The seminar is appropriate for students who are nearing the end of required graduate study, and who are ready to begin serious work on the dissertation proposal. Thus, the instructor assumes that each student:
This seminar is designed for graduate students who are prepared to engage in serious and scholarly preparation of a dissertation proposal. Students in this course are expected to assume a collegial role, and their substantive and methodological contributions to class discussions and colleagues' work are expected to be substantial, scholarly, and informative.
Given the above, and the fact that grades are required, evaluation will be based partly upon the quality and relevance of class contributions, including evidence that members of the class have read, understood, and are able to critique the readings.
Therefore, it should be clear that for your education, as well as others, a commitment is necessary. Your presence and contribution is important and is required for a successful class. Please do not waste the time and money of other students by coming to class unprepared, or by failing to be present to contribute your insight into the work of your colleagues. Unexcused absences are evidence of lack of commitment to study, and will be considered in the evaluation. Absences and incomplete work will, of course, be part of evaluation and may result in an incomplete or failing grade. If you cannot make the commitment, or are unwilling to undergo the discipline of class requirements, the first meeting of the class is the point at which it is appropriate to drop the class.
Each student will be asked to demonstrate computer proficiency or attend a computer workshop, designed to demonstrate the uses of the computer in the development, design, writing, and execution of the dissertation proposal. Those who are already computer-literate will be expected to perfect their skills by, for example, learning to use software designed to help write proposals and scholarly papers.
An acceptable dissertation proposal must be submitted before the course is successfully completed. That means that a proposal draft, acceptable to the research advisor, must be submitted to the instructor before a letter grade is awarded.
