Alumni Resources
Your affiliation with the NUST alumni network can be transformative, both personally and professionally. NUST’s greatest strength is YOU. Even if you haven’t been in touch since graduation, it’s easy to reconnect. As alumni, you have access to many points of connection. Here are a few resources available for you to explore. Together, we will ensure NUST’s position at the leading edge of business and practice and always be the industry’s number one choice.
Further Your Studies
How to write a Research Proposal
What is a research proposal?
A research proposal is a concise and coherent summary of your proposed research. It sets out the central issues or questions that you intend to address. It outlines the general area of study within which your research falls, referring to the current state of knowledge and any recent debates on the topic. It also demonstrates the originality of your proposed research.
The proposal is the most important document that you submit as part of the application process. It gives you an opportunity to demonstrate that you have the aptitude for graduate-level research, for example, by demonstrating that you have the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly, concisely and critically. The proposal also helps us to match your research interest with an appropriate supervisor.
What should you include in the proposal?
Regardless of whether you are applying for the MPhil or PhD programmes, your research proposal should normally include the following information:
Title
Title
This is just a tentative title for your intended research. You will be able to revise your title during the course of your research if you are accepted for admission. Your title should give a clear indication of your proposed research approach or key question.
Background and Rationale
You should include:
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the background and issues of your proposed research
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identify your discipline
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a short literature review
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a summary of key debates and developments in the field
Research Context
You should explain the broad background against which you will conduct your research. You should include a brief overview of the general area of study within which your proposed research falls, summarising the current state of knowledge and recent debates on the topic. This will allow you to demonstrate a familiarity with the relevant field as well as the ability to communicate clearly and concisely. Research
Questions
Questions
The proposal should set out the central aims and questions that will guide your research. Before writing your proposal, you should take time to reflect on the key questions that you are seeking to answer. Many research proposals are too broad, so reflecting on your key research questions is a good way to make sure that your project is sufficiently narrow and feasible (i.e. one that is likely to be completed with the normal period for a MPhil or PhD degree).
You might find it helpful to prioritize one or two main questions, from which you can then derive a number of secondary research questions. The proposal should also explain your intended approach to answering the questions: will your approach be empirical, doctrinal or theoretical etc?
Research Methodology
Research Methodology
The proposal should outline your research methods, explaining how you are going to conduct your research.
You should provide an outline of:
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the theoretical resources to be drawn on
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the research approach (theoretical framework)
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the research methods appropriate for the proposed research
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a discussion of advantages as well as limits of particular approaches and methods
Significance of Research
The proposal should demonstrate the originality of your intended research. You should therefore explain why your research is important (for example, by explaining how your research builds on and adds to the current state of knowledge in the field or by setting out reasons why it is timely to research your proposed topic).
Bibliography
Bibliography
The proposal should include a short bibliography identifying the most relevant works for your topic.
How long should the proposal be?
The proposal should usually be around 2,500 words. It is important to bear in mind that specific departmental request or funding bodies might have different word limits.
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Centre for Continuing Education
Wider Professional Network
NUST alumni is rife with opportunities for expanding a graduate's professional network. Graduates have the opportunity to network with recent grads as well as graduates several years their senior and these connections can lead to internships, jobs, clients, partnerships and other valuable career opportunities. In addition, having an alma mater in common and being able to network via regular in-person events or online platforms makes it easier to form and maintain these valuable connections.
Exclusive Online Job Listings
Alumni led organizations offer exclusive job opportunities for fellow alumni. These opportunities are not widely published elsewhere