Did you/ Do you choose a thesis topic that you absolutely love?How to discuss this with your advisor?

[nehs]

I'm working toward my M.S in Information Systems and Business Degree. The program has a non-thesis (comprehensive Exam)and a thesis option. Most students in our Program sit for the exam. I would like to do the Thesis and associated research for the following reasons (1) get some research experience that might help in Industry or in the improbable case that I might want to do a PhD later on in life. (2) oppurtunity to read up interesting stuff in my area and more exciting if the thesis topic is related to my ideas of interest (3) This is the last course that I have and the thesis course gives me the flexibility to not go to Campus everyday and/or take up a full-time job. My Husband and me are also planning to Try for a baby and in the event that I get pregnant. I would be happy not to travel and go when I have to /want to.(4) I don't enjoy exams much and some courses are totally hated by me, so studying for those courses during the exam period could be stressful.

My goal is to get back into the Industry once I graduate.

I'm about to sign up for my Thesis course(M.S. Thesis) and I have very vague ideas about what I would want to do.

I spoke to one of the Professors in my Dept and he told me to come and see him after a weel. He also asked me if I have any idea in mind, to which I have not yet replied back as this was an e-mail conversation.

Now, my questions are, what should I tell this professor about my areas of interest when I meet him? What if he knows that I have not nailed down a topic? What if he offers me something that's outside my interest(assuming that atleast the broader topic is of interest to me)? And should I read up some papers before I go see him?

Our research course is a 2 or 3 credit course(we get to choose) and followed by 40-50 page document on our findings.

In the event that the Thesis Course does not work out for me, I have to sit for the Exam which is ok with me.

Thank You for reading

[Dal PhDer]

I think there is two main ways to approach a supervisor/topic.

1) You go in with a detailed question/hypothesis and outline why you want to work with this individual and what you can bring

2) You go in saying you have similar interests with the professor and you're interested in working with them (they either help you develop a research project, help you develop a project as an offset of one of theirs, or give you a project that they have)

To be honest, for a masters, I think it's easier to go with #2. #2 doesn't always happen for students, but I think working on a project that has already its foundations is a lot easier for students- especially if the data is already collected. Mind you, this is often discipline dependent. Students who can piggy onto their advisor's work are often more likely of getting funded (as the project is probably already funded and has money for students), on a timeline that gets the students in and out quickly, and has resources (e.g., co-pi's, other RAs) to help guide them along. The downside is that it might not be really what you're interested in- but for 2 years, and a quick path through your MA, to me it's worth it. If it were a PhD, I would most certainly recommend students to sit down and think about what they're interested in, and work off that- as it's 4+ years and your career that you're working on.

I think you have the right attitude- I would read some of their work, and even papers they haven't written but are in their same interest area. When you go meet, it doesn't hurt to have a list of your interests, some things/questions you have for potential projects, and an understanding of what they have done and will be doing in the future!

[nehs]

Dal PhDer - that was a useful insight to me.

Hmmm....I am thinking of just going i nand aksing if he has any current research/any current interest and then taking it from there.

Having met this person before who was also open to have me propose a topic, means that i could take a topic to him. But the important part, as you mention, would be the data collection which might take time!