Writing a Quality Prospectus

Course Description

The prospectus is a brief paper, typically 5-10 pages in length, that helps students organize, delineate, and make decisions regarding their doctoral study and appropriate research methodology. Students create a prospectus to establish the background for the problem statement; the problem statement itself; a survey of the relevant literature (typically 25-75 references); and a research, implementation, and evaluation plan for the solution of the problem. Students in this 5-credit course focus specifically on the process of writing the dissertation prospectus. They employ their preliminary research plan to develop a problem statement for their dissertation. Students further refine the problem statement and carry out the planning and the library research that lends to the formulation of a dissertation prospectus. Pre-requisites CRJS 8126 Understanding Violence, Risk, and Threat Assessment (5 credits) (5 credits) The course is designed to identify and analyze assessment instruments associated with affective and predatory violence. Students will examine assessment areas and procedures related to psychopathy, capital punishment, juvenile offenders, child custody cases, and school shootings. For the final project, students choose a targeted school violence (TSV) offender and analyze the case. Additionally, this course explores how race, gender, and cultural issues are explored in the field of forensic psychology.

Code

CRJS 8115

Credits

5

Subject

Criminal Justice