As a student at the University, you are a full member of the academic community and an expert in your own field. In your master’s thesis, you will examine a research question or questions of interest to you and generate new scholarly knowledge in your field for the benefit of the academic community. Typically, the thesis is written independently, but, depending on the situation, the related research may be conducted as part of a project or research group or in collaboration with a company or an organisation.
First-cycle (bachelor’s) degrees include a 6 cr written thesis.
In the thesis, you will demonstrate your capacity for scholarly thinking, discussing issues in your discipline and academic communication. You can complete the thesis independently or by participating in groupwork or a more extensive research project. The thesis must include a clearly defined independent contribution from you, which will be assessed. Write your thesis independently.
The thesis is assessed on a scale of 0–5.
The thesis must contain an abstract. Instructions for abstracts (e.g., maximum number of characters) vary by degree programme. Please check the relevant instructions of your degree programme. You can use the University’s template abstract available here (a Word file). Fill in the required information on each line and add the abstract. The recommended length for the abstract is usually one page. Since degree programmes and/or faculties can provide more detailed instructions, make sure to check programme-specific instructions. A model of a completed abstract in PDF form is also available here. You can also write your abstract, in accordance with the model, using other word processing software.
The maturity test has the status of a separate degree requirement, but does not yield credits. The maturity test, which is an essay, serves to demonstrate your command of the field of your thesis and proficiency in the use of Finnish or Swedish. The maturity test can be, for example, a section of the thesis or its abstract or another written assignment.
You can write the maturity test after you have completed the native language studies included in the compulsory studies of your degree.
Write the maturity test in the language of your secondary education, Finnish or Swedish.
Your language of secondary education and the language in which you wrote your maturity test will be registered in your degree certificate. This will demonstrate your excellent command of your native language.
If you have received your secondary education in a language other than Finnish or Swedish, you may write the maturity test in Finnish, Swedish, English or in the language of your thesis. In this case, you will not be demonstrating excellent language skills as a part of the degree. Instead, you will have to obtain, when necessary, a certificate of your excellent Finnish or Swedish skills in another way. Further information on alternative ways is available on the website of the Finnish National Agency for Education (Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificates).
Please contact your faculty’s Student Services if you are uncertain about what the language of your secondary education is.
The thesis supervisor assesses the maturity test, unless otherwise specified below.
The maturity test is assessed on a scale of pass/fail and will be entered in the student records only after the thesis has been approved.
Students can also write their bachelor’s theses in cooperation with organisations.
Read about how one of our students completed their bachelor’s thesis together with a business.(in Finnish only)
As part of the advanced studies in their master’s programme, students write a thesis of 30 credits in scope. As an exception, the theses included in the degrees of medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine are 20 credits in scope.
In the master’s thesis, you must demonstrate your familiarity with the thesis topic, mastery of the necessary research methods, your capacity for scholarly thinking and your proficiency in academic writing. The thesis workload approximately corresponds to a term of full-time study, including the collection and processing of the research material and the writing of the thesis.
The thesis is assessed on a scale of 0–5.
Before starting the thesis project or during its initial stages at the latest, you must draft a thesis plan. The plan will be discussed and approved in the manner specified in the degree programme curriculum. The plan must also indicate the supervisor(s) of the thesis.
You can complete the thesis independently or by participating in groupwork or a more extensive research project. You can also write your thesis as a commission. The thesis must include a clearly defined independent contribution from you, which will be assessed. However, write your thesis independently. You can write it together with a fellow student only if your degree programme has separately decided to allow this. In such cases, the independent contribution of both students must be clearly demonstrable.
The thesis must contain an abstract. You can use the University’s template abstract available here (a Word file). Fill in the required information on each line and add the abstract. The recommended length for the abstract is usually one page. Since degree programmes and/or faculties can provide more detailed instructions, make sure to check programme-specific instructions. A model of a completed abstract in PDF form is also available here. You can also write your abstract, in accordance with the model, using other word processing software.
If you give permission to publish your thesis online, please check that the file is accessible. Read the instructions on making thesis files accessible.
If you are dissatisfied with the grading of your thesis, you can appeal to the Academic Appeals Board. Read the detailed instructions on appeals pertaining to theses here.
The maturity test has the status of a separate degree requirement, but does not yield credits. The maturity test must demonstrate your command of the topic of your thesis. The maturity test can be, for example, a section of the thesis or its abstract or another written assignment.
The thesis supervisor approves the maturity test, unless otherwise specified below. The maturity test is assessed on a scale of pass/fail and will be registered in the student records only after the thesis has been approved..
Students can also write their master’s theses in cooperation with organisations.
Read about how one of our students completed their master’s thesis together with a business: Emmi Himanen (in Finnish only).
Writing a master’s thesis is a big part of master’s degree studies. Working on a thesis is a process that involves several stages. There is no single right way to write a master’s thesis. Rather, each thesis and the work needed to complete it are unique. Read a story by one of our students on the everyday life of a master’s thesis writer. Eeva Linnainmaa: Collaboration with Aarhus University (in Finnish only)
Explore the master’s theses of the Faculty’s students.
Faculty master’s thesis archive