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Learning

Complete a Master's Degree

104 weeks · 0 milestones

Earn a master's degree from an accredited institution. Diploma or official transcript as proof.

Milestone map

Milestone map

0 of 3 done

1

Current milestone

Define your research question and produce a research proposal

4–8 weeks (programme-dependent)

A Master's programme culminates in a dissertation or major project. The research question is the foundation. Define a specific, original research question for your Master's dissertation or major project: it must be answerable within a Master's scope, it must be non-trivial (not resolvable with a single literature search), and it must contribute something not already in the published literature. Produce a 3-page research proposal: background (what is known), gap (what is not), your specific research question, proposed methodology, and why this question matters. Have the proposal reviewed by your dissertation supervisor or a subject-matter expert in the field.

Proof required

Submit your 3-page research proposal and a 1-page summary of the reviewer's written feedback, including at least two substantive methodological or framing challenges the reviewer raised.

What gets checked

  • Research question is specific — 'what is the impact of social media on mental health' is a topic, not a research question.
  • Reviewer feedback includes at least two substantive challenges — 'looks good' is not a review.
  • Methodology section names the specific approach (e.g. thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews, quasi-experimental pre-post design, systematic literature review) — 'qualitative research' is not specific enough.

Resources

Foundation: start here · Depth: go deeper · Mastery: for the dedicated

Foundation

Depth

Complete data collection and produce a progress chapter

Submit completed dissertation and pass viva or equivalent assessment

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