Program Requirements and Milestones

Your Supervisory Committee must approve your formal thesis proposal no later than 12 months from the date you started your program. Your committee will need to note this in the minutes of the supervisory committee meeting where it is approved. Both the supervisory committee meeting minutes and final proposal must be submitted to your program administrator. 

Note that your approved proposal may be required to receive Ethics approval which must be obtained prior to commencing research.

Format: 

The research proposal must be between 13 and 17 single-spaced pages (excluding figures, tables and references, .75 inch margins and 12 point font). A suggested (but not mandatory) format for the research proposal is:

• • Introduction (approximately 4-6 pages – should contain an appropriate literature review of the field and the project)
• • Relevant Preliminary Data (approximately 3-4 pages)
• • Hypothesis and Specific Aims (approximately 1/2 page)
• • Experimental Plan (approximately 5-6 pages)
• • Significance (1/2 pages)

MDCH Proposal Requirements

Thesis proposals are detailed documents that outline the research approach and methods that will be undertaken in the thesis research. MDCH students are expected to incorporate feedback from their supervisory committee on the preliminary proposal and prepare a more detailed thesis proposal, which should be between 10 and 15 single-spaced pages (excluding figures, tables, and references, 0.75 inch margins and 12-point font). A suggested (but not mandatory)format for the written thesis proposal is:

• Introduction and Literature Review (approximately 4 to 6 pages – should contain a review of relevant theoretical frameworks, definitions or key terms, critical review of the existing published research related to the project, and end with a problem statement or research question(s) and the significance of the proposed study)
• Research Methods/Experimental Plan (approximately 5 to 6 pages – should describe the setting and context, participants, sampling, participant recruitment, data collection, and data analysis plan)
• Ethical Considerations (approximately 1 page – should include a description of data handling procedures)
• Significance (1/2 page)
• Budget and Justification (1-2 pages)
• Dissemination and/or Knowledge Translation plan (approximately 1 page);
• Research Timeline (approximately 1 page)

A draft of your proposal should be submitted to your committee by 12 months into the program (please note that this is not the formal thesis proposal evaluation step of candidacy. Your official proposal approval occurs at the Proposal Evaluation Meeting. See the guidelines for Admission to Candidacy section further down on this page). The draft should be approved by your supervisory committee and noted in the supervisory committee meeting minutes when it is reviewed.

Thesis proposals go through multiple drafts with your supervisory committee.  It is important for students to seek feedback from their supervisor and committee before submitting a final draft for approval. Review your specific program requirements for more information.

Format: 

The research proposal must be between 13 and 17 single-spaced pages (excluding figures, tables and references, .75 inch margins and 12 point font). A suggested (but not mandatory) format for the research proposal is:

• • Introduction (approximately 4-6 pages – should contain an appropriate literature review of the field and the project)
• • Relevant Preliminary Data (approximately 3-4 pages)
• • Hypothesis and Specific Aims (approximately 1/2 page)
• • Experimental Plan (approximately 5-6 pages)
• • Significance (1/2 pages)

MDCH PhD Draft Proposal Requirements

Thesis proposals are detailed documents that outline the research approach and methods that will be undertaken in the thesis research. MDCH students are expected to incorporate feedback from their supervisory committee on the preliminary proposal and prepare a more detailed thesis proposal, which should be between 10 and 15 single-spaced pages (excluding figures, tables, and references, 0.75 inch margins and 12-point font). A suggested (but not mandatory)format for the written thesis proposal is:

• Introduction and Literature Review (approximately 4 to 6 pages – should contain a review of relevant theoretical frameworks, definitions or key terms, critical review of the existing published research related to the project, and end with a problem statement or research question(s) and the significance of the proposed study)
• Research Methods/Experimental Plan (approximately 5 to 6 pages – should describe the setting and context, participants, sampling, participant recruitment, data collection, and data analysis plan)
• Ethical Considerations (approximately 1 page – should include a description of data handling procedures)
• Significance (1/2 page)
• Budget and Justification (1-2 pages)
• Dissemination and/or Knowledge Translation plan (approximately 1 page);
• Research Timeline (approximately 1 page)