Guidelines for the Preparation of Projects

This is a general guide to the basic considerations for your Project work and should be observed to comply with the full requirements and standards of the Diplomatic Academy.

Choice of Research Topic

Your choice should be of a topic where you feel you have plenty of interest, possibly some background and where, from a preliminary survey, you believe that there is ample available material (i.e your Study Material) and scope to enable you to present reasonable work and a conclusion from which you and others can benefit. On the other hand you may choose a completely fresh direction as a challenge but this can make the work difficult. Remember that your work should be of publishable quality and may be of use to your future employer and others!

Research/Project Proposal

Project Proposal Applications must be submitted for assessment, evaluation and approval within 3 weeks of the date of project enrolment.

If it proves impossible for any reason to approve the research topic, the applicant will be permitted to submit an alternative research topic. Broad guidelines as to possible subject areas will be indicated and a further three weeks will be permitted for a fresh research proposal submission. Assessment, evaluation and approval of the new research topic will be completed within a further two weeks.

Duration & Deadline for Submission of Project

The permitted duration depends on your professional award and whether the project work as follows:

Master Project

• Standard duration: 1 year
• Extended duration: 2 years
• Words: 12-15,000
• Master by Research Project only: 25-30,000 words*

Mastership  

(Doctoral Research Project)

• Standard duration: 1 - 2 years
• Extended duration: 3 years
• Words: up to 40,000

Further information on durations.

It should be emphasised that a research project will only be considered if the first draft has been successfully approved by the Diplomatic Academy.

Further amendments and draft submissions may be required to satisfy the Diplomatic Academy. These must be completed within the maximum allowed duration unless there are extenuating circumstances.