MSc Research Proposal
BPK 895 MSc Proposal Enrollment Form
The research proposal helps you to establish the objectives, methodology, and scope of your thesis project at an early state of your degree and provides an opportunity for your committee to influence the direction of your research at an early stage. It is not a rehearsal for your defense.
Timing: The MSc proposal should take place in the 2nd or 3rd semester of the Master's proposal.
Content: The proposal should contain the background and rationale for the project, a concise summary and critical interpretation of the literature, your hypothesis and specific aims, the techniques and methodology you propose to use, and plans for how you will conduct experiments, analyze data and interpret findings. It does not have to contain data, but if you have some data at the time of the proposal, it should be included as preliminary data.
Forms: BPK 895 - MSc Proposal Enrolment Form
Format: The proposal may not be more than 5 single-spaced pages of text, not including tables, figures and references.
Preparation for your proposal
8-10 weeks: Ensure that all of the appropriate individuals are included on the official "Supervisory Committee Form". This form will be on file with the Graduate Program Assistant. Please speak with the Graduate Program Assistant to secure a Chair for the MSc proposal. The Chair for all Graduate examinations will be the GPC Chair (or designate)
Submission to your committee
4-6 weeks: Submit your proposal to your committee members. Ideally, you will have had extensive interaction with all and you will have solicited their advice.
2-4 weeks: After addressing any comments expressed by your committee members, submit a revised proposal to members of your committee. Each committee member will be required to send an email to the Graduate Program Assistant and Graduate Program Chair stating the following: "I have read this M.Sc. proposal in its entirety. This is a suitable topic for a M.Sc. thesis and I am in general agreement with the principles of research design and methodology." If member(s) refuse to sign, make sure that it is clear to both parties the reasons for the refusal and proceed to address these issues as soon as possible.
Provide the Graduate Program Assistant with a half-page abstract (electronic) and title, and confirm the date, time and place for your oral proposal presentation.
At the proposal
Have a 20-30 minute presentation prepared with appropriate audiovisual support. The presentation should cover identification of the problem in question and the rationale for the approach chosen. Relevant experimental design and detail should be provided along with any preliminary or proof-of-concept data already collected. The presentation should provide an experimental plan that outlines how the findings will address the initial question. The examining committee will pose questions to assess feasibility and utility of the project and relevant specific and fundamental knowledge, as well as how the data might be interpreted and applied. Typically, each committee member will have ~20 mins for questions.
Answer questions posed to you by your committee members.
Following the proposal
Meet with your senior supervisor and committee to address any concerns and discuss the next steps in your research studies.
Last revised: June 2019