Seminar, three hours. Required of all PhD students who have passed their field examinations but have not yet advanced to candidacy, and all MURP students completing their thesis capstone option. Advanced research design course that guides students in selecting problem/question to study, reviewing previous research on problem/question, framing specific research questions/hypotheses, and selecting methodology and plan for testing hypotheses. Students complete and orally defend their dissertation/thesis proposal. May be repeated for credit. S/U or letter grading.