The Faculty of Business and Government at University of Canberra requires you to prepare a research proposal of 4-5 pages (maximum) as part of your application for a research degree course. This is a serious undertaking; it is used with your qualifications and referees reports to decide on your capability to do research. Make sure it is a scholarly document and include references and a bibliography. Talk to friends and colleagues at home and abroad who have done a research degree or who know your research area.

Research proposals for PhD courses are expected to be at an advanced level. In many cases, after you are admitted and commence your PhD you will change your proposal as you talk with your supervisor and read more about your research area. Applicants for a Professional Doctorate or Masters by research course would normally be expected to further develop their research proposal as part of their candidature.

You can find help in writing your research proposal on our Research Students Office website.

You may wish to use these headings:

1. Context for research and justification for the project: why is this project important?
2. Review of some of the relevant research – be up to date; what is known already and how will your research make an original contribution to knowledge? In this section demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the topic.
3. Methodology, methods and justification. Why was this method chosen and not another? How will this method provide the data needed?