mphil research proposal sample

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Your MPhil research proposal should be approximately one page in length.

• Your research proposal should clearly articulate what you want to research and why. It should indicate a proposed approach to your given field of study. It should nevertheless retain sufficient flexibility to accommodate any changes you need to make as your research progresses.
• You should try to show how your postgraduate plans emerge from your undergraduate work and may move it on.
• You should try to show how your proposed research will build on existing knowledge or address any gaps or shortcomings.  You should accordingly mention existing scholarship, if necessary with certain qualifications – (eg. ‘Smith has written extensively on the theatre of Pirandello, but fails to mention…).
• Identify a potential Supervisor.

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Research Proposal Example/Sample

Detailed Walkthrough + Free Proposal Template

If you’re getting started crafting your research proposal and are looking for a few examples of research proposals , you’ve come to the right place.

In this video, we walk you through two successful (approved) research proposals , one for a Master’s-level project, and one for a PhD-level dissertation. We also start off by unpacking our free research proposal template and discussing the four core sections of a research proposal, so that you have a clear understanding of the basics before diving into the actual proposals.

• Research proposal example/sample – Master’s-level (PDF/Word)
• Research proposal example/sample – PhD-level (PDF/Word)
• Proposal template (Fully editable) 

If you’re working on a research proposal for a dissertation or thesis, you may also find the following useful:

• Research Proposal Bootcamp : Learn how to write a research proposal as efficiently and effectively as possible
• 1:1 Proposal Coaching : Get hands-on help with your research proposal

PS – If you’re working on a dissertation, be sure to also check out our collection of dissertation and thesis examples here .

FAQ: Research Proposal Example

Research proposal example: frequently asked questions, are the sample proposals real.

Yes. The proposals are real and were approved by the respective universities.

Can I copy one of these proposals for my own research?

As we discuss in the video, every research proposal will be slightly different, depending on the university’s unique requirements, as well as the nature of the research itself. Therefore, you’ll need to tailor your research proposal to suit your specific context.

You can learn more about the basics of writing a research proposal here .

How do I get the research proposal template?

You can access our free proposal template here .

Is the proposal template really free?

Yes. There is no cost for the proposal template and you are free to use it as a foundation for your research proposal.

Where can I learn more about proposal writing?

For self-directed learners, our Research Proposal Bootcamp is a great starting point.

For students that want hands-on guidance, our private coaching service is recommended.

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Research Proposal Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

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• How to write your research proposal

An MPhil research proposal should be 500 words long. It needs to give those assessing your application an impression of the strength and originality of your proposed research, and its potential to make a contribution to knowledge. It should be written in clear, jargon-free, and unexceptionable prose. Grammatical mistakes and typographical errors give a very bad impression. You should make sure you cover the following areas (without explicitly dividing the proposal into headings).

The research topic

• Briefly outline the area and topic of your proposed research.

The research context

• Relate your proposed research to other work in its field or related fields, and indicate in what ways your research will differ; you might mention monographs on the subject, as well as important theoretical models or methodological exemplars: this is a chance to show your understanding of the background against which your research will be defined.

The contribution you will make

• This is your chance to show how you have arrived at your position and recognised the need for your research, and what it is that makes it both new and important; you should indicate what areas and debates it will have an impact on, what methodological example it sets (if appropriate) – in short how it contributes to knowledge and to the practice of Digital Humanities.  Give examples of the sort of evidence you might consider, and of the questions it might help you to raise. Show that you are already thinking about the area in detail and not only in outline.

Your methods

• You do not necessarily need to define a methodology but if there is something striking about your proposed methodology, and this is central to your proposal you should point to this.

The sources and resources you will use

• You should delimit your field of enquiry, showing where the project begins and ends; in certain cases, Cambridge will have unique collections and resources of central relevance to your project, and you should mention these if they are relevant.

How the project will develop

• You might indicate some of the possible ways in which the project could develop, perhaps by giving a broader or narrower version depending on what materials and issues you uncover, or which critical, theoretical or methodological approaches you decide to pursue.

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PhD in Latin American Studies

Funding for Postgraduate Study

parada_del_tren_juliaca_cuzco.jpg

As part of your application for the MPhil in Latin American Studies, you are asked to submit a short research proposal for the dissertation you intend to write. Your proposal should persuade your readers of the significance and feasibility of your project, and of your suitability to carry it out. Be as specific as you can about the material/subject you wish to research, your methods, and your hypotheses. Any research project will naturally change shape as you begin work on it, and you are free to alter your approach later, in agreement with your supervisor. You may also choose a different topic when you arrive in Cambridge, providing that suitable supervision can be found.

You are not expected to contact a proposed supervisor before you submit your application, but you may, if you wish, indicate on your application form if there is someone you would particularly like to supervise your dissertation.

How will my research proposal be evaluated?

Your proposal will be assessed against a range of criteria. These are likely to include:

• the significance of the research project
• the quality and originality of your ideas
• the feasibility of your project: does it look likely that it will be completed within the time available? Are your methods appropriately chosen?
• how well you are able to situate your ideas within broader debates
• your knowledge of the subject and existing literature relevant to your project
• evidence of critical thinking
• the degree to which your previous studies have adequately equipped you for this project
• the precision, accuracy and fluency of your written style, and your ability to formulate and structure ideas effectively

What should I include in my research proposal?

A research proposal should identify a problem, justify its importance, and propose a feasible and effective way of addressing it. You must therefore contextualize your research questions in the relevant literature, argue convincingly that these questions should be studied, and show that you are capable of answering them in the space of 15,000 words, which is the maximum length of the dissertation for the MPhil in Latin American Studies. You should draft a clear, concise, and coherent research proposal of around 500 words (excluding any references), ensuring that you cover all the points below.

• Define your research questions clearly and succinctly, and explain why they are important.
• Indicate what has already been published on the subject and how your research will extend or challenge that work, or how it will fill a gap in scholarship.
• Outline the intervention(s) you intend to make within broader debates and the original contribution(s) you expect to make to existing knowledge and/or conceptual frameworks.
• Explain the methods you will use in your research and justify them as appropriate.
• Give details of any fieldwork you intend to carry out.
• Outline the skills and experience you bring to the project, and how your previous studies have prepared you to carry it through to successful completion.

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Preparing a research proposal

Application Documents

What to submit at CUHK Online Application System

(Document with an asterisk (*) has to be submitted in hardcopies too)

•  *i. An official transcript (with a complete record of courses attended and examination results) and an official grading scheme, in a sealed envelope with an official university stamp sent directly from the issuing university’s academic office to our office ; a Transcript Submission Covering Sheet downloaded from the CUHK Online Application System should be attached with your official transcript and the grading scheme; or

   ii. Scanned copies of the latest official academic transcripts with an official chop from the Registry or Office responsible for handling student records, with explanatory notes printed/attached to the transcript indicating the grading scheme of the University, are accepted for issuing the admission offers; and/or

  iii. ( For applicants who obtained degrees from universities in mainland China)  A copy of the Online Verification Report of Qualification Certificate (教育部學歷證書電子註冊備案表) (in Chinese) issued by the  CHESICC (學信網) ( Sample ) .

iv. ( For applicants who obtained degrees from universities in mainland China)  A copy of the Online Verification Report of Higher Education Degree Certificate (中國高等教育學位線上驗證報告) (in Chinese) issued by the  CHESICC (學信網) ( Sample ) .

• Copies of certificates of academic/professional qualifications may include university certificates of graduation, examination certificates and proof of other qualifications;
• *i. An official and valid score report of IELTS (Academic), TOEFL or GMAT (Verbal) sent directly from the test organisation concerned to our office; or

  ii. A copy of the graduation certificate issued by a university in Hong Kong; or

  iii. A certifying letter issued by the university’s academic office confirming the medium of instruction of your degree programme was English; or

  iv. Certification of Results of the English Language subject in Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (AS Level), or Hong Kong Higher Level Examination, or Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination provided by Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority; or

 *v. A certified true copy of Statement of Results/report of the English Language subject in General Certificate of Education (GCE) A-level or AS-level/CUHK Matriculation Examination; or

  *vi. A certified true copy of the certificate of a recognised professional qualification for which the examination was conducted in English.

• *An official GMAT, GMAT Online Exam, GRE or GRE Test at Home test report directly sent from the organisation concerned to our office.
• 3 Reference letters  (Referees can submit confidential recommendation forms via the  Online Application System for Postgraduate Programmes  (preferred) or in a sealed envelope with the referee’s signature.)
• A copy of passport/HKID card or other identity documents as filled in the application form.
• A copy of your latest CV
• A personal statement/statement of purpose to state (i) your reasons for pursuing either MPhil or PhD degree programme and (ii) your career goals and aspirations.
• A research proposal/plan to demonstrate your research interests/topics.
• A copy of your previous written work(s) (i.e., thesis, research project/report or publication) to demonstrate your research capabilities and achievements.
• Copies of awards and qualifications, if applicable.

For documents to be submitted in hardcopy

• Please write down your applied programme name and your 8-digit application number (in pencil) at the top right corner of your submitted documents, e.g. “PhD in Business Administration, 20010901”.
• Address Office of Research and MPhil-PhD Programmes 1503, 15/F, Cheng Yu Tung Building, 12 Chak Cheung Street, Shatin, N. T., Hong Kong
• ETS (GRE, GRE Test at Home): 7488
• GMAC (GMAT, GMAT Online Exam)/GMAT(Verbal): R9H-0W-04
• TOEFL: B022
• To avoid any postal/courier service delays, applicants should mail their application documents as early as possible.
• If you wish to know whether the application documents have been delivered to our office, please send an email to [email protected] with your (i) application number, (ii) ID/passport number, (iii) date of birth, and (iv) the types of application document(s) concerned.

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Faculties' Requirement Regarding Submission of Research Proposal and Statement of Research Interest from PhD/MPhil Applicants

Research Proposal Download

For PhD applicants: Research Proposal (no standardized template)

Length: 4 to 5 pages Format: Double-spaced Instruction: It should outline a clearly-considered and defined research topic, with an account of research questions and methodology proposed, an explanation of the value and originality of the research, and a bibliography. Applicants are advised to visit the individual departmental websites for the respective departments' guidelines on the format of research proposal required.

For MPhil applicants: Research Proposal (no standardized template)

Length: 3 to 4 pages Format: Double-spaced Instruction: It should include a brief account of the applicant's academic history (including what he/she studied and what in particular has interested him/her; also, where relevant, the reason why he/she wants to undertake research at HKU). The proposal should set out the area of study he/she proposes to work in, and the research he/she intends to do in it. The Faculty understands that the proposal at this stage will be provisional, but it should show that the applicant knows something about the field, has started on the relevant reading, and has a sense of the interesting research questions and problems likely to be faced, of the methodology proposed and, if relevant, the resources required. The applicant should append a preliminary bibliography. Applicants are advised to visit the individual departmental websites for the respective departments' guidelines on the format of research proposal required.

For PhD applicants: Research Proposal Download

For PhD applicants: Research Proposal No standardized form

Length: Not more than 20 pages (Including a 1-page abstract, and excluding references) Format: Font size 12; Double-spaced Instruction: It should give a clear description of the particular aspect of the field in which you are interested and explain the particular approach which you propose to take in studying the subject matter.

Important notes: All PhD theses should be written in English. For applicants whose research topic is in Chinese Language Education, approval may be granted for their thesis to be written in Chinese. Applications for such approval should be submitted at the time of application for admission. If an applicant intends to write the thesis in Chinese, the 1-page abstract should still be written in English but the Research Proposal may be written in Chinese. Applicants have to include a declaration in their research proposal to confirm whether (i) the proposal is all his/her own work; names of persons who have provided contribution and the nature and extent of their contribution should be specified if otherwise; and (ii) whether the proposal, in parts or in whole, has not been published or submitted to any institution; the extent and the details of the publication and/or submission to the institution(s) should be specified if otherwise.

For MPhil applicants: Research Proposal Summary Download

Important notes: All MPhil theses should be written in English. For applicants whose research topic is in Chinese Language Education, special approval may be granted for their thesis to be written in Chinese. Applications for such special approval should be submitted at the time of application for admission. If an applicant intends to write the thesis in Chinese, the 6-page research proposal summary should still be written in English. Applicants are required to declare (i) whether the research proposal submitted is all his/her own work; names of persons who have provided contribution and the nature and extent of their contribution should be specified if otherwise; and (ii) whether the proposal, in parts or in whole, has not been published or submitted to any institution; the extent and the details of the publication and/or submission to the institution(s) should be specified if otherwise

For MPhil applicants: Research Proposal Download Length: 4 pages

For MPhil applicants: Statement of Research Interest No standardized template

For all applicants (except for the Department of Sociology and Hong Kong Institute of Humanities & Social Sciences) Research Proposal Download

For applicants to Department of Sociology: Research Proposal Download

For applicants to Hong Kong Institute of Humanities & Social Sciences: Research Proposal Download Length: max. 8 pages Format: Double-spaced