Going through the process of writing a thesis can be intensive, rewarding and sometimes challenging. Therefore, bachelor’s students are offered thesis assignments that are designed on bachelor’s level and fit the timeframe of one semester.
In some cases, students have a specific motivation to opt for an individual assignment. For this, students must submit a research proposal. In order to start the bachelor’s thesis trajectory with an individual assignment, the research proposal must be assessed and approved by the track coordinator of the specialisation.
Writing a research proposal takes time, as it must be convincing in regard to the need for and significance of the study and demonstrate its feasibility. This not only means a certain appropriate depth (fitting the bachelor’s level) of the content is assessed, but also whether it is possible to carry out the research in itself, within the timeframe of one semester and with the pre-set amount of appointments with your supervisor (also see the activity overview). The track coordinator will take these aspects and the requirements 1-6 below into account when assessing your research proposal.
requirements research proposal
- Motivation: Describe in maximal 150 words why you are motivated to conduct your own research.
- Research question: Specify your research question and substantiate in maximal 250 words your research question using at least 3 key references (see 4).
- Method: Describe in maximal 250 words your research method. Describe your sample and make clear how you plan to recruit sufficient participants within the limited time available for this purpose. Briefly describe the research design, the research materials (e.g. questionnaires, etc.) and the data-analysis.
- References: Add the references you used (at least 3 sources).
- Specialisation: Your research must relate to one of our specialisations.
- The research must fit into the regular activity overview and its deadlines and appointments as specified on graduation web.
Additional key points to consider:
- Include your student number and name in the file name (i.e. Jane_Doe_s1234567) of our 'Form Bachelor's Thesis Individual Research Proposal' as provided below.
- Send your research proposal in the provided format to the track coordinator and add the bachelor’s thesis coordinator Nienke Peeters (n.j.peeters@utwente.nl) in Cc.
- The deadline to submit your own research proposal is 15 June for semester 1 (September-January) and 1 October for semester 2 (February-July).
- Your proposal must be approved by the track coordinator of the specialisation before you can start the thesis trajectory with your own assignment.
- You can submit your research proposal for feedback once. If you do not receive an approval after handing in your proposal the second time (with the incorporated feedback), you must participate in the regular process of choosing (existing) assignments, also see graduation web.
- You will receive a response on your submitted approval ultimately one week prior the start of the semester. Therefore, please make sure to participate in the regular process and sign up for one of the specialisations parallel to submitting your own proposal, to ensure having an assignment in case your own proposal is not accepted.
- If your research proposal is approved, the bachelor’s and/or track coordinator will assign a supervisor. You will be informed about this around the same time as you receive the approval. For organisational and content related matters, do not contact supervisors yourself.
- All information, e.g. steps within the process, rules and regulations as specified on graduation web still apply when writing your own thesis assignment.
- Incomplete submissions (i.e. not meeting all requirements 1 till 6), submissions after the deadline or submissions in a different format than the 'Form Bachelor's Thesis Individual Research Proposal' as provided below will not be accepted.