The GLS Master’s Project Proposal should be developed in conversation between the student and their supervisor. It should be 3-4 pages and should include the information below. 

A solid draft proposal should be sent to your supervisor and GLS committee chair (either Dr. Whisnant or Dr. Wicker) ahead of your Proposal Meeting. 

After the meeting, finalize and submit your proposal using the survey at this link. Final proposals should be submitted as PDF with the file named as follows:  LastnameFirstname_MPProposalFinal_YYYYMMDD (where the date is the date you submit it).  For instance, WhisnantAnne_MPProposalFinal_20240614.

Once the final version is submitted, you will receive a permission number to enroll in LS 850, the Master’s Project Seminar.

Required Information

Student’s Name

Supervisor’s Name

Anticipated Project Semester

TOPIC: What is your topic and why does it interest you?

MATERIALS: What are the main materials you plan to work with?  This could include things like:  historical sources you plan to analyze, objects you are examining, interviews or surveys you hope to conduct, literary works, music, or artistic productions you’ll be looking at, statistical data you’ll be exploring, subjects you plan to photograph, etc.

METHODS: What are the methods or tools you plan to employ or the skills you wish to practice?  Primary source historical research? Interviews? Data analysis? Creative writing? Mapping?  Film? Audio documentary? Photography? And so forth. 

FORM: What will you be creating?  What form will the final project take?  Scholarly paper? Exhibit? Artistic creation(s)? Play, short story, or other piece of creative writing?  Web project?  Maps? Podcast? Photography collection? Film? And so forth. 

AUDIENCE: Who do you imagine as the major audience(s) for your creation?  Who are you trying to speak to?  This could be scholars in field X, practitioners of field Y, particular communities of the public, even yourself or your own family or loved ones, etc.

GLS BACKGROUND: What GLS courses or other experiences you’ve had while in the program are relevant to the project?  What learning experiences on your GLS journey have led you to this moment or helped introduce you to the topics, formats, or methodologies that will be part of your project?   

CONTEXT AND FRAME: What conversation is going on about this topic among scholars or other experts or practitioners that is relevant to helping you frame your work?  Include a short bibliography of related readings or resources that have inspired you or that you plan to consult.

GOALS:  What do you hope to achieve for yourself by spending a semester on this project?