Students choose their topics themselves, with advice and guidance from their advisors.

 There  are certainly different criteria for choosing final year projects in different educational institutions. In some contexts, as doctor Marek rightly observes, students choose their own topics under the guidance of a supervisor they want to work with. In other situations, the students' competency level, as you have mentioned, is important since students with a low competency level cannot implement projects which are highly complex. Another useful criterion is of course the novelty of the topic- one that has not adequately been studied by other students and researchers. Finally, the theoretical background supporting the targeted topic is equally important.

Best regards,

R. Biria

In this faculty the choice is made by the student with the help of a researcher who will be his thesis director

In my department, and I cannot speak for others, students are encouraged to design their own topics line with their interest. Of course, they do that under the supervision of their academic advisors. Often the student would be asked to present three topics from which the academic advisor would select one for approval. Occasionally, the advisor might find none suitable and might such a topic related to the general idea coming through as the student's interest.

Sometimes, the students are given options to choose topics that focus on addressing issues at their institutions.

Best regards,

Debra

In my electrical and electronic engineering department, students are asked to apply in the prescribed format. Then their applications are circulated among the Faculty Members who choose the applicants based on their options. Of course, no teachers are given more than 7-8 students in a semester to supervise. Students have to give multiple topics and multiple supervisor options to select final topics and supervisor for them by the Dept Chair.

Students propose a topic or more that they are interested in. When one of the faculty members approves it and shows willingness to supervise them they apply officially using a form.

The students at Tecnologico Nacional de Mexico, specifically at Instituto Tecnologico de Reynosa, Tamaulipas must carry out professional residence in industrial sector for 500 hours aprox. In the industrial engineering department, they must present a protocol of professional residence. The cluster of professor must approve the protocol. At the end, they must prepare a final research report. They choose the topics based in industrial opportunities, and their own personal interest. The limitations are on same knowledge of industrial engineering field.  

Lecturers were asked to supply a list of potential topics, which were pooled, and the final year students would pair up and choose from the list. Lecturers would not suggest too many topics each, or they would not be able to handle the resulting supervision load!

Student with high GPA chooses the best title, while the student with low GPA is forced to choose the last one.

Students are asked to be come with number of optional project titles by searching around their leaving area. Since after all the projects are expected to solve the problem of the community further the problem of the country. We also recommend them to choose titles which fits the current technology rather than the ancient. As soon as they registered for the final academic year they will summit their title with descriptions in short: the problem that identified, the solution they want to come up with, they techniques they planned to apply etc… . They might submit already done title, in this case they need to come up with new feature that they planned to add on the previous. But, it doesn’t mean that they can do on their title unless it is approved by the project committee to go on. For those unable to come up with title at all or came with week title the committee will suggest alternative titles……

Hi Zuhayr

In our institution, I can speak for the approach used in both Accounting and Finance, and Computing Science.

In Accounting and Finance, the supervisors put up a list of the type of work they are prepared to supervise, and the students make their three preferred choices of topic and supervisor. The course co-ordinator attempts to assign first preference to supervisor as far as is possible, then second choice, and finally third choice until all have been allocated. For undergraduates, the supervisor will help the student finalise their choice of title, taking into account aptitude and capabilites. For Masters students, once supervisotrs are allocated, they will be expected to prepare a research proposal, which the supervisor will help them to finalise, as needed. Each supervisor will be allocated 10-12 undergraduates and around the same number of Masters.

In Computing Science, supervisors again list a number of supervision topics. Here, students choose their preferred top five supervisors. The preferences are fed into a system where an algorithm calculates how to best allocate students to supervisors. Once allocated, students will discuss their specific preference of topic with the allocated supervisor and together will work out a title. In the case of MAsters, the numbers are small enough for the Course Co-ordinator to work out individual titles with students. In all cases, regard is taken of the capabilities of the student.

I hope this helps.

Regards

Bob

In the university I attend, I had to present my idea in a paper.  I also had to prove the future value the research would ask to current studies.  I was not given a topic.  I was expected to select a topic that covered both of my degree areas.  I am not sure if the method was the good or poor way of handling dissertation material, but it does cause one to really search for an area of personal interest that would hold one's attention to sustain the trials of a dissertation.  For me the hardest aspect of the dissertation is the proof reading.  On a student's budget the cost of a proof reader does not come easy.  The research is interesting and posing questions to peers on researchgate is extremely helpful.  The insights of avid researchers is motivating.

Jeanne

I can speak for my school (pubic health). Students come up with a number of topics in their disciplines (2-3 topics). A faculty member who is the coordinator for project works, looks at the expertise of the other faculty members and assigns the students to them. The supervisors then help the students to finetune the topics and let the students select one; the most researchable and with the highest possible impact when conducted.