The examination and grading of a Bachelor's thesis

A Bachelor’s thesis must demonstrate the student’s ability for scientific thinking, addressing the problems in his or her discipline, and scientific communications. Students can prepare their thesis independently or in a group or by participating in a more extensive research project, provided that their independent contribution can be clearly identified and assessed.  Students must write their thesis independently, primarily in their native language in Finnish or Swedish. The examination and grading of the thesis must focus on the independent contribution of the student.

The thesis is graded on a scale of 0–5. The grade awarded for a Bachelor’s thesis is taken into account when calculating the overall grade for intermediate studies. Students dissatisfied with the grading of their thesis can submit an oral or written appeal to the teacher in charge of the assessment. The date when the student submits his or her thesis for assessment shall be recorded as the completion date of the thesis.

More detailed provisions and instructions for grading a Bachelor’s thesis are provided in the curricula of the degree programmes.

A thesis must always include a summary in Finnish/Swedish, and, in some cases, in English. If the summary is examined as a maturity test, please read the related instructions issued by your degree programme. 

For more information on the maturity test language policy, see here.

For more information on supervising a Bachelor’s degree, see here.

A maturity test is a scholarly text related to the field of the student’s thesis, such as a part of the thesis or its abstract or another piece of written work defined in the curriculum of the degree programme. Before undertaking a maturity test, the student must complete the native-language studies required for the degree.

Maturity tests demonstrate students’ familiarity with the field of their thesis, and Finnish or Swedish skills.

Students take a maturity test in the language of their secondary education, i.e., in Finnish or Swedish. Each degree certificate states the language of the student’s secondary education and the language in which they completed their maturity test. By completing secondary education and a maturity test, students demonstrate excellent ability in the language in question (Act on the Knowledge of Languages Required of Personnel in Public Bodies, section 6).

If the language of the student’s secondary education was not Finnish or Swedish, they may take a maturity test in Finnish, Swedish, English or the language of their thesis. However, in this case their degree certificate will not indicate that they have excellent skills in Finnish or Swedish.

Maturity tests are graded on a pass–fail basis. The person marking and approving a maturity test is usually a teacher in the degree programme (e.g., the thesis supervisor). The person approving a maturity test must be proficient in the language of the test.

If your degree programme uses the E-thesis system to assess theses, please provide information on the approval of a maturity test in the assessment form at the examination stage. Information on the approval of the test will be passed on, and the test will be recorded as completed in the student information system.

A maturity test is an independent study attainment, but it is recorded in the student information system as having a scope of 0 credits.