example masters dissertation titles

The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

Thesis Title: Examples and Suggestions from a PhD Grad

When you’re faced with writing up a thesis, choosing a title can often fall to the bottom of the priority list. After all, it’s only a few words. How hard can it be?!

In the grand scheme of things I agree that picking your thesis title shouldn’t warrant that much thought, however my own choice is one of the few regrets I have from my PhD . I therefore think there is value in spending some time considering the options available.

In this post I’ll guide you through how to write your own thesis title and share real-world examples. Although my focus is on the PhD thesis, I’ve also included plenty of thesis title examples for bachelor’s and master’s research projects too.

Hopefully by the end of the post you’ll feel ready to start crafting your own!

Why your thesis title is at least somewhat important

It sounds obvious but your thesis title is the first, and often only, interaction people will have with your thesis. For instance, hiring managers for jobs that you may wish to apply for in the future. Therefore you want to give a good sense of what your research involved from the title.

Many people will list the title of their thesis on their CV, at least for a while after graduating. All of the example titles I’ve shared below came from my repository of academic CVs . I’d say roughly 30% of all the academics on that page list their thesis title, which includes academics all the way up to full professor.

Your thesis title could therefore feature on your CV for your whole career, so it is probably worth a bit of thought!

My suggestions for choosing a good thesis title

• Make it descriptive of the research so it’s immediately obvious what it is about! Most universities will publish student theses online ( here’s mine! ) and they’re indexed so can be found via Google Scholar etc. Therefore give your thesis a descriptive title so that interested researchers can find it in the future.
• Don’t get lost in the detail . You want a descriptive title but avoid overly lengthy descriptions of experiments. Unless a certain analytical technique etc was central to your research, I’d suggest by default* to avoid having it in your title. Including certain techniques will make your title, and therefore research, look overly dated, which isn’t ideal for potential job applications after you graduate.
• The title should tie together the chapters of your thesis. A well-phrased title can do a good job of summarising the overall story of your thesis. Think about each of your research chapters and ensure that the title makes sense for each of them.
• Be strategic . Certain parts of your work you want to emphasise? Consider making them more prominent in your title. For instance, if you know you want to pivot to a slightly different research area or career path after your PhD, there may be alternative phrasings which describe your work just as well but could be better understood by those in the field you’re moving into. I utilised this a bit in my own title which we’ll come onto shortly.
• Do your own thing. Having just laid out some suggestions, do make sure you’re personally happy with the title. You get a lot of freedom to choose your title, so use it however you fancy. For example, I’ve known people to use puns in their title, so if that’s what you’re into don’t feel overly constrained.

*This doesn’t always hold true and certainly don’t take my advice if 1) listing something in your title could be a strategic move 2) you love the technique so much that you’re desperate to include it!

Thesis title examples

To help give you some ideas, here are some example thesis titles from Bachelors, Masters and PhD graduates. These all came from the academic CVs listed in my repository here .

Bachelor’s thesis title examples

Hysteresis and Avalanches Paul Jager , 2014 – Medical Imaging – DKFZ Head of ML Research Group –  direct link to Paul’s machine learning academic CV

The bioenergetics of a marine ciliate, Mesodinium rubrum Holly Moeller , 2008 – Ecology & Marine Biology – UC Santa Barbara Assistant Professor –  direct link to Holly’s marine biology academic CV

Functional syntactic analysis of prepositional and causal constructions for a grammatical parser of Russian Ekaterina Kochmar , 2008 – Computer Science – University of Bath Lecturer Assistant Prof –  direct link to Ekaterina’s computer science academic CV

Master’s thesis title examples

Creation of an autonomous impulse response measurement system for rooms and transducers with different methods Guy-Bart Stan , 2000 – Bioengineering – Imperial Professor –  direct link to Guy-Bart’s bioengineering academic CV

Segmentation of Nerve Bundles and Ganglia in Spine MRI using Particle Filters Adrian Vasile Dalca , 2012 – Machine Learning for healthcare – Harvard Assistant Professor & MIT Research Scientist –  direct link to Adrian’s machine learning academic CV

The detection of oil under ice by remote mode conversion of ultrasound Eric Yeatman , 1986 – Electronics – Imperial Professor and Head of Department –  direct link to Eric’s electronics academic CV

Ensemble-Based Learning for Morphological Analysis of German Ekaterina Kochmar , 2010 – Computer Science – University of Bath Lecturer Assistant Prof –  direct link to Ekaterina’s computer science academic CV

VARiD: A Variation Detection Framework for Color-Space and Letter-Space Platforms Adrian Vasile Dalca , 2010 – Machine Learning for healthcare – Harvard Assistant Professor & MIT Research Scientist –  direct link to Adrian’s machine learning academic CV

Identification of a Writer’s Native Language by Error Analysis Ekaterina Kochmar , 2011 – Computer Science – University of Bath Lecturer Assistant Prof –  direct link to Ekaterina’s computer science academic CV

On the economic optimality of marine reserves when fishing damages habitat Holly Moeller , 2010 – Ecology & Marine Biology – UC Santa Barbara Assistant Professor –  direct link to Holly’s marine biology academic CV

Sensitivity Studies for the Time-Dependent CP Violation Measurement in B 0 → K S K S K S at the Belle II-Experiment Paul Jager , 2016 – Medical Imaging – DKFZ Head of ML Research Group –  direct link to Paul’s machine learning academic CV

PhD thesis title examples

Spatio-temporal analysis of three-dimensional real-time ultrasound for quantification of ventricular function Esla Angelini  – Medicine – Imperial Senior Data Scientist –  direct link to Elsa’s medicine academic CV

The role and maintenance of diversity in a multi-partner mutualism: Trees and Ectomycorrhizal Fungi Holly Moeller , 2015 – Ecology & Marine Biology – UC Santa Barbara Assistant Professor –  direct link to Holly’s marine biology academic CV

Bayesian Gaussian processes for sequential prediction, optimisation and quadrature Michael Osborne , 2010 – Machine Learning – Oxford Full Professor –  direct link to Michael’s machine learning academic CV

Global analysis and synthesis of oscillations: a dissipativity approach Guy-Bart Stan , 2005 – Bioengineering – Imperial Professor –  direct link to Guy-Bart’s bioengineering academic CV

Coarse-grained modelling of DNA and DNA self-assembly Thomas Ouldridge , 2011– Bioengineering – Imperial College London Senior Lecturer / Associate Prof –  direct link to Thomas’ bioengineering academic CV

4D tomographic image reconstruction and parametric maps estimation: a model-based strategy for algorithm design using Bayesian inference in Probabilistic Graphical Models (PGM) Michele Scipioni , 2018– Biomedical Engineer – Harvard Postdoctoral Research Fellow –  direct link to Michele’s biomedical engineer academic CV

Error Detection in Content Word Combinations Ekaterina Kochmar , 2016 – Computer Science – University of Bath Lecturer Assistant Prof –  direct link to Ekaterina’s computer science academic CV

Genetic, Clinical and Population Priors for Brain Images Adrian Vasile Dalca , 2016 – Machine Learning for healthcare – Harvard Assistant Professor & MIT Research Scientist –  direct link to Adrian’s machine learning academic CV

Challenges and Opportunities of End-to-End Learning in Medical Image Classification Paul Jager , 2020 – Medical Imaging – DKFZ Head of ML Research Group –  direct link to Paul’s machine learning academic CV

K 2 NiF 4  materials as cathodes for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells Ainara Aguadero , 2006 – Materials Science – Imperial Reader –  direct link to Ainara’s materials science academic CV

Applications of surface plasmons – microscopy and spatial light modulation Eric Yeatman , 1989 – Electronics – Imperial Professor and Head of Department –  direct link to Eric’s electronics academic CV

Geometric Algorithms for Objects in Motion Sorelle Friedler , 2010 – Computer science – Haverford College Associate Professor –  direct link to Sorelle’s computer science academic CV .

Geometrical models, constraints design, information extraction for pathological and healthy medical image Esla Angelini  – Medicine – Imperial Senior Data Scientist –  direct link to Elsa’s medicine academic CV

Why I regret my own choice of PhD thesis title

I should say from the outset that I assembled my thesis in quite a short space of time compared to most people. So I didn’t really spend particularly long on any one section, including the title.

However, my main supervisor even spelled out for me that once the title was submitted to the university it would be permanent. In other words: think wisely about your title.

What I started with

Initially I drafted the title as something like: Three dimensional correlative imaging for cartilage regeneration . Which I thought was nice, catchy and descriptive.

I decided to go for “correlative imaging” because, not only did it describe the experiments well, but it also sounded kind of technical and fitting of a potential pivot into AI. I’m pleased with that bit of the title.

What I ended up with

Before submitting the title to the university (required ahead of the viva), I asked my supervisors for their thoughts.

One of my well intentioned supervisors suggested that, given that my project didn’t involve verifying regenerative quality, I probably shouldn’t state cartilage regeneration . Instead, they suggested, I should state what I was experimenting on (the materials) rather than the overall goal of the research (aid cartilage regeneration efforts).

With this advice I dialled back my choice of wording and the thesis title I went with was:

Three dimensional correlative imaging for measurement of strain in cartilage and cartilage replacement materials

Reading it back now I’m reminder about how less I like it than my initial idea!

I put up basically no resistance to the supervisor’s choice, even though the title sounds so much more boring in my opinion. I just didn’t think much of it at the time. Furthermore, most of my PhD was actually in a technique which is four dimensional (looking at a series of 3D scans over time, hence 4D) which would have sounded way more sciency and fitting of a PhD.

What I wish I’d gone with

If I had the choice again, I’d have gone with:

Four-dimensional correlative imaging for cartilage regeneration

Which, would you believe it, is exactly what it states on my CV…

Does the thesis title really matter?

In all honesty, your choice of thesis title isn’t that important. If you come to regret it, as I do, it’s not the end of the world. There are much more important things in life to worry about.

If you decide at a later stage that you don’t like it you can always describe it in a way that you prefer. For instance, in my CV I describe my PhD as I’d have liked the title to be. I make no claim that it’s actually the title so consider it a bit of creative license.

Given that as your career progresses you may not even refer back to your thesis much, it’s really not worth stressing over. However, if you’re yet to finalise your thesis title I do still think it is worth a bit of thought and hopefully this article has provided some insights into how to choose a good thesis title.

My advice for developing a thesis title

• Draft the title early. Drafting it early can help give clarity for the overall message of your research. For instance, while you’re assembling the rest of your thesis you can check that the title encompasses the research chapters you’re included, and likewise that the research experiments you’re including fall within what the title describes. Drafting it early also gives more time you to think it over. As with everything: having a first draft is really important to iterate on.
• Look at some example titles . Such as those featured above!
• If you’re not sure about your title, ask a few other people what they think . But remember that you have the final say!

I hope this post has been useful for those of you are finalising your thesis and need to decide on a thesis title. If you’ve enjoyed this article and would like to hear about future content (and gain access to my free resource library!) you can subscribe for free here:

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Dissertation examples

Listed below are some of the best examples of research projects and dissertations from undergraduate and taught postgraduate students at the University of Leeds We have not been able to gather examples from all schools. The module requirements for research projects may have changed since these examples were written. Refer to your module guidelines to make sure that you address all of the current assessment criteria. Some of the examples below are only available to access on campus.

• Undergraduate examples
• Taught Masters examples

• Sample Dissertation Title Page
• Dissertation Copyright
• Dissertation Embargo Guidelines
• Dissertation Templates
• ETD Administrator
• Formatting FAQs

Dissertation title pages must follow a specific format. Refer to the PhD Dissertation Formatting Guide  and view the examples below. Certain graduate groups follow a special format.

Standard sample title page (exceptions listed below):

Students in Francophone, Italian and Germanic Studies (FIGS) must follow the format below:

Students in Wharton must follow the format below:

Students in the Social Welfare Graduate Group must follow this format:

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How to write a masters dissertation or thesis: top tips.

It is completely normal to find the idea of writing a masters thesis or dissertation slightly daunting, even for students who have written one before at undergraduate level. Though, don’t feel put off by the idea. You’ll have plenty of time to complete it, and plenty of support from your supervisor and peers.

One of the main challenges that students face is putting their ideas and findings into words. Writing is a skill in itself, but with the right advice, you’ll find it much easier to get into the flow of writing your masters thesis or dissertation.

We’ve put together a step-by-step guide on how to write a dissertation or thesis for your masters degree, with top tips to consider at each stage in the process.

1. Understand your dissertation or thesis topic

There are slight differences between theses and dissertations , although both require a high standard of writing skill and knowledge in your topic. They are also formatted very similarly.

At first, writing a masters thesis can feel like running a 100m race – the course feels very quick and like there is not as much time for thinking! However, you’ll usually have a summer semester dedicated to completing your dissertation – giving plenty of time and space to write a strong academic piece.

By comparison, writing a PhD thesis can feel like running a marathon, working on the same topic for 3-4 years can be laborious. But in many ways, the approach to both of these tasks is quite similar.

Before writing your masters dissertation, get to know your research topic inside out. Not only will understanding your topic help you conduct better research, it will also help you write better dissertation content.

Also consider the main purpose of your dissertation. You are writing to put forward a theory or unique research angle – so make your purpose clear in your writing.

Top writing tip: when researching your topic, look out for specific terms and writing patterns used by other academics. It is likely that there will be a lot of jargon and important themes across research papers in your chosen dissertation topic. 

2. Structure your dissertation or thesis

Writing a thesis is a unique experience and there is no general consensus on what the best way to structure it is. 

As a postgraduate student , you’ll probably decide what kind of structure suits your research project best after consultation with your supervisor. You’ll also have a chance to look at previous masters students’ theses in your university library.

To some extent, all postgraduate dissertations are unique. Though they almost always consist of chapters. The number of chapters you cover will vary depending on the research. 

A masters dissertation or thesis organised into chapters would typically look like this: 

Write down your structure and use these as headings that you’ll write for later on.

Top writing tip : ease each chapter together with a paragraph that links the end of a chapter to the start of a new chapter. For example, you could say something along the lines of “in the next section, these findings are evaluated in more detail”. This makes it easier for the reader to understand each chapter and helps your writing flow better.

3. Write up your literature review

One of the best places to start when writing your masters dissertation is with the literature review. This involves researching and evaluating existing academic literature in order to identify any gaps for your own research.

Many students prefer to write the literature review chapter first, as this is where several of the underpinning theories and concepts exist. This section helps set the stage for the rest of your dissertation, and will help inform the writing of your other dissertation chapters.

What to include in your literature review

The literature review chapter is more than just a summary of existing research, it is an evaluation of how this research has informed your own unique research.

Demonstrate how the different pieces of research fit together. Are there overlapping theories? Are there disagreements between researchers?

Highlight the gap in the research. This is key, as a dissertation is mostly about developing your own unique research. Is there an unexplored avenue of research? Has existing research failed to disprove a particular theory?

Back up your methodology. Demonstrate why your methodology is appropriate by discussing where it has been used successfully in other research.

4. Write up your research

For instance, a more theoretical-based research topic might encompass more writing from a philosophical perspective. Qualitative data might require a lot more evaluation and discussion than quantitative research. 

Methodology chapter

The methodology chapter is all about how you carried out your research and which specific techniques you used to gather data. You should write about broader methodological approaches (e.g. qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods), and then go into more detail about your chosen data collection strategy. 

Data collection strategies include things like interviews, questionnaires, surveys, content analyses, discourse analyses and many more.

Data analysis and findings chapters

The data analysis or findings chapter should cover what you actually discovered during your research project. It should be detailed, specific and objective (don’t worry, you’ll have time for evaluation later on in your dissertation)

Write up your findings in a way that is easy to understand. For example, if you have a lot of numerical data, this could be easier to digest in tables.

This will make it easier for you to dive into some deeper analysis in later chapters. Remember, the reader will refer back to your data analysis section to cross-reference your later evaluations against your actual findings – so presenting your data in a simple manner is beneficial.

Think about how you can segment your data into categories. For instance, it can be useful to segment interview transcripts by interviewee. 

Top writing tip : write up notes on how you might phrase a certain part of the research. This will help bring the best out of your writing. There is nothing worse than when you think of the perfect way to phrase something and then you completely forget it.

5. Discuss and evaluate

Once you’ve presented your findings, it’s time to evaluate and discuss them.

It might feel difficult to differentiate between your findings and discussion sections, because you are essentially talking about the same data. The easiest way to remember the difference is that your findings simply present the data, whereas your discussion tells the story of this data.

Your evaluation breaks the story down, explaining the key findings, what went well and what didn’t go so well.

In your discussion chapter, you’ll have chance to expand on the results from your findings section. For example, explain what certain numbers mean and draw relationships between different pieces of data.

Top writing tip: don’t be afraid to point out the shortcomings of your research. You will receive higher marks for writing objectively. For example, if you didn’t receive as many interview responses as expected, evaluate how this has impacted your research and findings. Don’t let your ego get in the way!

6. Write your introduction

Your introduction sets the scene for the rest of your masters dissertation. You might be wondering why writing an introduction isn't at the start of our step-by-step list, and that’s because many students write this chapter last.

Here’s what your introduction chapter should cover:

Problem statement

Research question

Significance of your research

This tells the reader what you’ll be researching as well as its importance. You’ll have a good idea of what to include here from your original dissertation proposal , though it’s fairly common for research to change once it gets started.

Writing or at least revisiting this section last can be really helpful, since you’ll have a more well-rounded view of what your research actually covers once it has been completed and written up.

Masters dissertation writing tips

When to start writing your thesis or dissertation.

When you should start writing your masters thesis or dissertation depends on the scope of the research project and the duration of your course. In some cases, your research project may be relatively short and you may not be able to write much of your thesis before completing the project. 

But regardless of the nature of your research project and of the scope of your course, you should start writing your thesis or at least some of its sections as early as possible, and there are a number of good reasons for this:

Academic writing is about practice, not talent. The first steps of writing your dissertation will help you get into the swing of your project. Write early to help you prepare in good time.

Write things as you do them. This is a good way to keep your dissertation full of fresh ideas and ensure that you don’t forget valuable information.

The first draft is never perfect. Give yourself time to edit and improve your dissertation. It’s likely that you’ll need to make at least one or two more drafts before your final submission.

Writing early on will help you stay motivated when writing all subsequent drafts.

Thinking and writing are very connected. As you write, new ideas and concepts will come to mind. So writing early on is a great way to generate new ideas.

How to improve your writing skills

The best way of improving your dissertation or thesis writing skills is to:

 Finish the first draft of your masters thesis as early as possible and send it to your supervisor for revision. Your supervisor will correct your draft and point out any writing errors. This process will be repeated a few times which will help you recognise and correct writing mistakes yourself as time progresses.

If you are not a native English speaker, it may be useful to ask your English friends to read a part of your thesis and warn you about any recurring writing mistakes. Read our section on English language support for more advice. 

Most universities have writing centres that offer writing courses and other kinds of support for postgraduate students. Attending these courses may help you improve your writing and meet other postgraduate students with whom you will be able to discuss what constitutes a well-written thesis.

Read academic articles and search for writing resources on the internet. This will help you adopt an academic writing style, which will eventually become effortless with practice.

Keep track of your bibliography 

The easiest way to keep the track of all the articles you have read for your research is to create a database where you can summarise each article/chapter into a few most important bullet points to help you remember their content. 

Another useful tool for doing this effectively is to learn how to use specific reference management software (RMS) such as EndNote. RMS is relatively simple to use and saves a lot of time when it comes to organising your bibliography. This may come in very handy, especially if your reference section is suspiciously missing two hours before you need to submit your dissertation! 

Avoid accidental plagiarism

Plagiarism may cost you your postgraduate degree and it is important that you consciously avoid it when writing your thesis or dissertation. 

Occasionally, postgraduate students commit plagiarism unintentionally. This can happen when sections are copy and pasted from journal articles they are citing instead of simply rephrasing them. Whenever you are presenting information from another academic source, make sure you reference the source and avoid writing the statement exactly as it is written in the original paper.

What kind of format should your thesis have?

Read your university’s guidelines before you actually start writing your thesis so you don’t have to waste time changing the format further down the line. However in general, most universities will require you to use 1.5-2 line spacing, font size 12 for text, and to print your thesis on A4 paper. These formatting guidelines may not necessarily result in the most aesthetically appealing thesis, however beauty is not always practical, and a nice looking thesis can be a more tiring reading experience for your postgrad examiner .

When should I submit my thesis?

The length of time it takes to complete your MSc or MA thesis will vary from student to student. This is because people work at different speeds, projects vary in difficulty, and some projects encounter more problems than others. 

Obviously, you should submit your MSc thesis or MA thesis when it is finished! Every university will say in its regulations that it is the student who must decide when it is ready to submit. 

However, your supervisor will advise you whether your work is ready and you should take their advice on this. If your supervisor says that your work is not ready, then it is probably unwise to submit it. Usually your supervisor will read your final thesis or dissertation draft and will let you know what’s required before submitting your final draft.

Set yourself a target for completion. This will help you stay on track and avoid falling behind. You may also only have funding for the year, so it is important to ensure you submit your dissertation before the deadline – and also ensure you don’t miss out on your graduation ceremony ! 

To set your target date, work backwards from the final completion and submission date, and aim to have your final draft completed at least three months before that final date.

Don’t leave your submission until the last minute – submit your work in good time before the final deadline. Consider what else you’ll have going on around that time. Are you moving back home? Do you have a holiday? Do you have other plans?

If you need to have finished by the end of June to be able to go to a graduation ceremony in July, then you should leave a suitable amount of time for this. You can build this into your dissertation project planning at the start of your research.

It is important to remember that handing in your thesis or dissertation is not the end of your masters program . There will be a period of time of one to three months between the time you submit and your final day. Some courses may even require a viva to discuss your research project, though this is more common at PhD level . 

If you have passed, you will need to make arrangements for the thesis to be properly bound and resubmitted, which will take a week or two. You may also have minor corrections to make to the work, which could take up to a month or so. This means that you need to allow a period of at least three months between submitting your thesis and the time when your program will be completely finished. Of course, it is also possible you may be asked after the viva to do more work on your thesis and resubmit it before the examiners will agree to award the degree – so there may be an even longer time period before you have finished.

How do I submit the MA or MSc dissertation?

Most universities will have a clear procedure for submitting a masters dissertation. Some universities require your ‘intention to submit’. This notifies them that you are ready to submit and allows the university to appoint an external examiner.

This normally has to be completed at least three months before the date on which you think you will be ready to submit.

When your MA or MSc dissertation is ready, you will have to print several copies and have them bound. The number of copies varies between universities, but the university usually requires three – one for each of the examiners and one for your supervisor.

However, you will need one more copy – for yourself! These copies must be softbound, not hardbound. The theses you see on the library shelves will be bound in an impressive hardback cover, but you can only get your work bound like this once you have passed. 

You should submit your dissertation or thesis for examination in soft paper or card covers, and your university will give you detailed guidance on how it should be bound. They will also recommend places where you can get the work done.

The next stage is to hand in your work, in the way and to the place that is indicated in your university’s regulations. All you can do then is sit and wait for the examination – but submitting your thesis is often a time of great relief and celebration!

Some universities only require a digital submission, where you upload your dissertation as a file through their online submission system.

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626 Dissertation Topics for Ph.D. and Thesis Ideas for Master Students

If you are about to go into the world of graduate school, then one of the first things you need to do is choose from all the possible dissertation topics available to you. This is no small task. You are likely to spend many years researching your Master’s or Ph.D. topic and writing the text. This means that choosing a dissertation topic should not be taken lightly.

No worries! Just read this article by our Custom Writing service, and you’ll find:

• a collection of great thesis topics on finance, education, management, law, etc.
• a range of tips on choosing a killing Ph.D. topic.
• 👍 Top 10 Dissertation Topics
• 🆚 Thesis vs Dissertation
• 🔝 Top 10 Thesis Topics
• 🎓 Thesis Topics List
• ✅ How to Choose a Topic

👍Top 10 Dissertation Topics

• Ethical alternatives to animal testing.
• What’s the future of the Dead Sea?
• Does accent affect singing ability?
• The importance of corporate values.
• How does inflation affect small businesses?
• Is homeschooling the future of education?
• How does Tourette’s syndrome affect one’s daily life?
• How to conduct market analysis for e-commerce.
• Has globalization affected cultural appropriation?

🆚 Dissertation vs. Thesis: Is There a Difference?

People often consider a thesis and a dissertation to be the same thing. Yet, there is an important distinction between them. The key difference is that you need a thesis to complete a master’s degree, while a dissertation is necessary for obtaining a doctorate. Keep in mind that it’s vice versa in European higher education.

Here are some other differences:

Despite these differences, theses and dissertations have a lot in common:

• You need them to complete a degree.
• Both require certain levels of expertise and writing skills.
• You defend an argument in both of them.
• Plagiarism is prohibited in both theses and dissertations.

🔝 Top 10 Thesis Topics for 2024

• The consequences of obesity.
• The influence of social media .
• Economic development and happiness.
• Feminism in the United States.
• The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Racism in schools and colleges.
• Overeducation in the labor market.
• DNA evidence in criminal justice.
• Sales forecasting techniques.
• Wage difference among athletes.

🎓 Thesis Topics & Ideas

Below, you’ll find a collection of excellent topics for a thesis. To simplify the task, it’s not a bad idea to use a topic chooser. We’ve also prepared a checklist that will help you make the right choice. If you agree with the following statements, you’ve chosen a good thesis topic:

• You are interested in this subject.  It will be easier for you to work on it if you like your area of research. Remember that you will have to spend long hours looking through various data. You need to stay motivated.
• The topic is helpful in your career path.  Choose a topic that you can apply to further research if you plan to pursue your career in the academic field. Choose something that you can use in your CV if you decided to work in the industry.
• There is enough available research data.  Don’t choose a topic that is too trivial or uncommon. It is essential to find enough relevant information. Consult your supervisor to understand if you can proceed with it.
• The topic isn’t too broad or too narrow.  Otherwise, it will be harder for you to find credible sources and relevant data.
• You already have an understanding of it . Make a list of thesis topics that include the issues you have researched before. It will save you some time and allow you to evaluate your opportunities.
• Your topic is unique.  Make sure there are no other papers that explore exactly the same issue. The value of your work is your original contribution to the research. If somebody has already investigated the topic, there is not much sense in proceeding with it.

Wondering where to find the most current topic for your research? We’ve collected them below.

Computer Science Thesis Topics

Computers surround us everywhere. From hospitals to home offices, it’s impossible to imagine life without them. A doctorate in computer science can allow you many career opportunities!

• The latest developments in AI use for healthcare services . Healthcare in the US is expensive for its citizens. One way to reduce the cost is using computer algorithms. This technology research topic lets you explore how AI helps physicians with their tasks.
• Computer security for public institutions. Several allegations about hackers stealing data from the US government emerged in recent years. With this dissertation idea, study public cybersecurity. Also, discuss ways to improve cybersecurity practices. 
• Visual recognition system architecture: real-time object detection. Discuss a system based on neural networks capable of detecting objects. Focus on the virtual environment. You can alter this trending topic in computer science for real-life settings.
• Blockchain application outside financial technologies. Analyze and discuss the implications of using blockchain systems outside of the fintech sector. For example, study its use for public services and in government agencies. This topic allows exploring ways of applying established algorithms.
• Machine learning and text structures. Discuss ways of visualizing text categorization. Focus on complex hierarchical structures of texts. This topic is suitable for postgraduates. 
• Encrypted search: security, performance, and usage. Discuss the use of encryptions to protect data. Say how we can improve it for effective information search.
• Use of computers in education . Study how algorithms can improve learning. This topic can be altered for other fields. For example, choose AI in business or agriculture.
• Graphics and visual computing: current state and the future. By now, CAD programs are an integral part of every engineer’s tool kit. Your thesis can analyze the potential of those programs. What would improve their performance? Is there a chance that they will become obsolete?
• Multimedia databases parsing and indexing. Netflix and YouTube require technology to search across their multimedia databases. This dissertation can be a survey on best practices. Or, add a company name to the title and focus your research on it.
• AI Marketing: the use of algorithms to improve advertising. In the previous list of research question examples, you can choose a narrow marketing theme. Then, discuss the implications of such algorithms.
• Study computation of models for virtual environments .
• Cybersecurity challenges for automated vehicles.
• AI and vehicle automation: potential safety gaps.
• Computer graphics: perspectives for medical imaging.
• Research the use of computer algorithms for medical analysis.
• Discuss the role of bioinformatics in healthcare improvement.
• How is a computer-aided design used in creating automobile parts?
• Review the best practices for System Level Testing of distributed systems.
• Agile project management for software engineers.
• Software development risks analysis for successful employment. 
• Study the security mechanisms for WLAN networks .
• Malicious botnets and network worms: an overview.
• What are the best practices in ICT systems development?
• Web-based document management systems using XML.
• Best algorithms for cluster generation. 
• Methods for improving Open Web Architecture.
• Analyze software solutions for the increased energy efficiency.
• Protection of systems against terror attacks: a case study and analysis.
• New methods of risk management during software development. 
• Analyze how Web space requirements are changing.
• Analyze how e-publishing is affecting libraries. 
• New methods for studying the behavior of malware, viruses, and worms with the use of secure programming and runtime environments.
• Analyze redundancy and fault recovery in the 4G wireless network. 
• Analyze the implementation and analysis of the optimal algorithm vs the heuristic algorithm for the generation of clusters.
• Analyze how full-text databases affect search engines.

Humanities and Art History Thesis Topics

Do you want to put your passion into words? Would you like to share your ideas with the world? Then pursuing a Ph.D. in the arts or humanities is the right path for you.

• The history of cinema : past and present. With this history dissertation topic, focus on how cinema developed. Explore the period starting from the first short films by the Lumiere brothers. Finish the discussion with modern-day Hollywood examples.
• Art or commerce: a case study of Hollywood films. Discuss the intersection between artistic expression and profit. This exciting arts topic focuses on modern cinema. You can use examples of art-house movies and modern commercially successful ones.
• Hollywood vs. Bollywood . Compare the two distinct film production centers for this art thesis. Next, discuss how local cultures impact Hollywood and Bollywood movies’ direction, genres, and plots.
• The use of visual tools in interior design . This dissertation topic is an intersection between arts and computer science. The focus is on how visualization tools help to create design projects.
• Racism in the 21st-century literature. Focus on how the narratives about racism have changed. Include examples from poetry and prose of this era. Compare it to works published in the past.
• The cultural aesthetic of Afrofuturism in literature. This dissertation idea allows you to explore the intersection of arts. Specifically, see how culture, philosophy of science, and history manifest in Afrofuturism. 
• The social value of ecopoetry. Analyze how literature that focuses on ecological problems. Discuss environmental consciousness and environmental issues.
• Graphic novels: the best examples and implications for the development of literature. What does it mean when literary classics are converted into graphic novels? Incorporate the question if graphic novels can become part of the literary canon.
• Theater of the Absurd in the 1950s and 1960s. Discuss this form of theatrical art. Examine how it emerged and why it became influential.
• Post World War II art: cinema and literature. Use examples of films and literary works. Discuss major works of the post-WWII era and their themes.
• Futurism and the Czech avant-garde : the artistic connection between Europe’s East and West.
• Study the phenomenon of the hero archetype.
• Assess dancing as a form of meditation. 
• Review the common elements of various African dances.
• Folk dances across Western Europe.
• Discuss regional dances and dance as a ritual.
• Animation as a modern art form.
• Research the art of glass-making and its prospects for the future.
• Analyze the cultural impact of The Beatles beyond music. 
• Literature censorship in the US.
• Examine the intersection of ecology and arts.
• Heidelberg Project: is it a model for creating art in urban areas?
• Study kinetic sculptures of the 20th century.
• What characterizes social activism in 20 th -century rock music?
• Jazz in the 21st century: a potential for revival. 
• The history of design in various periods of human existence (the ancient times, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, etc.). 
• Design as art.
• Philosophy of design.
• Separate branches of design ( interior design , car design, toy design, etc.).
• Stylistic peculiarities of a certain designer.
• Web design as a modern quintessence of design. 
• Social significance of design.
• The birth of Communism as it relates to Stendhal.
• The relationship between politics and literature in the 19 th century.
• An analysis and case study of artists and art during times of war. 
• How contemporary art is related to American suffering.
• Analyze of how racism relates to the family unit.

List of Science Topics for Your Thesis

A dissertation in science will probably require you to run numerous experiments. Many of them will probably go wrong. But the one that does work might be the next big breakthrough! Find a suitable research theme in the following list of topics:

• Bacterial injections for the treatment of cancer tumors. Injecting bacteria into tumors is a fairly new approach to treating cancer. Review the mechanism of action and evaluate the potential of this method for curing cancer.
• Computer imagining and AI for cancer detection. Examine how AI-assisted cancer screening improves accuracy. Include early detection implications and usage in hospitals.
• Ethics of organ donations and transplantation. With this dissertation topic in science, examine the ethics of encouraging people to donate their organs. Include the implications for medical research and practice.
• An epidemiological and molecular approach to cancer prevention. This topic idea suggests assessing the current understanding of how cancer develops as well as potential prevention strategies.
• Ways of speeding up vaccine development and testing. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that the process of vaccine development is relatively slow. It takes a long time to ensure proper testing. You may discuss these issues in your biochemistry dissertation.
• The current state of research into ultra-fast rechargeable batteries. The topic of batteries and energy attracts lots of attention. With this topic, you can examine how to improve the design of aluminum-ion batteries. Include ways to decrease their charging time.
• Nanotechnologies in drug delivery: electrospraying. Current research shows the great potential of nanotechnologies. In particular, the electrospraying technique makes nanoparticle delivery more efficient.
• Prevalence of various Helicobacter Pylori virulence in a population. Conduct quantitative research and examine a sample of patients to determine the number infected with Helicobacter Pylori.
• The relationship between gut microbiota and the person’s appetite. Your research can explore the theory that the gut microbiome has varied effects on the person’s body. Review the implications for obesity treatment for different gut microbiomes. 
• The age of antibiotics: is it over? Examine the use of antibiotics and the reasons for its decline. Discuss the evolving nature of bacteria that require remedies other than antibiotics. Include quantitative data in this dissertation for a specific type of disease.
• CRISPR method for studying human DNA.
• The study of human evolution: latest discoveries.
• Denisovans from Siberia: a new type of hominid discovered.
• Study the use of AI in archeology. 
• Conduct a study of the Neanderthal genome sequence. 
• What are the ways of improving solar cell efficiency? 
• The carbon footprint of modern production: how do companies damage the environment?
• Research the use of cesium in solar panels. 
• The era of supercapacitors: are we ending the use of batteries?
• Assess the efficiency of Robot Suits for people with permanent paralysis.
• Microscale medial robots: potential applications.
• Look into stem cell mobilization and its mechanisms. 
• Discuss the ethics of automated cars. 
• Space robotics: can we design robots capable of exploring space?
• Evaluate the efficiency and potential of lithium-based rechargeable batteries.
• Morality and ethics of stem cell research. 
• Is behavior controlled or affected by genetics and to what level. 
• A look at methods of improving risk factors post-stroke.
• Analyze of Chinese herbal practice and its relevance to conventional medicine.
• Analyze the effect schools have on childhood obesity.

• New methods of using existing data to gather information that is useful.
• An in-depth look at the factors affecting the decline of the immune system with age.
• Analyze of the potential effect of nanotechnology on health and the environment.
• Analyze of toxicity levels of inhaled nanoparticles.
• The usefulness of nanotechnology in curing some types of cancer.
• An analysis and case study of the treatment of patients who have experienced a loss of memory.
• Analyze the use of DNA typing of remains to identify missing people and the victims of crime.
• The response of immune deficiency diseases to the activation of T-cell subsets.
• The influence and importance of IT in the field of biomedicine.

Architecture Thesis Topics

Architecture is more than just aesthetics. That’s become especially clear ever since the doctrine “form follows function” gained traction. Whether you’re into baroque or Bauhaus, there’s plenty to discover about architecture.

• Religious architecture in the British Empire. Research the transformation of religious buildings and how it affected architecture in general. 
• Modernist architecture in the USSR at the beginning of the 20th century. Compare modernist architecture in the USSR with other countries.
• Urban greening and its influence on buildings’ design. The dissertation proposal can include green roofs as the main point of research.
• Brutalism and its history in New York. Provide historical research of brutalism in New York and discuss how it affects modern architecture.
• Modern-day aboriginal settlements in Australia. Using examples from media and research, indicate how aboriginal settlements are perceived and handled today.
• Transformation of the urban design in the 21st century. Using London, Hong-Kong, and New York as examples, provide an in-depth discussion of changes in the urban design.
• The architectural history of Seattle. Conduct research and write a proposal that will compare different architectural styles seen in Seattle.
• Integration of culture in environmental design. In this proposal, you can use large cities in Asia as primary examples of the synergy between culture and architecture.
• The architecture of residential buildings during the second half of the 20th century. Choose one or several large cities (e.g., Berlin, Miami, Kyoto) as the basis for your research.
• The history of Moscow Avant-Garde. Use both Soviet and modern Russian research on Avant-Garde to present the topic accurately.
• Use of computer visuals in architecture.
• Review the trends in modern furniture design.
• Ecology and architecture: integration of green technologies.
• Discuss the multiculturalism of contemporary urban architecture.
• The history of architecture in urban areas of the US: the study of New York.
• Modern city design case study.
• Research ways of using wood in modern architecture.
• Commercial architecture: aesthetics and usability.
• Evaluate the design of municipal buildings in the US.
• Creativity in postmodernist architecture.
• How do we integrate smart home technology into architecture?
• Small scale homes: a study of growing interest in small housing.
• Discuss the use of lighting in building design. 
• Study innovations in structural design in the digital age.
• What are the implications of inclusive architecture?
• Sustainable architecture: recycling spaces and materials.
• Renewable energy in home design.
• Assess open concept homes for American families.
• Conduct a study of family homes design.
• Research architecture suitable for middle-class families.

Thesis Topics in English Literature & World Literature

Was your New Year’s Resolution to re-read the 100 most influential classical works? Then you might want to consider writing a thesis in advanced higher English. Check out these engaging prompts:

• In-depth stylistic analysis of The Trial by Franz Kafka . Explain what stylistic devices Kafka used in his story.
• The influence of The Hound of the Baskervilles on the development of modern detective stories. Prepare several comparisons of The Hound with modern detective stories to pinpoint its influence.
• The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum : women characters in Heinrich Böll’s fiction. Using the book mentioned in the topic, examine how the German writer depicted women in his prose.
• Analysis of the terrorism portrayal in modern journalism: The New York Times case study. Pick several articles related to terrorism published in NYT and describe in detail how it is portrayed (keywords, images, etc.).
• A formalist approach to Dostoevsky: analysis of The Brothers Karamazov . Provide the reader with an explanation of the formalist approach and use it to analyze the novel.
• The depiction of sexual violence in young adult literature. Pick several YA novels published in the 2010s for your research.
• The use of repetition in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot . Analyze how repetition is used for emphasis and other effects in the play.
• Feminism and gender in Margaret Atwood’s Cats’ Eye . Review the book from a feminist point of view and discuss how gender issues are presented in the book.
• How does Phillip K. Dick use intertextuality in The Man in the High Castle ? Find as many references to other literary and historical sources as you can and elaborate how Dick uses them and for what aims.
• The influence of Steppenwolf on postmodern American literature: the contribution of Herman Hesse. Using Steppenwolf as the primary source, discuss what characteristics common for postmodern literature Hesse uses in this novel. 
• How does racism manifest itself in classical literature?
• Discuss the oppression of women in The Handmaid’s Tale.
• Gender roles in The Miniaturist and A Doll’s House : a comparison.
• Moral ambiguity in David Harrower’s works.
• Literary techniques in the Perks of Being a Wallflower.
• The setting in The Murder in the Rue Morgue and its influence on the detective genre.
• Review the tropes first introduced in The Moonstone.  
• Study the depictions of police’s work in Skinner’s Rule .
• Assess the influence of Victorian Gothic horror on popular culture.
• Social criticism in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
• Analyze cyberpunk elements in Gibson’s Neuromancer.  
• Themes of social equality in modern literature.
• Research the views on Native American writers in Nature’s Poem.  
• Critique of contemporary children’s literature .
• Gothic elements in Charlotte Bronte’s works.
• The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Dracula : a comparative analysis.
• Terror in The Picture of Dorian Gray .
• Examine the connection of mental health and society in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye . 
• Magical realism and romanticism in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.
• How does the cut-up technique contribute to the narration in William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch?

Criminal Justice Thesis Topics

Are you a forensic science student who prefers research to actual police work? In that case, a dissertation in criminology is a great idea. This way, you can work on preventing crime from the comfort of your desk.

• Recidivism rates among underage Latino first-time offenders: a quantitative study. Research a group of first-time offenders of a particular age (e.g., 18 to 25 years old).
• A comparative analysis of the incidents of gun violence in the USA during the 2010s. Choose several prominent examples and compare them to each other. 
• Troublesome statements: the role of witnesses in potentially false accusations. In this dissertation, you can write about the unreliability of statements, using documented examples.

• The patterns of drug trafficking in Germany’s largest cities: a case study of Berlin and Hamburg. Analyze the changes in these patterns in the 2010s. 
• Money laundering and corruption in the United States in the 21st century. Using media reports, create dissertation research about corruption schemes.
• Mental health and self-perception of second-time sex offenders. Determine if their self-perception changes.
• School shootings in the USA: causes and risk factors. Using recent and historical data, analyze the cases of mass shootings.
• The influence of cyberbullying on suicide rates among Australian adolescents (13-17 years old). You can base your dissertation report on various research on cyberbullying published in Australian scholarly journals.
• Child abuse and its influence on serial killer’s perception of victims. Discuss interconnections between abuse and potential sadistic behavior. 
• The history of forensic interviewing in the USA. Present research and practices that contributed to its development.
• Use of artificial intelligence for forensic investigations.
• Criminal behavior at a young age and its implications for the future. 
• Drug use: pattern of recurring arrests among American youth.
• Incarcerated parents: the impact on the child’s perception of crime.
• Research the reforms of the US criminal justice system.
• Propose strategies for improving the juvenile detention system.
• Police officer’s abuse of power: analysis of reports.
• Race and criminal justice: the case of War on Drugs.
• What are the possible alternative forms of incarceration? 
• A study of public perception of modern serial killers. 
• Training of sniffer dogs.
• The implications of eyewitness testimony. 
• Abuse in Hollywood: a case study of Harvey Weinstein.
• Bias against African Americans during investigations.
• A study of college violence.
• Legal implications of medical marijuana legalization .
• Ethics of criminal justice: the problem of confidentiality.
• Review the challenges linked with domestic violence investigations. 
• Suggest ways of preventing crimes in schools.
• Gender bias during crime examinations.

Geography Thesis Topics

If you enjoy unveiling Earth’s secrets, this section is for you. Here you’ll find geography dissertation ideas ranging from studies of movement to regional phenomena.

• Species that became extinct in the 20th century: qualitative research. Address the human influence on various species.
• Current issues in the exploration of Arctic. Discuss difficulties and specifics of such explorations.
• A comparison of urban back gardens in the USA and the UK. You can compare their design and other features (for example, vegetation used for decoration).
• The causes and outcomes of floodings in the USA in the 2010s. Address climate change as one of the leading causes.
• Prevention of ecosystem changes with modern technology. Provide various examples of how technology is used to sustain ecosystems.
• Changes in travel destinations in the 2000s: a comparison of the USA and Canada. Demonstrate what changes in preferences were documented in these countries and show what destinations were especially popular.
• The perception of environmentally friendly technologies and their impact on the environment by citizens of large metropolitan areas: a case study of Miami. Explain how various projects based on environmentally friendly technologies are launched in Miami.
• A negative impact of global warming on weather conditions in Iceland. Discuss how tourism in Iceland is affected by these changes.
• The influence of industrialization on climate change. Address the causes of climate change, using industrialization and its consequences as a basis.
• Compare Greenfield and Brownfield land use for construction projects.
• Investigate the significance of red salmon for Kamchatka.
• The social impact of climate change : a study of migration patterns.
• The potential of community gardening in underprivileged neighborhoods.
• Study the link between the strengths of hurricanes and climate change.
• What can be done to stop gentrification in your community?
• Evaluate coastal tourism, its effect, and implications.
• The impact of reservoir locations on water quality.
• How did industrialization affect the development of Chicago?
• Study soil pollution levels in your community area.
• Conduct an analysis of air quality in your city.
• Eco-tourism, its history, and perspectives. 
• Differences in soil chemistry across several locations. 
• The impact of organic farming on water quality in your area.
• Compare the sustainability of organically vs. conventionally farmed tomatoes.
• Research air pollution levels and data on airborne illnesses in your area.
• What’s the relationship between rock climbing and cliff vegetation?
• Study the changes in soil fertility upon volcanic eruption.
• How does the Chernobyl disaster continue to affect the surrounding area? 
• Determine the patterns of floods in a particular area of your choice.

Sociology Thesis Ideas

Sociology studies how humans live together. A dissertation is a great way to dive deeper into a particular subject. You can get as specific as your heart desires! Check out our sociology thesis topics:

• Single parent stigma and its influence on family’s quality of life and parent-child relationships. Present examples from recent research that illustrate how the dynamics of these relationships change over time due to stigma. 
• Women empowerment in Saudi Arabia in 2000s: breakthroughs and challenges. Discuss how this empowerment affected legislation and women’s rights.
• Long-term alcohol addiction and self-perception in young adults. With the help of research, demonstrate whether self-perception of these adults transforms significantly due to their addiction.
• Adoption and its influence on parent-child relationships. Present and discuss challenges that such families face.
• Comparison of traditions related to family dinners in the USA and the UK. What specific differences are there and how can they be explained?
• Influence of the emo culture on suicide rates in high school students. Address the influence of such cultures on adolescents’ behavior. 
• The rates of secularization in elderly individuals living in urban and rural areas. Compare the rates and explain why they are different.
• Influence of forced outing on transgender individuals and concomitant changes in their quality of life. Explain the effects of forced outing and why this impact is dangerous.
• Comparison of anti-nuclear movements in Germany and Japan in the 21st century. Explain in detail what differences and similarities are prominent.
• Performance rates of teenagers in schools in low-income neighborhoods: a case study of Boston schools. When writing your dissertation proposal, consider various factors (poverty, limited access to technology, etc.) that affect performance rates of these teenagers.
• Black Lives Matter movement’s immediate impact on racism.
• Research causes of minority bias in the US.
• Affirmative action and its impact on the perception of varied racial groups.
• The impact of religion on people’s attitudes towards race. 
• Review the challenges of the US LGBT community.
• Bias towards transgender studies.
• Social activism against gender discrimination in the 21st century.
• The impact of social assistance in schools on a child’s future.
• Research the changes in education after WWII.
• Analyze scholarship policies in the US.
• The impact of student debt on youth’s perception of education in the US.
• Outcomes of public vs. private schools: a comparison.
• Research the preservation of culture in American immigrant families. 
• Applying Marx’s conflict theory to social justice movements.
• Assess changing trends in social norms in a country of your choice.
• Attitudes towards prejudice among people of different social backgrounds.
• Comparison of women’s rights in Western and Middle Eastern countries.
• The impact of capitalism on one’s social values.
• How does capitalism benefit society across multiple post-soviet countries? 
• Compare healthcare access in autocracies vs. democracies.

💡 Dissertation Topics for Ph.D. students

Below you’ll find a list of excellent dissertation ideas in different fields of study. They are more difficult than thesis topics and require more research. Jump to the section that interests you and find the topic that suits you best! But first:

What Makes a Good Ph.D. Topic?

Usually, universities would expect your dissertation to be original and relevant in the field of the research. Moreover, it would be worthwhile if it has the potential to make a change.

This checklist will help you see whether you’ve made the right choice. Your dissertation topic is good, if:

• You have an opportunity to research it fully.  You need to know that there is enough data and a theoretical basis. Do some prior research to understand if you will be able to answer all your dissertation questions.
• You can fill the gaps in the existing knowledge.  Your research matters if you can provide some new information that contributes to the field of your studies.
• Your dissertation title is catchy.  Try to make it worth the reader’s attention from the first glance.
• You can evaluate how much time you need.  It is vital to understand all the stages of your research and the challenges you might face to plan your work.
• You know the subject well.  You will need to explore your topic in-depth. It’s good to have some previous knowledge about it. Starting the research from the very basics will take more time and effort.
• You have enough resources to investigate it.  Both time and money matter in this case. You need to do high-quality research and meet your deadlines.

Dissertation Topics in Education

Learning is a lifelong experience, and the importance of schools cannot be overestimated. Research in this area is critical to improving education standards. Have a look at these topic ideas to get inspired:

• Gamification as tools for enhancing learning abilities: theory and practice. Many studies have been conducted on different learning approaches. For young learners, engagement is as critical as the outcome. Therefore, this work focuses on gamification and its effect on children’s improvisation and learning. 
• Studying the connection between classroom quality and the learning outcome in kindergarten. Children are strongly affected by their environment, especially when it comes to learning. This dissertation topic example is all about looking into different classroom settings and their effect on kids’ learning outcomes. 
• Evaluating the process of implementation of inclusive education in the US. Professionals argue that inclusive education carries multiple benefits for all students (not just those with limited abilities.) However, it is quite a challenging process to implement all the changes.
• Factors influencing the decision to transfer to the higher education abroad. In this work, you can focus on finding out the reasons for such a decision. Why do undergraduate students choose to leave their home country? What are the most important factors? 
• Online education vs. traditional face-to-face lessons for adult learners: compare and contrast. Online courses have their own benefits. However, would adult learners prefer them to in-person classrooms? How does it affect their learning and motivation?
• How does working as a taxi driver and navigating change a person’s brain?
• To what extent can reality television be disempowering for students?
• The role of homework in the lives of immigrant adolescents.
• The impact of teachers’ shocking behaviors in fostering students’ creativity.
• The determinants of flossing behavior in college students .
• The classification of drinking styles in the college-age population.
• Integrating the computer into the curriculum: why you can’t simply plug it in.
• The preconditions for serious music-making avocation in computer science students.
• Adult graduate difficulties with learning new technologies.
• The effect of academic performance on the health of students. 
• The impact of mathematic coaching on students’ self-esteem .
• The influence of internet on the emotional maturity of students.
• Academic achievements of students who decide to become teachers.
• Is it true that students are more likely to do homework given by good-looking professors?
• Informal learning in rural areas via social networks.
• Educational blogging for professors: the social networks of educationists.
• Does learning existentialism cause suicides?
• Is it possible to reduce summer learning loss without students’ consent?
• Can we reject classical math and do it at the same time? Yes, we can.
• What are major career prospects with a degree in Liberal Arts?
• Using electronic games in museums as an effective education tool.

Business Dissertation Topics

There are many things a business administrator should keep in mind. Finances, marketing, and development are just the tip of the iceberg. So, the choice of topics is practically endless. Check out this selection to narrow down the possibilities:

• How are business strategies adjusted to the globalization process? Small businesses’ perspective. Globalization means huge and profitable opportunities. To seize them, all businesses and companies should make some changes in their strategies. Investigate what would be the best action plan for them.
• Cultural changes and the effect of feedback in an international company: a case study. Choose a multinational company. Study the impact of feedback (both from the employees and customers) on its organizational culture changes. What reaction does it provoke in the company?
• Human resource management approaches in international non-profit organizations. In this study, look into the strategies HR managers apply in non-profit organizations. One of their main responsibilities is to monitor the performance of the employees. However, at the international level it becomes more difficult. 
• Leadership and organizational culture in making decisions about business strategies. In this research, you study the influence of the organizational culture on leaders. In the case of trying to initiate changes in the business strategy, how is a leadership decision taken? 
• The role of “foreign direct investment” in companies in developing countries: a case study of a large business. For this paper, pick a suitable company first. Aim for large companies in developing countries. Then conduct research and find out what strategies they have for foreign direct investments.
• COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on workplace management in small businesses . The COVID-19 pandemic caused many companies to readjust their HR policies. For instance, they allowed their staff to work from home. Research this phenomenon in your thesis.
• Social entrepreneurship for large companies. If you want to make the world a better place, social entrepreneurship is a suitable method. We usually associate it with small start-ups. But what about large companies? With this topic, you can research how the concept works for big firms.
• How innovation affects demand in technology-driven businesses. This MBA dissertation topic combines business studies and technology. Examine how companies create products for establishing markets.
• Management strategies in times of COVID-19: a case study. The pandemic has forced companies to use Zoom , Skype, and messaging instead of regular meetings. Review how executives can apply traditional management models in the digital space. 
• The impact of burnout on employees. Interview staff members and determine how burnout affects performance. Include the name of a company or industry in your dissertation’s title. 
• Tourism management in the Middle East.
• How do natural disasters impact the demand for essentials? 
• Compare and contrast Asian and American leadership styles. 
• How does fluctuation in the stock market impact business operations?
• The art of delegation: how to do it effectively and when to avoid it.
• How can one efficiently lead a company when unforeseen circumstances occur?
• What factors determine employees’ work satisfaction?
• Study the link between a company’s success and innovation.
• What can business managers do to bridge the gap between generations?
• Research the benefits of global and local brand management.
• What causes changes in Chinese business culture?
• Choose a small business and analyze its strategy.
• Organizational changes : what factors impact transformation?
• Internet banking : barriers to usage.
• Create a business plan that is focused on a specific issue. 
• Conditions necessary for quality management in MNCs.
• The role of E-commerce for food retailers.
• Conduct a case study with the purpose to analyze one or several social phenomena.
• Workplace ethics in small businesses.
• The phenomenon of remote working and how it is affecting businesses.
• Comparison of Generation X and the Millennial Generation.
• Managing the Millennial Generation.
• Current trends in consumer behavior in relation to advertising.
• Analyze which countries margin financing is effective and why.
• Analyze the macroeconomic factors affecting exchange rates. 
• An empirical analysis of the impact of organizational performance and leadership .

Law Dissertation Topics for Ph.D. Students

Legal science is not dull as one may think. It’s crucial to evaluate laws at any point in time. Do they fit the current norms? Does something or someone need more protection than before? If you want to garnish your legal education with a Ph.D., here are some topic suggestions:

• Trust law: the circumstances when fully secret and half-secret trusts are necessary. Find out what are the principles that dictate the enforcement of the trusts. There are specific circumstances that determine whether creating trusts would be adequate and relevant. Make sure to take them into consideration.
• Termination of employment in case of employees tested positive for HIV/AIDS. Your task would be to conduct research and see how HIV/AIDS employees are influenced in the workplace. The most common issues are discrimination and termination of employment.
• The influence of the Global War on Terrorism on international criminal law. When the US launched the campaign against terrorism in 2001, international criminal law faced some changes. You can study the most significant changes that have been made.
• The level of effectiveness of the US copyright law in relation to the rights of users. It’s an empirical research topic that would require collecting lots of data. Try to find some cases when the users were left cheated by copyright law. It would bring some diversity to the research and make it more interesting.
• Study the effect that the US immigration policy has on education right now. Educational institutions are also required to adjust to changes connected with immigration. Different requirements and different curriculums are implemented to fit their needs. You are about to look into this issue.
• Select a country and analyze its worker protection laws. Compare the rights and obligations of employees in two countries of your choice. What potential improvements can solidify employee rights? 
• Protection of minorities, legal precedents. Minority rights are becoming more and more relevant. This topic allows you to discuss how laws can be changed to reflect it.
• Regulation of cryptocurrency. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies allow for anonymity. Besides, they are not regulated by any state. In your thesis, you can analyze cryptocurrency regulations.
• Fake news : legal responsibility. Review how the United States legal system approaches disinformation. Focus on false publications on news resources. Another possible topic is improvements to defamation laws.
• Freedom of expression : a case during a pandemic. This topic is about false information in times of COVID-19. Examine how a state can balance freedom of expression with the spread of false information. Focus on this disease and the fake news about it.
• Legal practices for preventing possible future pandemics.
• Research ways of online journalism protection.
• International law vs. the right to self-determination: comparative case studies of de facto states.
• Review the history of fiscal laws in America.
• Limits to freedom of expression in the US legal system. 
• Enforcing regulations concerning domestic violence.
• Study criminal responsibility for drug possession in the US. 
• Criminalization of violence against women.
• Review the legal framework for addressing foreign involvement in elections.
• What was the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Health standards for immigrant detention centers in the US. 
• Research the loopholes in the US immigration laws.
• Birthright citizenship in the US: pros and cons.
• 1951 Refugee Convention: is it obsolete?
• Illegal immigrants and their rights in the US justice system.
• How criminal laws have been impacted around the world by the war on terror.
• Choose a country and analyze their policies on discrimination.
• Evaluate the protection given to minority shareholders as dictated by company law.
• Provide a critical analysis of the law of omissions liability. 
• Investigate and analyze complaints filed in the criminal justice system.
• A critical analysis of the reform of homicide laws. 
• The morality and impact of euthanasia and how Canada sets a precedent.
• A detailed analysis of gender and race profiling of suspects in the criminal justice system.
• Analyze the right to bear arms relative to the context in which the law was written into The Constitution. 
• Create case studies that represent a review of criminal negligence related to the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.

Psychology Dissertation Topics

The mysterious ways of the human mind offer many research opportunities. Psychology encompasses sub-fields such as behavior and cognition. Whatever your area of expertise, you’ll undoubtedly find something interesting in the list below.

• The current effect of the “price ending” method on the consumers’ behavior . Nowadays, everybody knows the most popular trick that shops pull to make customers buy the products. However, does understanding it make it easier to resist it? Is this psychological trap still working?
• Burnout at the executive positions in massive US corporations: is it possible to prevent? The phenomenon of burnout is the most common issue that employees face nowadays. But there are ways to detected it at an early stage. Could they be used to predict and prevent this problem? 
• Mindfulness practices and their influence on students’ learning abilities at the top universities (e.g., Harvard). Mindfulness is proved to be extremely useful in overcoming stress and anxiety issues. However, does it affect the learning outcome of the students who study at the best universities in the world?
• The individual struggles with gender issues and their impact on global gender inequality. Everything always starts with a small thing. For this paper, study the relation between some individual cases and the global issue. How do personal struggles contribute to the worldwide movement for justice? 
• The positive influence of irrational beliefs on mental well-being. In psychology, irrational beliefs are a set of values and opinions that people believe in despite rational evidence against them. However, what positive effect can they bring?
• Ways of raising awareness of mental health problems. Mental health has been discussed more openly in recent years. Review how this open discussion affects views on personal mental health. As another idea for a psychology dissertation topic, research a specific illness. 
• Student burnout and ways to prevent it. Focus on the problems students face and what strategies can reduce their stress.
• Pandemic and mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to be in isolation from social contacts. Review the potential effects of this practice on people’s well-being. Discuss possible strategies for supporting mental health during possible future pandemics.
• Weight, self-image, and mental health. A clinical psychology thesis can focus on the psychology behind excess weight. Discuss how weight affects a person’s perception of self. Assess implications for clinical psychologists who work with overweight patients.
• Social media vs. reality: normalizing real people. Review current efforts of social media accounts in normalizing body image. Explain how this can reverse the damage that edited photos have on mental health. 
• How does gender bias affect mental health in America?
• What factors affect women’s self-esteem in the workplace?
• Specifics of transgender mental health.
• Research the effect of immigration on mental well-being.
• Study the psychology of racism and ways to combat it. 
• What distinguishes the mental health of minorities in the US? 
• Research the psychology of dissent in the Soviet Union.
• The connection between stress and overeating: latest developments.
• Assess the role of social support for losing weight. 
• What’s the role of prejudice in politics?
• Assess the role of endurance in combating stress.
• Developing hardiness: strategies and exercises.
• What’s the effect of emotional resilience on mental health?
• Helping teenagers overcome stress via relaxation techniques. 
• Look into the perception of anger and its effect on mental health.
• Understanding the function of the prefrontal cortex in terms of how it is connected to other parts of the brain.
• Understanding how the prefrontal cortex makes us human.
• How emotional and anxiety disorders are connected to social cognition that is impaired.
• Analyze the ability of an MRI to determine brain function.
• Analyze the relationship between emotional and episodic memory.
• A comparison of the plasticity of the child’s brain and the adult brain. 
• Analyze the continued relevance of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.
• An in-depth look at the social intuitionist model and how it relates to the emotion and reason involved in moral judgement.
• How the evolution of the human brain can be understood in terms of children cognitive development. 
• A demonstration of the multi-dimensional nature of schizophrenia. 
• How rational thinking and impulse contribute to decision-making.
• A systematic analysis and review of the psychology of religion.
• How exposure to nature affects happiness.

Nursing Dissertation Topics

A nurse’s work is hard. Unfortunately, they rarely get the credit they deserve. With a Ph.D., you could become an advocate on the problem. Or you could concentrate on optimizing their work environments.

• Exercise, changes in lifestyle , and self-tracking for diabetes prevention and management. Center your research on different lifestyle changes (exercise, reduced smoking and drinking) and explain how and why it prevents diabetes.
• Influence of stigma related to HIV/AIDS on representatives of ethnic minorities: a case study of Native Americans. Using research, provide compelling evidence of how Native Americans are stigmatized and discriminated against.
• Chronic illness management at home: recommended evidence-based practices. Using current nursing and other professional research, discuss how adults and seniors manage chronic and autoimmune diseases.
• Depression and stress and their relation to preterm births in first-time mothers. Collect several articles about the issue and using their conclusions show how depression causes preterm births.
• Burnout in nurses: factors that cause it and practical solutions for prevention. Present outcomes of burnout (decreased performance and concentration, subpar workplace environment) and illustrate how it affects hospitals on a more significant scale. 
• Public health: community-based measures to prevent morbid obesity. In this research, you can list various methods that include exercise and education and explain in detail how they prevent the spread of obesity.
• Risk factors and injury rates in psychiatric nursing. Present statistics on different types of injuries in psychiatric institutions.
• Cultural diversity and inclusion in nursing education. When researching diversity, make sure you are using examples of different minority groups’ perception of education.
• Euthanasia legislation in the USA: ethical issues and debates. Provide a thoughtful discussion of ethical and legal issues surrounding euthanasia.
• Organizational climate and its influence on perceived patient safety. Your study should focus on the importance of positive relationships between staff members, and its influence on the prevention of medical errors.
• Dietary practices and their influence on the quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. SLE is a complex disease that requires a multidisciplinary approach. Describe nutritional research approaches to SLE.
• Fluoride application training in dental nursing.
• Describe the specifics of nursing care for patients with diabetes.
• Assess gender disparity in nursing research.
• Study nurse burnout prevalence in neonatal care in your community.
• Nursing staff advising DASH diet: effects on patients’ blood pressure.
• What are the challenges of asthma management for nurses? 
• Nursing for autistic patients: the best strategies. 
• Racial differences in nursing care: a case study.
• Evaluate nurses’ role in pain management for patients with dementia. 
• Study the connection between nursing staff turnover and burnout.
• How is the role of a nurse changing in the modern healthcare system?
• Review nursing practices for managing elderly patients.
• A holistic approach to obesity management in nursing.
• Describe the specifics of nursing in rural areas.
• Physical activity and mental health: a nursing case study.
• Discuss nursing pain relief strategies for general care. 
• Determine the ethical implications of nursing malpractice.
• Nurses consultations for spinal cord injuries.
• Nursing in an urban setting: challenges and prospects. 
• What are the specifics of pain management in obstetrical nursing?

Marketing Dissertation Topics

Good marketing is what made you buy that product you didn’t know you needed. Marketing needs plenty of scientific research for it to be successful. You can contribute to this effort with one of the following topic ideas:

• Compare and contrast the effectiveness of traditional and digital marketing in the last five years. Marketing moves towards digital campaigns more and more every year. Though, traditional marketing still exists, of course. Your task is to compare every aspect of these two types in the span of the previous five years.
• The specifics of the relationship marketing and its influence on the loyalty rates among customers: a case study of fast-food chains. Take a few fast-food chains to conduct this research. Then analyze their relationship marketing strategies. There should be a correlation between the methods they use and the loyalty of their customers.
• Direct marketing and artificial intelligence: how do companies use it? The industry of marketing couldn’t have missed the opportunity to use the latest technologies for their benefit. Artificial intelligence helps some companies gain a competitive advantage. Find out what those benefits are.
• Collectivism and individualism : how does culture influence supermarkets? There are some apparent differences in cultures when it comes to shopping. Each shop owner has to implement a specific marketing strategy for targeting the customers. Work on aspects that make those strategies successful in different cultures.
• The strategies that make personalized products sell effectively. Everybody loves customized products, but it seems like not everybody is willing to share their data to get it. Therefore, businesses are forced to work it out. This research looks into marketing tools and methods they use to sell personalized products.
• Influence of online shopping apps on impulsive buying behavior . Using prominent examples such as Amazon and eBay, elaborate how apps affect customer’s decision to purchase an item through recommendations.
• Product design and its impact on consumer’s purchase decision. When preparing this thesis topic, consider using examples of large corporations such as Apple or IKEA to prove your point. 
• Customer loyalty : the importance of satisfaction and loyalty programs. Conduct research using available surveys on satisfaction and draw conclusions from these statistics.
• Ethnic differences and their impact on brand perception. This research can review the types of products that target White or Black Americans specifically.
• Preferences for green products: analysis of the income’s influence on consumer decisions. Compare what households are more likely to prefer green products.
• Shopping habits of Muslim consumers in the USA: qualitative research. Here, you will need to do research by engaging Muslim Americans in your study; you can use interviews or surveys for this topic.
• Social media and its impact on the promotion of small business. Make sure your reader understands how social media can promote or negatively present small business through customers’ comments.
• Does globalization make preferences of customers from different socioeconomic backgrounds similar? Interview people from lower, middle, and upper class and discuss the preferences of American households.
• Social media usage by international companies: a case study of Electronic Arts. Study the influence of customers’ reviews and opinions on EA’s sales.
• Consumers’ perception of transaction safety in online shopping applications. Discuss how consumers learn to differentiate between reliable and unreliable apps for payments .
• Marketing high tech products: a case study.
• Study changing marketing techniques during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The future of big data uses in marketing.
• Conduct a comparative analysis of offline vs. online advertising .
• Explore the relationship between marketing strategies and sales.
• Holiday marketing strategies in the 21st century.
• Is marketing tailed towards model devices effective?
• Study the rise of influencer marketing. 
• Review the newest trends in digital advertising. 
• Brand management in 2020: an analysis. 
• Assess the effect of advertising on consumer behavior. 
• Targeted ads: are they efficient?
• How did marketing change during the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Assess brand management’s contribution to consumer loyalty. 
• Impact of social media marketing on brand perception.
• Google Analytics insights for marketing campaigns. 
• Marketing for minority populations.
• Youtube marketing: the effectiveness of videos for brand promotion.
• How does partnering with influencers impact brand perception?
• Social influencer marketing for SMEs.

History Dissertation Topics

History is written not only by the victors but also by history students. Your dissertation can shine a light on understudied cultures. Or perhaps you want to focus on how a specific event impacted the world. Find inspiration among the following dissertation questions and ideas:

• The historical context of the creation of Guernica by Pablo Picasso . War wasn’t the only inspiration for Pablo Picasso during the process of making Guernica . In this paper, you would look into the environment of the artist and try to identify what else brought him to the creation of this masterpiece.
• Bismarck and radical nationalism: what influenced the political state? For this research, you would study the underlying reasons for German Nazism before the beginning of World War II. What factors gave it a start when Otto von Bismarck was in charge?
• The rise of Bollywood: historical context. This paper focuses on the success of Indian Bollywood movies in the 1930s. You would need to look into the events that made those movies famous in the whole world. Don’t forget to mention the social views of Bollywood movies.
• The influence of secrecy in the technology intervention during World War II. You would study the role that the US Patent and Trademark Office played in the development of special war technology . Secrecy helped to keep it away from the public and enemies. How did it influence the war?
• Italian prisons in the 19th century: how were they managed after Unification? This paper would require you to study documentation on the management system prison used in Italy at the beginning of the 19th century. You should try to find some practices that might have been socially harmful. 
• Gender perceptions in the Middle Age. When preparing the dissertation, use both historical and literary sources to show how gender was presented.
• Secularization in the American South during the post-war period. Provide a detailed discussion of secular societies forming in the South after the 1940s.
• Representation of Jewish history in contemporary art: a case study of Art Spiegelman’s Maus . Using the comic book as the primary basis, explain how Jewish culture and history are presented there.

• The history of medieval warfare and its influence on Modern Era warfare . When constructing this thesis, make sure you are using both historical and current research to provide details.
• American-British relations during the Cold War Era . Explain how the Cold War Era changes these relations and what has affected it the most.
• Germany’s foreign relations during the 1980s. Present a detailed overview of different foreign relations (e.g., with the USA, the USSR, the UK) Germany had during this period.
• The financial crisis in the USA in 2007-2009. Using research and media sources, explain to the reader how the crisis is still affecting the USA. 
• The development of Austrian identity after World War II. In this case, you can use both historical evidence and Austrian literature that provides personal opinions of writers and artists on the issue.
• The impact of the Great Depression on the American involvement in the World War II. To show your understanding of historical processes, demonstrate how the Great Depression affected the USA’s perception of WWII. 
• How I stopped worrying and learned to love the bomb: the development of nuclear warfare in the 20th century. Discuss the development of nuclear warfare in the USA and the USSR.
• What was the role of China in the Cold War?
• How did the Spanish Flu affect the pandemics that followed it?
• Determine the influence of the stock market crash in 1929 on the World Wars.
• First Battle of Marne’s impact on the outcomes of WWI.
• Tool usage and creation: Aztecs vs. Mayas.
• How did the enlightenment philosophy impact the development of the natural sciences?
• The effects of Christianization in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Assess the role of slavery in the US civil rights movement. 
• Study the history of LGBT rights establishment in the US.
• What are the origins of slavery in Africa?
• The Moon Landing and its impact on space exploration. 
• Explore the role of the Bible in Jewish history.
• The US’ involvement in WWII.
• The aftermath of WWII: major historical events.
• Research the link between the Mexican-American War and the Gold Rush.
• Cold War insights: lessons from the Suez Crisis.
• Explore the role of democratization in the Soviet Union collapse.
• Global cooperation in early modern Europe.
• Study the legacy of the arms race.
• How did the First Ladies influence life in the 20th century America?

Dissertation Topics in Management

Companies and employees alike benefit from well-thought-out management strategies. So, a thesis in management has the potential to improve work environments even further. Kickstart your research by choosing one of the following topics:

• Ecotourism in Canada: issues and trends in small business. Explain issues that arise in ecotourism with climate change.
• Management ethics: how social media affects employees’ privacy and organizational climate. Present examples of negative and positive influence.
• Leadership styles: a comparison of democratic and autocratic leadership. Discuss what leadership style should be chosen to rule various companies, depending on their business plan.
• Political risk and its influence on emergency management. Explain how political crises affect and shape emergency management.
• Cultural diversity and its impact on employees’ satisfaction and commitment. Show what advantages and disadvantages there are in cultural diversity.
• Economic growth and unemployment rates in Australia during the 1990s: a historical perspective. Explain the causes of economic growth and unemployment.
• Challenges in human resources management working with millennials: qualitative research. Discuss what particular challenges HR managers face and how they can be addressed. 
• The significance of organizational routines in international corporations: a case study of Google. Conduct research on the importance of routine and its impact on performance. 
• Computer skills and management: the effectiveness of computerized management information system in rural areas. Describe how digital management can be effectively applied in companies working in rural areas.
• The history of digital rights management in the USA. Present the changes in the field during the 1990s-2010s. 
• Analyze the best leadership styles for SMEs. 
• Examine the changes entrepreneurship underwent in the past decades.
• How do leadership styles relate to work satisfaction? 
• Overview of business negotiation methods using technology.
• Ways of integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices.
• Discuss the specifics of airline companies’ management. 
• Choose a theory of motivation in the workplace and make a case study on it.
• Study change management in SMEs in times of a crisis.
• Managing diverse workforce: a qualitative analysis.
• Use of employee voice in US companies.
• Research the relationship between the organization’s goals and a manager’s behavior.
• What are the best current practices in public administration?
• Applying strategic human capital principles in practice.
• The study of female CEOs in a country of your choice.
• Employees’ perception of change management : a quantitative analysis.
• A study of employees’ resistance to change.
• What’s the correlation between a CEO’s leadership traits and employee motivation ?
• Workplace risk management : a study of psychosocial hazards.
• Conduct a quantitative study of the gender pay gap for CEOs.
• Research the relationship between management style and employee productivity .

Qualitative Dissertation: Ideas for Proposals

If you want your thesis to be more practical, you’ve come to the right section. Common approaches for qualitative dissertations include researching case studies, surveys, or ethnographies. Because of this, fieldwork will be an integral part of your doctorate journey.

• A comparison of teaching techniques that targeted children with autism in the 20th and 21st centuries. Provide a detailed overview of techniques and explain how research affected them.
• The development of cognitive-behavioral therapy and its effectiveness in patients with eating disorders. Present the history of CBT and use recent research to demonstrate its effectiveness. 
• Ageism and sexism in international organizations of the fashion industry. Describe how the fashion industry defines what it means to be “young and beautiful.”
• Addressing sexual harassment at the workplace : the influence of organizational policies on targets’ decision to file a complaint. Explain what policies can support the target and what can prevent such decision.
• Strategies to eliminate bias in self-evaluation reports of employees. Using research in HRM, outline the best strategies that are currently used to avoid bias. 
• Post-cancer therapy: issues and trends. Present and discuss various trends, the research behind them, and the effectiveness of different types of therapy.
• A family history of abuse and its influence on drug use in adults. Explain how abuse can provoke addiction in the future.
• The importance of trusting doctor-patient relationships on patient’s medication adherence and management of a healthy lifestyle. Describe how such relationships negatively or positively affect a patient’s decision to take medicine as prescribed.
• Barriers to the acquisition of social support among young men and women veterans in the USA. Discuss mental and physical disorders as major barriers.
• Single mothers’ perceptions of breastfeeding in public places: qualitative research. Conduct interviews to find out their opinion.
• The impact of online learning on student’s academic performance.
• A study of the youths’ perception of learning smartphone applications.
• Research the issue of gender bias in college education. 
• Student’s perception of the mental health support and impact on campus.
• Perceptions of charter school education in the 21 st century.
• Discuss homeschooling and its effect on a child’s socialization.
• What’s the impact of cyberbullying on teenagers’ mental health?
• How inmates perceive alternative forms of incarceration.
• Gun violence from the perspective of victims.
• Research bias towards video games as an art form.
• In what ways are minorities disadvantaged in America?
• Evaluate cooking as a therapeutic exercise.
• Assess the link between a principal’s leadership style and the school’s rating.
• The effect of online counseling on patients’ mental health. 
• Perception of mental health stigma among students. 
• How does gig economy re-define work?
• The implications of freelancing in the 2020s.
• Opinions about a 6-day work week in your community.
• Assess the process of adaptation to working from home.
• Conduct a research study of views on the BLM movement outside the US. 

Quantitative Dissertation Proposal Topics

Some scholars just love working with data. Are you one of them? Then you’ll probably enjoy quantitative research. If you’re into finding patterns and making predictions, here are some enticing topics:

• A study of a major city’s livability index. Choose a city and assess whether it’s well-designed or not.
• A quantitative study of biofilms in technology. Discuss methods of using biofilms in technology. Include a list of recent advances and new tools.
• A quantitative study of teachers’ perception of online learning. This topic prompts you to use an evaluation scale. 
• An assessment of a link between product reviews and intention to purchase. Study the effect online reviews have on potential customers.
• Immigration and its connection to crime statistics. Analyze data on immigration to the US and the number of violent crimes. Determine the relationship between the two phenomena. 
• The relationship between obesity and occupation. Assess the BMIs of participants of different professions. Then, test the results for a correlation and discuss its implications.
• A relationship between nurses’ knowledge of diabetes management and patient satisfaction. Assess the nurses’ knowledge about diabetes and compare the results with patient satisfaction scores. Thus, you can determine if expertise translates into better care. 
• A study of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on SMEs financial operations. With this qualitative dissertation proposal in business and management, choose a small company. Analyze its financial data pre- and post-pandemic. Include a discussion of financial management during pandemics.
• A study of millennials’ pet ownership. Determine the percentage of millennials who have pets. Compare these patterns with previous generations. 
• Economic growth and urbanization. Compare the empirical data about the state of economics and the number of people living in cities.
• Determine how urbanization affects bacterial community compositions.
• The economic impact of immigration on SMEs.
• Study the rates of crimes in the US in relation to nonviolent crimes.
• How do various teaching styles affect learning? 
• Compare overconfidence in CEOs of SMEs and corporations.
• How does inclusive language influence social behavior?
• Assess consumers’ satisfaction with online banking in your area. 
• Evaluate crude oil price prediction methods. 
• Is there a link between smartphone use and mental illness?
• Correlation between eyewitness identification and memory.
• What are the attitudes towards AI development among women?
• Determine the rates of cybercrimes since the 1990s.
• A study of the police brutality cases across the US in the last decade.
• Correlation between education level and employment.
• The presence of sleep disorders in mental illnesses.
• Assess the attitudes towards medical care in the US.
• Determine the correlation between eating disorders and physical illness. 
• Study the rates of cyberbullying among minority students. 
• How various religious groups influence politics : a game-theoretical approach.
• Does regular exercise decrease symptoms of depression in adults? 

Dissertation Topics in Educational Leadership

Educational leadership is a science focused on helping students to achieve their academic goals. It includes the motivation of staff and learners, improvement of educational programs, and creation of a healthy, productive environment in institutions. Want to dedicate your research to it? Take a look at these topic samples:

• Fatigue among American medical students. Medical students often need to memorize and analyze big portions of information. That is why many of them don’t sleep enough, get tired quickly, and find it hard to concentrate. What can be done about it?
• How did the COVID-19 pandemic and distance learning affect students’ motivation? Online education has multiple benefits and drawbacks. Some students might find it easier to get access to various textbooks online. Others want to return to campus. What is their motivation? 
• Creating better learning conditions on campus: the challenges in 2022. With the increasing speed of technological progress, it is hard to catch up with the latest innovations. Explore them in your dissertation. For instance, you can focus on facilities for students with special needs. 
• How can we enhance discipline among first-year students on campus? For some younger students, it is hard to get used to living on their own. They need to accept new responsibilities, find time to take care of themselves, and organize their lives. How can we help them?
• Development of soft skills among undergraduate students. For future employers, soft skills are as important as hard skills. That is why colleges need to pay attention to soft skills such as time management, communication, and creativity. 
• The efficiency of workshops for enhancing students’ creativity.
• Do nutrition habits influence the studying process?
• The importance of mental health care in high school.
• What leadership styles are the most efficient in college communities? 
• Does the implementation of early childhood education lead to further academic success?
• What is the role of school counseling among teenagers?
• What psychological factors make students drop out of college? 
• Developing leadership qualities among MBA students. 
• How to help college athletes to cope with psychological and physical pressure.
• Ways of reducing anxiety levels among criminology students.
• Helping students to choose their majors and find a career path.
• How to enhance communication between higher education administration and students?
• Motivating students to succeed after graduation .
• Why do we need psychology classes in high school?
• How can we prevent the bullying of Latin American students in middle and high school?

✅ How to Choose a Thesis Topic: Main Steps

In case you have no idea where to start from, here is a quick guideline on how to choose a Ph.D. thesis topic:

We hope this article helped you to choose a suitable topic for your dissertation. We wish you good luck with your research!

Learn more on this topic:

• Dissertation Critique: Examples, How-to Guide
• The Ultimate Guide to Writing an Outstanding Dissertation
• How to Write an Abstract: Brief Steps and Structure Example

✏️ Dissertation FAQ

While working on a dissertation, you might deal with several types of research. The main research types are primary, qualitative, quantitative, and legal. In any case, it’s the way in which a researcher studies the subject using a particular methodology.

First of all, make sure that you are personally fascinated by the subject. This is essential for any thesis, be it master’s or an undergraduate dissertation. Besides, make sure the topic is feasible and hasn’t been studies much.

A good dissertation title is the one that represents the subject under study. To state which aspect is being studied is also important. The title should include neither a hypothesis nor a conclusion: think about it as “spoilers”—nobody likes them.

Just like any paper, a great dissertation is the one that is well-organized. The topic of the paper should correspond to the title. The text should have a cohesive structure with a definite introduction, argumentative main part, and a logical conclusion.

🔗 References

• Dissertation Topics 1961-Present: Rudgers University
• Completed Thesis and Dissertation Topics: University of Florida
• Current Legal Topics: Library of Congress
• The Right Dissertation Topic: Academics.com
• Days and Nights at the Museum…there’s a Dissertation for that!: Proquest.com
• Dissertation Titles: University of Michigan
• How to Pick a Master’s Thesis Topic: Medium.com
• How to Come Up With a Thesis Topic: Gradschools.com
• How to Choose Your Thesis Topic: Central European University
• How Do I Choose a Thesis Topic?: Grad School Hub
• Senior Thesis Topics: Hamilton College
• Arizona Research Topics: Arizona State Library
• Dissertation Proposal: Bartleby.com
• Dissertation Guide Essay
• How to Start Your Dissertation: 10 Top Tips: Studential.com
• How to Write a Dissertation or Bedtime Reading for People Who do not Have Time to Sleep: Purdue University
• A Step-By-Step Guide to Writing a Ph.D. Dissertation: ThoughtCo
• Dissertations Guide from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Developing a Thesis Statement: University of Wisconsin Madison
• Thesis/Dissertation Writing and Editing, Formatting, and Defending: Massey University
• Business Management Research Topics: Top Universities
• Law Topics: Law.com
• Psychology Topics: APA
• Marketing Topics: Marketing Profs
• Topics: History.com
• Computer Science: Encyclopedia Britannica
• Humanities: Research Topics Ideas: University of Michigan-Flint
• Art Topics: Art UK
• Topics: American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Nurses Topics: Medscape
• Architecture: Research Topics: University of Washington
• Topics in Geography: Research Gate
• New Topics in Sociology: University of Toronto
• Business Management Topics: The University of Maine
• Qualitative Case Study: Science.gov
• All Topics: Science News
• Criminology: Science Direct
• Topics in Literature: Sheridan College: Libguides
• Advanced Computer Science Topics: The University of Texas at Austin
• Application of Computer Techniques in Medicine: NIH
• Important Leadership and Management Topics: WHO
• Quantitative Research: University of Southern California
• Action Research: Brown University
• 10 Traits of Successful School Leaders: University of San Diego
• HIST 280 Topics: Texas A&M University
• The Relationship Between Burnout, Depression, and Anxiety: Frontiers In
• College of Nursing: University of Missouri–St. Louis
• All Topics: Educause
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Sample Student Theses

Global education.

• Global Jackson Orlando Charlotte Washington D.C. Atlanta Houston Dallas Memphis --> New York City Global
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Below are downloads (PDF format) of the M.A. (Religion) theses of some of our graduates to date.

Note: Certain requirements for current thesis students have changed since earlier theses were completed.

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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation

Dissertation title page

Published on 30 May 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 18 October 2022.

The title page (or cover page) of your thesis, dissertation, or research paper should contain all the key information about your document. It usually includes:

• Dissertation or thesis title
• The type of document (e.g., dissertation, research paper )
• The department and institution
• The degree program (e.g., Master of Arts)
• The date of submission

It sometimes also includes your student number, your supervisor’s name, and your university’s logo.

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Table of contents

Title page format, title page templates, title page example, frequently asked questions about title pages.

Your department will usually tell you exactly what should be included on your title page and how it should be formatted. Be sure to check whether there are specific guidelines for margins, spacing, and font size.

Title pages for APA and MLA Style

The format of your title page can also depend on the citation style you’re using. There may be guidelines in regards to alignment, page numbering, and mandatory elements.

• MLA guidelines for formatting the title page
• APA guidelines for formatting the title page

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We’ve created a few templates to help you design the title page for your thesis, dissertation, or research paper. You can download them in the format of your choice by clicking on the corresponding button.

Research paper Google doc

Dissertation Google doc

Thesis Google doc

A typical example of a thesis title page looks like this:

The title page of your thesis or dissertation should include your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date.

The title page of your thesis or dissertation goes first, before all other content or lists that you may choose to include.

Usually, no title page is needed in an MLA paper . A header is generally included at the top of the first page instead. The exceptions are when:

• Your instructor requires one, or
• Your paper is a group project

In those cases, you should use a title page instead of a header, listing the same information but on a separate page.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

McCombes, S. (2022, October 18). Dissertation title page. Scribbr. Retrieved 26 August 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/title-page/

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Other students also liked, thesis & dissertation acknowledgements | tips & examples, dissertation table of contents in word | instructions & examples, research paper appendix | example & templates.

Harvard University Theses, Dissertations, and Prize Papers

The Harvard University Archives ’ collection of theses, dissertations, and prize papers document the wide range of academic research undertaken by Harvard students over the course of the University’s history.

Beyond their value as pieces of original research, these collections document the history of American higher education, chronicling both the growth of Harvard as a major research institution as well as the development of numerous academic fields. They are also an important source of biographical information, offering insight into the academic careers of the authors.

Spanning from the ‘theses and quaestiones’ of the 17th and 18th centuries to the current yearly output of student research, they include both the first Harvard Ph.D. dissertation (by William Byerly, Ph.D . 1873) and the dissertation of the first woman to earn a doctorate from Harvard ( Lorna Myrtle Hodgkinson , Ed.D. 1922).

Other highlights include:

• The collection of Mathematical theses, 1782-1839
• The 1895 Ph.D. dissertation of W.E.B. Du Bois, The suppression of the African slave trade in the United States, 1638-1871
• Ph.D. dissertations of astronomer Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin (Ph.D. 1925) and physicist John Hasbrouck Van Vleck (Ph.D. 1922)
• Undergraduate honors theses of novelist John Updike (A.B. 1954), filmmaker Terrence Malick (A.B. 1966),  and U.S. poet laureate Tracy Smith (A.B. 1994)
• Undergraduate prize papers and dissertations of philosophers Ralph Waldo Emerson (A.B. 1821), George Santayana (Ph.D. 1889), and W.V. Quine (Ph.D. 1932)
• Undergraduate honors theses of U.S. President John F. Kennedy (A.B. 1940) and Chief Justice John Roberts (A.B. 1976)

What does a prize-winning thesis look like?

If you're a Harvard undergraduate writing your own thesis, it can be helpful to review recent prize-winning theses. The Harvard University Archives has made available for digital lending all of the Thomas Hoopes Prize winners from the 2019-2021 academic years.

Accessing These Materials

How to access materials at the Harvard University Archives

How to find and request dissertations, in person or virtually

How to find and request undergraduate honors theses

How to find and request Thomas Temple Hoopes Prize papers

How to find and request Bowdoin Prize papers

• email: Email
• Phone number 617-495-2461

Related Collections

Harvard faculty personal and professional archives, harvard student life collections: arts, sports, politics and social life, access materials at the harvard university archives.

• FindAMasters
• Researching and Writing a Masters Dissertation

Written by Mark Bennett

All Masters programmes include some form of extended individual project. Research-focussed programmes, such as an MRes , may include multiple independent research components. Taught courses usually culminate with a substantial research task, referred to as the Masters dissertation or thesis.

This article talks about how long a Masters dissertation is and the structure it follows.Before you get started on your dissertation, you'll usually need to write a proposal. Read our full guide to Masters dissertation proposals for more information on what this should include!

On this page

What’s the difference between a masters dissertation and an undergraduate dissertation.

The Masters thesis is a bridge between undergraduate study and higher level postgraduate degrees such as the PhD .

A postgraduate dissertation may not look that different to its undergraduate equivalent. You’ll likely have to produce a longer piece of work but the foundations remain the same.

After all, one of the purposes of an undergraduate dissertation or final year project is to prepare you for more in-depth research work as a postgraduate. That said, there are some important differences between the two levels.

So, how long is a Masters dissertation? A Masters dissertation will be longer than the undergraduate equivalent – usually it’ll be somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 words, but this can vary widely between courses, institutions and countries.

To answer your overall research question comprehensively, you’ll be expected to identify and examine specific areas of your topic. This can be like producing a series of shorter pieces of work, similar to those required by individual modules. However, there’s the additional requirement that they collectively support a broader set of conclusions.

This more involved Masters dissertation structure will:

• Give you the scope to investigate your subject in greater detail than is possible at undergraduate level
• Challenge you to be effective at organising your work so that its individual components function as stages in a coherent and persuasive overall argument
• Allow you to develop and hone a suitable research methodology (for example, choosing between qualitative and quantitative methods)

If the individual topics within your overall project require you to access separate sources or datasets, this may also have an impact on your research process.

As a postgraduate, you’ll be expected to establish and assert your own critical voice as a member of the academic community associated with your field .

During your Masters thesis you’ll need to show that you are not just capable of analysing and critiquing original data or primary source material. You should also demonstrate awareness of the existing body of scholarship relating to your topic .

So, if you’ll excuse the pun, a ‘Masters’ degree really is about achieving ‘mastery’ of your particular specialism and the dissertation is where you’ll demonstrate this: showing off the scholarly expertise and research skills that you’ve developed across your programme.

What’s the difference between a dissertation and a thesis?

A dissertation is a long piece of (usually) written work on the same topic. A thesis is a little more specific: it usually means something that presents an original argument based on the interpretation of data, statistics or content.

So, a thesis is almost always presented as a dissertation, but not all dissertations present a thesis.

Masters dissertation structure

As you can probably imagine, no two dissertations follow the exact same structure, especially given the differences found between Masters programmes from university to university and country to country .

That said, there are several key components that make up the structure of a typical Masters dissertation

How long is a Masters dissertation?

Most dissertations will typically be between 15,000 and 20,000 words long, although this can vary significantly depending on the nature of the programme.

You should also check with your university exactly which sections of the dissertation count towards the final word count (the abstract, bibliography and appendices won’t usually be included in the total).

Usually around 300 words long, the abstract is meant to be a concise summary of your dissertation. It should briefly cover the question(s) you aim to answer, your primary argument and your conclusion.

Introduction

The purpose of the introduction is to provide context for the rest of the dissertation, setting out your aims and the scope of what you want to achieve with your research. The introduction should give a clear overview of the dissertation’s chapters and will usually be around 1,000 words long.

Literature review

This part of the dissertation should examine the scholarship that has already been published in your field, presenting various arguments and counter-arguments while situating your own research within this wider body of work.

You should analyse and evaluate other publications and explain how your dissertation will contribute to the existing literature in your subject area. The literature review sometimes forms part of the introduction or follows immediately on from it. Most literature reviews are up to 1,000 words long.

Research methodology

Not all dissertations will require a section covering research methodology (Arts and Humanities dissertations won’t normally undertake the kind of research that involves a set methodology). However, if you are using a particular method to collect information for your dissertation, you should make sure to explain the rationale behind your choice of methodology. The word count for this part of the dissertation is usually around the 1,500 mark.

Those in the Arts and Humanities will usually outline their theoretical perspectives and approaches as part of the introduction, rather than requiring a detailed explanation of the methodology for their data collection and analysis.

Results / findings

If your research involves some form of survey or experiment, this is where you’ll present the results of your work. Depending on the nature of the study, this might be in the form of graphs, tables or charts – or even just a written description of what the research entailed and what the findings were.

This section forms the bulk of your dissertation and should be carefully structured using a series of related chapters (and sub-chapters). There should be a logical progression from one chapter to the next, with each part building on the arguments of its predecessor.

It can be helpful to think of your Masters dissertation as a series of closely interlinked essays, rather than one overwhelming paper. The size of this section will depend on the overall word count for your dissertation. However, to give you a rough idea for a 15,000-word dissertation, the discussion part will generally be about 12,000 words long.

Here you should draw together the threads of the previous discussion chapters and make your final concluding statements, drawing on evidence and arguments that you’ve already explored over the course of the dissertation. Explain the significance of your findings and point towards directions that future research could follow. This section of the Masters thesis will be around 1,500 words long.

References / bibliography

While planning and writing your dissertation, you should keep an extensive, organised record of any papers, sources or books you’ve quoted (or referred to). This will be a lot easier than leaving all of it until the end and struggling to work out where a particular quotation is from!

Appendices won’t be necessary in many dissertations, but you may need to include supplementary material to support your argument. This could be interview transcripts or questionnaires. If including such content within the body of the dissertation won’t be feasible – i.e. there wouldn’t be enough space or it would break the flow of your writing – you should consult with your supervisor and consider attaching it in an appendix.

It’s worth bearing in mind that these sections won’t always be discretely labelled in every dissertation. For example, everything up to ‘discussion’ might be covered in introductory chapter (rather than as distinct sections). If you’re unsure about the structure of your Masters dissertation, your supervisor will be able to help you map it out.

How does supervision work for a Masters dissertation?

As a Masters student at the dissertation stage you’ll usually be matched with an academic within your institution who will be tasked with guiding your work. This might be someone who has already taught you, or it may be another scholar whose research interests and expertise align well with what you want to do. You may be able to request a particular supervisor, but taught postgraduates are more likely to be assigned them by their department.

Specific arrangements with your supervisor will vary depending on your institution and subject area. They will usually meet with you at the beginning of the dissertation period to discuss your project and agree a suitable schedule for its undertaking. This timetable will probably set dates for:

• Subsequent discussions and progress checks
• The submission of draft chapters or sections
• Feedback appointments

Though your supervisor is there to help and advise you, it is important to remember that your dissertation is a personal research project with associated expectations of you as an independent scholar.

As a rule of thumb, you can expect your supervisor to read each part of your dissertation once at the draft stage and to offer feedback. Most will not have time to look at lots of subsequent revisions, but may respond favourably to polite requests for exceptions (provided their own workload permits it).

Inundating your supervisor with emails or multiple iterations of draft material is best avoided; they will have their own research to manage (as well as other supervision assignments) and will be able to offer better quality feedback if you stick to an agreed schedule.

How is a Masters dissertation assessed and examined?

On most courses your dissertation will be assessed by an external examiner (as well as additional members of faculty within your university who haven’t been responsible for supervising you), but these will read and critique the work you submit without personally questioning and testing you on it.

Though this examination process is not as challenging as the oral defence or ‘ viva voce ’ required for a PhD thesis, the grading of your Masters dissertation is still a fundamental component of your degree.

On some programmes the result awarded to a student’s dissertation may determine the upper grade-band that can be awarded to their degree.

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How do Bachelors and Masters courses differ? We’ve covered the main differences you’ll encounter when making the transition from undergrad to postgrad study.

Our guide explains how online Masters degree work, what the benefits of online learning are and how to choose what to study online.

Our guide tells you everything about the application process for studying a Masters in Italy.

Our guide tells you everything about the application process for studying a Masters in the USA.

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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation
• What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples

What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples

Published on September 14, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on April 16, 2024.

A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master’s program or a capstone to a bachelor’s degree.

Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation , it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete. It relies on your ability to conduct research from start to finish: choosing a relevant topic , crafting a proposal , designing your research , collecting data , developing a robust analysis, drawing strong conclusions , and writing concisely .

Thesis template

You can also download our full thesis template in the format of your choice below. Our template includes a ready-made table of contents , as well as guidance for what each chapter should include. It’s easy to make it your own, and can help you get started.

Download Word template Download Google Docs template

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Table of contents

Thesis vs. thesis statement, how to structure a thesis, acknowledgements or preface, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review, methodology, reference list, proofreading and editing, defending your thesis, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about theses.

You may have heard the word thesis as a standalone term or as a component of academic writing called a thesis statement . Keep in mind that these are two very different things.

• A thesis statement is a very common component of an essay, particularly in the humanities. It usually comprises 1 or 2 sentences in the introduction of your essay , and should clearly and concisely summarize the central points of your academic essay .
• A thesis is a long-form piece of academic writing, often taking more than a full semester to complete. It is generally a degree requirement for Master’s programs, and is also sometimes required to complete a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts colleges.
• In the US, a dissertation is generally written as a final step toward obtaining a PhD.
• In other countries (particularly the UK), a dissertation is generally written at the bachelor’s or master’s level.

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The final structure of your thesis depends on a variety of components, such as:

• Your discipline
• Your theoretical approach

Humanities theses are often structured more like a longer-form essay . Just like in an essay, you build an argument to support a central thesis.

In both hard and social sciences, theses typically include an introduction , literature review , methodology section ,  results section , discussion section , and conclusion section . These are each presented in their own dedicated section or chapter. In some cases, you might want to add an appendix .

Thesis examples

We’ve compiled a short list of thesis examples to help you get started.

• Example thesis #1:   “Abolition, Africans, and Abstraction: the Influence of the ‘Noble Savage’ on British and French Antislavery Thought, 1787-1807” by Suchait Kahlon.
• Example thesis #2: “’A Starving Man Helping Another Starving Man’: UNRRA, India, and the Genesis of Global Relief, 1943-1947″ by Julian Saint Reiman.

The very first page of your thesis contains all necessary identifying information, including:

• Your full title
• Your full name
• Your department
• Your institution and degree program
• Your submission date.

Sometimes the title page also includes your student ID, the name of your supervisor, or the university’s logo. Check out your university’s guidelines if you’re not sure.

Read more about title pages

The acknowledgements section is usually optional. Its main point is to allow you to thank everyone who helped you in your thesis journey, such as supervisors, friends, or family. You can also choose to write a preface , but it’s typically one or the other, not both.

Read more about acknowledgements Read more about prefaces

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An abstract is a short summary of your thesis. Usually a maximum of 300 words long, it’s should include brief descriptions of your research objectives , methods, results, and conclusions. Though it may seem short, it introduces your work to your audience, serving as a first impression of your thesis.

Read more about abstracts

A table of contents lists all of your sections, plus their corresponding page numbers and subheadings if you have them. This helps your reader seamlessly navigate your document.

Your table of contents should include all the major parts of your thesis. In particular, don’t forget the the appendices. If you used heading styles, it’s easy to generate an automatic table Microsoft Word.

Read more about tables of contents

While not mandatory, if you used a lot of tables and/or figures, it’s nice to include a list of them to help guide your reader. It’s also easy to generate one of these in Word: just use the “Insert Caption” feature.

Read more about lists of figures and tables

If you have used a lot of industry- or field-specific abbreviations in your thesis, you should include them in an alphabetized list of abbreviations . This way, your readers can easily look up any meanings they aren’t familiar with.

Read more about lists of abbreviations

Relatedly, if you find yourself using a lot of very specialized or field-specific terms that may not be familiar to your reader, consider including a glossary . Alphabetize the terms you want to include with a brief definition.

Read more about glossaries

An introduction sets up the topic, purpose, and relevance of your thesis, as well as expectations for your reader. This should:

• Ground your research topic , sharing any background information your reader may need
• Define the scope of your work
• Introduce any existing research on your topic, situating your work within a broader problem or debate
• State your research question(s)
• Outline (briefly) how the remainder of your work will proceed

In other words, your introduction should clearly and concisely show your reader the “what, why, and how” of your research.

Read more about introductions

A literature review helps you gain a robust understanding of any extant academic work on your topic, encompassing:

• Selecting relevant sources
• Determining the credibility of your sources
• Critically evaluating each of your sources
• Drawing connections between sources, including any themes, patterns, conflicts, or gaps

A literature review is not merely a summary of existing work. Rather, your literature review should ultimately lead to a clear justification for your own research, perhaps via:

• Addressing a gap in the literature
• Building on existing knowledge to draw new conclusions
• Exploring a new theoretical or methodological approach
• Introducing a new solution to an unresolved problem
• Definitively advocating for one side of a theoretical debate

Read more about literature reviews

Theoretical framework

Your literature review can often form the basis for your theoretical framework, but these are not the same thing. A theoretical framework defines and analyzes the concepts and theories that your research hinges on.

Read more about theoretical frameworks

Your methodology chapter shows your reader how you conducted your research. It should be written clearly and methodically, easily allowing your reader to critically assess the credibility of your argument. Furthermore, your methods section should convince your reader that your method was the best way to answer your research question.

A methodology section should generally include:

• Your overall approach ( quantitative vs. qualitative )
• Your research methods (e.g., a longitudinal study )
• Your data collection methods (e.g., interviews or a controlled experiment
• Any tools or materials you used (e.g., computer software)
• The data analysis methods you chose (e.g., statistical analysis , discourse analysis )
• A strong, but not defensive justification of your methods

Read more about methodology sections

Your results section should highlight what your methodology discovered. These two sections work in tandem, but shouldn’t repeat each other. While your results section can include hypotheses or themes, don’t include any speculation or new arguments here.

Your results section should:

• State each (relevant) result with any (relevant) descriptive statistics (e.g., mean , standard deviation ) and inferential statistics (e.g., test statistics , p values )
• Explain how each result relates to the research question
• Determine whether the hypothesis was supported

Additional data (like raw numbers or interview transcripts ) can be included as an appendix . You can include tables and figures, but only if they help the reader better understand your results.

Read more about results sections

Your discussion section is where you can interpret your results in detail. Did they meet your expectations? How well do they fit within the framework that you built? You can refer back to any relevant source material to situate your results within your field, but leave most of that analysis in your literature review.

For any unexpected results, offer explanations or alternative interpretations of your data.

Read more about discussion sections

Your thesis conclusion should concisely answer your main research question. It should leave your reader with an ultra-clear understanding of your central argument, and emphasize what your research specifically has contributed to your field.

Why does your research matter? What recommendations for future research do you have? Lastly, wrap up your work with any concluding remarks.

Read more about conclusions

In order to avoid plagiarism , don’t forget to include a full reference list at the end of your thesis, citing the sources that you used. Choose one citation style and follow it consistently throughout your thesis, taking note of the formatting requirements of each style.

Which style you choose is often set by your department or your field, but common styles include MLA , Chicago , and APA.

Create APA citations Create MLA citations

In order to stay clear and concise, your thesis should include the most essential information needed to answer your research question. However, chances are you have many contributing documents, like interview transcripts or survey questions . These can be added as appendices , to save space in the main body.

Read more about appendices

Once you’re done writing, the next part of your editing process begins. Leave plenty of time for proofreading and editing prior to submission. Nothing looks worse than grammar mistakes or sloppy spelling errors!

Consider using a professional thesis editing service or grammar checker to make sure your final project is perfect.

Once you’ve submitted your final product, it’s common practice to have a thesis defense, an oral component of your finished work. This is scheduled by your advisor or committee, and usually entails a presentation and Q&A session.

After your defense , your committee will meet to determine if you deserve any departmental honors or accolades. However, keep in mind that defenses are usually just a formality. If there are any serious issues with your work, these should be resolved with your advisor way before a defense.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Research bias

• Survivorship bias
• Self-serving bias
• Availability heuristic
• Halo effect
• Hindsight bias
• Deep learning
• Generative AI
• Machine learning
• Reinforcement learning
• Supervised vs. unsupervised learning

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation shouldn’t take up more than 5–7% of your overall word count.

If you only used a few abbreviations in your thesis or dissertation , you don’t necessarily need to include a list of abbreviations .

If your abbreviations are numerous, or if you think they won’t be known to your audience, it’s never a bad idea to add one. They can also improve readability, minimizing confusion about abbreviations unfamiliar to your reader.

When you mention different chapters within your text, it’s considered best to use Roman numerals for most citation styles. However, the most important thing here is to remain consistent whenever using numbers in your dissertation .

A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.

Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation , such as:

• Your anticipated title
• Your abstract
• Your chapters (sometimes subdivided into further topics like literature review , research methods , avenues for future research, etc.)

A thesis is typically written by students finishing up a bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Some educational institutions, particularly in the liberal arts, have mandatory theses, but they are often not mandatory to graduate from bachelor’s degrees. It is more common for a thesis to be a graduation requirement from a Master’s degree.

Even if not mandatory, you may want to consider writing a thesis if you:

• Plan to attend graduate school soon
• Have a particular topic you’d like to study more in-depth
• Are considering a career in research
• Would like a capstone experience to tie up your academic experience

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How to Write a Dedication Dissertation – Types & Examples

Published by Alvin Nicolas at August 30th, 2024 , Revised On August 30, 2024

Imagine you’re writing a research paper, a thesis, or a dissertation. You instantly feel that you should thank those people in your life who are not even helping you in your writing process, but who you are pleased and honoured to have in life. This is when you would consider writing a dedication dissertation. It helps you to thank and show love to the people you value and cherish in your life.

Moreover, dedication also allows the person to add personal and emotional value to their esteemed work. It significantly impacts the motivation and inspiration of the person to work hard and achieve their goals efficiently. A dedication at the start of the dissertation significantly also adds to the appeal of the dissertation and makes the readers think about the writer’s generosity and ingenuity.

This blog comprehensively discusses what a dissertation dedication is, dedication dissertation examples, and the effective steps to write one. You can write a dissertation dedication efficiently by understanding all these important steps.

What is Dissertation Dedication?

A dissertation dedication is a line, paragraph, or page at the start of a master’s or PhD thesis or dissertation. It is a personal type of acknowledgement and appreciation to the people in the writer’s life who provided him with sufficient motivation and inspiration to keep up with his dissertation.

By adding a dedication section to their book, writers show their love and obligation to those who supported them and cheered them up during their work. This makes them not just academic geniuses but also emotionally vulnerable and generous people.

Moreover, when dedicatees read their names and the love writer shows them in the dissertation, they feel pleased and honoured. It also provides them with the fulfilling sensation that their support and prayers have led to a beneficial fruit of success.

• I dedicate this book to my wife…
• I dedicate this project to my supervisor….

Dissertation Dedication and Poem

Dedication in a dissertation does not always have to be a line or a paragraph; it can also be a poem. Sometimes, writers add a poem to dedicate their dissertation to anyone. They can write the poem themselves in their own words or select a line or two from famous poems by reputable poets and writers.

Adding a poem in the dedication section shows not only the writer’s emotional vulnerability and softness but also their creativity and devotion to literacy pieces.

Can You Dedicate Your Dissertation to Someone?

Yes, you can dedicate your dissertation to anyone by naming them and appreciating their presence in your life and by your side. There are many amazing ways that you can dedicate your dissertation to someone. Whether you want to dedicate your dissertation to your parents, colleagues, classmates, teachers, or husband, you can effortlessly add their names and the part they played in your life.

This blog brings you different types of dedication you can add to your dissertation.

Types of Dissertation Dedication

Here are the types of dissertation dedication given in the following:

Dedication to Family

Dedication to the family is added under the dedication when writers want to appreciate and cherish the presence of their parents, siblings, and cousin.

• I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my parents [names], who were there when no one was.
• I dedicate my dissertation to my sister [name], who supported me through thick and thin.

Dedication to Friends 

Sometimes, writers want to thank and dedicate their work to their friends who supported them and helped them through thick and thin.

I dedicate my dissertation to my best friend [name], who stood up for me during the process.

Dedication to Special Person

Dedication to a special person or loved one can also be added to the dissertation to show love and dedication to that person.

I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my girlfriend [name], who supported me at my lowest.

Dedication to Mentor or Advisor

Students also tend to dedicate their theses or dissertations to their mentors and advisors, who advised them and helped them address issues promptly.

I dedicate my dissertation to my advisor [name], who advised me and helped me make this successful.

Dedication to Colleagues or Peers

When writers complete their dissertations with the assistance of their colleagues and peers, they also tend to dedicate their projects to them.

I dedicate my dissertation to my colleague and good friend [name], without whose support this would never have been completed.

Dedication to Institution

Being and working in a particular institution also compels the writers to dedicate their dissertations to that institution.

I dedicate this dissertation to this amazing institution [name] that made me feel at home, nurtured me, and sprouted this seed.

Dedication to Additional People

Sometimes writers give dedication to those additional people who were there around them during work who maybe haven’t cheered them up but their presence meant a lot.

I would also like to dedicate this dissertation to [name1] and [name2]…. Whose presence meant a lot to me.

Dedication to the Deceased One

If a loved one has recently or in the past died, the writers also tend to dedicate their dissertation to that person.

I dedicate this dissertation to my grandmother [name], who is not with us but is always with us in our memories.

Dedication to the Almighty

Dedication to the Almighty allows the writers to be thankful to God and divine forces that help them and remove any hurdles from their lives.

To the God Almighty, who is most beneficial and most merciful, who blessed me with the power to fulfil this task.

Dedication to Inspirational Personality

Sometimes writers also dedicate their dissertations to inspirational personalities who inspired them by adding their famous quotes to the dedication.

I dedicate my dissertation to Martin Luther King whose endurance and patience brought the emancipation of the Black.

Dedication Vs. Acknowledgements in Dissertation

Here is the difference between dedication and acknowledgement in a dissertation:

How to Write a Dedication for a Dissertation?

Here are the steps that will significantly help you to write your dissertation dedication efficiently:

Step 1: Choose the Person You Want To Dedicate To

The first step to writing a dissertation dedication is to choose the people you want to dedicate to. This could be your family, friend, colleague, or personal mentor. Remember to think about who was there for you during your writing process. Make a list of people if you want to add multiple dedicatees.

Step 2: Describe the Person

The second step of writing a dissertation syndication is describing the person that you have chosen to give dedication to. You should describe the relation that you have with that person and what he/she did to make your dissertation successful.

Step 3: Name the Person

After describing the person, name the person you chose to dedicate your dissertation. Naming the person will let readers know about the identity of the dedicatees, no matter if they have met them or not.

Step 4: Keep the Tone Honest and Sincere

It is also important to be honest and sincere while writing the dedication for your dissertation. The people who were there for you, who supported you through everything deserve to be cheered and appreciated in the most sincere and loving way possible.

Step 5: Maintain the Order for Multiple Personnel

When you have chosen multiple personnel to dedicate your life to, it is essential to appreciate their order according to their relation to and association with you. The person who is closer comes at the start. This also lets the readers know whose presence you cherish the most.

Step 6: Maintain the Length

It is essential to maintain the length of the dedication. Avoid overwriting and over-explaining in the deviation. It will unexpectedly lose the interest of readers to read the extensive paragraph of appreciation for someone. Write in a length that makes a powerful impact.

Step 7: Review, Revise, and Finalise

When you have successfully written the dedication for someone you chose to dedicate to your dissertation, it’s time to review it. Review to identify any mistakes and ensure the appropriate use of words. After making the necessary changes, finalise it.

Dissertation dedication Sample

Here is a sample of the dissertation dedication:

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i dedicate my dissertation to someone.

Yes, you can dedicate your dissertation to someone by naming and describing their part in supporting and completing your research process .

How to write a dedication for a dissertation?

• Choose the Person
• Describe the Person
• Name the Person

How much time should I dedicate to the dissertation?

You should dedicate 300-400 hours to a dissertation

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Not sure how to start your dissertation and get it right the first time? Here are some tips and guidelines for you to kick start your dissertation project.

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How To Write A Research Proposal

A Straightforward How-To Guide (With Examples)

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewed By: Dr. Eunice Rautenbach | August 2019 (Updated April 2023)

Writing up a strong research proposal for a dissertation or thesis is much like a marriage proposal. It’s a task that calls on you to win somebody over and persuade them that what you’re planning is a great idea. An idea they’re happy to say ‘yes’ to. This means that your dissertation proposal needs to be   persuasive ,   attractive   and well-planned. In this post, I’ll show you how to write a winning dissertation proposal, from scratch.

Before you start:

– Understand exactly what a research proposal is – Ask yourself these 4 questions

The 5 essential ingredients:

• The title/topic
• The introduction chapter
• The scope/delimitations
• Preliminary literature review
• Design/ methodology
• Practical considerations and risks 

What Is A Research Proposal?

The research proposal is literally that: a written document that communicates what you propose to research, in a concise format. It’s where you put all that stuff that’s spinning around in your head down on to paper, in a logical, convincing fashion.

Convincing   is the keyword here, as your research proposal needs to convince the assessor that your research is   clearly articulated   (i.e., a clear research question) ,   worth doing   (i.e., is unique and valuable enough to justify the effort), and   doable   within the restrictions you’ll face (time limits, budget, skill limits, etc.). If your proposal does not address these three criteria, your research won’t be approved, no matter how “exciting” the research idea might be.

PS – if you’re completely new to proposal writing, we’ve got a detailed walkthrough video covering two successful research proposals here . 

How do I know I’m ready?

Before starting the writing process, you need to   ask yourself 4 important questions .  If you can’t answer them succinctly and confidently, you’re not ready – you need to go back and think more deeply about your dissertation topic .

You should be able to answer the following 4 questions before starting your dissertation or thesis research proposal:

• WHAT is my main research question? (the topic)
• WHO cares and why is this important? (the justification)
• WHAT data would I need to answer this question, and how will I analyse it? (the research design)
• HOW will I manage the completion of this research, within the given timelines? (project and risk management)

If you can’t answer these questions clearly and concisely,   you’re not yet ready   to write your research proposal – revisit our   post on choosing a topic .

If you can, that’s great – it’s time to start writing up your dissertation proposal. Next, I’ll discuss what needs to go into your research proposal, and how to structure it all into an intuitive, convincing document with a linear narrative.

The 5 Essential Ingredients

Research proposals can vary in style between institutions and disciplines, but here I’ll share with you a   handy 5-section structure   you can use. These 5 sections directly address the core questions we spoke about earlier, ensuring that you present a convincing proposal. If your institution already provides a proposal template, there will likely be substantial overlap with this, so you’ll still get value from reading on.

For each section discussed below, make sure you use headers and sub-headers (ideally, numbered headers) to help the reader navigate through your document, and to support them when they need to revisit a previous section. Don’t just present an endless wall of text, paragraph after paragraph after paragraph…

Top Tip:   Use MS Word Styles to format headings. This will allow you to be clear about whether a sub-heading is level 2, 3, or 4. Additionally, you can view your document in ‘outline view’ which will show you only your headings. This makes it much easier to check your structure, shift things around and make decisions about where a section needs to sit. You can also generate a 100% accurate table of contents using Word’s automatic functionality.

Ingredient #1 – Topic/Title Header

Your research proposal’s title should be your main research question in its simplest form, possibly with a sub-heading providing basic details on the specifics of the study. For example:

“Compliance with equality legislation in the charity sector: a study of the ‘reasonable adjustments’ made in three London care homes”

As you can see, this title provides a clear indication of what the research is about, in broad terms. It paints a high-level picture for the first-time reader, which gives them a taste of what to expect.   Always aim for a clear, concise title . Don’t feel the need to capture every detail of your research in your title – your proposal will fill in the gaps.

Need a helping hand?

Ingredient #2 – Introduction

In this section of your research proposal, you’ll expand on what you’ve communicated in the title, by providing a few paragraphs which offer more detail about your research topic. Importantly, the focus here is the   topic   – what will you research and why is that worth researching? This is not the place to discuss methodology, practicalities, etc. – you’ll do that later.

You should cover the following:

• An overview of the   broad area   you’ll be researching – introduce the reader to key concepts and language
• An explanation of the   specific (narrower) area   you’ll be focusing, and why you’ll be focusing there
• Your research   aims   and   objectives
• Your   research question (s) and sub-questions (if applicable)

Importantly, you should aim to use short sentences and plain language – don’t babble on with extensive jargon, acronyms and complex language. Assume that the reader is an intelligent layman – not a subject area specialist (even if they are). Remember that the   best writing is writing that can be easily understood   and digested. Keep it simple.

Note that some universities may want some extra bits and pieces in your introduction section. For example, personal development objectives, a structural outline, etc. Check your brief to see if there are any other details they expect in your proposal, and make sure you find a place for these.

Ingredient #3 – Scope

Next, you’ll need to specify what the scope of your research will be – this is also known as the delimitations . In other words, you need to make it clear what you will be covering and, more importantly, what you won’t be covering in your research. Simply put, this is about ring fencing your research topic so that you have a laser-sharp focus.

All too often, students feel the need to go broad and try to address as many issues as possible, in the interest of producing comprehensive research. Whilst this is admirable, it’s a mistake. By tightly refining your scope, you’ll enable yourself to   go deep   with your research, which is what you need to earn good marks. If your scope is too broad, you’re likely going to land up with superficial research (which won’t earn marks), so don’t be afraid to narrow things down.

Ingredient #4 – Literature Review

In this section of your research proposal, you need to provide a (relatively) brief discussion of the existing literature. Naturally, this will not be as comprehensive as the literature review in your actual dissertation, but it will lay the foundation for that. In fact, if you put in the effort at this stage, you’ll make your life a lot easier when it’s time to write your actual literature review chapter.

There are a few things you need to achieve in this section:

• Demonstrate that you’ve done your reading and are   familiar with the current state of the research   in your topic area.
• Show that   there’s a clear gap   for your specific research – i.e., show that your topic is sufficiently unique and will add value to the existing research.
• Show how the existing research has shaped your thinking regarding   research design . For example, you might use scales or questionnaires from previous studies.

When you write up your literature review, keep these three objectives front of mind, especially number two (revealing the gap in the literature), so that your literature review has a   clear purpose and direction . Everything you write should be contributing towards one (or more) of these objectives in some way. If it doesn’t, you need to ask yourself whether it’s truly needed.

Top Tip:  Don’t fall into the trap of just describing the main pieces of literature, for example, “A says this, B says that, C also says that…” and so on. Merely describing the literature provides no value. Instead, you need to   synthesise   it, and use it to address the three objectives above.

Ingredient #5 – Research Methodology

Now that you’ve clearly explained both your intended research topic (in the introduction) and the existing research it will draw on (in the literature review section), it’s time to get practical and explain exactly how you’ll be carrying out your own research. In other words, your research methodology.

In this section, you’ll need to   answer two critical questions :

• How   will you design your research? I.e., what research methodology will you adopt, what will your sample be, how will you collect data, etc.
• Why   have you chosen this design? I.e., why does this approach suit your specific research aims, objectives and questions?

In other words, this is not just about explaining WHAT you’ll be doing, it’s also about explaining WHY. In fact, the   justification is the most important part , because that justification is how you demonstrate a good understanding of research design (which is what assessors want to see).

Some essential design choices you need to cover in your research proposal include:

• Your intended research philosophy (e.g., positivism, interpretivism or pragmatism )
• What methodological approach you’ll be taking (e.g., qualitative , quantitative or mixed )
• The details of your sample (e.g., sample size, who they are, who they represent, etc.)
• What data you plan to collect (i.e. data about what, in what form?)
• How you plan to collect it (e.g., surveys , interviews , focus groups, etc.)
• How you plan to analyse it (e.g., regression analysis, thematic analysis , etc.)
• Ethical adherence (i.e., does this research satisfy all ethical requirements of your institution, or does it need further approval?)

This list is not exhaustive – these are just some core attributes of research design. Check with your institution what level of detail they expect. The “ research onion ” by Saunders et al (2009) provides a good summary of the various design choices you ultimately need to make – you can   read more about that here .

Don’t forget the practicalities…

In addition to the technical aspects, you will need to address the   practical   side of the project. In other words, you need to explain   what resources you’ll need   (e.g., time, money, access to equipment or software, etc.) and how you intend to secure these resources. You need to show that your project is feasible, so any “make or break” type resources need to already be secured. The success or failure of your project cannot depend on some resource which you’re not yet sure you have access to.

Another part of the practicalities discussion is   project and risk management . In other words, you need to show that you have a clear project plan to tackle your research with. Some key questions to address:

• What are the timelines for each phase of your project?
• Are the time allocations reasonable?
• What happens if something takes longer than anticipated (risk management)?
• What happens if you don’t get the response rate you expect?

A good way to demonstrate that you’ve thought this through is to include a Gantt chart and a risk register (in the appendix if word count is a problem). With these two tools, you can show that you’ve got a clear, feasible plan, and you’ve thought about and accounted for the potential risks.

Tip – Be honest about the potential difficulties – but show that you are anticipating solutions and workarounds. This is much more impressive to an assessor than an unrealistically optimistic proposal which does not anticipate any challenges whatsoever.

Final Touches: Read And Simplify

The final step is to edit and proofread your proposal – very carefully. It sounds obvious, but all too often poor editing and proofreading ruin a good proposal. Nothing is more off-putting for an assessor than a poorly edited, typo-strewn document. It sends the message that you either do not pay attention to detail, or just don’t care. Neither of these are good messages. Put the effort into editing and proofreading your proposal (or pay someone to do it for you) – it will pay dividends.

When you’re editing, watch out for ‘academese’. Many students can speak simply, passionately and clearly about their dissertation topic – but become incomprehensible the moment they turn the laptop on. You are not required to write in any kind of special, formal, complex language when you write academic work. Sure, there may be technical terms, jargon specific to your discipline, shorthand terms and so on. But, apart from those,   keep your written language very close to natural spoken language   – just as you would speak in the classroom. Imagine that you are explaining your project plans to your classmates or a family member. Remember, write for the intelligent layman, not the subject matter experts. Plain-language, concise writing is what wins hearts and minds – and marks!

Let’s Recap: Research Proposal 101

And there you have it – how to write your dissertation or thesis research proposal, from the title page to the final proof. Here’s a quick recap of the key takeaways:

• The purpose of the research proposal is to   convince   – therefore, you need to make a clear, concise argument of why your research is both worth doing and doable.
• Make sure you can ask the critical what, who, and how questions of your research   before   you put pen to paper.
• Title – provides the first taste of your research, in broad terms
• Introduction – explains what you’ll be researching in more detail
• Scope – explains the boundaries of your research
• Literature review – explains how your research fits into the existing research and why it’s unique and valuable
• Research methodology – explains and justifies how you will carry out your own research

Hopefully, this post has helped you better understand how to write up a winning research proposal. If you enjoyed it, be sure to check out the rest of the Grad Coach Blog . If your university doesn’t provide any template for your proposal, you might want to try out our free research proposal template .

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Research Proposal Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

30 Comments

Thank you so much for the valuable insight that you have given, especially on the research proposal. That is what I have managed to cover. I still need to go back to the other parts as I got disturbed while still listening to Derek’s audio on you-tube. I am inspired. I will definitely continue with Grad-coach guidance on You-tube.

Thanks for the kind words :). All the best with your proposal.

First of all, thanks a lot for making such a wonderful presentation. The video was really useful and gave me a very clear insight of how a research proposal has to be written. I shall try implementing these ideas in my RP.

Once again, I thank you for this content.

I found reading your outline on writing research proposal very beneficial. I wish there was a way of submitting my draft proposal to you guys for critiquing before I submit to the institution.

Hi Bonginkosi

Thank you for the kind words. Yes, we do provide a review service. The best starting point is to have a chat with one of our coaches here: https://gradcoach.com/book/new/ .

Hello team GRADCOACH, may God bless you so much. I was totally green in research. Am so happy for your free superb tutorials and resources. Once again thank you so much Derek and his team.

You’re welcome, Erick. Good luck with your research proposal 🙂

thank you for the information. its precise and on point.

Really a remarkable piece of writing and great source of guidance for the researchers. GOD BLESS YOU for your guidance. Regards

Thanks so much for your guidance. It is easy and comprehensive the way you explain the steps for a winning research proposal.

Thank you guys so much for the rich post. I enjoyed and learn from every word in it. My problem now is how to get into your platform wherein I can always seek help on things related to my research work ? Secondly, I wish to find out if there is a way I can send my tentative proposal to you guys for examination before I take to my supervisor Once again thanks very much for the insights

Thanks for your kind words, Desire.

If you are based in a country where Grad Coach’s paid services are available, you can book a consultation by clicking the “Book” button in the top right.

Best of luck with your studies.

May God bless you team for the wonderful work you are doing,

If I have a topic, Can I submit it to you so that you can draft a proposal for me?? As I am expecting to go for masters degree in the near future.

Thanks for your comment. We definitely cannot draft a proposal for you, as that would constitute academic misconduct. The proposal needs to be your own work. We can coach you through the process, but it needs to be your own work and your own writing.

Best of luck with your research!

I found a lot of many essential concepts from your material. it is real a road map to write a research proposal. so thanks a lot. If there is any update material on your hand on MBA please forward to me.

GradCoach is a professional website that presents support and helps for MBA student like me through the useful online information on the page and with my 1-on-1 online coaching with the amazing and professional PhD Kerryen.

Thank you Kerryen so much for the support and help 🙂

I really recommend dealing with such a reliable services provider like Gradcoah and a coach like Kerryen.

Hi, Am happy for your service and effort to help students and researchers, Please, i have been given an assignment on research for strategic development, the task one is to formulate a research proposal to support the strategic development of a business area, my issue here is how to go about it, especially the topic or title and introduction. Please, i would like to know if you could help me and how much is the charge.

This content is practical, valuable, and just great!

Thank you very much!

Hi Derek, Thank you for the valuable presentation. It is very helpful especially for beginners like me. I am just starting my PhD.

This is quite instructive and research proposal made simple. Can I have a research proposal template?

Great! Thanks for rescuing me, because I had no former knowledge in this topic. But with this piece of information, I am now secured. Thank you once more.

I enjoyed listening to your video on how to write a proposal. I think I will be able to write a winning proposal with your advice. I wish you were to be my supervisor.

Dear Derek Jansen,

Thank you for your great content. I couldn’t learn these topics in MBA, but now I learned from GradCoach. Really appreciate your efforts….

From Afghanistan!

I have got very essential inputs for startup of my dissertation proposal. Well organized properly communicated with video presentation. Thank you for the presentation.

Wow, this is absolutely amazing guys. Thank you so much for the fruitful presentation, you’ve made my research much easier.

this helps me a lot. thank you all so much for impacting in us. may god richly bless you all

How I wish I’d learn about Grad Coach earlier. I’ve been stumbling around writing and rewriting! Now I have concise clear directions on how to put this thing together. Thank you!

Fantastic!! Thank You for this very concise yet comprehensive guidance.

Even if I am poor in English I would like to thank you very much.

Thank you very much, this is very insightful.

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PhD Thesis: Topics, Example, Process, Tips, How to Write?

Muhammad Hasim Sheikh Aug 28, 2024 1K Reads

PhD Thesis or PhD Dissertation is an important component in the process of getting a doctorate. If you are pursuing PhD or deciding to pursue it, it will be mandatory for you to prepare and submit your PhD Thesis.

All the details and information collected during the PhD research are presented in the form of a PhD Thesis. It is a detailed description of the research process of research outcomes that can contribute to the original field of knowledge in the particular field.

The PhD candidates prepare the PhD Thesis to showcase their research findings. A PhD Thesis is the backbone of the doctoral degree and plays an important role in showcasing the research ability and competency in conducting independent and original research.

A PhD Thesis not only demonstrates the research competency of the candidates but also exhibits their expertise, critical thinking, and research skills. The preparation of a PhD Thesis is a very difficult and challenging task and you need to take the utmost precautions while preparing it.

Here in this blog, we will discuss all the procedures adopted while preparing a detailed PhD and high-quality PhD Thesis:

What is the need for PhD Thesis Preparation?

The preparation of a PhD Thesis is crucial as it represents the cumulative research work and outcomes. The PhD Thesis provides a detailed description of the comprehensive research in the particular field. If you are a PhD Scholar, it will be mandatory for you to prepare a PhD Thesis to complete your degree.

It acts as proof of document of your research and findings while pursuing the PhD program. A PhD Thesis also guides the new PhD scholars for reference. Newly enrolled PhD scholars who have just begun their research work can refer to the previous research works conducted by a different researcher in the field to begin his journey.

PhD Thesis is a document that also provides a pathway to new research scholars in the field. The PhD thesis preparation involves organizing and assembling the research findings in a coherent structure. This allows you to refine ideas, identify gaps in the research, and ensure that the arguments are logically presented.

Additionally, you will be able to develop essential skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication that are highly valuable in both academic and professional settings. 

Beginning of the PhD Thesis Writing

PhD Thesis writing begins after completion of the PhD coursework. Every PhD Scholar has to go through a PhD coursework. PhD coursework is offered in the initial years to provide a strong foundation in the research aptitude in the given field.

Once the coursework is completed, a comprehensive exam is conducted to examine and evaluate the ability of the scholars to conduct original research. Generally, the examination is conducted in the 3rd year of the PhD program. Once the examinations are concluded for the coursework, PhD scholars can start working on their PhD Thesis/Dissertation.

Process and Structure of PhD Thesis Writing

Writing a PhD Thesis is a daunting task and one has to go through a prolonged process. It involves several stages and PhD scholars need to through all the stages to prepare a highly inclusive Thesis.

Here is the detailed process and structure of the PhD Thesis:

• Cover Page:  The PhD Thesis writing begins with the preparation of the cover page. The cover page includes the title of the research topic, the name of the university, the name of the scholar, and the supervisor. Generally,  the cover page of the thesis is designed to catch the attention of the viewers.
• Preface: The cover page is followed by the Preface of the PhD Thesis. The Preface is written by the PhD scholars. In the preface of the thesis, they explain the reasons for taking up a particular research topic and their experiences while conducting the research and writing the PhD Thesis. Generally, the preface is written after writing the thesis but arranged after the cover page. 
• Acknowledgment: After writing the Preface of the thesis, PhD scholars begin with the acknowledgment page. Generally, the acknowledgment page of the thesis recognizes all those people who have contributed and given their support in conducting the research. PhD scholars acknowledge the contribution of all the people who have professionally and personally helped in the research. 
• Introduction: In the Introduction, PhD scholars introduce their research topic and explain how this study contributes to the original knowledge of the field. The introduction in the PhD Thesis is a summary of all the key objectives of the research and an explanation of why the particular research is needed. 
• Literature Review: The literature Review in the PhD Thesis is a summary of all the works done by previous researchers and academicians in the same field or field relevant to the topic. In the literature review, all the scholarly works whether books, research journals, research papers, or previous research thesis related to the subject are cited in the PhD Thesis.  A literature review is done to support the current research by analyzing the previous works done on the same subject. 
• Research Chapters: Research Chapters are the crux of the PhD Thesis. In this stage, the PhD Thesis is divided into various chapters. The research conducted by the PhD scholars is recorded in detail in this section. Research Chapters broadly explain the methodology, hypothesis, and original research. The research chapter includes the process of conducting the research on a particular area and the explanation of the research questions. 
• Conclusion: After writing all the research chapters in the PhD Thesis, the conclusion of the research is added. The conclusion is the final chapter of the PhD Thesis Writing that concludes all the research edvideces and findings to reach to a final result. The conclusion also includes the possibilities of further research in the same field and its application to enhance the knowledge of the particular subject. 
• Bibliography and Appendices: The bibliography is written at the end of the PhD Thesis. The Bibliography lists all sources such as books, journals, research papers, thesis, etc used in the PhD Thesis writing. It is written in alphabetical order and includes the author's name, title, publication year, etc. The PhD Scholar may be required to provide supplementary materials that aren't essential to the PhD Thesis in the form of appendices.

What is the Length of the PhDThesis/Dissertation?

The length of the PhD Thesis (or dissertation) greatly depends on the field of the study. Generally, the length of the PhD Thesis ranges between 60,000 to 1,20,000 words which can curated in 150 pages to 300 pages. The average length of the PhD Thesis is around 80,000 words.In general, the length of the PhD Thesis in Engineering and Sciences is shorter than that of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The average length of a PhD Thesis in different disciplines is explained in the table below:

How to Write Up PhD Thesis 

Once all the research related to the relevant topics and subjects has been conducted and all the data and results are collected, you can start with your PhD Thesis Writing.

This period is also known as the Writing Up period. The writing-up stage in a PhD Thesis starts when the original research has already been completed.

In this stage, you only focus on the PhD Thesis Writing and do not conduct any additional research. 

In research related to Humanities and Social sciences, you may already have a large amount of chapter drafts and papers which makes writing up easy. You only need to redraft and assemble these chapter drafts and research papers to formulate a PhD Thesis.

However, writing a PhD Thesis for a Science and Engineering subject may be different. If you are conducting research in these fields, a major part of your research depends on collecting and analyzing data.

Writing Up a PhD Thesis in Science and Engineering fields may require findings and conclusions from the data collected. 

Regardless of the subject and process of PhD Thesis Writing, it should be able to reflect your findings which can be applied in the particular discipline to enhance knowledge. 

Role of PhD Thesis Feedback

Feedback from the supervisor while writing the PhD Thesis plays a crucial role. It helps in formulating a well-organized and highly structured PhD Thesis. You must seek constant feedback from your supervisor on your chapter drafts while writing the PhD Thesis. 

When the thesis writing is in progress, comments and feedback from the supervisor who has significant research experience will ensure that the research is going in the right direction. You must regularly attend the supervisory meeting and present your chapter drafts for review.

Your PhD supervisor will be more than happy to help and guide you through your PhD Thesis Writing. However, PhD supervisor is not responsible for grammatical mistakes. You must ensure that your thesis is free from grammatical errors.

Levels of Plagiarism in PhD Thesis 

While writing the PhD Thesis, you must ensure that your thesis is free from plagiarism. The PhD Thesis must contain your original research and not be copied from anywhere. Plagiarism in a PhD Thesis is considered a serious academic offense and can lead to severe consequences.

If you are giving references to works from other authors, you must give proper citations. Paraphrasing and rephrasing of other’s work must be duly acknowledged. In PhD Thesis Writing, plagiarism is defined on various levels.

Here are the different levels of plagiarism in PhD Thesis Writing:

Penalty for Plagiarism in PhD Thesis/Dissertation 

The University Grants Commission (UGC) takes plagiarism very seriously and sets the penalty standards for different levels of plagiarism.

Here is the punishment for Plagiarism in the PhD Thesis:

Finishing PhD Thesis and Final Submission 

Once you are done with the final draft of the PhD Thesis, you will need to send it to your supervisor. The supervisor will go through the thesis and after reviewing it, approve it for final submission.

Once your supervisor has approved you thesis, submit it for the examination. The Departmental Research Committee (DRC) will examine the PhD Thesis and you will have to appear for the Grand PhD Viva. In this Viva, you will need to defend your research findings and conclusions in the PhD Thesis. 

PhD Thesis submission is done in physical form and you will have to take a printout of the thesis. You should always take multiple printouts of the thesis to avoid any printing mistakes and glitches. At the time of final submission, generally, multiple copies of the thesis are required which makes it more important.

PhD Viva is conducted within 3 months of thesis submission. Once the viva has been completed, the examiners will let you know whether or not you need to make any changes to your PhD Thesis. 

These could be 3 outcomes after thesis submission and viva. All are mentioned below:

If you asked for a correction, you will have to fix the errors and re-submit the PhD thesis again. The re-submission of PhD is usually done digitally.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

⭐ what is a phd thesis.

A PhD Thesis is a well-structured and well-organized piece of original research that every PhD scholar has to prepare and submit to get their doctorate. 

⭐ Is PhD Viva mandatory after the final submission of the PhD Thesis?

Yes, PhD Viva is mandatory for every PhD Candidate once they have made the final submission of their thesis. In PhD Viva, candidates defend their research and findings before the departmental research committee. 

⭐ What is the ideal length of a PhD Thesis?

There is no ideal length for a PhD Thesis. However, the length of the PhD thesis is greatly influenced by the disciplines of the research. The length of PhD in Engineering and Sciences is comparatively less than that of PhD in Humanities and Social Sciences. The PhD thesis ranges between 60,000 words to 1,20,000 words. 

⭐ What percentage of Plagiarism is allowed for a PhD Thesis?

The University Grants Commission (UGC) allows a maximum of 10 percent plagiarism in the PhD Thesis. The candidates whose thesis plagiarism falls within 10% are not penalized. 

⭐ What is the penalty for Level 2 Plagiarism?

Level 2 plagiarism means that the PhD Thesis has a similarity above 40% to 60%. For this level of plagiarism, the PhD candidate will be asked to withdraw the manuscript and debarred from the annual increment for one year. The supervisor of such PhD scholar will also be penalized with a ban on any PhD supervision for 2 years. 

⭐ What is the Penalty for Level 3 Plagiarism?

Level 3 plagiarism exhibits a similarity above 60% in the PhD Thesis. The PhD Scholars will be asked to withdraw their manuscript and they will be prohibited to annual increments for 2 consecutive years. The supervisor will not be allowed to supervise any new Master’s and  PhD Thesis/dissertation for 3 consecutive years. 

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Dissertation defense traditions: Keller group

What are your group’s dissertation defense traditions?

Keller group, sarah l. keller, duane and barbara laviolette endowed professor of chemistry:.

One year, on a lark, I made a cake that illustrated a graduate student’s research project and used it as a visual aid during my introduction of their dissertation defense. Somehow, the next couple of students’ projects also lent themselves to cakes. (Our lab’s main research focus is on lipid vesicles and cell membranes, which tend to be round. See the stylized montage of microscopy images, above right.) Pretty soon, grad students in my lab began saying, “We are all wondering what your upcoming thesis cake will be!” The pressure was on!

Summary of experiments at the Marine Biology Laboratory at Woods Hole in a project led by Chantelle Leveille ‘22 . The cake represents a yeast cell that is undergoing changes in temperature (top), is budding (middle), or has fluorescently labeled mitochondria (bottom). See C.L. Leveille et al., 2021, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.

Zack Cohen ’23 : The cake is a close-up of a membrane made of fatty acids, which have one carbon chain each, so are represented as lollipops. See Z.R. Cohen et al., 2023, ACS Earth Space Chem.

Jonathan Litz ’15 : The cake captures the shape and color of a lipid vesicle ruptured on a solid, dark support (and imaged with a Texas red label). See J.P. Litz et al., 2016, Biophys. J.

Matt Blosser ’14 : The top image shows a control sample of a phase-separated membrane with a domain of the bright (“liquid-ordered”) phase surrounded by a dark (“liquid-disordered”) phase. The bottom image is a cut-away view of a test sample of a phase-separated membrane in which the membrane has been sheared to offset the domains. See M.C. Blosser et al., 2015, Biophys. J.

Glennis Rayermann ’18 : The cake looks like a phase-separated membrane of a yeast vacuole in which contrast is provided by a membrane protein fusion (Vph1-GFP) that emits green light. See S.P. Rayermann et al., 2017, Biophys. J.

Heidi Weakly ’24 : Some proteins (represented by puffed rice cereal) bind to one domain of a phase-separated lipid bilayer (the cookie vs. the surrounding brownie) via molecular tethers (the frosting). See H.M.J. Weakly et al., 2024, Biophys. J.

Caitlin Cornell ’20 : This big round cake has high contrast only at the perimeter because it represents a lipid vesicle imaged by cryo-electron tomography. The technique requires that big vesicles be broken up into smaller (cupcake-sized) vesicles. See C.E. Cornell et al., 2020, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.

See also  Dissertation defense traditions: Vaughan, Cossairt, and Khalil groups

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Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning Degree Information

The doctoral curriculum integrates analytical methods, research design, a rigorous understanding of urbanization dynamics, and an examination of broader social theories, processes and policies.

Students address complex systems that typically encompass an array of spatial, environmental, social, political, technical, and economic factors. The emphasis is on theory, analysis, and action.

Each student is also expected to demonstrate an understanding of the literature, theory, and research in a specialization area within the larger discipline of urban and regional planning.

Required Courses

Four courses are required of all Ph.D. students: two doctoral-level planning theory courses and a two-course research seminar sequence.

• Advanced Urban Theory (URP 700)
• Epistemology and Reasoning for Planning Research (URP 701)
• Research Design (URP 801)
• Ph.D. Research Seminar (URP 802)

Recent students have engaged in subjects as diverse as:

• The political economy of public transit, inner-city revitalization
• Global city urbanization
• Information technology and cyberspace
• The crisis of modernist urbanism
• Suburbanization in developing countries
• Regional planning institutions
• The effects of environmental contamination on patterns of urban and regional development
• The culture of suburban commuting
• The impact of tourism on historical Mediterranean cities
• The application of complex systems analysis to sustainable development

Pre-Candidacy Requirements

Doctoral students specialize in a wide range of possible topics.

• Planning theory
• Analytic methods
• Research design
• Primary area of specialization

Students meet these requirements through coursework and exams over a two-year period. During this time, a student’s cumulative grade point average may not fall below a B without academic discipline or probation.

Analytic Methods Courses

Students are expected to be skilled in statistics, in at least two analytic research techniques, and reasonably knowledgeable about several others. Students qualify in analytic techniques by completing the following:

Satisfactory performance (B or higher) in two cumulative graduate-level statistics courses.

Students entering with previous statistics experience may wish to enter directly into a second semester statistics course. In the past, students have typically selected one of the following sequences:

• Statistics 402 (Introduction to Statistics & Data Analysis), Statistics 403 (Statistics & Data Analysis II)
• Sociology 510 (Statistics); Sociology 610 (Statistical Methods)
• Natural Resources 438 (Natural Resources Biometrics), Natural Resources 538 (Natural Resources Data Analysis)
• Biostatistics 503 (Introductory Biostatistics), Biostatistics 523 (Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Fields)
• The sequence in political science

NOTE:  Students wishing to study statistics during the spring or summer terms may want to investigate the Summer Program in Quantitative Methods of Social Research sponsored by the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) and/or the Summer Institute in Survey Research Techniques conducted by the research staff of the Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research. Choice of courses to meet requirements should be discussed with your advisor.

Competence in at least two analytic/research methods satisfied through six credit hours of total coursework.

These are methods used in planning research and should prepare the student for their likely area of dissertation work. The requirement is met through completion of nine credits of course work in two analytic/research methods (in addition to statistics), to be defined by the student in conjunction with his or her advisor. (The two methods may be interrelated.) Depending on the research method and the student’s background, more courses may be needed. Courses in these two areas must be completed with a grade of B or higher in order to fulfill this requirement. Graduate level courses that are audited can count for this requirement, as long as the student completes all the work of the course and the instructor provides a letter indicating the grade the student would have received had he or she been enrolled. All plans for satisfying this requirement are the joint responsibility of the student and his or her advisor.

The methods a student selects should relate to their dissertation area. Below are several analytic/research methods in which students have been examined in recent years. Numerous analytic/research methods are appropriate, and students need not be restricted to choices on the list:

• Anthropological methods
• Case study methods
• Complex systems analysis
• Cost benefit & cost effectiveness analysis
• Decision theory & general risk analysis
• Demographic analysis
• Discrete choice analysis
• Differential equations
• Diffusion models
• Economic & other forecasting models
• Evaluation research
• Graph theory
• Historical analysis
• Institutional analysis
• Interview techniques
• Linear programming and general analysis using linear models
• Network & flow methods
• Population growth models
• Probability, both theoretical & heuristic
• Simulation/gaming & game theory
• Spatial analysis
• Survey research
• Time series

Annual Review of Progress

At the end of each year of study, students are required to complete an Annual Review.  The advisor and the Director of Doctoral Studies may make recommendations for any modifications deemed necessary prior to the start of the following academic year. Note: financial support for the subsequent year, if applicable, depends on timely completion of a satisfactory annual review.

Annual Review Steps

By April 15, the student submits:

• A draft annual review form to their advisor, including a concise narrative of and goals for the upcoming summer and academic year.
• An up-to-date CV

The student and advisor meet; the advisor provides comments to the student and, where necessary, recommends changes in the academic plan in the annual review form.

Once the advisor has approved the plan of study for the coming year, they send the Director of Doctoral Studies a short narrative of student progress.

The URP Ph.D. Advisory Committee reviews the materials, and sends a letter to the student, either confirming their good standing in the program or specifying additional requirements to be in good standing.

Comprehensive Exam

The comprehensive exam tests a student’s knowledge of both their primary and secondary areas of specialization. The exam consists of a take-home, written examination followed by an oral exam. The examination normally occurs at the end of the student’s second year, after completion of all relevant coursework.

The Committee

The student convenes an examination committee of three faculty members, choosing faculty who have expertise in the areas of specialization. At least one member of the committee should be a member of the urban and regional planning faculty. The chair or co-chair of the committee must be a regular member of the planning faculty and cannot be an affiliate faculty member. At least one committee member should represent the student’s secondary area of specialization. (If the student has identified a secondary area of specialization that is traditionally housed in another department on campus, then the student is encouraged to select a faculty member from that outside department as their third committee member.) On occasion, examiners from outside the university have served on students’ examining committees. While this practice is generally not encouraged, written requests for an outside examiner by students are treated on an individual basis by the director of doctoral studies.

The Field Statement

The student meets with the committee chair to plan for the exam and agree on expectations prior to the construction of the exam. In consultation with the chair and committee members, the student identifies appropriate readings and prepares a detailed “field statement” that defines the primary and secondary fields, contains a detailed bibliography of readings, organizes the readings into subfields, and outlines a set of major questions for the fields. The field statement is normally designed principally with the chair and is sometimes analogous to a detailed syllabus that one would prepare for a year-long graduate-level course on the selected specializations. The student often writes possible exam questions that he/she feels are appropriate for the area the exam will cover. The questions are not the questions the committee asks the student; their major function is to help the committee and the student to agree on the scope of the exam.

Scheduling the Exam

The exam must be completed by the end of May, at the end of a student’s second year in the program, and is scheduled on the student’s initiative. Prior to the exam, the student should have completed all coursework (including all incompletes). A student may delay the exam for exceptional circumstances with approval of the faculty adviser and the Director of Doctoral Studies. Students must notify the Director of Doctoral Studies of their intent to take the exam, with a date and time, location, and names of committee members at least one month prior to the exam.

The written part of the exam is in the form of a take-home essay. The committee chair typically solicits exam questions from the committee, selects questions to be used, and composes the final examination. The allotted time period to write the exam is determined by the chair, and typically is over three days. The student must submit the exam in the form as directed by the chair (usually as a Word document submitted by email), plus one copy to the program administrator to be placed in the student’s records. The written exam is followed by a two-hour oral exam, generally scheduled to take place within about one week after the written exam. The exam is evaluated on a “Pass/Fail” or “Conditional Pass” basis. If the student does not achieve a passing evaluation, he/she may take the exam one additional time to achieve a “Pass” or “Conditional Pass” status. A “Conditional Pass” indicates that additional requirements must be met, but the exam need not be retaken. Upon completion of the oral portion of the exam, please refer to the Applying for Candidacy section for next steps.

Applying for Candidacy

A student advances to candidacy when all program requirements except the dissertation proposal and dissertation have been satisfied. The normal and expected time to achieve candidacy is two years from the date of first enrollment in the doctoral program. In addition to urban and regional planning program requirements, a student must also meet  Rackham Candidacy Requirements . Any incomplete courses that are critical to satisfying requirements must be completed before applying for candidacy.

Once all required coursework and the comprehensive exam are successfully completed, a student applies for Candidacy by sending a request by email to the URP Director of Doctoral Studies, along with a signed Comprehensive Exam Certification Form.

The Director of Doctoral Studies will recommend a doctoral student for candidacy by submitting a recommendation to the Rackham Graduate School. When candidacy is approved, a student is ready to begin work on the dissertation and is eligible for URP 995 candidacy registration.

Sample Schedule

Sample First Year

Sample Second Year

Spring – Summer
(scheduled by student; typically taken by the end of May)
(by the start of the third year of study) Sample Years Three – Four Dissertation Proposal Presentation (reviewed and approved by the student’s dissertation committee and the URP Doctoral Committee) Dissertation research and writing Informal “Full Draft Review” (at least 6-8 weeks before the formal defense) Dissertation Defense Submittal of the final version of the dissertation Dissertation Forming dissertation committee. After completing the comprehensive exam and advancing to candidacy, the student must form a dissertation committee, in accordance with the Rackham Graduate School’s  “Guidelines for Dissertation Committee Service.” The Dissertation Committee should be formed prior to defending the dissertation proposal, which should be formed several months before the student expects to defend their proposal URP. When prepared to do so, the student should send the Director of Doctoral Studies and Lisa Hauser the completed “Dissertation Committee Worksheet for Students to submit to Program”, which can be obtained from the link above. The Director of Doctoral Studies and Lisa Hauser will then submit the formal request to the Rackham Graduate School. Dissertation Proposal Dissertation proposals can be defended anytime after taking the Comprehensive Exam, but no later than the end of the fifth semester (i.e. December). It is the student’s responsibility to schedule the proposal defense attended by the dissertation committee. The student must notify Lisa Hauser by email of the proposal defense date at least three weeks prior to the meeting, including the location of the defense meeting, a title, and an abstract. After gaining approval from the dissertation committee, the dissertation chair must send an email to the Director of Doctoral Studies that includes (a) the date of the proposal defense, (b) a list of all committee members present at the defense, (c) a title of the proposal, (d) an abstract of the proposal (250 – 350 words), and (e) a copy of the final dissertation proposal to be filed with URP records. Receipt of the email from the dissertation chair will constitute formal approval of the proposal by the committee and readiness to proceed with dissertation work. Dissertation Process The dissertation is prepared in accordance with the  Rackham Graduate School’s Doctoral Dissertation Requirements , and as outlined in the URP Ph.D. Program Overview Schedule and Policies document. The student is responsible for several steps: (a) scheduling and reserving rooms (and/or a Zoom link if virtual or hybrid) for the URP pre-defense hearing (which ordinarily should occur at least six weeks and no less than three weeks prior to the dissertation defense) and the defense meeting, both in a timely manner; (b) notifying Lisa Hauser by email of the defense date at least three weeks prior to the meeting, including the location of the defense meeting, (and Zoom link, if relevant), a title, and an abstract; (c) providing a complete dissertation draft, including an abstract and bibliography, to committee members at least two weeks (longer is advised) before the defense date; and (d) registering for an eight-hour candidacy enrollment (995 Dissertation Research) for the term in which the defense is held. A dissertation defense typically consists of two parts: the first is a formal, public presentation of the dissertation research, followed by questions and answers from both the dissertation committee and the audience. Defenses are advertised and open to the public, and other students and faculty are frequently in attendance. The second part is a closed session for the candidate and the dissertation committee. During the defense, the student may be asked to reconsider certain aspects of the work and to make changes or corrections in the dissertation. At the end of the session, the chair will discuss the oral defense with other members of the committee and inform the student of the outcome. The duration of a defense can vary, but the candidate should reserve the room for a three-hour period. Formal approval of the dissertation (e.g., formatting of the final document) and applying for graduation are governed by the Rackham Graduate School. 467 COMMENTS Prize-Winning Thesis and Dissertation Examples Award-winning master's theses. University: University of Edinburgh Faculty: Informatics Author: Christopher Sipola Award: 2018 Social Responsibility & Sustainability Dissertation Prize Title: Summarizing electricity usage with a neural network University: University of Ottawa Faculty: Education Author: Matthew Brillinger Award: 2017 Commission on Graduate Studies in the Humanities Prize Thesis Title: Examples and Suggestions from a PhD Grad Master's thesis title examples. Creation of an autonomous impulse response measurement system for rooms and transducers with different methods. Guy-Bart Stan, 2000 - Bioengineering - Imperial Professor - direct link to Guy-Bart's bioengineering academic CV. Segmentation of Nerve Bundles and Ganglia in Spine MRI using Particle Filters. 1000+ Research Topics & Research Title Examples For Students 1000+ FREE Research Topics & Title Ideas. Select your area of interest to view a collection of potential research topics and ideas. AI & Machine Learning. Blockchain & Cryptocurrency. Biotech & Genetic Engineering. Business & Management. Communication. Computer Science & IT. Cybersecurity. Dissertation & Thesis Examples Download Example. Title: Essays in Firm-Level Patenting Activities and Financial Outcomes. Author: Michael J Woeppel. Year: 2020. This doctoral dissertation explores financial dynamics in two key areas: investment valuation and the performance of small innovative firms. How to Write an Effective Dissertation Title 2. Brevity. While it's important to be descriptive, a dissertation title should also be concise. Aim for a balance between providing enough information and keeping the title short. Generally, a title should be between 10 to 15 words. Long, complex titles can be overwhelming and difficult to remember. For example: Dissertation examples Dissertation examples. Listed below are some of the best examples of research projects and dissertations from undergraduate and taught postgraduate students at the University of Leeds We have not been able to gather examples from all schools. The module requirements for research projects may have changed since these examples were written. How To Write A Dissertation Or Thesis (+ Examples) Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal. Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter. Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review. Undertake your own research. Present and interpret your findings. Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications. How to Choose a Dissertation Topic Step 3: Look for books and articles. Step 4: Find a niche. Step 5: Consider the type of research. Step 6: Determine the relevance. Step 7: Make sure it's plausible. Step 8: Get your topic approved. Other interesting articles. Frequently asked questions about dissertation topics. Thesis & Dissertation Title Page The title page (or cover page) of your thesis, dissertation, or research paper should contain all the key information about your document. It usually includes: Dissertation or thesis title. Your name. The type of document (e.g., dissertation, research paper) The department and institution. The degree program (e.g., Master of Arts) Sample Dissertation Title Page Dissertation title pages must follow a specific format. Refer to the PhD Dissertation Formatting Guide and view the examples below. Certain graduate groups follow a special format. Standard sample title page (exceptions listed below): Exceptions Students in Francophone, Italian and Germanic Studies (FIGS) must follow the format below: How to Write a Dissertation or Masters Thesis Writing a masters dissertation or thesis is a sizable task. It takes a considerable amount of research, studying and writing. Usually, students need to write around 10,000 to 15,000 words. It is completely normal to find the idea of writing a masters thesis or dissertation slightly daunting, even for students who have written one before at ... 626 Dissertation Topics for Ph.D. and Thesis Ideas for Master Students Include early detection implications and usage in hospitals. Ethics of organ donations and transplantation. With this dissertation topic in science, examine the ethics of encouraging people to donate their organs. Include the implications for medical research and practice. Sample Online Student Theses About. Below are downloads (PDF format) of the M.A. (Religion) theses of some of our graduates to date. Note: Certain requirements for current thesis students have changed since earlier theses were completed. Thesis Topic. Student. Year. Trinitarian Scriptures: The Uniqueness of the Bible's Divine Origin. Gregory Cline. Dissertation title page The title page (or cover page) of your thesis, dissertation, or research paper should contain all the key information about your document. It usually includes: Dissertation or thesis title. Your name. The type of document (e.g., dissertation, research paper) The department and institution. The degree program (e.g., Master of Arts) Harvard University Theses, Dissertations, and Prize Papers The Harvard University Archives' collection of theses, dissertations, and prize papers document the wide range of academic research undertaken by Harvard students over the course of the University's history.. Beyond their value as pieces of original research, these collections document the history of American higher education, chronicling both the growth of Harvard as a major research ... Dissertation & Thesis Outline Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates. Published on June 7, 2022 by Tegan George.Revised on November 21, 2023. A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical early steps in your writing process.It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding the specifics of your dissertation topic and showcasing its relevance to ... PDF Guides and Examples of Elements of Theses and Dissertations • The title page must appear as shown in the following examples. • Type the title of the thesis/dissertation using capital letters throughout. If it occupies ... Greek letters, and other non-alphabetical symbols in the title of the thesis/dissertation. • Master's candidates should use "Thesis," and doctoral candidates should use ... Your Guide to Writing a Successful Masters Dissertation It can be helpful to think of your Masters dissertation as a series of closely interlinked essays, rather than one overwhelming paper. The size of this section will depend on the overall word count for your dissertation. However, to give you a rough idea for a 15,000-word dissertation, the discussion part will generally be about 12,000 words long. Dissertation Structure & Layout 101 (+ Examples) Time to recap…. And there you have it - the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows: Title page. Acknowledgments page. Abstract (or executive summary) Table of contents, list of figures and tables. PDF EXAMPLE OF TITLE PAGE FOR MASTER'S THESIS EXAMPLE OF TITLE PAGE FOR MASTER'S THESIS . THESIS . TITLE IN CAPITAL LETTERS AND DOUBLE . SPACED IF MORE THAN ONE LINE . Submitted by . Student's Name . Department of . In partial fulfillment of the requirements . For the Degree of Example Master of Science. Colorado State University . Fort Collins, Colorado . Spring 2014 . Master's ... PDF Thesis Dissertation Handbook sample page 25 and place your graduation date on the final line — December, May, or August and the year. • Failing to give your graduate coordinator . the final title . of your dissertation, so that the dissertation or thesis approval forms may be properly prepared to match your title page. • Required Sections, Guidelines, and Suggestions : Graduate School Below the title, at the vertical and horizontal center of the margins, place the following five lines (all centered): Line 1: A Dissertation [or Thesis] Line 2: Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School. Line 3: of Cornell University. Line 4: in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of. What Is a Thesis? Revised on April 16, 2024. A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master's program or a capstone to a bachelor's degree. Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation, it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete. How to Write a Dedication Dissertation A dissertation dedication is a line, paragraph, or page at the start of a master's or PhD thesis or dissertation. It is a personal type of acknowledgement and appreciation to the people in the writer's life who provided him with sufficient motivation and inspiration to keep up with his dissertation. How To Write A Research Proposal (With Examples) Make sure you can ask the critical what, who, and how questions of your research before you put pen to paper. Your research proposal should include (at least) 5 essential components : Title - provides the first taste of your research, in broad terms. Introduction - explains what you'll be researching in more detail. PhD Thesis: Topics, Example, Process, Tips, How to Write? The average length of a PhD Thesis in different disciplines is explained in the table below: How to Write Up PhD Thesis . Once all the research related to the relevant topics and subjects has been conducted and all the data and results are collected, you can start with your PhD Thesis Writing. This period is also known as the Writing Up period. Dissertation defense traditions: Keller group What are your group's dissertation defense traditions? Keller group Sarah L. Keller, Duane and Barbara LaViolette Endowed Professor of Chemistry: One year, on a lark, I made a cake that illustrated a graduate student's research project and used it as a visual aid during my introduction of their dissertation defense. Somehow, the next couple of students' projects also lent themselves to ... Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning Degree Information After gaining approval from the dissertation committee, the dissertation chair must send an email to the Director of Doctoral Studies that includes (a) the date of the proposal defense, (b) a list of all committee members present at the defense, (c) a title of the proposal, (d) an abstract of the proposal (250 - 350 words), and (e) a copy of ... essay homework paper phd project resume review speech study thesis