Dissertation Topic Approval Request
Your dissertation journey starts with an approved topic. This template helps you formally propose your dissertation topic to your supervisor and request their approval.
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Propose your topic early in the semester — dissertation timelines are fixed, and every week spent waiting for approval is a week lost from research. Before writing the request, read a few recent papers in your area so you can briefly justify why the topic matters; supervisors approve topics faster when the student shows the idea is grounded in existing research.
Make the proposal concrete: state the topic, the research question, the methodology you plan to use, and the data you can realistically access. A topic with no available data is the most common reason proposals are sent back, so confirm your data source — surveys, company records, or public datasets — before you submit. Keep the request to one page; the full proposal comes later.
A practical tip: propose one main topic plus one backup option in your meeting with the supervisor. If the main topic has a flaw you did not see, the backup keeps the conversation moving and shows preparation. Once approved, get the approval in writing or email — a recorded approval protects you if the topic is questioned during evaluation.
After approval, lock in the scope immediately: write a one-page outline with your research questions, chapter plan, and timeline, and get your supervisor to sign off on it. Dissertations drift when the scope is vague — an agreed outline at the start prevents painful rewrites at the end and keeps both you and your supervisor aligned.
Frequently asked questions
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