* Students understand how a research proposal is built as well as how it is assessed.
* Students produce a thesis research proposal, translating a sustainability issue into scientific research questions supported by the academic literature, link it to a relevant research design and methods.
* Students assess the proposal of other students, using scientific arguments.
* Students defend your proposal, using scientific arguments.

The thesis trajectory of the Master SSPS programme consists of two phases: first, the Thesis Research Proposal (SSP3011) and second, the Master Thesis: research, writing, and presenting (SSP3021).

Delivering a Master’s thesis is a demanding task. It may be your first experience in developing crucial generic research skills. These skills concern, in particular, identifying a relevant research topic, studying the literature to identify knowledge gaps, formulating research questions, selecting a suitable research strategy and methods, planning your research and organizing time, collecting and analysing data, reporting your research in a thesis, and presenting it to your supervisors.

From a students’ perspective, the thesis trajectory is above all an individual process where you have to prove that you can organize and implement a piece of scientific research completely on your own, but under guidance of your supervisors.

In the Thesis Research Proposal (TRP) course you will work on your research proposal. The course aims to be a learning community of students under guidance of the course coordinator and tutors and supported by the supervisors. In the course specific attention is given to formulating scientific research questions and selecting suitable research methods. During tutorials students present their research questions, research methods, and TRP outline, and provide feedback to others. At the end of the course each student should have a final TRP, which is the entry point for the Thesis Research, Writing and Presenting period (SSP3021).

Martyn Denscombe’s book Research Proposals – A Practical Guide (2012), 178 pages, Open University Press.