Do you leave supervision meetings with a clear next step, or with a vague feeling that the chapter “needs more work”? The difference usually lies less in the personality of your thesis supervisor than in how the two of you organize the work: how often you meet, what you send beforehand, how feedback is recorded and what each of you is responsible for. These are things you can shape from the first month.
This article is part of our guide How to Write a Master’s Thesis by the Mastermind PhD team and relates to our Master’s Thesis support service. Sources last checked: November 2026.
This guide explains what supervisors are expected to do, how often universities expect you to meet, how to run a useful meeting, how to handle feedback you disagree with, where the boundaries of supervision lie and what to do when the relationship is not working.
What is a thesis supervisor? A thesis supervisor is the academic appointed by the university to guide a student’s research project from proposal to submission. The supervisor advises on the question, design, methods and writing, comments on drafts and monitors progress, while the student remains responsible for the research, the decisions and the text.
What can you expect from a thesis supervisor?
Responsibilities are set out in each university’s code of practice, and reading yours in the first week saves misunderstandings later. Typically, the supervisor agrees the project’s scope with you, advises on design and methods, points you to key literature, comments on drafts within a reasonable time, flags ethical and integrity issues, and reports on your progress.
You, in turn, are expected to set the agenda, submit work on time, keep records, act on feedback or explain why you are not, and raise problems early. The University of Leeds, for example, asks research students to note in their meeting records any problems that could have affected their research or progress. The thesis is yours; the thesis supervisor is a guide, not a co-author of every sentence.
How often should you meet?
For research degrees, many UK universities set minimum frequencies:
| University | Full-time minimum | Other rules |
|---|---|---|
| University of Leeds | At least 10 formal meetings a year | No more than eight weeks between meetings; records kept in the GRAD system |
| Newcastle University | At least ten contacts a year, approximately monthly | Each team member at least three times a year; one full-team meeting a year |
For taught master’s theses, the number of meetings is usually smaller and set by the program, often a fixed number of hours for the whole project. Ask your thesis supervisor at the first meeting how many meetings are planned, how long a draft takes to return and whether email questions are welcome between meetings.
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How do you prepare a useful meeting?
- Send material in advance. Agree a lead time, often three to five working days, and send only what you want discussed.
- Write a one-page agenda. List what you did since the last meeting, two or three specific questions, and decisions you need.
- Ask specific questions. “Is a sample of 12 interviews defensible for this design?” gets a better answer than “Is my method okay?”
- Take notes during the meeting. Write down decisions, actions and deadlines.
- Send a short summary afterwards. Three to five bullet points by email, so both of you have the same record.
This routine makes the thesis supervisor’s job easier and gives you a written trail of agreed decisions, which is valuable if the project changes direction or a second reader joins later.
Online meetings follow the same rules. Share your screen with the exact table or paragraph you want to discuss, rather than describing it, and agree beforehand on who sends the summary. If you are in a different time zone from your supervisor, fix a regular slot for the whole semester so that meetings are not renegotiated each time.
Finally, bring a short plan for the next period to every meeting: what you will do, by when, and what you need from your supervisor. Ending each meeting with an agreed date for the next piece of work keeps the project moving even in busy months.
How should you handle feedback?
Keep a feedback log: a table with each comment, the chapter, your response and the action taken. Sort comments into three groups: those you will apply directly, those that need a short discussion, and those you disagree with.
When you disagree, do not ignore the comment. Explain your reasoning briefly, with a source if possible, and ask whether the alternative is acceptable. Supervisors generally respect a reasoned position more than silent non-compliance. When feedback is vague (“expand this section”), ask what is missing: more literature, more analysis or a clearer argument.
Feedback on structure and argument matters more than comments on wording. Deal with it first, before polishing sentences in a section that may be cut.
Five supervision styles and what they mean for you
Anne Lee’s research on doctoral supervision (2008) identified five approaches that supervisors combine in different proportions:
- Functional: managing the project through tasks, milestones and deadlines.
- Enculturation: helping you become a member of the discipline and its community.
- Critical thinking: questioning and testing your arguments.
- Emancipation: encouraging independence and personal development.
- Relationship development: building a working relationship based on trust.
Recognizing your thesis supervisor’s dominant style helps you ask for what is missing. A highly functional supervisor may need you to request a conversation about ideas; a supervisor focused on critical thinking may need you to propose your own deadlines.
Where are the boundaries?
Healthy supervision has limits on both sides. Your supervisor is not expected to rewrite your chapters, run your analysis, be available every evening, or approve a draft they have not seen. You are not expected to work on unrelated projects for the supervisor without agreement, accept inappropriate comments, or include work in your thesis that you cannot explain and defend.
If you use editing, statistical consulting or proofreading support, check your university’s rules and tell your supervisor what kind of help you received. Every decision in the thesis should remain yours and defensible at the examination.
What if the relationship is not working?
Start with a direct, documented conversation: describe the problem (slow feedback, cancelled meetings, unclear expectations), propose a solution and confirm the agreement by email. If that fails, contact the second supervisor, the program director or the graduate school. Most codes of practice describe a route for changing supervisors without penalty to the student.
Act early. A problem raised in month two can be fixed; the same problem raised a month before submission rarely can.
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Frequently asked questions
How long should a supervisor take to return feedback on a chapter?
Many universities do not set a fixed number of days, so agree one at the start. Two to three weeks for a full chapter is a common working arrangement; shorter for a few pages.
Can I email my supervisor between meetings?
Usually yes, for short practical questions. Group several questions into one message, and keep substantive discussions for meetings.
What if my supervisor’s comments contradict the second supervisor’s?
Raise it openly and, ideally, in a joint meeting. Present both views and ask them to agree on a direction, then record the decision.
Should I send my supervisor a full draft or chapter by chapter?
Chapter by chapter during the project, then a full draft near the end so the thesis supervisor can judge consistency across chapters.
Can I change supervisors?
In most universities, yes, through the program director or graduate school. Check your code of practice for the procedure and the reasons accepted.
Sources
- University of Leeds. Supervision meetings (postgraduate research). https://students.leeds.ac.uk/postgraduate-research-starting-research/doc/supervision-meetings (accessed November 2026)
- Newcastle University. Supervision meetings (postgraduate research progress). https://www.ncl.ac.uk/student-progress/pgr/activities/meetings/ (accessed November 2026)
- Lee, A. (2008). How are doctoral students supervised? Concepts of doctoral research supervision. Studies in Higher Education, 33(3), 267–281. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070802049202
- Phillips, E. M., & Johnson, C. G. (2022). How to Get a PhD: A Handbook for Students and Their Supervisors (7th ed.). Open University Press.
- Dunleavy, P. (2003). Authoring a PhD: How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish a Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation. Palgrave Macmillan.
Sources last checked: November 2026. This article is general educational guidance and does not replace your university regulations or your supervisor’s instructions. How we prepare our content.