Study Compendium for Master's Degree Students
Contents
- Guides to the Master's degree programmes at the faculties:
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Education
About the Study Compendium
This Study Compendium for Master's Degree Students is a condensed English version of the Finnish-language Study Guides (opinto-opas) of the individual faculties of the University of Turku. The information given on this page and their links contains an overview of the main points of the degree structure and syllabi of the Master's degree programmes for international students as well as the thesis and graduating at each faculty. Students at the Faculty of Law and Faculty of Medicine should refer to the Study Guide webpages in Finnish. Because the Finnish versions contain information at both the Bachelor's and Master's levels in addition to all of the subjects and fields of studies, this webpage is more compact. Finnish-language Study Guides are available online in pdf format.
General university information about the Master's thesis
Each faculty has it's own requirements and conditions for the Master's thesis. Credits (opintopiste, i.e. ECTS) are given in the compendium. The length and the amount of credit given will vary between faculties. However, the same requirement applies to all faculties at the university, that two professionally bound copies of the Master's thesis must be issued for presentation and evaluation. One copy will go to the department and the other copy will go to the Main Library. Master's theses can also be published electronically.
Evaluation of the Master's thesis
All faculties use the same mode of assesment for evaluating the thesis. The assesment of the Master's thesis evaluation is based on a latin grading scale:
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"Passed"
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For guidelines for the rectification of thesis evaluation, see Legal Protection for Students.
Maturity tests
The degree qualifying examination
The maturity test (kypsyysnäyte) is a requirement for the Master's degree to evaluate the student's ability to write a scholarly essay as well as his/her familiarity with the theories and problems of the thesis. The subject of the exam is based on the thesis; its purpose is to show the student's familiarity with his/her field of study as well as his/her skills in writing. The exam is given in an essay format with a three page minimum. Finnish students write this essay in their mother language (i.e. Finnish or Swedish); foreign students normally write it in the language of instruction, i.e. English.
The student registers no later than one week before the exam and after the thesis had been submitted for evaluation. The maturity test takes place on either faculty or department examination days (check from your department about when examination dates are and where the examination takes place). The maturity test is graded on a pass / fail (hyväksytty / hylätty) basis. The thesis can then be approved after the examination has been passed.
For more information about dates, locations, requirements, etc. check with the faculty and department in question
Diploma supplement
As a part of the Europass portfolio, the Diploma Supplement is also given to the graduating student along with the University of Turku degree certificate. More details can be found at the faculty in question.
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
The Master's studies level at the Faculty of Humanities consists of 120 credits, of which 40 credits is the Master's thesis. The length of the thesis is usually between 80-120 pages. The aim of the Master's thesis is to develop the student's basic skills in:
- the ability of independent information retrieval
- the analysis and criticism of data
- independent production and application of information
The Master's thesis will show that the student:
- is able to define and process the chosen research problem
- shows a readiness in academic thinking
- has a command of the theories and research methods in his/her work
- has become familiar with the subject matter of the thesis and the literature of the field of study
- has skills in academic communication
- shows a readiness to work persistently and the ability to discern the entire perspective of his/her work
Evaluation of the Master's thesis
The evaluation of the Master's thesis is based on the following factors:
- The aims of the thesis and defining of the subject matter
- Methods and materials
- Putting theoretical background to use
- The analysis of the work and the handling of the subject
- Conclusions and their assessment
Two evaluators will assess the Master's thesis and give free-form statements or a shared statement in writing. If the statement is given on an evaluation form, the feedback will also be shown. Part of the feedback may also be given viva voce. Furthermore, it is recommended, when possible, that one of the evaluators had not taken an active part during the advising and guidance of the student's work.
Graduating
When the studies that:
- the student must complete in order to get the degree
- the student wants to include in the degree
have been completed and entered in the study register, the student may request the degree certificate. The final grade of the student's study module must be available before requesting the degree certificate. For more detailed information about what studies are needed for the completion of the degree, contact the academic advisor from the department.
The student may request the degree certificate at the faculty office by using a request form. All studies for the degree must be written in the request form. The form must also include a transcript, which may be requested at the faculty office when returning the form. The form is also available online.
The student will graduate on the following Thursday from the week that the request had been made, unless otherwise mentioned; for example, retrieving the certificate during Christmas or the summer may take longer than usual. The certificate will be ready on the following Friday or it can be mailed to the graduate's home address.
Syllabi of the Faculty of Humanities Master's degree programmes
- Master's Degree Programme in Baltic Sea Region Studies
- Master's Degree Programme in European Heritage, Digital Media and the Information Society
- Suomen ja sen sukukielten maisteriohjelma (Master's Degree Programme in Finnish and Other Finno-Ugric Languages)
FACULTY OF MATHEMATICS AND NATURAL SCIENCES
The Master of Philosophy thesis and the Master of Science in Technology diploma work are a part of the advanced Master's studies (120 credits) needed in order to acquire a degree. The Master of Philosophy thesis will range between 20-40 credits. The Master of Science in Technology work is 30 credits.
The Master's thesis and diploma work are focused theses based on laboratory or field work or special literature. The work of the writer must show that he/she is able to correctly discuss materials and academic methods, use literature effectively and present the written subject according to the foundations of scholarly language. The student's work may be written in Finnish, Swedish or English or in a language accepted by the dean. The student's work is a personal attainment of study, but part of it can be made from wider range of research. The subject matter of the thesis or diploma work is agreed upon by the corresponding professor or a coordinate instructor.
Two copies of the thesis summary must be written, in accordance to the standard model, one of which will follow immediately after the thesis title page and the other to go to the department's office. After this, the thesis will be presented to the department council for approval and statements from at least two appointed evaluators will be made. The evaluators will decide if the thesis will be approved. Master's theses that are completed in the Health Biosciences education programme are approved by the faculty council and the examiners are appointed by the dean of the faculty from a presentation of the advisory group in the programme.
The Master's thesis and diploma work will be evaluated within a month from the time of submission of assessment. Theses submitted for evaluation during the summer (June, July and August) will be returned in September.
Requesting the degree certificate
After completing all of the studies needed for the degree, the student must hand in a request for the degree and a reviewed transcript to the faculty. The transcript must include the completed marks for main and minor subjects (if a minor subject is required for international students). When all the studies for the module have been completed, the student must make the request to the appropriate department for him/her to recieve a final grade. If the final mark is already in the study register, no further special requests are necessary. Student's may get further information from their study advisor.
Certificates are mainly issued once a week during the semester. The time for receiving th ecertificate is 1-2 weeks from when the request had been made. In order to get the certificate the applicant must have registered him/herself as an attending student at the university during the semester in question.
Syllabi of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Master's degree programmes
- Master's Degree Programme in Bioinformatics
- Master's Degree Programme in Environmental Sciences
- Master's Degree Programme in Information Technology
The Faculty of Social Sciences offers Bachelor's, Master's and Licentiate degrees in:
- Social Science
- Psychology
and Doctoral degrees in:
- Social Science
- Psychology
- Philosophy
The Master's thesis is 40 credits. For a Master's degree, the student must write a Master's thesis which shows his/her ability in academic thinking and usage as well as a command of research methods. At the beginning of the thesis the student must give a one page summary about the research problem, materials, methods and important conclusions in the work.
Statements about the thesis and a maturity test will be given by at least two evaluators from the department council. One evaluator must hold a position as professor or docent at the University of Turku. The other evaluator could be a docent or doctor from another university or someone, in exceptional circumstances, who holds a Master's degree from a higher institution of education. The thesis will be evaluated at the department council within one month after completing the maturity test. The statements from the examiners will be sent to the student before the department council determines the final approval of the thesis.
The thesis can also be done in group work if:
- there are no more than three individuals forming the research group, whose members participate in close collaboration when preparing the work and writing a research report at different stages
or
- two or more individuals form a research group which deals with a comprehensive subject field, so that in addition to a common thesis, each individual will write different theses pertaining to his/her own division of the work.
The subject matter of a research group can belong to one or more different fields of the subject. Also a summary must be appended for the theses of the group work. The leader of the group work must give a statement about the given theses for evaluation. This statement will be checked that all of the group's members have been active participants in the writing of the thesis.
Graduating
Requesting the degree certificate
The faculty council will approve the final decision about issuing the degree certificate. Before graduating, the student must make a request for the degree certificate at the office of the faculty. The request must be made no later than one week before the faculty council meeting where the certificate can be awarded. The schedule of faculty council meetings will be announced before the beginning of the semester on the webpages of the faculty (currently in Finnish only).
Before requesting the certificate, the student must have his/her final grade of the study module recorded in the university study register. Approval of the Master's thesis is not needed at this stage.
Syllabi of the Faculty of Social Sciences Master's degree programmes
- Master's Degree Programme in Institutions and Social Mechanisms
- Master's Degree Programme in Asian Studies
Students studying for a degree in Education will write a Master's thesis for the advanced Master's studies in the field of Educational Science, Adult Education, Special Education or Crafts Education. The department council will give an evaluation on the basis of the examiners' written statement. The Master's thesis will show the student's expertise in the chosen subject matter, ability to apply research methods and academic communication. The thesis can also be done as a two-person project.
The Master's thesis will be evaluated in six week's time from the submission of the work made to the department's office. The departments may give different instructions on when the thesis can be submitted so that there will be enough time to make the evaluation at the next department council meeting. During the summer (June - August), and for other possible unforeseen reasons, the evaluation of the thesis could take longer. The thesis will be evaluated on the basis of:
- academic and scholarly thinking
- a command of academic research methods
- the expertise in the chosen subject matter
- academic and scholarly communication abilities
Active participation in project seminars will also be taken into account in the assessment of the thesis.
The student may request rectification of the evaluation of the final project within 14 days from notice of the decision (given in writing) from the department council. If the student is unsatisfied with the decision, he/she can bring the matter to the faculty's board of examiners for discussion within 14 days from the time he/she has received the decision.
Graduating
When the student has completed all of the relevant studies required for the degree, he/she must request that any and all missing grades be put into the study register. The final grade for the study module is requested from the department's office where the studies have been completed. After this, the student can make a request for a degree certificate by a form available at the faculty or department office. The request form is then given to the department office. The offices of the Department of Education and the Department of Teacher Education will append the student's transcript and direct all the documents to the faculty office, where the degree certificate will be written. Final approval of the degree certificate will be given by the vice dean. The student must be aware that during certain times (i.e. during Christmas and in May) the appropriate document must be at the faculty office in enough time for the issuing of the degree certificate.
Syllabi of the Faculty of Education Master's degree programmes
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