Thesis/Project Proposal

Within two (2) years

The Comprehensive Examination should be successfully completed prior to the Thesis Proposal Defence. See requirements, below.

The student discusses the Thesis topic with their Thesis supervisor and, in conjunction with the Thesis supervisor, prepares a written Thesis proposal outlining the components of the Thesis.

The proposal should include:

• The rationale for the study;
• A literature review;
• A working hypothesis or research questions;
• Research methodology, design, and procedures;
• An examination of the feasibility of conducting the proposed research;
• A reasonable number of properly formatted, peer-reviewed references; and
• A detailed realistic overall timeline and milestones (e.g., a Gantt chart).

See Master of Education Thesis Route on pg. 50. Submitted to the relevant Graduate Program Office.

Students must complete a Thesis Proposal and submit it through the Thesis/Project Proposal form on the SGS Portal.

The Supervisory Committee determines whether the student's proposed research is likely to meet the academic standards of the Master of Science (Management) thesis. In doing so, the Committee assesses whether the research:

• engages relevant scholarly literature and appropriately acknowledges sources;
• employs rigorous and appropriate methods to support valid conclusions;
• contributes original and substantive knowledge to management scholarship;
• demonstrates clear, scholarly writing and a strong understanding of the field; 
• and is free from major conceptual, methodological, or technical errors. 

The student must complete a Thesis Proposal, successfully defend it, and submit the document to the School of Graduate Studies (see Graduate Studies Calendar and Course Catalogue for timelines). The proposal will be a minimum of 4,000 words (excluding references) and should include:

• A literature review;
• A working hypothesis;
• Methodology and experimental design;
• Where possible, preliminary data to assess the feasibility of the proposed research;
• A reasonable number of properly formatted, peer-reviewed references; and
• A Gantt chart with overall timeline and milestones.

Normally the Thesis Proposal will have been thoroughly discussed with and approved by the (co-)supervisor(s) before the student submits and defends it to the members of the Supervisory Committee. The Supervisory Committee will assess the feasibility, literature survey, and methodology, and will identify any shortcomings with regards to the proposed research, including experimental design or timeline. The supervisor may be present at the defence, but in the role of an observer. During the adjudication following the defence, the supervisor can provide feedback to the committee.

The outcomes of the Thesis Proposal are either: Satisfactory or Revise. Following the Thesis Proposal Defence, the Supervisory Committee will submit the Doctoral Post-Admission Thesis Proposal form (www.ulethbridge.ca/graduate-studies/forms) with an attached report to the supervisor, and the School of Graduate Studies. The student and supervisor will address any problems with the Thesis Proposal and the student will send a revised Thesis Proposal to the Supervisory Committee, and the School of Graduate Studies outlining the revisions. The proposal must be completed to the satisfaction of the Supervisory Committee. Submitted to the relevant Graduate Program Office.

About the Thesis Proposal

The student must complete a Thesis Proposal, successfully defend it, and submit the document to the relevant Graduate Program Office within two (2) years after the student registers in their first academic term.

The proposal will be a minimum of 4,000 words, excluding references) and should include:

• A literature review;
• A working hypothesis or research questions;
• Research methodology, design, and procedures;
• An examination of the feasibility of conducting the proposed research;
• A reasonable number of properly formatted, peer-reviewed references; and
• A detailed realistic overall timeline and milestones (e.g., a Gantt chart).

Development of the Thesis Proposal

The student will develop the Thesis Proposal in conjunction with the supervisor. Course content may help refine the Thesis Proposal. Beyond the parameters of the progress and standing meetings, from time-to-time the student and supervisor will meet with and seek feedback from the members of the Supervisory Committee.

Development of the Thesis Proposal will involve:

• Completion of an initial draft of the Thesis Proposal
• Provision of a written review and critique which will guide further development of the Thesis Proposal by the Supervisory Committee
• Preparation of a final draft of the Thesis Proposal
• A recommendation that the Thesis Proposal proceed to Thesis Proposal Defence by the Supervisory Committee

About the Thesis Proposal Defence

The purpose of the Thesis Proposal Defence is to provide the student and the Supervisory Committee with an opportunity to examine work completed to date and to receive input, suggestions, and questions from a wider community of scholars before finalizing the Thesis Proposal.

The Thesis Proposal Defence is a discussion for clarifying methodology, terminology, the research questions, and so on. The supervisor chairs the Thesis Proposal Defence.

Scheduling the Thesis Proposal Defence

At least two (2) weeks prior to the scheduled Thesis Proposal Defence the supervisor notifies the relevant Graduate Program Office of the time, date, and location of the presentation. Normally, all Supervisory Committee members will be present at the Thesis oral defence.

The relevant Graduate Program Office reserves the room and distributes notices to faculty, graduate students, and appropriate guests as suggested by the supervisor.

Conducting the Thesis Proposal Defence

The supervisor, who acts as the Chair of the Thesis Proposal Defence, introduces the student and the Supervisory Committee members, and provides the audience with brief background information about the student and their work.

The student presents the proposal in about 20 to 30 minutes, being certain to include the following information:

• The title
• Introduction
• Background or rationale
• Brief summary of the literature review
• The research question
• The methodology
• The plan for analysis

The supervisor facilitates a discussion, with the goal of receiving input from those present.

Approving the Thesis Proposal

Following the Thesis Proposal Defence, the student makes and appropriate changes and additions to the Thesis Proposal. The student sends a revised Thesis Proposal to the Supervisory Committee outlining the revisions. The Supervisory Committee then meets to formally approve the final Thesis Proposal; the Thesis Proposal must be completed to the satisfaction of the Supervisory Committee.

The supervisor reports the Supervisory Committee’s decision by submitting the signed Approval of Thesis form to the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research in Education.