Thesis Research Project Proposal

Each M.S. student is expected to complete and present a research project proposal to his/her advisory committee. The proposal should be submitted to the advisory committee as early within the student’s program as possible and no later than the middle of the student’s second semester. The approved proposal will serve as a guideline for initiation of the student’s research. Copies are to be prepared for each member of the advisory committee. After the research proposal has been approved by the student’s committee, a copy of the approved proposal is to be submitted to the EPC Office for placement in the student’s file.

A suggested format for the proposal follows:

• Thesis Title--should be brief and clear;
  
  
• Statement of Problem--should be in sufficient detail so that its nature, importance, and possible benefit are clear;
  
  
• Review of Literature--should indicate familiarity with past work;
  
  
• Objectives--should be concise and logical;
  
  
• Procedure--should be sufficiently detailed so that general plans and methods are clear. It is recognized that the development of specific experimental procedures may sometimes evolve as the project is pursued. In this case, the process for developing the procedures should be stated;
  
  
• Resources Needed--should indicate the equipment and personnel resources needed to complete the project; and
  
  
• Timetable--should indicate tentative deadlines for completing various aspects of the research project.

The entire research proposal should be brief. The faculty recognize that when a research proposal is formulated early in a student’s graduate program, it may be necessary to modify the proposal at a later date. If a modified research proposal represents a significant re-direction, then it should be approved again by the student’s advisory committee.