Third Year

This self-directed independent study guides philosophy students through conceptualization and proposal development. Focusing on problem formulation, literature mapping, and methodological framing, students move from broad theoretical inquiry to a precise research question and baseline framework. Delivered through a flexible/blended learning modality, the course combines asynchronous self-directed research – including primary and secondary text analysis, library mapping, and progressive drafting – with regular synchronous or face-to-face advisor consultations for draft deconstruction, logic review, and structural feedback.

The primary course output is a complete, defense-ready Thesis Proposal Manuscript consisting of an Introduction (Background, SOP, Method, Scope, Significance, and Overview), a thematic Review of Related Literature (RRL), and a fully drafted Chapter 1. This course aligns with program outcomes by training students to apply critical theoretical analysis, communicate complex ideas with scholarly rigor, engage in high-level academic discourse, and uphold professional ethics and intellectual integrity.