A prospectus is a 700-1,000 word document that describes "in detail the thesis's purposes, approach, and scope" and includes a bibliography (Handbook for Graduate Studies in English, p. 14). It is required for those in the literature track with thesis. It is due within six weeks after submitting the official thesis approval form. The prospectus should demonstrate a student's ability to focus on specific research as well as prove that the chosen topic is both narrow and has enough research for a full thesis.