Key points at a glance
- Select a supervisor whose expertise matches your topic.
- State your programme, tentative idea, method and timing.
- Ask for an assessment or meeting, then follow up politely if needed.
Find a genuine academic fit
Read the academic’s research profile and your programme’s supervision rules before writing. A project based on interviews benefits from a supervisor familiar with qualitative work. Some departments allocate supervisors centrally or require a form, so an individual email may not be the first official step.
Write a subject line and focused request
Use a subject such as “Bachelor’s thesis supervision enquiry: first-year study habits.” Introduce your degree programme and likely start period. In a few sentences, explain the question you hope to investigate, why it belongs to the supervisor’s area and which method you are considering. Ask whether they would be willing to discuss its suitability.
Attach only useful material
A one-page concept note can show your provisional question, a few sources and a realistic plan. Avoid a long, unstructured draft or personal participant information. For example: “I hope to explore how first-year students use one learning platform, potentially through short interviews.” This presents an idea without claiming to know the findings.
Follow up and confirm next steps
Allow for teaching schedules and stated absences before sending a brief reminder in the same thread. If the person cannot supervise, ask whether another colleague might be a better fit. A positive response still does not complete formal registration; request the department’s required steps.
Final submission context
Formal details can feel like a separate writing task, but they matter just as much for a printed submission. Anything missing, misplaced or inconsistently formatted in the document will also appear in the bound copy.
Use this guide together with your cover page, table of contents, page numbers, source notes and appendices. Prepare the final PDF for printing and binding only after the complete file has been checked.
Practical check before PDF export
- Do headings, chapter structure and page numbers match?
- Are sources, figures and tables included completely?
- Are required elements such as declarations, appendices or the cover page included where required?
- Did you open and check the final PDF after exporting it?
Checklist
- Checked expertise and supervision procedure.
- Named programme and approximate timing.
- Summarised topic and possible method.
- Made a specific, courteous request.
Common mistakes
- Sending the same vague message to many academics.
- Assuming acceptance before a reply.
- Attaching excessive or sensitive material.
Prepare the finished thesis for submission
Once the content and university requirements are checked, review your PDF and the available printing and binding options.
Review printing optionsRelated content
Explore related guidance on thesis structure, sources, formatting and final submission.
Frequently asked questions
How long should the email be?
Keep it short enough that the idea, fit and request are clear at a glance; attach a concept note only when useful.
Do I need a final research question?
Often a provisional one is enough, but follow the department’s requirements.
What if I get no answer?
Send one polite follow-up after a reasonable interval, accounting for absences, and consider other suitable supervisors.