This course is designed to assist advanced graduate students design and write a dissertation prospectus. While the dissertation design is the core aim of this course, it is also open to students drafting a master's thesis, a grant proposal, or a content chapter for a dissertation. A dissertation prospectus is a living document and as such it will evolve over time. However, having a strong document to guide the launch of one's research and prepare you for a strong defense. Students will work closely with the course instructor, but also with their advisors, to craft their prospectus.

In this class, students will acquire hands-on experience in diverse aspects of the research process in any field of Biology, from familiarizing themselves with a research topic, generating interesting questions, designing experiments, acquiring technical skills, collecting and analyzing data, to writing and/or presenting their results. To inquire about enrollment, students should approach a Biological Sciences faculty member to identify mutual areas of interest. Typically, these conversations should occur well before registration, and