Information on Thesis Development under the Supervision of Assoc. Prof. Hristo Hristov
Students who wish to develop their thesis under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Hristo Hristov can contact him for consultations and topic selection.
The thesis is an independent written research project. In Bulgaria, students can complete their higher education either by defending a thesis or by taking a state exam.
On this page, you will find the stages you need to go through and essential information regarding the work process.
🧭 1. Topic Selection and Academic Supervisor
- Consultation with the academic supervisor to discuss potential topics..
- Selection of a topic that matches your interests and complies with the requirements of the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics (FMI).
- Approval from the academic supervisor to take on the supervision of the thesis project.
📝 2. Submission of the Thesis Development Application
- Completion of the thesis development application form, which can be found on the FMI website.
- Submission of the application to the FMI Academic Affairs Office in accordance with the graduation regulations.
🔍 3. Initial Research and Planning
- Gathering information on the chosen topic from relevant sources.
- Preparing a detailed plan and structure of the thesis in consultation with the academic supervisor.
🖋️ 4. Development of Theoretical and Practical Parts
- Consultation with the academic supervisor for the development of the theoretical framework.
- Conducting practical research or analyses, if applicable, and presenting the results.
🧾 5. Formatting and Bibliography
- Formatting the text according to the requirements of the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics (FMI).
- Compiling a bibliography of the sources used, following the recommended citation style.
📄 6. Submission of the Thesis Defense Application
- Filling out the application form for participation in the thesis defence, available on the FMI website.
- Submitting the required documents to the Academic Affairs Office within the specified deadlines.
🗣️ 7. Submission of the Thesis for Evaluation and Review
- Submission of the thesis to the academic supervisor
- Submission of the thesis to the reviewer
- Receiving the review of the thesis
- Approval for defense granted by the reviewer
📄 8. Preparation and Defense of the Thesis
- Preparing a presentation for the defense
- Rehearsing the presentation and preparing to answer questions from the committee
- Attending the defense in front of the FMI committee
Examples of Suggested Topics for Thesis
- Web Application Development and Interface Technologies:
Design and implementation of modern web applications using SPA/PWA architecture, real-time features, and frameworks like React, Vue, or Angular. - Web Design and User Experience (UX/UI):
Development of accessible and responsive interfaces through UX research, prototyping, and tools such as Figma, Tailwind CSS, and Bootstrap. - Content Management Systems and Web Platforms:
Custom development and maintenance of multilingual websites using CMS platforms like WordPress and Joomla, including third-party integrations. - Web Systems Maintenance, Security, and Optimization:
Performance tuning and security enhancement using HTTPS, SEO best practices, JWT, OAuth2, and analytics tools such as Google Analytics 4. - AI-Powered Multimedia Content Creation and Distribution:
Automated generation of text, audio, and video content using AI tools like GPT-4, ElevenLabs, and Runway. - AI-Integrated Interactive Educational Platforms:
Design of learning platforms featuring adaptive content, personalized feedback, and intelligent tutoring systems using artificial intelligence technologies. - IPTV Platforms and Interactive Multimedia Applications:
Development of streaming and interactive media systems with support for personalization, user interaction, and real-time content delivery. - Integration of External APIs and Web Services:
Building systems that connect with external services via REST, GraphQL, OAuth2, and APIs from providers such as OpenAI and Google. - Mobile Web Applications and Hybrid Solutions:
Development of mobile-first or hybrid applications using frameworks like React Native, Ionic, or Capacitor for cross-platform compatibility. - Digital Libraries and Archival Information Systems:
Implementation of web-based systems for storing, indexing, and retrieving digital collections, including search and metadata management functionalities.
Frequently Asked Questions
🔍 Choose a topic that genuinely interests you.
Personal motivation is essential throughout the entire research process.
🎓 Make sure the topic aligns with your field of study and professional orientation.
This is a key requirement for both academic relevance and practical applicability.
👩🏫 Consult your academic advisor.
They can guide you toward suitable and current topics.
📖 Explore recent research and trends in the field.
Use scientific sources, previous theses, and academic conferences.
⚖️ Balance the scope.
The topic should be neither too broad nor too narrow, so that it remains manageable and researchable.
👨🏫 Choose a professor with expertise in your topic area.
They can provide valuable guidance, resources, and professional insight.
📅 Make sure the advisor is willing to support your work.
Their commitment and involvement are crucial to the success of your thesis.
💬 Discuss your ideas and expectations in advance.
Ensure your goals and working styles align for an effective collaboration.
📄 A standard thesis structure typically includes the following key sections:
- Title Page
Contains the title of the thesis, the author’s name, the academic advisor, institution, faculty, program, and the date of submission. - Table of Contents
Provides a hierarchical outline of all chapters and sections, along with corresponding page numbers. - Introduction
Introduces the topic by including:
– a brief presentation of the problem and its relevance,
– the main goal of the thesis,
– the specific research tasks,
– the research questions or hypotheses,
– a short overview of the thesis structure. - Theoretical Background (Literature Review)
Offers a structured overview of relevant literature and state-of-the-art approaches, including:
– key concepts, technologies, and methods in software engineering,
– existing solutions, best practices, and their limitations,
– comparative analysis of frameworks, architectures, methodologies, and tools. - Methodology
Describes the approach used for the practical part of the thesis, such as:
– methods for design, development, testing, and evaluation,
– description of the technology stack (languages, tools, libraries, platforms),
– justification for the chosen technologies and design decisions,
– development plan, implementation stages, and quality assurance process. - Analysis and Results
Presents the outcomes of the implementation and/or experiments, including:
– description of the developed software product or prototype,
– test scenarios and results,
– performance, efficiency, or reliability metrics,
– comparison with alternative solutions and interpretation of the results. - Conclusion
Summarizes the main findings and results, evaluates the degree to which the goals were achieved, discusses limitations, and proposes directions for future work or improvements. - References
Lists all sources used – books, articles, web resources, technical specifications, etc. – formatted according to an accepted academic style (e.g., IEEE, APA). - Appendices (if applicable)
Includes additional materials such as source code, UML diagrams, technical documentation, questionnaires, tables, or other supporting content.
📌 Note: Always consult your academic advisor or your department’s thesis guidelines, as specific formatting or content requirements may apply.
📚 The Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics (FMI) at Plovdiv University does not impose strict formatting rules, but it is strongly recommended to follow established academic formatting practices to ensure clarity, consistency, and a professional appearance.
📝 Common formatting guidelines include:
- Font: Times New Roman or Arial
- Font size: 12 pt for main text, 14 pt for headings, 10 pt for footnotes or code
- Line spacing: 1.5
- Alignment: justified for the main text; left-aligned or centered for titles
- Margins: typically 2.5 cm (1 inch) on all sides (may slightly vary)
- Page numbering: usually starts from the Introduction, placed at the bottom (centered or right-aligned)
- Citations and bibliography: use a consistent citation style (e.g., APA, IEEE, or Harvard), agreed upon with your advisor
📌 It is recommended to:
– Use automatically generated table of contents based on styled headings
– Include numbered sections and subsections to ensure a clear structure
– Add figures, tables, and diagrams with captions and in-text references
– Format any source code or technical content in a readable and clean manner
🧑🏫 Always check with your academic advisor to see if there are any specific formatting preferences for your program or topic.
🎤 The thesis defense is a formal academic event that requires precise preparation, clear communication, and confidence in presenting your research and results. Follow these steps to ensure a successful defense:
📊 Prepare a concise and well-structured presentation
Your presentation should cover:
– the topic and its relevance,
– main objective and specific tasks,
– methodology,
– key results,
– conclusions and contributions.
Use slides with brief key points and visual elements (charts, diagrams, code snippets) where applicable. The duration should not exceed 10–12 minutes, unless instructed otherwise.
🗣️ Rehearse your presentation
Practice multiple times—both individually and in front of others (e.g., peers, friends, or your advisor)—to improve your timing, clarity, and confidence.
📄 Read the official review from the reviewer in advance
The reviewer’s assessment will be read during the defense. Make sure you are familiar with its content beforehand, so you can anticipate critical remarks and prepare well-reasoned responses.
❓ Be ready to answer questions from the examination committee
Expect questions related to:
– your topic choice and methodology,
– limitations and alternative approaches,
– theoretical foundations and implementation,
– practical applicability of the project.
🛡️ Be prepared to defend your conclusions
Respond calmly and professionally, especially when challenged on your methods, decisions, or results. Demonstrating critical thinking and the ability to justify your work is essential.
🚫 Plagiarism is a serious academic offense that involves presenting someone else’s ideas, text, data, or code as your own without proper attribution. It can lead to disqualification of your thesis or disciplinary actions.
📚 Always cite all sources correctly—this includes text, graphics, algorithms, code, or conceptual ideas. Use a consistent and recognized citation style (e.g., APA, IEEE, Harvard) throughout your thesis.
🔍 Use plagiarism detection software (e.g., StrikePlagiarism, Turnitin, or similar) to ensure that your work is original and does not contain unintentional borrowing.
🧠 Focus on expressing your own ideas and analysis. When referring to external sources, aim to interpret, evaluate, and integrate them meaningfully into your own research context.
📌 Consult your academic advisor if you are unsure whether a citation is needed. It is always safer to cite a source than to risk unintentional plagiarism..
👨🏫 Academic Advisor
Your academic advisor is your primary and essential source of support. They will guide you in selecting a topic, defining your approach, structuring your thesis, selecting literature, and avoiding critical mistakes. Maintain regular and responsible communication.
🌐 Online Academic Resources
Use reputable platforms to find peer-reviewed publications and scholarly articles:
- Google Scholar – for finding academic papers and cited sources
- ResearchGate – access publications shared directly by their authors
- Academia.edu – for sharing and discovering academic work
- Semantic Scholar – AI-powered academic search engine
- IEEE Xplore and ACM Digital Library – essential for topics in computer science and software engineering
📄 Official Documentation and Technical Standards
Consult the official documentation of technologies, libraries, and frameworks you are using. These are often the most accurate and up-to-date sources for understanding systems and tools. Examples include:
- Documentation from platforms like MDN Web Docs, React.js, Docker, or Python
- Technical specifications from organizations like W3C or ISO
🛠️ Referencing and Academic Writing Tools
– Use Zotero or Mendeley to manage your bibliography and generate properly formatted citations
– Refer to official style guides (APA, IEEE, Harvard, etc.), available on websites like Purdue OWL
📌 Tip: Always verify the credibility of your sources and rely primarily on peer-reviewed articles, conference papers, official documentation, and recognized academic databases.
Administrative Requirements for FMI Theses
- The thesis must be supervised by a faculty member of FMI or an external professional with relevant qualifications.
- The topic must fall within the student’s professional field. Interdisciplinary topics involving another professional field are allowed, and in such cases, a co-supervisor may be appointed.
- To be enrolled as a diploma candidate, the student must:
- Have a GPA of at least 3.50 from their coursework at the time of application.
- Have an academic advisor confirmed.
- Submit Form #1 (Application for Thesis Topic) to the Head of Department at least 1 month before the scheduled defense or state exam.
- If the advisor is external to FMI, the application must be submitted to the department designated by the Dean or Vice Dean.
- Receive a signed resolution from the Head of Department approving the topic and enrollment.
- To be admitted to the defense, the student must:
- Submit Form #2 (Application for Thesis Defense) signed by the advisor, with the final thesis title in Bulgarian and English, at least 10 days before the defense.
- Submit to the Head of Department:
- A printed, bound copy of the thesis.
- A digital copy in PDF format.
- A text file with the student’s name, faculty number, major, thesis title (in Bulgarian and English), advisor’s name, and an abstract (in both languages) for inclusion in the FMI Thesis Register.
- The Head of Department appoints a faculty member as a reviewer, who submits a signed review at least 1 week before the defense.
- All thesis materials and reviews are submitted to the defense committee by the department no later than 3 days before the defense.
- The student must prepare a digital presentation (PowerPoint, PDF, HTML, etc.) and coordinate installation with the system administrator no later than one hour before the defense session.
ℹ️ For official documents, forms, and deadlines, students should refer to the FMI Plovdiv University website or consult their department coordinator.
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