Options for MRPs

Your MRP may take one of four possible forms:

• a research paper
• a project in pedagogical research
• a knowledge in action project
• an arts-based research/research creation project

Research Article

This option is the one that most closely resembles a thesis. You’ll produce an original scholarly article, no more than 10,000 words long (about 40 pages plus references), following the conventions of whatever academic discipline you’re working in. Your topic can be sparked by a term paper from one of your courses, but the MRP must show a significant, original development of the work from its term paper form.

You might consider writing this paper to conform with the focus (and style guide) of an academic journal, and you might even consider submitting your paper to that journal for publication.

Pedagogical Research Project

This option might focus on a typical undergraduate university course, but it could also investigate pedagogy for a different population, such as primary or secondary learners, or learners in some other setting. You’ll choose a  subfield or topic within gender and social justice and develop a plan for the content and learning activities in a course/workshop/seminar/etc. Your reading for this project should include both literature on your chosen topic and on the pedagogy that is appropriate for your topic and audience. The final deliverable will include both an outline of the content and learning activities, plus your critical reflection/rationale (5,000 words) for these pedagogical choices. 

If you’re considering a pedagogy project, you might want to consider a relevant elective such as ECS 710 or Education 750.

Knowledge in Action Project

This option usually extends the work you started in a course with a Community-Engaged Learning component (such as GendrSt 725, GendrSt 776, SocSci 708, or Wilson 700).

To undertake this kind of project, you’ll need an agreement with both an academic supervisor and a community organization. The deliverable will include something that is of use to the organization (for example, a policy brief, website, grant proposal, lecture series, etc.), plus your critical reflection (5,000 words) on the work of preparing that deliverable.

Arts-Based/Research Creation Project

This option consists of a creative project in an approved format, accompanied by a 5,000-word critical reflection paper. If you think you’d like to undertake an arts-based project, please connect with the GSJ Director early in your program so that you can be matched with a supervisor who has the appropriate expertise to support you.