Your thesis or dissertation prospectus M.A. and Ph.D. students in history are required to write a thesis prospectus, and defend it in front of their advisory committee. This requirement may not be waived. The Graduate School requires all committee members to sign the prospectus approval form for the PhD dissertation prospectus.The major professor and advisory committee shall guide the student in planning the dissertation. The student will prepare a dissertation prospectus. When the major professor certifies that the dissertation prospectus is satisfactory, it must be formally considered by the advisory committee in a meeting with the student. This formal consideration may not take the place of the comprehensive oral examination.Approval of the dissertation prospectus signifies that members of the advisory committee believe that it proposes a satisfactory research study. Approval of the prospectus requires the agreement of the advisory committee with no more than one dissenting vote as evidenced by their signing an appropriate form, which, together with the approved prospectus, is filed with the [history department]. Please use the form links at the bottom of the page to submit the results of your prospectus defense. A hard copy of the actual prospectus must be attached. Please schedule the defense of your prospectus at a date and time agreed upon by your Advisory Committee. A prospectus defense may be scheduled only upon approval of the Major Professor and satisfactory academic progress of the graduate student. Conference room or faculty lounge reservations: sign up on the calendar next to the room. Prior to scheduling the prospectus defense, the following forms must have previously been submitted to the department and approved by the graduate school: Advisory Committee form Program of Study (For PhD students only) The final results and approval of Comprehensive Examinations – this may also be done the same day as the prospectus defense upon request. Please see your Major Professor for specific points of inclusion or tips on writing about your specific research project. There are many good sites online for examples of an appropriate research prospectus; the following sites are just a few examples: Brown U, history – prospectus writing tips Harvard U, history – dissertation prospectus HistoryProfess.org – Zachary Schrag’s How to Write a Prospectus ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The following are PDF forms. 1. Download the appropriate form to your computer. M.A. Thesis prospectus cover sheet (PDF) Ph.D. Dissertation prospectus cover sheet (PDF) 2. complete the form. 3. Re-save the form to your computer. 4. Print the form and have your Major Professor approve and sign it beore submitting the coversheet and prospectus to the graduate program office.
