Academic Progress
Thesis Supervision Meeting
A thesis supervision meeting is a regular conversation between a student and their supervisor about a dissertation, master's thesis or doctoral project. A long, solitary piece of work easily drifts: unclear questions, slow writing and loss of motivation often stay hidden until it is late. A structured meeting keeps the project moving and lets the student say what they need. Here are the questions to ask, from progress to next steps.
18 questions
When to use this template
- At regular intervals throughout the project, for example every two to four weeks, so that nothing goes unspoken for too long.
- At key milestones: choice of topic, research plan, data collection, first full draft and preparation of the defence.
- When the student has not been in touch for a while, or when progress seems to have slowed down.
Questions to ask
Progress since last time
- 01What have you done on your thesis since our last meeting?
- 02What are you most satisfied with in your work so far?
- 03Is there something you planned to do and could not finish? What happened?
- 04How do you feel about the overall progress of the project?
Research and content
- 05Can you explain in a few sentences where your argument or research question stands today?
- 06Which part of the subject do you feel least sure about?
- 07Have you come across sources or results that changed your thinking?
- 08Is there a methodological choice you are unsure about?
Writing and organisation
- 09How is the writing going: which chapters are drafted and which are not?
- 10How do you plan your working time on the thesis each week?
- 11What makes it hardest for you to sit down and write?
- 12Is the schedule we set still realistic?
Motivation and well-being
- 13How is your motivation for this project at the moment?
- 14How do you cope with working alone for long stretches?
- 15Is anything outside the thesis, such as a job, family or health, affecting your work?
Support and next steps
- 16What would you like feedback on first?
- 17What do you need from me, or from others, to move forward?
- 18What are the two or three concrete steps for the next meeting?
Tips for a useful conversation
- Send a short written summary after each meeting with the decisions and deadlines, so both sides remember the same thing.
- Ask the student to explain their work in their own words: it shows quickly where the thinking is solid and where it is not.
- Give feedback on the work, not on the person, and always say what is strong before naming what must be improved.
- Break the thesis into small deliverables with dates, because a vague big goal is easier to avoid than a clear next step.
- If the student mentions persistent distress, exhaustion or health problems, listen without judging and refer them to the institution's support services, such as the counselling service or the doctoral or student support office.
Mistakes to avoid
- Meeting only when there is a problem, or only when the student asks.
- Giving feedback that is so general the student does not know what to change.
- Leaving the student alone with unclear expectations about the standard and the deadline.
- Treating a slow period as laziness instead of asking what is behind it.
Let Passisto Students hold these conversations
The AI agent holds regular voice check-ins with your students and flags those who need help, so advisors can act early.