1. Topic and concept
Identify a researchable problem with guidance from the research-methods instructor and potential supervisor. Develop a supervisor-approved concept before moving to a full proposal.
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UCU postgraduate research pathway
Postgraduate Research Guidelines
Plan a defensible proposal, conduct ethical and well-documented research, work effectively with supervisors, and prepare confidently for examination and oral defence.
Source edition: revised April 2018
This page is an instructional summary of the attached UCU Academic Research Manual. Forms, deadlines, submission media, personnel titles, and examination procedures may have changed. Confirm the current requirements with your faculty and the School of Research and Postgraduate Studies before acting.
From idea to graduation
Your research journey at a glance
Treat each stage as a quality gate. Do not collect data, submit for examination, or print final copies until the responsible university office has cleared the preceding stage.
2. Proposal and defence
Build the introduction, focused literature review, and methodology. Postgraduate proposals are presented and defended before an interdisciplinary approval panel.
3. Ethics clearance
Where participants' privacy, physical wellbeing, or psychological wellbeing may be affected, obtain Research Ethics Committee approval before collecting data.
4. Supervised research
Work to an agreed plan, document meetings and decisions, submit progress reports, and keep research instruments, data, analysis, and citations auditable.
5. Examination and viva
Give advance notice of submission, complete internal and external examination, address corrections, and prepare a concise oral defence focused on the research problem, methods, findings, and contribution.
6. Final submission
Complete every approved correction and regulatory requirement, secure the required sign-offs, and submit the final bound and digital copies required by the current SRPGS process.
Build the concept before the proposal
The manual recommends a supervisor-approved graduate concept paper of no more than five pages. It should compress the intended 20-30 page proposal into a coherent case for the study.
- Student name, programme, supervisor, date, and working dissertation topic
- Background and a concise problem statement
- Purpose, three to five objectives, and aligned research questions
- Scope, justification, and significance of the study
- Theoretical or conceptual framework
- Focused literature review and proposed methodology
- A short annotated reference list
Write a proposal that can be evaluated
General introduction
Establish the background, problem, purpose, objectives, questions or hypotheses, scope, justification, significance, and theoretical or conceptual framework.
Literature review
Organise a selective, balanced, evaluative review around the objectives and questions. Show what is known, where findings differ, and the gap the proposed study will address.
Methodology
Explain the design, study area, information sources, population and sampling, variables, collection procedures and instruments, quality control, analysis, ethics, likely constraints, timeline, and any relevant budget.
Prepare for examination, corrections, and viva
Advance notice
The 2018 manual requires postgraduate students to notify SRPGS through the faculty three months before submission so examiners and administration can be arranged.
Examiner focus
Expect scrutiny of relevant literature, originality or contribution, sufficient evidence, logical argument, language, methods, analysis, conclusions, references, and appendices.
Corrections
Track every examiner comment, identify the affected section, record the action taken, and obtain the required confirmation before final submission.
Oral defence
The manual recommends a structured presentation covering background, problem, objectives or questions, methodology, findings, discussion, conclusions, and recommendations.
Primary source
Read the complete UCU Academic Research Manual
Download and retain the PDF for study, teaching, supervision, and academic reference. Attribute Uganda Christian University and the April 2018 revision when quoting or adapting it, and confirm institutional permission before republishing the complete manual.
UCU Academic Research Manual - revised April 2018
Preparing the handbook reader…
Before you submit anything
Ask your faculty and SRPGS for the current templates, ethics pathway, submission checklist, binding requirements, and deadlines. Use this page to prepare - use current official approval as authority.