Prospectuses

Prospectus for the Independent Research Project

  1. Prospective IRP students should get in touch with faculty in the Summer Term prior to enrolment so as to discuss possible topics in a preliminary fashion. The faculty member might give the student a preliminary undertaking to act as adviser/supervisor of the project.
  2. At the beginning of the Fall Term the student should consult the adviser/supervisor-designate further while drafting a prospectus.
  3. Submission of the prospectus to CGS (via the Graduate Assistant) should occur by the end of the second-last week of September.
  4. CGS will get a decision back to proposers and advisers/supervisors-designate during the final week of September.

The decision could take three forms:

  1. If the prospectus were sound, it would be approved immediately.
  2. If the prospectus were not fully convincing but could be enhanced readily and quickly, then the student would be asked to re-submit promptly.
  3. If the prospectus were inadequate, CGS would decline it.

Depending on which decision was reached, the student would either begin work on the project at the end of September or else substitute enrolment in the remaining necessary course-work.

The prospectus required of students beginning an Independent Research Project for the M.A. program in the Department of English must be in the following form:

  • a statement of the tentative title of the thesis;
  • the student's name and degree and the name of the Supervisor;
  • a description in not more than 300 words of the student's intentions in the Independent Research Project with only a general description of the methods to be used and no projection of probable conclusions;
  • a written assurance from the Supervisor that the candidate has demonstrated to her or his satisfaction the availability of bibliographical materials for the research involved.

Prospectus for the MA Thesis

  1. Prospective MA thesis students must get in touch with faculty in the Summer Term prior to enrolment to discuss their proposed research. Students planning an MA thesis should obtain the consent of their prospective supervisor before beginning the program  and should consult the adviser/supervisor-designate further while drafting a prospectus.
  2. Submission of the prospectus to CGS (via the Graduate Coordinator) should occur by the first day of classes in the Fall term.
  3. CGS will get a decision back to proposers and advisers/supervisors-designate during the final week of September.

The decision could take three forms:

  1. If the prospectus were sound, it would be approved immediately.
  2. If the prospectus were not fully convincing but could be enhanced readily and quickly, then the student would be asked to re-submit promptly.
  3. If the prospectus were inadequate, CGS would decline it.

Depending on which decision was reached, the student would either begin work on the thesis at the end of September or else substitute enrolment in the remaining necessary course-work.

The prospectus required of students beginning a thesis for the M.A. program in the Department of English must be in the following form:

  • a statement of the tentative title of the thesis;
  • the student's name and degree and the names of the members of the Supervising Committee and its Chair;
  • a description in not more than 300 words of the student's intentions in the thesis, with only a general description of the methods to be used and no projection of probable conclusions;
  • a written assurance from the Supervisory Committee that the candidate has demonstrated to their satisfaction the availability of bibliographical materials for the research involved.