How to Choose a Dissertation Topic For Your Doctoral Degree

Your doctoral degree program culminates in a dissertation if you’re working toward an academic doctorate, or a doctoral study if you’re going for a professional doctorate degree. Both approaches are designed to bring new information to light through real-world research that addresses an actual problem in your field of interest.

Regardless of whether you’re earning your doctorate at an online university or in a more traditional academic setting, one of the first—and most important—steps in the dissertation process is selecting a topic. “You can’t do anything else until you figure out the basic focus,” says Dr. Susann V. Getsch, who chose online learning and earned her PhD in Psychology from Walden University.

5 Steps to Choosing a Dissertation Topic

Choosing a dissertation topic for a doctoral degree is a crucial step in your academic journey. The topic you choose will guide your research for several years, and it should be something that excites and challenges you. Here is a five-step guide to help you navigate the decision-making process:

1. Identify Your Interests and Strengths:
   • Interests: List the subjects, theories, or phenomena that intrigue you within your field of study.
   • Strengths: Recognize your skills and align them with your interests to find areas where you can make a substantial contribution.
   • Meet with advisors: Consult with academic mentors or advisors to help refine your interests into potential research questions.
2. Conduct a Literature Review:
   • Existing research: Analyze the current literature in your area of interest to understand what has already been done, the methodologies used, and the gaps that exist.
   • Find a niche: Look for a specific area where you can add value or a new perspective. The ideal topic will build on existing work while offering something original.
3. Evaluate the Feasibility of Your Topic:
   • Resources: Determine what resources, including equipment, funding, and time, you will need to complete the research.
   • Access to data: Make sure that you will be able to obtain the necessary data or subjects to study.
   • Alignment with goals: Ensure that the topic aligns with your long-term career goals and the requirements of your doctoral program.
4. Develop a Research Question or Hypothesis:
   • Craft a question: Formulate a clear and focused research question or hypothesis that can guide your study.
   • Methodological considerations: Consider how you will answer this question and what methods you will use, and ensure that it is a feasible approach.
5. Seek Feedback and Approval:
   • Peer review: Share your proposed topic with peers and faculty to gain insights and feedback.
   • Formal proposal: In many programs, you will need to submit a formal proposal that outlines your research question, methodology, and relevance to the field.
   • Ethical considerations: If your research involves human subjects, ensure that you comply with all ethical guidelines and obtain necessary approvals.

What Makes a Good PhD Dissertation Topic?

After following the steps above, if you’re still not sure you’ve picked a good dissertation topic, consider the relevance of your topic. Your topic should be academically, socially, or practically relevant.¹

• An academically relevant topic will answer a question that’s still being debated in your field, or it will look at a population that differs from those that have been studied in existing research.
• A socially relevant dissertation topic has potential social change implications, such as policy changes, community improvements, or job creation.
• A practically relevant doctoral dissertation topic is applicable to current practice in a field. Research that improves processes or solves problems may be practically relevant.

Tips for Choosing a Dissertation Topic

Within the context of PhD programs, there are a number of different approaches when selecting your dissertation topic. To offer you some direct insight, we asked four alumni of Walden’s online graduate degree programs to share their experiences and provide helpful tips you can follow during the process.

Susann V. Getsch, PhD in Psychology

1. Develop a topic that will hold your interest. 
   Determine what resources you have available—time, money, people—and choose a topic that isn’t too resource-intensive. You’ll be spending at least a year on a dissertation (or any large research project), so it has to be compelling enough to keep your attention.
2. Read everything you can on the subject. 
   Go outside of your required class readings and you might just run across something that helps you develop the framework for your research.
3. Find a theoretical basis to support your topic. 
   Do some research to find theories that fit your study perfectly.
4. Look for a niche in which you can make a difference. 
   Be sure you’re really offering something new to the field. You can’t change the world with one dissertation, so focus on the crux of what you want to explore and add something new to the field.
5. Let yourself shift gears. 
   Frequently, the topic you start with deviates from your original plan as it evolves.
6. Fine-tune your topic based on input from others. 
   Take every opportunity to seek constructive feedback and incorporate advice from experts.

Vicky D. Woodruff, PhD in Health Services
Kristal D. Ayres, Doctor of Education (EdD)

1. Study your passion. 
   Start with a subject you’re passionate about and then look into the existing research conducted to help determine the next logical step.
2. Find available data. 
   Use a previously conducted study to capture comparative data and develop good working relationships with the people who are in charge of that data. You may also need a written legal agreement—so sort through those details first.
3. Build a good committee. 
   Interview your committee members first to ensure they understand and are passionate about your goals. After all, it would be impossible to do the work alone. With the support of your committee, you’ll have a great team on your side.
4. Only ask questions that can be answered. 
   Use your rich, powerful data to your full advantage, and stick within its confines. Also, determine early on if there are any biases in the data. Your goal is to create an airtight study.
5. Think about your work as part of an international dialogue. 
   What else is published on your topic? Understand your data in a broader context and be actively engaged.

Shane Fairbairn, PhD in Education

1. Take advantage of the resources available. 
   Use the resources offered by your university to help with your decision-making. This might include your research center or applicable seminars.
2. Tap into your peers. 
   Meet with each of your cohorts and ask them to weigh in on your topic and plans for research.
3. Consult your mentor. 
   A good and experienced mentor can be your best resource for providing straightforward advice and direction for moving forward.

Writing a dissertation is a rewarding experience. The research you conduct and present will not only greatly expand your specialized knowledge, but it could help others in your discipline and the greater community for years to come.

Pursue Your Doctoral Degree Online at Walden University

If you want to position yourself to make more meaningful contributions to your field, consider earning a PhD or doctorate. Walden, an accredited university, offers more than 20 online doctoral degree programs with dozens of specializations to choose from. That means you can better maintain a work-life balance while you enhance your knowledge and further your skills. With online learning, you can complete coursework at whatever time of day works best for you, from anywhere with an internet connection.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering online degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, as well as online certificate programs. Expand your career options and earn your degree using a convenient, flexible learning platform that fits your busy life.

¹Source: www.scribbr.com/research-process/dissertation-topic

Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.