Goal:
Identify a potential dissertation topic that is original, feasible, and personally or professionally relevant — and justify it clearly in front of your classmates.
PART 1 – INDIVIDUAL REFLECTION (20 min)
Answer the following questions in writing (bullet points or short paragraphs):
- 🔍 What topics, problems or trends in business, communication, advertising or PR interest you the most?
- Are there specific industries, companies or audiences you are passionate about?
- What are your personal or professional goals, and can your dissertation align with them?
- Which subjects or projects have you enjoyed most during your degree?
- What kind of questions would you like to explore, describe, compare or test?
PART 2 – CHOOSE A RESEARCH AREA (Optional support)
If you’re unsure what to focus on, here are some broad research areas to inspire you:
Business
- Market Analysis
- Financial Management
- Supply Chain Optimization
- Entrepreneurship Studies
- Business Ethics
- Strategic Management
Advertising
- Consumer Behavior Research
- Creative Campaign Analysis
- Digital Advertising Trends
- Branding Strategies
- Media Planning and Buying
- Advertising Effectiveness Measurement
Communication
- Mass Media Influence
- Interpersonal Communication Patterns
- Cross-Cultural Communication
- Crisis Communication Strategies
- Communication Technology Impact
- Political Communication
Public Relations
- Reputation Management
- Crisis Communication in PR
- Stakeholder Engagement
- PR Ethics and Responsibility
- PR Campaign Evaluation
- Internal Communication Strategies
You can mix areas too! For example, “Crisis Communication in the Fashion Industry” combines PR + Business.
PART 3 – FROM INTEREST TO TOPIC: 5 STEPS (25 min)
| Step | What to do | Tips |
| Identify a broad theme | Choose a general area (see above) | Pick something you care about or want to work on |
| Narrow it down | Focus on a niche, audience, case, or context | E.g. “Branding” → “Personal branding of athletes on Instagram” |
| Ask a question | Turn your idea into a researchable question | “How…?”, “What impact…?”, “Why…?” |
| Check feasibility | Can you collect data? Is the topic manageable? | Think about time, access to people or sources, tools |
| Draft a working title | Turn your idea into a potential dissertation title | E.g. “The role of sustainability in brand loyalty among Gen Z consumers” |
| Element | Your answer |
| General topic | e.g. branding, crisis comms, entrepreneurship, media |
| Focused niche | e.g. Gen Z, luxury brands, political discourse, sports ads |
| Preliminary research question | Clear, focused and researchable |
| Working title | A short, descriptive, professional title |
| Why this topic? | Interest, originality, feasibility — justify it briefly |
PRESENTATION (Next Class)
In the next session, you will give a short 3-minute pitch in class:
- Introduce your research topic and title
- Explain your main research question
- Justify your choice: Why is it interesting, original, and feasible?
Don’t worry if it’s not perfect — this is a starting point to get feedback and improve your proposal.
