The Significance of a Dissertation in an Advanced Degree Program

Pursuing a graduate degree in education leads to career advancement and increased skills to impact students. Obtaining an advanced degree provides opportunities for educators to grow and conduct research on a specific topic. An advanced degree in education comes in the form of either a master’s degree or doctoral degree. Generally, in a master of education program, a student’s culminating project is a thesis. For the doctoral degree, the culminating project is the dissertation.

It is important for educators to continue learning and have access to professional development. Completing a dissertation or thesis in a graduate program gives educators the skills, research methods, and knowledge to impact their school or organization.

To understand the importance of these research-based projects, it is vital to look at the differences between the two and also the outcomes of completing the projects. For educators who want to pursue a doctorate degree, there are two options. These are the Ph.D. or Ed.D. in Education.

For those pursuing a master’s degree, there are multiple options such as the Master of Education (M.Ed.), Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T), or a Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.).

All of these graduate programs may have different names, but have similar areas of concentration such as:

• Curriculum and instruction
• Educational leadership and administration
• Science
• Educational technology
• Engineering
• Math
• STEM
• Elementary or Secondary Education

The significance of completing a dissertation comes from learning how to conduct research, find positive solutions to an issue in the education field, and produce scholarly and practical work that adds value to the field.

In the process of completing a dissertation or thesis, it is essential to plan out the project’s objectives and brainstorm the steps it takes to complete the project. Knowing when to start brainstorming, beginning the process, and finding resources to make a project successful are vital to making an impact in the field.

When to Start Brainstorming Grad Degree Dissertation Topics

Once you have determined the type of degree and concentration you want to do research in it is important to begin brainstorming the topic you want to work on. Most graduate programs have a set of core classes that focus on developing the educational leader, a set of specialized classes, and finally, a culminating dissertation or thesis.

While taking the core classes, the students need to begin brainstorming the topic of their research project. For example, a graduate student in an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program may consider a dissertation topic of the Professional Development and Experiences of K-12 School Administrators, while a student in a M.Ed. in Elementary Education program would write a thesis on Incorporating Literacy Strategies Across Multiple Curriculum Areas in Elementary Schools.

How to Kick Off Your Brainstorm Sessions for Dissertation Topics in Education

Writing a dissertation can be challenging, but knowing the structure of the dissertation and what resources you can utilize will put you on a path to success. When preparing your dissertation topic ideas and brainstorming for your thesis or dissertation there are multiple ways to start the process.

In the beginning phases of brainstorming it is important to have a clear specific topic you want to research. However, it is normal to have a change in interest. Consider creating a list of two to three topics that interest you. This will help you create a framework to collect research and literature on the topics. As the literature and research increases you will be able to develop a plan to complete your project.

Talk to Program Peers

One way to kick off your brainstorming journey for dissertation topics could be to discuss with your program peers. This can be your professor, current students in your cohort, or colleagues at your school. Another way to begin your brainstorming session would be to use a graphic organizer or mind map. Completing a research-based project comes with the important components of a design process.

Research, Research, Research

Researching dissertation education topics that are interesting to you will help in defining the topic and finding effective resources to complete the project. In order to have an effective process, place specific goals for time management, when to conduct research, and who to interview to get professional insight on your topic.

Creating Personal Success

Along your journey to complete your project, there will be challenges. However, there are tips to success to help you create a high-quality project. Setting goals and embedding yourself with a network of colleagues who are also working on a thesis will help you find new ideas and support for your project. Consider creating a list of priorities when it comes to creating and completing your project. List out your resources and your goals and objectives that will give you access to information that will help you finish your work. Collaboration is key to complete the dissertation and thesis.

Interview Scholarly Professionals

Along the way it is vital to interview peers and professionals who have completed their own scholarly work. Additionally, balancing your work and home life will help you prioritize your goals and individual needs. Your topic is unique to you, but the experiences you will gain while completing your project will give you deeper insight, enhanced skills, and tools to make an impact in the field of education.

When you are done with your project you will have the knowledge and skills to add value to your life personally and your school or organization.

Want to advance your career as an educator? Check out our 190+ available masters, doctorates, endorsements, and certifications to advance your career today!

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What is a Dissertation? 

A dissertation is a final project for most doctoral degree programs. It consists of writing a lengthy manuscript on a topic of your choice that is relative to your field of study. Research conducted on the topic contributes to possible solutions to problems and effectively makes you an expert in that area of research. It typically consists of an extensive review of the literature on the topic, a statistical analysis or extensive interviews of subjects, and your findings. Many dissertations can be lengthy, surpassing 100 or even 200 pages in length. The writing is also not easy, considering that most paragraphs will need multiple citations from research-based information.

When Should You Start Thinking about Your Doctoral Dissertation? 

If you are considering a doctoral degree, determine if you can complete the dissertation. It is the most intense part of the degree and should be planned for accordingly. At the start of your first doctoral class, you should already have a topic in mind. If you don’t, you need to get one fast. You can even start researching the topic and saving snippets of information that you will piece into your dissertation. Doing this will be extremely beneficial to you when you begin heavily researching your topic later. Things will fall into place much faster if you start early and save this information for later use.

Ideally, if you start writing at the beginning of your program, you won’t have to do as much when you are done with your coursework. It’s likely that you can do some projects throughout your coursework that can be tailored for use in your dissertation as well. The sooner you start thinking about it, the better prepared you will be when it comes time to start writing. Starting soon and staying motivated will drastically increase your chances of completion.

Choosing a Topic

The topic of your dissertation is the most important part so choose wisely. The topic will direct what you are researching, and you will be very familiar with it at the end. It will become a part of your life since you will be spending an abundance of time with it.

Think of it as choosing a major. It needs to be something you are very interested in learning about and something that you are passionate about. It might even be something that you have an interest in pursuing professionally at some point. Choosing something you are interested in will make it easier for you to be motivated to continue working and seeing your project through to the end.

Try your best to get a topic narrowed down at the beginning of your program. It’s not uncommon for many students to change their topic. Starting early will prevent you from extending the completion date too long. Many universities require you to continue paying for dissertation hours every semester until completed. This means the longer you wait to complete it, the more money it could cost.

Set Attainable Goals with Deadlines 

The university will likely have deadlines for submission. If you are interested in graduating by a certain date, you will need to look at these soon and adhere to them. Much of the dissertation process is looking at the end goal and working backwards. During the process, setting smaller goals in order to get to the big goals will be a big part of your success. It’s a big project so celebrating smaller milestones will be motivational for completion.

One tip that could help you find success throughout the process is asking a classmate with similar goals to be your accountability partner. As you motivate them to complete each phase, they will be a resource for you as well. It’s nice to have someone that is going through something similar to help you relate and adapt to unique situations. Coaching each other can be good for your sanity throughout the process and will likely result in a faster completion. Not to mention, you will have a unique, lifelong friendship at the end.

Most doctoral level students take their studies seriously and want to make sure their work is quality. However, writing a dissertation may not be your best writing. Doctoral students really learn how to write during their dissertation process. Trying to make things perfect is not beneficial. Rather, finishing the project should be the primary focus.

The committee will request revisions. Expect to revise your manuscript multiple times, no matter how perfect you think you have it. Striving for perfection will only delay your completion and may cause enough frustration for you to give up altogether. Refrain from this mindset and think of yourself as a student instead of a polished author. That will give you perspective to continue putting words on the paper and get to the finish line. After all, perfection is not expected of students, but completion is.

Ask for Feedback Early and Often 

Finding a dissertation committee chair that is easy to work with is vital for your success. This may be the most important part of your research. Who wants to work with someone that will make your journey more difficult? Your chair should be someone who expects quality work, but also assists you in giving meaningful and practical advice for completion. They should also do so in a timely manner. Be sure to find someone who cares about your work and will be committed to seeing you through to the end.

Your chair should be your main advisor throughout the dissertation process so be sure to periodically check in to ensure you are on the right track. You can also benefit from having a classmate take a look at your work and offer suggestions. It doesn’t hurt to read another person’s dissertation to get an idea of how to put your ideas together. Finding one on a similar topic would be particularly beneficial.

Take Breaks When Needed 

It’s important to pace yourself and not get too overwhelmed. On the flip side, don’t let yourself be removed from the project for too long because you may lose your motivation for completion. Sticking to a schedule is important. If you have a busy week planned, obviously you won’t be writing as much and that is a good time for a break. However, if you have some spare time, this is when you need to get focused and knock out some pages. Time management, ambition, and grit are all requirements for a successful completion. There will be times you may want to give up. Seek out your accountability partner for encouragement and don’t let all the time and money you already invested go to waste.

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*Updated September, 2020

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