The Bachelor’s thesis portion of the polytechnic study programme is pursued in the style of a research and/or development process, with the goal of demonstrating student abilities and skills in applying theory to practice. The project consists of 15 credits of study, except the degree programme in construction management the project consist of 10 credits of study.

The goals of the thesis for second cycle polytechnic degree programmes are to develop and demonstrate the student’s ability to apply research to practice, to solve problems in the workplace, and to be experts in the field. The extent of study for the second cycle degree’s thesis is 30 credit points.

The final project consists of a subject that has been mutually agreed upon by the student/s and the teacher. The subject is approved by the programme director. The final project may be done individually, or in groups. In the case of a group project, each group member must be able to demonstrate the portion for which they have personal responsibility for evaluation purposes.

The Bachelor’s thesis is done according to established guidelines and includes a written report.

The deans of the schools may give more specific instructions regarding the bachelor’s thesis.

Aims

Students train to work systematically and solve problems independently when planning and carrying out a long-term project. They also develop a deeper understanding of the field in which they are majoring and learn to acquire, analyse and apply various information and skills in a key area of expertise of their field of study. Students learn to justify the decisions they have made and evaluate the information produced by others as well as apply it in the development of their field of expertise. The thesis process provides students with the skills that are needed when evaluating and developing the practices in their field of expertise.

Content

Choosing a topic that is relevant to the field of specialisation in question; setting the objectives; planning the thesis process and methods; carrying out the planning or development project; making reliable conclusions and suggestions for practical development work; documentation and evaluation of the thesis process, evaluation methods and acting as an opponent.

Teaching arrangements

The Bachelor’s thesis is covered in different courses in different faculties. Detailed instructions are provided by the faculties. Tuition includes group and/or individual tutoring, independent work and seminars.

Assessment criteria

Active participation in seminars (excluding the Degree Programme in Information Technology, where thesis seminars are not held); reporting during the thesis process; acting as an opponent, if required; a Bachelor’s thesis is documented and evaluated according to official instructions.

Timing

The timing of the Bachelor’s thesis process varies. Usually most of the work is done towards the end of the studies as part of advanced studies; however, the process can start earlier.

Maturity test

The maturity test given at the conclusion of the Bachelor’s thesis process demonstrates student familiarity with the subject as well as Finnish or Swedish language skills. In the case of study programmes conducted in English, students whose general education has been in a language other than Finnish or Swedish, or has been received abroad, may write their maturity test in English.