Written by Supritha
16 Dec 2017
I recently had to apply for thesis and I wanted to work with hydrogeology and arsenic contamination, so I began my application process in the end of September, and I secured my thesis is mid November with Kemakta Consult AB, an environmental consultancy in Stockholm!
Based on my experience and that of my classmates and friends, here are somethings to consider when you apply for your Master Thesis!
Do’s:
– Have a clear picture of what you want to work with, now and in the future.
Your thesis topic should reflect not only your interest, but also should help you build a future in the direction you want. When you start applying for your thesis, you would have been done with one year of Masters, and at this point, it is important to understand your field of interest and to have a direction for where you want your future to be.
– Do your own research, but get guidance from professors as well.
It is important to look for topics and do your own research, but you need to know where to look, and for this you can take advice and guidance from the professors who teach the subject that you’re interested in. I knew I wanted to do my thesis in hydrogeology, water contamination and treatment, especially Arsenic contamination. So I asked my hydrogeology professor for his guidance. And he steered me toward finding my thesis in Kemakta Konsult, and now I’m going to be doing my thesis in a wonderful company, but also in a field that was my specific interest.
-Start early.
Once you have 60 credits completed, you can start looking for thesis and start mailing companies. It is important to establish a good communication base. Most companies have contact details of people responsible for different divisions and projects. So if you want to work in a particular project, contact them.
-Company or University? Where should you do your thesis?
Both options are great based on what you want to work with. My advice is to go with a topic of interest, and see where you can work. If there’s a company that specialises in that, apply there. If there is a research going on in your university, then do it there. If you don’t find a company or university project which you’re interested in, you can always propose your own topic and work in your university under the guidance of a supervisor.
-Have a positive attitude.
Sometimes getting a thesis takes just a week, and sometimes it takes a long time to secure a spot. But keep a positive attitude and be patient. Things will work out as long as you work for it. Don’t let the wait and the insecurity get to you.
Dont’s:
-Do not procrastinate.
Do not wait till the last minute to start looking. Chances are the topic you want to work with, might get taken by someone else who applied earlier. Also, It is better to start your thesis on time and finish on time.
-Be persistent, not annoying.
You can express interest in a topic, but don’t send many mails, don’t become desperate. Communication is important, but it should be effective. So be formal, express your interest and be patient.
-Don’t settle for something you are not fully interested in.
Keep your options open, and look for different topics. But don’t compromise and do a thesis on a topic that doesn’t interest you. You’re going to be working on your thesis for 5 months, and it is going to be a lot of work, and will influence your future work path. So if you are going to be working on something that doesn’t excite and thrill you, then you’re going to burn out soon, you will run into stops and feel like giving up. So make sure you’re making the right choice.
I’m going to be starting my thesis work in mid January and I’m really looking forward to it, and to share my experiences with you 😀
/For now, your Swe-Desi Seafarer signing off 🙂
