Writing a PhD Research Proposal
Aims
Participants will learn how to write a high quality PhD research proposal consisting of a series of studies that will be of interest to high quality international peer reviewed journals. They will acquire the relevant knowledge and skills to conduct an in-depth literature study on a subject in the domain of assessment and evaluation or learning environments, to formulate research questions and to choose an appropriate research methodology. Also the course offers participants an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the SHE research programme and the SHE research community.
Course characteristics
The course starts with an eight days campus-based part in Maastricht. Various specialists in educational research will contribute to the course as tutors and in special consultation sessions. Participants will be assigned a personal supervisor, who provides feedback and coaching during the whole of the course. At the end participants will have completed a preliminary version of their PhD research proposal.
During the second, distance-based, part of the course participants complete, refine and improve their preliminary PhD proposal, supported by feedback from their personal supervisor by email and Skype. Participants return to Maastricht for the third part of the course. During this campus-based part, participants present their PhD research proposal to the SHE research community and finalise their proposal. The proposal has then reached the stage where participants are ready to start collecting data in their own educational setting. The PhD proposal course requires a total time investment of 360 hours.
A certificate will be awarded to participants upon completion of the course. Participants can also choose to participate in one part of the course only. After completing the full course they can apply for admittance to the international SHE PhD programme by submitting their PhD research proposal to the director of the SHE research programme.
Course faculty
Tutoring, coaching and guidance are provided by internationally renowned and highly experienced researchers within SHE: Jeroen van Merriënboer, Cees van der Vleuten, Tim Dornan, Albert Scherpbier, Diana Dolmans, Anique de Bruin, Karen Könings, Arno Muijtjens and Renée Stalmeijer.
Which needs are met by this course?
SHE offers a PhD programme in which many foreign candidates participate. The programme has an excellent reputation. Admission to the programme is subject to approval of a high-quality PhD research proposal submitted by the prospective candidate. Over the years we have received many requests from prospective PhD candidates asking for assistance in writing a PhD research proposal. This advanced course is designed to meet the needs of these candidates.
Where does the course take place and how long does it take?
The main part of the course is distance based, and it is preceded and followed by campus based activities in Maastricht. After the first campus-based part in Maastricht, participants return home for the 15-week distance based part of the course, during which they are coached online and via Skype by a personal supervisor from the School of Health Professions Education. The course ends with a campus-based part. The whole course takes 18 weeks (about 5 months).
The course starts each year in October and ends in March of the following year. After 8 weeks a binding advice will be given whether the participant may continue or should stop participating in the course. Participants will only be allowed to continue the course if their progress so far is of a sufficient level. If, at that point, the participant is not allowed to continue the course because insufficient progress has been made, the participant does not have to pay the second instalment of the tuition fee.
How much time is required for the course?
During the campus-based parts, participants will spend about 4 hours of scheduled activities (workshops and lectures) and 4 hours of self-study activities each day. The first campus-based part takes 8 days. The campus-based parts of the course take a total of 120 hours. During the distance-based part participants are expected to work on their research proposal during at least two days per week for a period of 15 weeks (240 hours). During this period each participant is coached by their supervisor by email or Skype. The course takes a total of 360 hours (12 ECTS; European Credit Transfer System).
When does the course take place?
The course starts in October. The first campus-based part is scheduled for the first part of October and the second campus-based part for the first week of March in the following year. The distance work is done between October and February.
Tentative Programme October 2012
Application and admissions
FAQ's
