Thesis Topics

Exploring General Thesis Topics – Find One that “Pops” for You

You will spending a long time on your thesis. In fact, it will consume you for an entire semester at a minimum. So, when you begin to search for a topic, take your time. One of the biggest mistakes a Master’s candidate can make is selecting a topic that:

1. Someone else (perhaps an advisor) has suggested, and in your effort to “please,” you select a topic in which you do not have a consuming interest
2. Simply does not have enough “meat” to formulate a sound research question
3. Has so much research and data, that isolating a research question becomes a weeks’ long task in itself.

Your search for thesis topics must begin with some serious self-questioning and a step-by-step process

1. Review in your mind the units of study in all of your Master’s coursework
2. Which of these units/concepts fascinated you the most
3. Make a list of those topics areas with which you were fascinated and/or intrigued
4. Do a cursory Internet search on each of the topics and read just a bit more on the research others have done in the area. Some topic may just “pop” for you, and when it does, you have discovered your general topic area.

Potential Topics by Curricular Area

Below are listed some general topic areas that might assist you. By no means are these comprehensive, but they may spark an interest that you can then pursue.

Political Science

1. Deterrence Theory
2. Global Politics of Resources
3. Gerrymandering
4. Ethnic Conflict
5. Comparative Electoral Systems
6. Identity and Ethnic Politics
7. Politics and Income Inequality

Economics

1. Consumer Behavior
2. Demand Elasticities
3. Regulatory Economics
4. Economics and Justice
5. Globalizations and Inequality

Law and Criminal Justice

1. Economics and Justice
2. Relationship between SES and Crime
3. Age and Crime
4. Education and Crime
5. Weather and Crime
6. Cybercrime

Sociology

1. Aging
2. Divorce and Young Children
3. Cultural Property
4. Illiteracy
5. Population Shifts
6. Contemporary Urban Living
7. Contemporary Rural Living

Psychology

1. Neuroscience
2. Behavioral Pharmacology
3. Animal Cognition
4. New Theories in Operant Conditioning
5. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
6. Addiction Behaviors

Biology

1. Obesity and Genetics
2. Genetic Diseases
3. Nanotechnology
4. Biological Weapons
5. Vaccines and Immune-Based Therapies
6. Organic Matter and Cancer Treatment

Chemistry

1. Sustainable Chemistry
2. Water Splitting
3. De-Salinization
4. C-C Coupling
5. Heteroatom Linking

Business/Management

1. High Tech Entrepreneurship
2. Women Entrepreneurs
3. Evolution of Outsourcing
4. Conflict Management
5. Bullying in the Workplace
6. Flexible Labor
7. Organizational Politics
8. Remote Leadership

Fine Arts

1. Digital Arts
2. Architecture for the 21^st Century
3. Contemporary Latin (or any other culture) Art
4. Contemporary Praise Music and Church Attendance
5. Sociology of Contemporary Secular Music
6. Music in Advertising

Education

1. Testing as a Predictor of Academic Success
2. Honoring Learning Styles in the Classroom
3. Bullying in School Environments
4. Technology in the Classroom
5. Efficacy of Grade Retention

Another Topic Source

Another great source for topic-thinking stimulation that is often ignored are one’s textbooks. Courses that you may have taken early on in your Master’s program may be a dim memory at this point, but if you have kept those texts, go back and review the Tables of Contents. Look through chapter sections and see if one of those sparks keen interest.

In the End, It’s All about Your Interest

Take the suggestions of others; do some initial research. But, when it finally comes to topic area selection, you must go with your “gut.” What is it that you really want to study in depth? When you find that singularly most intriguing topic, you will have completed the first step. If you continue to struggle, you may want to consult with a thesis writing service that has professional writers in your field. They can provide topic and research question options, as well as a sound literature review that you may then be able to use in the literature review.