Can a dissertation topic determine your future? 

The topic that you choose for writing a dissertation can certainly impact the course of your career and its growth. You must choose a topic keeping in mind your genuine interests and skill sets. The research that you create at the PhD or master’s level counts as a factor when you are trying for a job, as the recruiter will judge a lot from the research report.

If you are making your dissertation on the subject that you wish to pursue as a profession, then it will support your candidature, as you already have in depth knowledge about at least some aspect of the domain. You will have already studied practical problems in the field and interacted with people related to that domain. So, answering the questions posed by the interview panel will be comparatively easier.

Your dissertation topic will not just reflect your interest in the area that you wish to take up as a profession; it will also reflect the accuracy with which you have been able to cover the idea. Let me explain; if you have a topic that is wide in scope and does not point out the core idea of research, then this will be counted as a generalist approach towards any problem. On the other hand, if your topic is drafted in a clear cut manner and the reader can understand the research question from it, then it will be a plus point. Recruiters will assess you as someone with a clear focus and targeted approach towards problem solving. It will also show that you care for precision in all that you do. Hence, the chances for selection increase manifolds.

Therefore, be very careful when you pick a topic for dissertation. You don’t want to waste a golden opportunity that comes your way.