Introduction

Your supervisor will be one of the most influential people in your academic life. Throughout the course of your Master’s/Doctorate, your supervisor will play the role of mentor, confidant, cheerleader, and advisor. They will be crucial to your Master’s/PhD success, so it’s important to make a prudent choice. You and your supervisor will be working closely together. Invest time at the beginning of the relationship and make a good first impression.

The Basics

Before you can start evaluating potential supervisors you must have a clear idea of what you want to research. Since you’re planning on doing a Master’s/PhD, it’s likely you have already identified some of your research interests. Your supervisor should be someone who has expertise in one of these areas. So you must know the answer to the following question; what area of research do you want to pursue?

Before you start

Do your research.

Ø Browse through the faculty members’ profiles on the university website and check out the professors doing research in the area of interest to you.

Ø Check out the professors’ publications and read them.

Ø You should identify one or two professors who are doing research in an area closely related to what you are interested in.

Ø Check the procedure for contacting the potential supervisor with your initial enquiry or research proposal.

Ø Check the availability of facilities and resources necessary for your research.  

Come Up With a List

Now it’s time to do some research and come up with a list of potential supervisors. Once you make the initial list, it’s time to whittle it down. Read up on each person on your list. The answers to the following questions will probably help to eliminate a few of them from your list, leaving you ready for the next step.

Ø Are they still an active researcher?

Ø Do they still work on your research topic?

Ø Are they currently supervising students?  

Make Contact

The easiest way to approach the people on your shortlist of potential supervisors is by sending them a quick email. To make a good impression, this email should be well-written, concise, and personalized to the recipient. The more specific you can be in your first email, the better success you will have. Professors get dozens of emails from potential students. If you want to get your email noticed, you must give the professor the information they need, quickly, clearly, and professionally. Your email should:

Ø Clearly state your interest in doing a Master’s/PhD with them.

Ø Describe your academic background and research interests.

Ø Explain why they are the perfect person to supervise you (by making reference to their work).

Ø Mention any funding you are applying for.

Ø Ask if you can arrange a time to meet or talk on the phone about the project.

Ø Include your CV and research proposal.

Ø If you don’t hear back from them in two weeks, send a follow-up email. If you don’t hear back in another two weeks, start to look elsewhere. There may be many reasons the professor doesn’t answer you; don’t take it personal.

Meeting Face to Face

When a professor responds that they are interested in you and your project, they will probably want to meet you (either in person or virtually). This meeting will allow your potential supervisor to learn more about you and determine if your personalities are a good fit. The will have several questions for you and, likewise, you should prepare some questions for them so that you can decide if you really want to do a Master’s/PhD with them. Relevant questions would be:

Ø What are the characteristics of a successful Master’s/PhD student?

Ø What do you expect of the students you supervise?

Ø How do you mentor students?

Ø What are your past students doing now?

Ø How many students are you currently supervising?

Ø How much time would you have for me?

Ø What do you think of my research proposal?

Ø Do you have any sabbaticals planned during the time I would be doing my Master’s/PhD?

The answers to these questions will tell you a lot about their supervision style. Choosing a supervisor is a personal choice and each applicant will value different qualities over others. Generally, your supervisor should be someone you get along with who is approachable, has a good placement and publication record, and is enthusiastic about your project.

Work Hard

Once you have been accepted, it's time to make a great initial impression. Right away work on existing projects, make deadlines and generate ideas for research projects you want to carry out. Another key to success is to talk to your supervisor about your goals and expectations. Be clear about your needs so your supervisor can better meet your needs.