Colloquium 1

At the colloquium, a first-year doctoral candidate demonstrates that the dissertation topic has been meaningfully defined, properly grounded in the relevant scholarship, and developed into a defensible research proposal. The candidate also demonstrates the ability to base the formulation of the research project on a systematically conducted literature review and to translate insights from the literature into a clearly stated research aim, research objectives, and a preliminary outline of the subsequent research process.

At this stage of study, the purpose of the colloquium is not to defend a completed systematic literature review as a standalone output, but to demonstrate that, on the basis of the literature reviewed to date, the candidate is able to:

  • define the research problem,
  • identify the relevant state of knowledge in the field,
  • recognise a research gap,
  • formulate the research aim and research objectives,
  • propose a preliminary methodological approach to the dissertation project.

Written submission for the colloquium

No later than 7 calendar days before the colloquium, the candidate shall submit a brief written document of approximately 3 to 5 pages, excluding appendices and the reference list.

The document should include in particular:

  1. the working title of the dissertation,
  2. a brief introduction to the topic and its relevance,
  3. a definition of the research problem,
  4. a summary of the main findings from the literature reviewed to date, in particular:
    • the main strands in the literature,
    • dominant theories, variables or constructs,
    • common research approaches,
    • identified gaps, inconsistencies or under-researched areas,
  5. the formulation of the Research Aim and Research Objectives,
  6. a brief explanation of how the literature reviewed to date led to the formulation of the aim and objectives,
  7. an outline of the preliminary research design,
  8. a brief plan of the next steps,
  9. information on the current status of those study requirements relevant to the first year of doctoral study.

The document should clearly show the relationship between three levels:

  • what the literature reviewed to date indicates,
  • how the research proposal has been formulated on that basis,
  • what preliminary research pathway follows from it.