Due date: Fourth year, end of spring semester

Special note re: deadlines and steps in the approval process

• There are 2 steps in the approval process, and these can be time-consuming. Students facing important deadlines for an approved prospectus (e.g., for filing the dissertation or for a Dissertation Fellowship) need to allow sufficient time for these steps, and to plan accordingly.

 

Steps:  i. Approval by advisory committee
                        ii. Review within department (see below)

• After approval by department review, the Prospectus is forwarded by the Department Head to the Graduate School for final approval by the Graduate Faculty Council.
• Approval by the Graduate Faculty Council requires final approval for the use of any human or animal subjects involved in the research (if applicable)

Options for Step ii: For either option, the first step is approval by the committee.

After the committee approves, one of the following should happen:

A.  The written prospectus is reviewed by two faculty members not on the committee who read it. Faculty are normally given 2 weeks to do this. Students should thus allow at least one month for the completion of step ii (in case changes are needed).

B.  The student gives a presentation to the faculty, including at least two faculty members not on the committee. Then all the faculty members in attendance discuss whether or not to approve. It is the student’s responsibility to find a time that sufficient faculty members can attend.

Note: students are reminded that scheduling for option A and especially B may take significantly longer in periods when classes are not in session (e.g., summer).

Dissertation Fellowships and Prospectus Deadline

• Eligibility for the Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship (currently $2000) from the UConn Research Foundation requires final approval of the prospectus by the Graduate Faculty Council (step iii). Annual deadlines for this competition are in November and June. Refer to the grad school website for particulars (including application form, eligibility requirements, and deadlines).

     http://www.grad.uconn.edu/funding_resources.html

The prospectus is a well-thought-out description of the work one proposes to undertake for the dissertation. It is a proposal, not a finished project. Yet, enough work should have been done on the project to indicate that it will be successful.

The prospectus should be submitted before preparation of the dissertation is well underway. Failure to present the prospectus early may result in wasted effort on a dissertation. The prospectus should be submitted to the head of the department at least six months before the filing of the dissertation at the Graduate Records Office (prior to the oral defense), and the prospectus should gain the approval of the Executive Committee of the Graduate Faculty Council at least three months before the filing of the dissertation. The prospectus should not be submitted before the Ph.D. Plan of Study has been fully approved.

The prospectus must first be approved by all members of the student's advisory committee. Three copies of the prospectus, together with the signed yellow prospectus forms issued by the graduate school, are to be submitted to the Department Head. The prospectus will be reviewed by two members of the faculty who are not on the committee, chosen by the Department Head.

The prospectus should emphasize the theoretical relevance of the study for linguists who are not specialists in the area of the dissertation. It should include relevant background, and point out the novelty of the proposed study.

In undertaking their review, the reviewers will ask:

• Does the student indicate to the linguist who is not an expert in the specific area of the dissertation that the project is soundly conceived and the prospectus thoughtfully written?
• Is the prospectus well written, well organized, and well argued?
• Does the prospectus describe a project of appropriate scope?
• Does the student demonstrate full knowledge of the subject and an understanding of the proposed method of investigation?
• Does the student show awareness of the relevant research by others?
• Does the student show how the proposed investigation, if successful, will contribute to scientific knowledge?

 

The prospectus should include:

• an accurate title;
• a concise statement including:
• the purpose, importance, and novelty of the study;
• for experimental works, the methods and techniques to be used in data collection and analysis;
• information about what languages will be studied, and why
• a selected bibliography.

 

The prospectus is to be as brief as possible without sacrificing completeness. The limit is 15 pages, with 1-1/2 line spacing, no smaller than 10 point type, and no smaller than 1-inch margins all around. The bibliography is not included in the 15-page limit.

After the reviewers have read the proposal or considered the oral presentation, they will recommend one of the following:

• Approve
• Approve with comments
• Revision needed
• Reject

 

The reviewers will communicate results to the student, the student's Major Advisor, and the Faculty, within two weeks of receipt of the prospectus. The Department Head will inform the graduate school of an approved prospectus and forward the three copies together with the signed yellow forms to Tom Peters, Assistant Dean for Graduate School Affairs and Records. A memo will also be sent to the student.