Research Proposal
In short, the proposal must state what the research aims to
investigate and how the work will be conducted. After completing
the coursework in the Final Program of Study, the student will finalize
the research proposal. Every student, prior to undertaking dissertation
research, must provide the advisor and committee and the Program Chair
with a written research proposal. In most cases this will be the same
proposal presented at the time of admission but substantially refined
and elaborated. The committee must approve the proposal prior to or
during the semester in which the student takes the preliminary examination
and before the fieldwork is carried out. Fieldwork in the proposed
area of development work is required. The advisor should forward a
copy of the approved proposal to the Program Office prior to the prelim
exam warrant being filed with the Graduate School.
The proposal is defended before the student's committee and
should include the following:
- description of the problem to be studied, including hypotheses and/or researchable questions, together with reference to the body of literature and/or field observations from which the problem has been drawn;
- location(s) where the work is to be carried out;
- variables or themes to be analyzed;
- description of the methods to be used in gathering and testing the data;
- support, contacts and other arrangements made or planned in order to conduct the research.