In this seminar advanced students work together, and with the faculty member leading the seminar, in developing field statements and dissertation topics, with specific focus on the development of dissertation proposals and advancing dissertation research. Sociological questions, themes, interests and sub-fields are articulated and reconfigured as research questions and scholarly projects. Strategies for investigating and carrying out these projects are developed. Exemplary field statements and dissertation proposals are examined as structural models. The seminar proceeds as a workshop with students first presenting short research questions and plans, leading to more developed research proposals. The final requirement of the seminar is the submission of drafts of field statements and/or a dissertation proposal.