Are you still interested in the subject on which you completed your dissertation?

[FredaFrogspawn]

I have been browsing bookshops and found a new book about a lesser known author who featured heavily in my undergraduate dissertation, some years ago. Initially I thought -wow, must have this- but then realised I simply didn’t care enough any more to buy it.

Slightly. It was on the commercial sex industry. Not enough to write about it or do research.

SmileCheese the most unluckiest student ever. Did you guess where he was?

I was actually concluding he was most likely still somewhere in Leicester as all my research had shown he hadn't been seen after the battle. I hadn't predicted he was under a carpark I wasn't that good, however if I had I wouldn't have let them dig it up until I'd finished and submitted it.

Yes, considering I chose a topic purely to satisfy my tutors. turns out there's a niche there, so my PhD will hopefully be on the same topic. My masters will probably be focussed on something similar, but not the same. It's a good job I like Pride and Prejudice.... And highlighting books and sticking tabs in them.

I'm also writing a novel around the same theme, and still have my dissertation on my bookshelf.

Yes - a long-dead author whose books I still enjoy.

Not really. I was part of the very last year group of students who got full grants, and chose History and Archaeology on the grounds that History was the school subject I'd most enjoyed. In retrospect that was because I really liked my History teacher rather than I really liked History. Although having said I do still subscribe to Current Archaeology and do still read history for pleasure. My dissertation was definitely a chore. Annoyingly, I'd had an idea for a rather more interesting topic a couple of weeks in and considered asking my tutor if I could change, but never got round to it. Slogged on and handed it all in, scraped a 2.1. During post graduation ceremony drinks I mentioned my other idea to my tutor and would it have been worth changing to, and was informed it was brilliant and well worth following up if I fancied doing a Masters! Never did get round to it though. I suppose I could still go back but I'm not sure I could manage essays etc again after 31 years.

Oh @Smilecheese - that’s tragic!

@crazymuseummumtobe Your subjects are the exact path I now wish I had taken. Fascinating.

I’m still very much interested but not academically or so much professionally. It was specific to an area of the creative industries and I work in a different area but the area still very much interests me. I do have to bite my tongue when it’s slagged off on here (because it always is) and people do not realise the benefits

Oh Smilecheese - that’s tragic!

It is indeed but it all turned out fine in the end as I got the highest mark in my cohort. I often idly wonder if it was because my lectures felt pity for my misfortune.

No.
That's it really!

I did my dissertation in late 90's and I can honestly say that I simply can't remember what it was about

Glad it isn't just me (though mine just tipped into the year 2000)

All I'm going to say I that I found the wonder of Mumsnet because of my dissertation so in a way yes. And when the subject is on the news I do turn it up add my few cents worth

Yes and no..... but I didn't find 'my' subject until my postgraduate degree. My MA and PhD are in the same subject and I now teach it.

The situation regarding my dissertation is largely now longer relevant, so it does not matter to the same extent 25 years on.

First two dissertations a bit (using biological remains to give information about past climate change), still interested in geology/geography, but not using it in my everyday life.

Most recent one yes, about supporting people with autism in hospital, still relevant to my work and personally important to me as I have an autistic child.

My undergrad one was pretty boring at the time, and not relevant to what I do now.

My Masters was really interesting then, and is still interesting and relevant to me now.

Yes - it was on Harry Potter. Although haven’t read them for a while.

Yes but I reread my MA dissertation and I didn't understand some words! I've definitely lost my intellectual mojo.

Mine was on male interpersonal violence and how it was a key component of masculine identity in 18th century England. I basically read 1000 old Bailey murder trials about bar fights.

Yes! I now work in a completely different field, so I still read around the area that my dissertation was in for interest and a break from work stuff.

No - it was on how prostitutes were represented in 18th century narratives. Can't say it's a great internet of mine any more!!

I still remember the title of my undergraduate dissertation but couldn't remember what it was actually about! Psychoanalysis and the lacanian self in the works of Joseph Heller if anyone's interested

I'm doing another dissertation on designing programmes of experiential learning for adults with specific disabilities using sensory integration techniques... The process of starting another dissertation actually inspired me to look up Lacan as a procrastination activity as I couldn't remember wtf the Lacanian self was...

What a load of old nonsense, no I'm not interested in it any more, nor am I sure what on earth possessed me to choose it as a topic - I got a first too! It was 25+ years ago.

I did an MSc dissertation on whether enlightened self interest is a viable policy for international businesses... Not especially interested in that any more either!

Yes, still deeply passionate about mine and am starting to build a decent reputation in leading change in that field.

Yes, kind of. I did a cost benefit analysis of landmine clearance, I find the economics of cost/benefit around human lives interesting, follow the politics and culture of the country I studied and will click/read things about cluster bomb/land mine legislation and amendments to international agreements.

I work in something completely unrelated.

I did mine on a novelist that I was really into at the time and devoured all his books. Haven't read any of them since. I keep 'meaning to', but I know I probably won't.

Yes interested in the subject but within 2 years my argument against was totally out of date and now is off the charts innacurate, wrong and total bollocks 😁 (Internet related).