To apply for doctoral study, you need to apply online and submit a research proposal. Your research proposal should normally consist of between three to five pages (1,500-2,000 words, not including bibliography).
1. Title of the project.
2. Brief abstract (50-80 words)
3. Your proposed field of study, giving an indication of why you think your research will be an original contribution to knowledge or understanding, and why you think your research matters.
Note that originality may take many forms: identifying a new field of study or practice – perhaps a field that has been previously overlooked, or a recently emerged phenomenon; offering a new theoretical approach to understanding an existing field of study or practice; offering new empirical evidence to modify knowledge or understanding in an existing field of study; proposing new methodological or technical approaches to a field of study or practice, etc.
4. Identification of key research questions (the ‘what?’, ‘how?’; ‘why?' of your project). It would be normal to present about three main research questions.
5. The research context for your study, identifying relevant work in the field of study or practice, any theoretical approaches to be employed, etc.
6. Methodology – how do you hope to achieve your research aims and outcomes? How will you answer your research questions?
7. A specimen bibliography, videography, or inventory of online resources.
Potential supervisors
If you have already identified a member of faculty with whom you would like to study, you may indicate this in your application. Otherwise your proposal will be sent to the most appropriate members of faculty for evaluation. Sometimes we may get back to you to ask you to clarify or develop your proposal before being able to give it proper consideration.
All students have two supervisors, chosen for their appropriate subject expertise. If you are accepted for study, you will be informed who your suggested supervisors are.