graduation Application

The Graduate School requires all students to fill out graduation applications in SeaNet during their graduating semester. This ensures that all your course credits are being correctly counted toward your degree, and that your name is printed correctly in the commencement program. Details and instructions are available on the Graduate School's website under <Current Students> and <Graduation>.

• For December graduates, the deadline for the graduation application is in mid October.
• For May graduates, the deadline for the graduation application is in early March.

THESIS PROPOSAL, ADVISOR, AND COMMITTEE

An MFA candidate must complete a substantial, book-length thesis manuscript of literary merit and publishable quality acceptable to the thesis committee. This ordinarily will be a novel; a novella; a collection of short stories, poems, or essays; a single long poem; a long nonfiction narrative; or, in specially approved instances, some combination of the foregoing. "Book-length" is ordinarily defined as 48-64 pages of poetry, or 120-240 pages of prose. Early in the process the student should discuss the projected length of the manuscript with the thesis director.

It is expected that the thesis will be composed of work written and revised throughout the course of the student's study. Thesis hours, then, are to be used to polish existing work and to create what new writing is deemed appropriate. It should be understood that thesis work cannot be successfully accomplished in only the six designated thesis hours, nor in one semester's time.

Though the typical period of MFA study is three years, and though typically the student's thesis draft is completed in the next-to-last semester and polished during the final semester of study, it is not unusual for students to take longer than three years to complete both the necessary course work and the substantial thesis. While we strongly urge students to complete the MFA degree in three years, in the event that a delay is necessary, please review the Creative Writing Department's policy on delayed graduation, further below.

The thesis must be completed in the primary genre. Should the candidate wish to change genres, the student must reapply for admission and be accepted into the program in that genre. Note: this practice is highly discouraged. By the end of your second year, you will request and be assigned a committee of three faculty members to oversee your thesis (a thesis director and two readers) through the following process:

• Graduate Coordinator holds a meeting in January for second-year MFA students and interested faculty. At the meeting, the Coordinator discusses the thesis committee preference form and the thesis process, and responds to student questions.
• Preference forms are due February 15. The purpose of this deadline is to ensure that MFA students have their thesis committees, and thus their new advisors, in place in advance of pre-registration (allowing students to register for thesis hours). Students who do not submit the committee preference form in a timely manner may forfeit the courtesies extended to other students in the committee designation process described below.
• Coordinator drafts thesis committees. Ideally, each student should receive their first or second choice as thesis director, and the first reader in the primary genre from the student's list. The second reader is appointed by the Coordinator, considering faculty availability, faculty course load, and other factors.
• Coordinator emails draft of committees to faculty members for feedback/comments by a specific deadline (approximately one week, during which an optional faculty meeting for the purpose of discussion, if necessary, will be scheduled).
• Coordinator informs students of the membership of their committees via email. If, for any reason (e.g., a delay in graduation), there is a change in committee membership, Coordinator notifies the student and the committee via email, and has revised thesis committee chart posted on Sharepoint.

Your thesis director and readers will be in charge of approving the quality of the final project. The MFA coordinator and faculty will do our best to assign you the thesis director you request, but in order to distribute thesis duties equitably, you may be assigned a director and/or readers who are not your first choices on your list of preferences.

You should meet with your thesis director early in the thesis-writing process to ensure that the thesis is completed successfully and on time. (Note: your thesis director will also serve as your academic advisor in your third year.) Students planning to graduate early should consult with the MFA coordinator as soon as possible.

After your thesis committee is established, the deadline and instructions for thesis proposals will be announced via e-mail, and are detailed below. (You can download a copy of the thesis proposal form at any time from our website.) The thesis proposal is developed by you the student, and forwarded to your thesis committee for approval and signature. Along with your thesis proposal narrative, you must submit a sample of creative work in your primary genre for your committee's review; this is to ensure that all committee members have a sense of your course of study and endorse the quality of your writing. Acceptable writing samples are 10 poems or, for prose writers, a book chapter or complete story. Note: All students should submit a thesis proposal in the antepenultimate semester of study.

The format of the thesis proposal:

One to three pages (double-spaced) of text explaining the focus and intentions of the thesis, to include genre, form, table of contents (if applicable), and anticipated length of the manuscript. Large and complicated projects, especially those requiring planning and research, should be outlined according to the expectations of the thesis committee. The objectives and scope of the project should be manageable and clear to all concerned.

Note: Should the thesis to evolve into a project very different than that originally described in the proposal, this may result in a change of graduation date . The student should consult with the thesis director as work progresses, but in general students are not required to submit a new thesis proposal unless graduation is delayed by two or more years and a new thesis director and committee are assigned.

Again, your thesis proposal should be submitted and approved two semesters prior to your expected graduation date, and one semester before you take the MFA exam.

The student will:

• Forward the proposal (by email, paper copy, etc.) to the thesis committee by April 15 (November 15 for Fall graduates). (It is the student's responsibility to contact the committee members.)
• Email to Lisa Bertini in a combined pdf document the abstract and the writing sample by April 15 (November 15 for Fall graduates).
• Submit the mandatory thesis proposal cover sheet to the committee members for signature approving the proposal, then ensure the completed cover sheet is submitted to Lisa for Department filing.
• Deadline to submit the signed thesis proposal cover sheet to Lisa is May 15 (December 15 for Fall graduates).

Helpful hint: Most students email —by April 15th— their three committee members (cc Lisa) the abstract with writing sample and the cover sheet with the note to have the director, upon review, sign approval and then forward the pdf on to the other committee members for their signatures, returning it to Lisa by May 15th.

Registering for Thesis Hours

You will need to complete 6 thesis hours, which are most commonly divided equally between your final two full semesters. After consulting with your thesis director, you may choose to divide those hours in any increments that work best with your writing schedule (for example, 4 hours in the fall, 2 hours in the spring). You must submit your thesis proposal, and receive approval, in the semester before thesis hours commence.

You do not register for thesis hours through SEANET in the manner that you register for your other courses. Instead, you will fill out the electronic registration form found on the Graduate School's website.

Note: if the link to 599 is broken, contact the Graduate School and let them know they need to update the 'survey' for the coming semester.

THESIS PREPARATION

Faculty thesis directors and student writers work together in different ways; as you write your thesis, your thesis director may be involved in your manuscript's evolution from its earliest drafts, or may only want to see the "first finished draft." But for all, the following guidelines are in effect: If you plan to graduate in the spring, a draft of your thesis must be submitted to your director no later than November 15 (for fall graduates, May 15).

Students will receive feedback from the director by December 15 (for fall graduates, June 15), the director will respond to the student. When the director determines that the draft is acceptable, the thesis defense will be scheduled. The student will then provide copies of the thesis for the remaining committee members, no later than three weeks prior to the defense. All thesis defenses for spring graduates must be completed between March 1 and April 15 (for fall graduates, between October 1 and November 15). Students will receive verbal and written feedback from the committee members (the thesis readers) at the scheduled thesis defense.

Remember: The thesis is not meant to be the masterpiece of your career, the best and last book you will ever write. We expect it to be the first book you will write, with plenty more to follow. So while it is important to write the best thesis you can, do not put artificial pressure on yourself to make it perfect.

If we have done our job right, you are still evolving as a writer, expanding your vision and ambitions. Typically before seeking publication, an MFA graduate spends the next year or two polishing the thesis into a book, even doing extensive revisions that didn't occur to the writer during the thesis semester.

Questions about thesis length? See the section above: Thesis Proposal, Advisor, and Committee.

THESIS RESPONSIBILITY

The student's thesis responsibilities.

• Hand in thesis proposal and writing sample as directed.
• Meet with director as appropriate to formulate project and discuss progress.
• Hand in a completed draft of the thesis to your director no later than November 15 (for fall graduates, May 15).
• Make the appropriate revisions.
• Follow through on the two-part thesis defense:
• A private discussion (the actual oral defense) with your thesis committee. The committee will discuss your work, pose questions, engage you in a conversation about your craft, and will possibly review your MFA exam with you. In any case in which the student receives conflicting advice for revision from different committee members, the judgment of the thesis director should prevail.
• Participate in a public reading of thesis work with other graduating MFA students.
• Bring a printed thesis cover page to your defense for your committee members' signatures.
• Finish all revisions and submit the correctly-formatted pdf of the thesis to the Graduate School by the final deadline.
• Follow all guidelines (further below) for deadlines, thesis draft formatting, and the final PDF electronic copy.

The Thesis Director's Responsibilities

• Review thesis proposal and approve it when appropriate.
• Meet with the student to plan thesis semesters.
• Meet with student as appropriate to discuss progress of manuscript.
• Provide substantive individualized practical commentary (due by December 15).
• Schedule Part 1 of the thesis defense.
• Chair Part 1 of the thesis defense.
• If the thesis defense passes, supervise signing of student's final pages by all members of the committee. If the defense does not pass, meet with student and MFA coordinator to discuss options.

The Thesis Committee Readers' Responsibilities

• Read the thesis draft and make appropriate suggestions for revision, either written or orally, at the defense. You need not read subsequent drafts of the thesis.
• If you have a serious problem with the overall quality of the manuscript, or any other substantial reservations, contact the thesis director immediately.
• Be present for both parts of the thesis defense, and ask questions during Part 1.
• At your discretion, you may discuss the thesis manuscript with the student.
• In any case in which the student receives conflicting advice for revision from different committee members, the judgment of the thesis director should prevail.

Thesis Submission Format

The Graduate School provides a Thesis Guide online for all graduate students. This thesis information page also includes thesis requirements, forms, and deadlines. You will need to consult this guide in order to format your thesis so that is approved by the Graduate School.

Students may find sample prose and poetry thesis templates in the Shared Documents of our departmental web archive in SharePoint . We strongly recommend you use these templates to build your thesis front-matter.

Abbreviated list:

Thesis Requirements—Email to Graduate School:

• signed format approval sheet (DocuSign)
• formatted thesis first draft, with cover page that has typed names above line ( no signatures )
• ETD permissions form
• final pdf of thesis (after Grad School approved the formatting); —also email to Lisa—
• separate pdf of thesis cover page, with committee signatures

The Graduate School requires students to submit theses in electronic PDF format. See the Thesis Guide .

The formatting/submission process:

• You'll submit to the Graduate School a draft copy (pdf) of your thesis for initial format approval, by the due date , along with the format approval sheet .
• Graduate School will email you to okay your formatting, or to notify you of needed changes.
• your final electronic thesis in pdf form, by the due date
• the ETD (electronic permissions) 'Submission' form (more info below)
• your committee-signed thesis cover page, by the same due date.

More about the thesis cover page:

• Your thesis pdf (draft & final copy) needs a cover page for titling formality. This cover page will not have signatures, but will instead have your committee members' names typed above the line in place of the signature. (Sample front-matter thesis format templates are available in SharePoint for poetry and prose, and the no-signature version of the cover page is already set up for you within that template.)
• IMPORTANT: You must first download the pdf, then open the file from the FOLDER LOCATION on your computer—not within the tab/window on your screen. Yes, this means opening the actual Downloads folder on your computer.
• If you shortcut this, the formatting won't be correct and your committee members won't be able to sign. You should see red lines around the text boxes (not just light blue text boxes).
• Don't see red lines? Email Lisa and ask her to email you the "pdf of the signatures-version of the thesis cover page."

**If you are opting to print out a thesis cover page to collect signatures manually, your committee members' names should be typed in below the signature line. Make sure you are using the Grad School's required thesis format; see their Thesis Guide .

The Graduate School will take care of submitting your electronic thesis to the Library for posting to the electronic-archival server. Want to see other online theses that have been submitted? You can access past theses (since 2008) —you have to be on campus though. Here is the link to access theses ; type/select Creative Writing as the Department.

Randall Library thesis requirements give more information about permissions, as well as information about getting a personal copy of your thesis .

Visit the Grad School's Thesis page for more information regarding the ETD submission form . (Generally speaking, CRW recommends, on the ETD form, selecting <Option 2> and <indefinitely> . This designation will release your electronic thesis, for an unlimited time, for UNCW-wide access only.)

Thesis Defense

All MFA students must defend their thesis in two sessions. Part 1 consists of a one-on-three discussion, or "defense," with your thesis committee. Part 2 is a public reading of your work given with several other graduating MFA students, to be followed by a reception, sponsored and publicized by the Creative Writing department.

Your thesis director will work with you to schedule Part 1 of your defense. Your director will not allow you to schedule this part of your defense, however, if your thesis is not considered to be of passable quality.

The Department of Creative Writing has set that thesis defenses for spring graduates must be completed between March 1 and April 15 (for fall graduates, between October 1 and November 15).

Part 2 of the defense—your public thesis reading and reception—will be scheduled by the department, typically in the final semester.

Exam, Thesis, Graduation Checklist

• CRW Forms and Thesis Deadlines
• Graduate School Thesis/Graduation Forms and Deadlines

Here is an abbreviated checklist for your final semesters. See the sections above for more details.

• After you have a thesis committee, submit the thesis proposal by the deadline one year prior to graduation and one semester prior to taking the MFA exam. (Even if you are considering delaying graduation, you should submit a thesis proposal at the end of your second year of study.)
• Submit the Intent to take MFA Examination Form, and take the MFA exam in the semester before you graduate.
• If you plan to graduate in the spring, a draft of your thesis must be submitted to your director no later than November 15 (for fall graduates, May 15)
• Follow the procedures and file all necessary forms for graduation in your final semester by the due date.
• Work with the Graduate School to assure appropriate thesis format. Use the Graduate School's thesis guide .
• Submit your formatted thesis draft and thesis abstract to the Graduate School for approval by the deadline.
• Follow the Department of Creative Writing process for the two-part thesis defense.
• Bring a printed copy of your thesis cover page to your defense for your committee members' signatures.
• Finish all revisions and submit the correctly formatted copy of the thesis via email to the Graduate School (—and copy Lisa—) by the final deadline .

DEPARTMENTAL POLICY ON EARLY GRADUATION

Though the MFA program is designed to allow students to complete the MFA degree in three years, occasionally a student will work toward an early graduation. Should this be your choice (for financial or personal reasons), understand that while we will all work toward helping you achieve this goal, it may mean that you will need to be more flexible than other students when it comes to course selection and thesis committee assignments.

While our main concern in offering Graduate Teaching Assistantships is to help support our graduate student recipients, we also have a responsibility to the undergraduate students who are served by courses assigned to our GTAs. Since our department invests a great amount of energy in training our GTAs, it is imperative that a teaching assistant fulfill the duties of the position for three entire academic years.

Thus, as a matter of both necessity and professional courtesy, should a GTA wish to graduate in the fall of the third year, that GTA must notify the MFA Coordinator of his/her intent as soon as the decision to graduate early has been made, and must surrender his/her assistantship no later than the end of the second year.

Delayed Graduation & Leave-of-Absence

The MFA program is designed to allow students to complete the MFA degree in three years. However, a student will occasionally find it necessary to delay the thesis defense and graduation. UNCW's Graduate School requires that you complete the degree by the end of five years, maximum. Any decision to delay defense and graduation should be made in conjunction with your thesis director.

If you postpone your thesis defense by more than two semesters , your thesis committee is subject to change. In addition, even if you postpone your defense by only one or two semesters, it is possible that your thesis director or readers may be unavailable to serve, and substitutions on your committee will be necessary.

If you are considering postponing your defense and graduation, please thoroughly review the departmental policies concerning the timeframe for exit requirements —the MFA thesis proposal, the MFA exam, and the MFA thesis reading and thesis defense— and consult your thesis director and the MFA coordinator, to ensure you understand how these policies apply to your situation.

You must be enrolled in the semester in which you graduate . See information about GRC 600 . Please also review the MFA Handbook landing page for exit requirements. If you decide to delay graduation, there is a 'request to delay' form you will need to submit to report your intended timeline. If you decide to take a Leave of Absence, there is a different form you will need to submit to report your intended return date. If your leave will delay your graduation date, you will also need to submit the 'request to delay' form.

RE-ENROLLMENT AFTER a 2+ Semester ABSENCE

An MFA student who has been absent (not enrolled) for more than two semesters, who has completed all coursework and needs only to defend the thesis in order to graduate, must do the following: Resubmit to the MFA coordinator an updated thesis proposal (including writing sample) by a date no later than one month before the end of the semester prior to the semester in which the student seeks to defend and graduate. The proposal should indicate how close the manuscript is to completion.

The thesis proposal will be reviewed by MFA coordinator and graduate faculty. If proposal is of defendable quality, the MFA coordinator will assign the student a new thesis committee, which may or may not include faculty previously assigned to this student.

If proposal is rejected, a student who is still within the five-year graduation limit may re-enroll, but may not graduate in the upcoming semester. The student will receive notification of the thesis proposal's acceptance or rejection prior to the start of the semester in which he or she seeks to re-enroll.

Graduate School Five-Year Rule

If an MFA student (1) has exceeded the Graduate School's five-year limit for completing the degree; (2) has not been enrolled in either thesis hours or CRW coursework for at least two semesters; and (3) has not been granted a leave-of-absence by the MFA coordinator prior to becoming inactive; the student will not be re-admitted to the program except by re-applying (submitting full application) to the Graduate School. In order to receive a leave of absence, the student must complete the appropriate paperwork and submit to the Graduate Coordinator.

Ordinarily it will be the policy of the Creative Writing department not to endorse or grant extensions on the above five-year limit except (1) in cases where medical leave-of-absence has been granted in advance by the MFA coordinator; and (2) in cases where the student has finished all coursework but has been continuously enrolled in thesis hours or in GRC 600, Continuous Enrollment.

In the event that an extension is granted to the five-year rule and a student is readmitted to the program, any previous UNCW coursework taken outside the five-year limit will be reviewed by the MFA coordinator in order to determine whether and how it will count toward the degree.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

In your final year of the MFA program, you will be asking your professors for letters of recommendation. As a rule, faculty are happy to do this. We want you to succeed at the next level of your ambition.

But there is a protocol about how to get letters from your faculty without abusing their time and goodwill. The protocol also makes it more likely that the letters will get written and reach the people they need to reach in a timely fashion.

• If you have not already done so, set up a dossier -either with UNCW Career Services or independent portfolio services such as Interfolio. In some cases, this will cost you a fee up front and a nominal fee each time you request that your dossier be sent to a university, employer, etc. The dossier itself consists typically of college and/or grad school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and anything else that has to be handled "blind"- that is, by a third party to ensure its integrity and authenticity.
• Once you have set up your dossier, select which professors, employers, or colleagues (if you are already functioning as a professional) to ask for letters. To ensure the best possible references:
• Be sure the letters come from people whose credentials are relevant to the purpose of the letter; in other words, a letter from your minister or a family friend most likely won't help convince a potential employer to hire you—but strong letters from writing professors or visiting writers might.
• Make sure the person you ask to write the letter will write a strong letter—it's no good having a Pulitzer Prize winner write a letter in which he or she just says, "So-and-so was in my class." That can be worse than no letter at all. And a professor with reservations about your work or attitude has the obligation to express those to his or her colleagues at another university. So ask the recommender honestly if he or she can write you a favorable letter. If not, then thank him or her and try someone else. You're better off knowing this up front (much as it may disappoint you or hurt your feelings) instead of having a letter floating around in your file that will torpedo your chances.
• Once you have chosen your recommenders and they have agreed to write positive letters on your behalf, do the following:
• Fill out all forms completely before you forward them to recommenders.
• Provide each with a readable resume or short list of things you have accomplished-including the class which you completed with that professor. Your recommenders may have taught hundreds of other students in the intervening years, and you want specifics in the letter which may have faded from the instructor's memory over time.
• Provide a stamped and addressed envelope, along with any necessary forms to attach. The letter will go directly to the university where you are applying, not to you, except in rare cases. If the letter is sent to you to enclose in your application packet, it will have the recommender's signature across the back of the envelope. Do not open! This is meant as a confidentiality measure; the letter is not meant for your eyes. Though many recommenders routinely show their letters to the candidates they concern, this is the recommender's choice. He or she has done a professional service for you-written a candid assessment of your abilities and performance. You should already know you can trust it, or you shouldn't have asked for it.
• Given a choice between "Waive right to see letter" and "Do not waive right to see letter," always waive the right. Otherwise, your recommender and the person who gets the letter might feel you don't trust your recommender and wonder why.
• Give your recommenders enough time to write their letters. Remember, dozens of other graduates, former students, and colleagues ask for letters each semester. Allow at least a month. A week before the letter is due, give the recommender a gentle reminder and a way to contact you if he or she has misplaced the original form. Do not wait to ask until after the deadline has passed (unless the university or employer has requested you to trace the letters and you are still under consideration). Normally, by then, it is too late.

Our department routinely offers panel discussions and informal Q & A sessions conducted by faculty on how to apply for academic jobs and other post-graduate career-related matters. If you are graduating, you should not consider these sessions optional.