Urbaria Thesis Topic Market (2026)
Urbaria offers topic suggestions for Master's thesis students at USP and the University of Helsinki. Urbaria Thesis Topic Market connects students with research groups from UH and key actors in the City of Helsinki. This program provides engaging research opportunities and opens doors to potential future internships.
Are you looking for a topic for your thesis?
On this page you will find current themes and information needs related to urban development and research, that could suit for thesis topics. The topic of the thesis is often formulated together with the topic provider and in many cases the student can suggest a perspective or research question. Some topics may also include the possibility of a fee or internship.
Don’t hesitate to be in touch with the topic provider and get your thesis work started!
Immigrants and urban housing diversity: a comparative study of non-native population groups in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area
| Aihe / Topic |
| |
Immigrants and urban housing diversity: a comparative study of non-native population groups in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area |
| Kuvaus / Description |
| |
Utilizing existing statistical data, this thesis project focuses on comparing housing choices and realities among major non-native/immigrant groups in the metropolitan Helsinki area. The thesis is part of the Housing & migration -research project, led by Haoxuan Sa, Jani Vuolteenaho, & Mari Vaattovaara. We expect adequate skills in descriptive statistics and GIS. |
| Toivottu aloitusaika / Preferred time of beginning |
| |
04/2025 |
| Mahdollisuus harjoitteluun / Internship Opportunity |
| |
Kyllä / yes |
| Mahdollisuus palkkion tai palkan maksuun / Possibility to pay a fee or salary |
| |
Ei / no |
| Ilmoituksen viimeinen voimassaolo / The topic offer is valid till |
| |
2026 |
| Opiskelualat / Field of Studies |
| |
Urban Studies, Planning, Human Geography, Social Sciences |
| Organisaatio / Organization |
| |
University of Helsinki |
| Yhteyshenkilö / Contact Person |
| |
Jani Vuolteenaho |
| Sähköposti / Email |
| |
|
| Puhelin / Phone |
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0407578168 |
Contested waterfront transformations: Renegotiating social inclusion within the financialized urban growth machine (ConWa)
| Aihe / Topic |
| |
Contested waterfront transformations: Renegotiating social inclusion within the financialized urban growth machine (ConWa) |
| Kuvaus / Description |
| |
Utilizing YKR grid-data, this thesis project focuses on comparing socio-economic changes in waterfront zones of major Finnish cities. The thesis is part of the ongoing ConWa, led by Johanna Lilius, Jani Vuolteenaho & Salla Jokela. We expect adequate skills in GIS and statistical methods. |
| Toivottu aloitusaika / Preferred time of beginning |
| |
04/2025 |
| Mahdollisuus harjoitteluun / Internship Opportunity |
| |
Ei / no |
| Mahdollisuus palkkion tai palkan maksuun / Possibiity to pay a fee or salary |
| |
Kyllä / yes |
| Ilmoituksen viimeinen voimassaolo / The topic offer is valid till |
| |
2026 |
| Opiskelualat / Field of Studies |
| |
Urban Studies, Planning, Human Geography, Social Sciences |
| Organisaatio / Organization |
| |
University of Helsinki |
| Yhteyshenkilö / Contact Person |
| |
Jani Vuolteenaho |
| Sähköposti / Email |
| |
|
| Puhelin / Phone |
| |
0407578168 |
History of the Housing Foundation (KAMU Espoo City Museum)
| Aihe / Topic |
| |
History of the Housing Foundation |
| Kuvaus / Description |
| |
A thesis related to the history of the Housing Foundation. The thesis may use material arranged in the Housing Foundation's archive, such as photographic material and/or brochure material. The Housing Foundation was a significant private player in residential construction and community planning in Finland in the 1950s–1970s. The Housing Foundation invested in high-quality architecture, proximity to nature and the idea of social multi-layeredness of areas. The areas in Espoo built by the Housing Foundation include Tapiola, Soukka and Kivenlahti. The Housing Foundation's archive is part of the KAMU Espoo City Museum archive, and can be accessed in the Finna search service at: ekm.finna.fi.
Depending on the field of study, the material can be approached from the perspective of, for example, architectural history, photojournalism, advertising and marketing. The museum staff will help and guide you in brainstorming the thesis, delimiting the material and guiding it. The thesis can be used and utilized in future projects of the KAMU Espoo City Museum.
|
| Toivottu aloitusaika / Preferred time of beginning |
| |
2026 |
| Mahdollisuus harjoitteluun / Internship Opportunity |
| |
Ei / no |
| Mahdollisuus palkkion tai palkan maksuun / Possibiity to pay a fee or salary |
| |
Kyllä / yes |
| Ilmoituksen viimeinen voimassaolo / The topic offer is valid till |
| |
2026 |
| Opiskelualat / Field of Studies |
| |
architectural history, social sciences, urban history, art history, media studies, advertising, marketing, or photojournalism |
| Organisaatio / Organization |
| |
KAMU Espoo City Museum |
| Yhteyshenkilö / Contact Person |
| |
Susanna Aaltonen |
| Sähköposti / Email |
| |
|
| Puhelin / Phone |
| |
+ 358 406343820 |
Postmodern Espoo. Building in Espoo in the 1980s-1990s
| Aihe / Topic |
| |
Postmodern Espoo. Building in Espoo in the 1980s-1990s |
| Kuvaus / Description |
| |
Studying the international "postmodern" movement in the context of the city of Espoo from the perspective of the student’s discipline, such as social sciences or architectural history. The thesis can use different materials. Both Finnish and international scientific literature offer a theoretical basis. KAMU Espoo City Museum has primary archive materials, such as pictures. The topic can also be viewed through the lens of appraising, treasuring and conserving the cultural environment. The thesis can be included in the Postmodern Heritage Inventory project (). Its first part included public buildings and in the second part, the focus is on house building in Espoo, which we really would like to have a thesis on. One of the goals of the inventory is to involve residents in the project. Therefore, you can collect and use interviews from not only residents, but also from planners. The staff of the museum will help and guide the ideation of the thesis and in defining and using the data. The supervision of the thesis is in the student’s discipline/university. |
| Toivottu aloitusaika / Preferred time of beginning |
| |
15.3.2026-13.12.2026 |
| Mahdollisuus harjoitteluun / Internship Opportunity |
| |
Ei / no |
| Mahdollisuus palkkion tai palkan maksuun / Possibiity to pay a fee or salary |
| |
Kyllä / yes |
| Ilmoituksen viimeinen voimassaolo / The topic offer is valid till |
| |
31.12.2026 |
| Opiskelualat / Field of Studies |
| |
architectural history, art history, history, urban studies, philosophy, linguistics, ethnology, folkloristics, media studies, social sciences |
| Organisaatio / Organization |
| |
KAMU Espoo City Museum |
| Yhteyshenkilö / Contact Person |
| |
Susanna Aaltonen |
| Sähköposti / Email |
| |
|
| Puhelin / Phone |
| |
+ 358 406343820 |
Differential effect of urbanization on carabid beetle communities in open and forested habitat
| Aihe / Topic |
| |
Differential effect of urbanization on carabid beetle communities in open and forested habitat |
| Kuvaus / Description |
| |
Beetle diversity differs significantly between habitat types. For instance, for carabid beetles, open habitats have very different community composition compared to forested habitat. The question, however, is whether urbanization affects communities in different habitat types differently. In this MSc thesis, the student will investigate carabid beetle communities in both open and forest habitat in an urbanized and rural environment to ask whether the impact of urbanization is greater in open or forested environments across this gradient. The student will sample, identify and analyze the beetles collected, and write a thesis with the help of their supervisors. This thesis forms part of the MSc course ECGS-901 Field course in Urban Environmental Ecology. Preference will be given to a student attending the field course, but this project is open to any interested student. |
| Toivottu aloitusaika / Preferred time of beginning |
| |
February/March 2026 |
| Mahdollisuus harjoitteluun / Internship Opportunity |
| |
Not Guaranteed |
| Mahdollisuus palkkion tai palkan maksuun / Possibility to pay a fee or salary |
| |
No |
| Ilmoituksen viimeinen voimassaolo / The topic offer is valid till |
| |
2026 |
| Opiskelualat / Field of Studies |
| |
Urban ecology |
| Organisaatio / Organization |
| |
University of Helsinki |
| Yhteyshenkilö / Contact Person |
| |
Johan Kotze, Basile Finand |
| Sähköposti / Email |
| , |
Exploring Labile Carbon Dynamics in Urban Greenspaces
| Aihe / Topic |
| |
Exploring Labile Carbon Dynamics in Urban Greenspaces |
| Kuvaus / Description |
| |
Carbon serves as the currency of the soil, as nearly all soil functions are intricately linked to carbon. Similar to monetary systems, carbon storage involves both readily exchangeable carbon (labile carbon) and carbon allocated for long-term storage (recalcitrant carbon). In this master's thesis opportunity, you will closely monitor the labile carbon budget within one of our urban greenspace studies in Lahti. Specifically, you will investigate how the introduction of grass clippings, rich in labile carbon, impacts the overall carbon budget in urban park soils. As part of this research, you will have the opportunity to participate in fieldwork for soil and gas analyses, laboratory experiments, and, if interested, engage in modeling activities. |
| Toivottu aloitusaika / Preferred time of beginning |
| |
February/March 2026 |
| Mahdollisuus harjoitteluun / Internship Opportunity |
| |
Not Guaranteed |
| Mahdollisuus palkkion tai palkan maksuun / Possibility to pay a fee or salary |
| |
No |
| Ilmoituksen viimeinen voimassaolo / The topic offer is valid till |
| |
2026 |
| Opiskelualat / Field of Studies |
| |
Urban ecology |
| Organisaatio / Organization |
| |
University of Helsinki |
| Yhteyshenkilö / Contact Person |
| |
Alexander Stelzer, Johan Kotze, Heikki Setala |
| Sähköposti / Email |
| , , |
Spontaneous biodiversity on urban hard surfaces
| Aihe / Topic |
| |
Spontaneous biodiversity on urban hard surfaces |
| Kuvaus / Description |
| |
Urban artificial hard surfaces (e.g., pavements, curbs, walls) are dominant elements of city landscapes. Increasing evidence suggests that cracks, joints and ledges on these substrates can support diverse spontaneous plant communities, yet they remain poorly studied and rarely considered in urban biodiversity and management. In this MSc project, you will survey spontaneous vegetation on different hard-surface types across the Helsinki metropolitan area and, where possible, include natural rocky outcrops as a reference. You will identify vascular plant species, record simple site features (e.g., crack width, depth of accumulated material, shade, and maintenance level), and analyse how community composition, spatial patterns and basic plant traits vary among surface types. The project will provide a comparative baseline of “hard-surface flora” in Helsinki and help clarify the role of these overlooked habitats in urban biodiversity. |
| Toivottu aloitusaika / Preferred time of beginning |
| |
February/March 2026 |
| Mahdollisuus harjoitteluun / Internship Opportunity |
| |
Not Guaranteed |
| Mahdollisuus palkkion tai palkan maksuun / Possibility to pay a fee or salary |
| |
No |
| Ilmoituksen viimeinen voimassaolo / The topic offer is valid till |
| |
2026 |
| Opiskelualat / Field of Studies |
| |
Urban ecology |
| Organisaatio / Organization |
| |
University of Helsinki |
| Yhteyshenkilö / Contact Person |
| |
Jingren Zhou, Johan Kotze |
| Sähköposti / Email |
| , |
Generical topic suggestions
| Aihe / Topic |
| |
- Just transitions and urban governance
- Cross-sectoral collaboration and participatory methodologies in planning
- Urban experimentation (i.e. urban labs, transition labs, living labs)
- Capacity building for change (including but not limited to residents and planning experts)
- Roles of municipalities in enabling sustainability transformations: tensions, bottlenecks, limitations and opportunities
- Community-led dynamics of urban change: bottom-up drivers, social movements, demand and resistance
- Urban socio-ecological systems and their sustainability transformations
- Human-nature relationships and multispecies justice in urban context
|
| Kuvaus / Description |
| |
Students who are interested in analyzing any of these topics can get in touch with Elif Öztekin. The students will have the possibility to detail their thesis project as they will not be part of any bigger projects. Elif will be able to supervise max 2 master students before summer 2025. |
| Toivottu aloitusaika / Preferred time of beginning |
| |
winter/spring 2025 |
| Mahdollisuus harjoitteluun / Internship Opportunity |
| |
Ei / no |
| Mahdollisuus palkkion tai palkan maksuun / Possibility to pay a fee or salary |
| |
Ei / no |
| Ilmoituksen viimeinen voimassaolo / The topic offer is valid till |
| |
31/12/2025 |
| Opiskelualat / Field of Studies |
| |
urban studies, sociology, sustainability |
| Organisaatio / Organization |
| |
Aalto University |
| Yhteyshenkilö / Contact Person |
| |
Elif Öztekin |
| Sähköposti / Email |
| |
|