westminster phd research proposal

Library Guides

Dissertations 1: getting started: planning.

• Starting Your Dissertation
• Choosing A Topic and Researching
• Devising An Approach/Method
• Thinking Of A Title
• Writing A Proposal

Planning Your Time

The dissertation is a large project, so it needs careful planning. To organise your time, you can try the following:  

Break down the dissertation into smaller stages to complete (e.g., literature search, read materials, data collection, write literature review section…). 

Create a schedule. Working backwards from your deadline, decide when you will complete each stage. 

Set aside time to regularly work on the dissertation. 

Consider what times of day you are most alert and what makes a suitable space to study. 

Identify a specific task to work on. 

If overwhelmed, try to identify one task that needs doing rather than focusing on the larger project. 

Leave time to redraft, proof-read, format, and complete the reference list. 

Gantt Charts

As the dissertation project involves certain processes to take place simultaneously, rather than in a sequence, you can use a Gantt chart to organise your time.  

A Gantt chart is a bar chart which shows the schedule for a project. The project is broken down into key tasks/elements to be completed. A start and finish date for each task/element of the project is given. Some tasks are scheduled at the same time or may overlap. Others will start when a task has been completed. 

To produce a Gantt chart, you can use Word, Excel (see example in the attachment) or an online planner.

• Tom's Planner . There's  an example  for you to use to complete your plan. 
• Excel:  example of Gantt Chart in Excel . This is an example of a Gantt chart which can be used to generate a plan of work (timeline) for your dissertation. You can download and edit it as you please. The chart has been created by the University of Leicester. 

Research Data Management

This video helps you to understand the importance of research data management and how you can plan, organise, store, preserve, and share your data.

• Link to video on Research Data Management
• Feedback Form Please give us feedback on our videos!
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• Last Updated: Aug 1, 2023 2:36 PM
• URL: https://libguides.westminster.ac.uk/starting-your-dissertation

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Understanding the application process

The PhD application process has several key steps, from finding a supervisor to writing a research proposal, to completing an interview. It can take anything from a year to 18 months to think about and prepare for an application, so make sure you have given yourself enough time. Making sure you have enough time will ensure that you really think about what you want to do and that your eventual application will be as strong as possible.

Putting together a research proposal

After you've contacted a potential supervisor , and you've heard back that they may be able to supervise you, you can then send them your research proposal.

You should make sure that your research proposal is as polished as you can make it. It may be a draft, but it needs to show you and your potential work in the best light.

It's a good idea to show it to someone else and get their feedback first – someone who taught you on your undergraduate or Master's course is a good idea.

What your research proposal should include

You can find tips on what a research proposal should include on our How to Write your Research Proposal page . Remember that the requirements will be different in different disciplines.

You will need to show:

• That you are aware of and understand the current thinking in your area of research. Cite and quote from specific scholars to show this
• That you see a gap or a lack in the current debate or work, or that it can be expanded or added to in some way. It is fine to disagree with current work as long as you can justify your disagreement. You should also show how the research you are proposing fills this gap
• That you can carry out the proposed research in the time you have to do the degree

Getting feedback on your research proposal

It is likely that your potential supervisor will have suggestions for your draft proposal – this is completely normal and is a sign that they would be an engaged and supportive supervisor. At this stage, you and your potential supervisor are getting to know each other, and thinking about whether you would work well together.

If you do begin a PhD, you will receive lots of feedback, from your main supervisor, from second supervisors, from others at progress review stages, and finally from your examiners. Being open to feedback now will show your supervisor that you are willing to develop. However, if you feel the feedback shows they have not quite understood your project, then they might not be the supervisor for you.

When the application process starts

At the University of Westminster, we have two intakes for those beginning PhDs, one in September and one in January.

The deadlines for applying for each of these varies depending on whether students will need to arrange visas. Remember that the period of processing applications for PhD can be up to three months.

You can find more about when to apply to our research degrees on our How to apply page .

Entry requirements and criteria

Our entry criteria are listed on individual research degree pages. Generally, we ask for a 2:1 in the first degree, and sometimes a Master's. If you are applying for a studentship, particularly from one of the research councils in the UK, it is more likely that a Master's will be required.

Our entry requirements are there to ensure that an applicant is ready to do a PhD, however, there is a lot of evidence that such criteria disadvantage those from underrepresented backgrounds. If you do not meet these criteria it does not mean that you will not be offered a place or that you will not be successful in applying for funding. The most important part of your application is your research proposal. If that is strong, then you have a very good chance of a place and a competitive chance at funding.

If you are in this situation, discuss it before application with your potential supervisor and/or the PhD coordinator or admissions tutor where you are applying. They will help to ensure that your application is strong enough to justify waiving such criteria.

What to expect at the interview

For most research degrees, you'll need to attend an interview before a final decision on your application is made. The interview panel is usually made up of your potential supervisor and one or two people responsible for PhD management in the department or school.

Questions are likely to include:

• why you want to do a PhD
• why you want to study with us
• more detailed questions about your research proposal

This is a chance for the interviewing panel to hear more about your ideas, and for you to talk about why the research you are proposing needs to be done and how you would like to do it.

Try to enjoy talking about your research. You are bound to be a bit nervous – everyone is when being interviewed – but remember that everyone is on your side. They want you to succeed.

At the end of the interview, it is likely that you will be asked if you have any questions for the panel. Make sure you prepare for this and ask questions that show you have thought carefully about what it is like to do a PhD, and that you have done some research on the department. Most departments really want their PhD students to be part of the research community, so have a think about what you would like to be involved in beyond the research itself.

For more information, you can read FindAPhD's helpful guide to PhD interview questions or their top tips for interview success .

Related pages

Fees and funding.

How much will it cost to study a research degree?

Entry requirements

Find out if you can apply for a Research Degree at the University of Westminster.

Research degree by distance learning

Find out about Research Degree distance learning options at the University of Westminster.

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Research Proposals

• Reflective Journal Writing (GE)
• Writing English Abstracts for Chinese Studies
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• UGE: Independent Learning Resources for RE Writing and MLA Citation

General Guidelines on Writing Research Proposals

• Guidelines for Producing a Research Proposal (University of Newcastle) Check out a list of questions that help you plan your research proposal
• Writing Your Research Proposal (London Metropolitan University) Learn about the structure of a research proposal section by section
• Writing Thesis and Dissertation Proposals (Pennsylvania State University) Read a practical guide with examples for research proposals
• Writing a Thesis Proposal (University of Sydney) Download a comprehensive guide to writing a thesis proposal
• How to Write a Good Postgraduate Research Proposal (University of Edinburgh) Check out the golden rules for writing research proposals
• How to Write a Research Proposal (University of Western Sydney) Check out practical tips on how to write a strong research proposal
• Applying for a PhD with LIBS (University of Lincoln) Read about additional tips for writing research proposals
• Writing a Research Proposal (Queen’s University) Avoid common mistakes and learn how to review your own research proposal
• Writing Your Research Proposal (University of Sussex) Glimpse the different requirements for research proposals for various disciplines
• Research Proposals (University of York) Skim the different requirements for research proposals by department
• How to Write your PhD by Published Work Research Proposal (University of Westminster) Learn how to present your portfolio of publications in your PhD research proposal
• Guidelines for Research Proposals (University of Brighton) Learn about possible reasons for a rejected research proposal
• Writing a Research Proposal (University of Birmingham) Watch a video to learn how to answer "what", "why" and "how" in your research proposal
• How to Write a PhD Research Proposal (University of Reading) Watch a webinar on writing research proposals for arts, humanities, and sciences
• Writing a Research Proposal (Teesside University) Go through an online tutorial with activities to check your understanding in research proposal writing

Discipline-specific Research Proposal Guidelines and Samples

• Arts (University of the Arts London; guidelines)
• Biology (Lafayette College; 2 samples)
• Business Administration (University of Swansea; guidelines)
• Chemical Engineering (MIT; guidelines and 2 samples with comments)
• Civil Engineering (University of New Mexico; guidelines)
• Civil Engineering (University of Houston; 1 sample with comments)
• Computer Science (California State University; guidelines)
• Computer Science (MIT; 1 sample)
• Education (East Carolina University; guidelines)
• Education (York St John University; 1 sample)
• Engineering (John Hopkins University; guidelines)
• English (University of St Andrews; 1 sample)
• English (University of Cambridge; guidelines and 9 samples)
• History (Open University; guidelines)
• Law (University of Birmingham; 1 sample)
• Law (University of Glasgow; guidelines)
• Law (University of Monash; guidelines and 1 sample)
• Mechanical Engineering (MIT; guidelines and 1 sample with comments)
• Media and Communication (University of Leicester; 1 sample)
• Medicine (University of California, San Diego; 1 sample)
• Music (University of Huddersfield; 1 sample)
• Politics (University of York; 3 samples)
• Public Administration (University of Plymouth; 1 sample)
• Science (University College London; 1 sample)
• Science (Yale College; 2 samples)
• Social Sciences (University College Dublin; guidelines)
• Sociology (University of Sheffield; 7 samples)

Other Resources

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Recommended Print Resources

• Cooksey, R., & McDonald, G. (2019). Surviving and thriving in postgraduate research (2nd ed.). Springer. ( electronic resource )
• Creswell, J. W. (2018). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications. ( UL H61 .C73 2018 )
• Damaskinidis, G., & Christodoulou, A. (2019). Writing research proposals for social sciences and humanities in a higher education context . Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ( electronic resource )
• Denscombe, M. (2012).  Research proposals: A practical guide. Open University Press. ( H62 .D466 2012 )
• Fetters, M. D. (2020). The mixed methods research workbook: Activities for designing, implementing, and publishing projects . Sage. ( UL H62 .F4135 2020 )
• Gerring, J. (2017). Applied social science methodology: An introductory guide . Cambridge University Press. ( UL H61 .G4659 2017 )
• Harrington, M. (2020). The design of experiments in neuroscience (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press. ( MD WL20 .H37 2020 )
• Hofmann, A. H. (2017). Scientific writing and communication: Papers, proposals, and presentations (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. ( UL Q223 .H63 2017 )
• Lammasniemi, L. (2018). Law dissertations: A step-by-step guide . Routledge. ( UL Law KD442 .L36 2018 )
• Lester, J. D., & Lester, J. D. Jr. (2013).  The essential guide: Research writing across the disciplines (6th ed.). Pearson. ( CC LB2369 .L47 2013 )
• Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2016).  Designing qualitative research (6th ed.). Sage. ( UL H62 .M277 2016 )
• Privitera, G. J. (2020). Research methods for the behavioral sciences . Sage Publications. ( UL BF76.5 .P65 2020 )
• Punch, K. F. (2016).  Developing effective research proposals (3rd ed.) . ( UL H62 .P92 2016 )
• Schneider, Z., & Fuller, J. (2018). Writing research proposals in the health sciences: A step-by-step guide . Sage Publications. ( UL W20.5 .S356 2018 )
• Silverman, D. (2017). Doing qualitative research (5th ed.). Sage. ( UL H62 .S55 2017 )
• Striano, T. (2016).  Doing developmental research: A practical guide . The Guilford Press. ( UL BF713 .S766 2016 )
• Thomas, C. G. (2021). Research methodology and scientific writing (2nd ed.). Springer. ( electronic resource )
• Urban, J. B., & Van Eeden-Moorefield, B. (2018). Designing and proposing your research project (1st ed.). American Psychological Association. ( UL BF76.5 .U73 2018 )

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