THESIS PROPOSAL - A GUIDELINE

Candidature
All PhD students are admitted as provisional candidates. At the end of the first year of full time study (or second year of part time study), a written proposal is presented to a full meeting of the Department, with the student being there in person to answer questions, or being represented by his/her supervisor. As a result the Head of Department then makes a recommendation to the Dean of Postgraduate Studies to (1) confirm candidature (2) extend the provisional candidature to a specified date, or (3) terminate candidature.

Statement of the Thesis
The proposal should begin with a statement of the thesis of not more than a paragraph in length. It should be written so that it can be understood by those in the larger academic community who work in areas outside the specific area of academic inquiry in which the student is working. The thesis statement should indicate the area of academic discourse in which the research project is located and the contribution the dissertation will make to that discussion.

Situating the Thesis
This part of the proposal should anchor the thesis in the particular area of academic discourse mentioned in the thesis statement. It provides the setting for the study. Its purpose is to indicate that the student is well acquainted with the broad area of academic discussion in which the research project is located. In most instances, reference will be made to significant studies in the student’s area of inquiry. It should be approximately three to five pages in length.

Methodology
This part of the proposal should grow out of the previous section on situating the thesis. In some instances, this section might be relatively short, indicating a particular and existing methodological approach. In many instances, however, the methodological section will nuance the particular approach of the thesis. If the study is cross- disciplinary, it will be important to make a clear statement about the multiple use of disciplines and how they relate to one another.

Tentative Outline of the Thesis
The student should give an outline of the thesis. This will take the form of a tentative “Table of Contents”, including chapter numbers and titles. Associated with each chapter should be a summary of the chapter. Clearly the outline is not binding and should serve as the basis for thinking holistically about the project.

Contribution of the thesis
This section of the proposal will indicate the contribution the study will make to scholarship.

Timeline
The various tasks for researching and writing the thesis should be identified along with specific dates in which it is anticipated these tasks will be accomplished.

Problems
Any difficulties the student sees in accomplishing the thesis should be identified. This will include such issues as availability of bibliography, work and family commitments that may interfere with the writing of the thesis, health problems, etc. There should also be some indication of how these problems will be dealt with should they arise.

Bibliography
The bibliography will include works that the student has collected at the time of writing the proposal. In most cases it will not be complete.

Books to help you carry out your research
Barzun, Jacques & Graff, H.F. The Modern Researcher (5th ed.) Orlando:Harcourt, Brace & Jovanovich, Jovanovich College Publishers, 1992 (D13.B334)

Blaxter, Loraine, Hughes, Christina & Tight, Malcolm How to Research., Buckingham: Open University Press, 1996 (Q180.55m4B59)

Cryer, Pat The Research Student’s Guide to Success

Buckingham: Open University Press, 1996 (LB2395.C787)

Phillips, Estelle M. & Pugh, D.S. How to Get a PhD: A Handbook for Students & Their Supervisors Buckingham: Open University Press, 1994

MASTER OF ARTS (Research) DEGREE

Applicants should hold an arts degree with Honours (Class I or II) in Studies in Religion; or a Divinity degree with First or Second Class Honours. The MA is a research degree based on a thesis of around 50,000 words requiring at least one year's full-time work, or at least two years' part-time work.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Applicants should hold either a Bachelor's degree with Honours (Class I or Class II Division A), or a Research Master's degree. The Ph.D. is a research degree and examination is normally by a thesis of around 100,000 words. This may be submitted after not less than three years of full-time or four years of part-time study (one year less in each case for holders of an MA).

All candidates for the Ph.D. program are initially provisional. Candidature is confirmed after 1 year full-time (2 years part-time) upon endorsement by the Department of an acceptable thesis proposal.

THE GRADUATE CERTIFICATE

#8 units
Duration: 1 semester full time or 2 semesters part time
Prerequisites: A Bachelor's Degree in any field

THE POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA

#16 units
Duration: 2 semesters full time or 4 semesters part time
Prerequisites: A Bachelor's Degree in any field or a Graduate Certificate in Studies in Religion

#24 units
Duration: 3 semesters full time, 6 semesters part time
Prerequisites: A Bachelor’s degree in any field or a Postgraduate Diploma in Studies in Religion
Note: Students may elect to complete with an 8 unit research thesis (RELN7600/1). In order to enrol in RELN7600/1, students require a GPA of 5.5 and the permission of the Head of Department.