Grading of Master's and licentiate theses

A master’s degree includes a written master’s thesis worth 30 credits. In licentiate programmes, the licentiate thesis in veterinary medicine and the advanced studies theses in dentistry and medicine are worth 20 credits.

Theses are graded on a scale from 0 to 5. The grade awarded for a master’s thesis is taken into account when calculating the overall grade for advanced studies. The assessment is conducted in Finnish, Swedish or English.

Master’s theses, licentiate theses and advanced studies theses are examined by two examiners as specified by the faculty council. Different faculties and degree programmes have different appointment procedures and requirements for the examiners; please check the guidelines for each degree programme separately.

A master’s thesis must demonstrate the student’s ability for scientific thinking, knowledge of the subject matter, grasp of research methods and academic writing skills. More detailed provisions and instructions for writing a master’s thesis are provided in the curricula of the degree programmes. Theses must always include a summary. In many degree programmes, the summary is examined as a maturity test proving the student’s proficiency in the language of their secondary education. The examination and grading of the thesis must focus on the part of the work completed by the student independently even if the thesis is part of a wider research project or team effort.  

Please read also the instructions on the public availability, publishing and archiving of a thesis.

The faculty council issues regulations on the grading procedure. When you are grading a master’s thesis, you can make use of the degree programme-specific assessment matrix and, if one is available in your program. If necessary, read more on the instructions prepared for assessing the structure and content of a thesis. The different parts of a master’s thesis are graded numerically and, if necessary, verbally. Many degree programmes accept the maturity test as a summary of the master’s thesis. Assessment of the new theses is examiner specific. Each examiner must always edit the assessment form in E-thesis.

Before the assessment, please check the degree programme-specific instructions for

• submission instructions and examination schedule
• the structure and content of the work (instructions provided for students)
• assessment criteria/assessment matrix

When examining a thesis:

• examine and assess the work with the help of the assessment matrix
• approve the maturity test, if one has been completed

The assessment process may involve disagreements among the examiners or between the student and the examiners. Faculties and degree programmes have prepared instructions for how to proceed if disagreements arise.

The master’s thesis is assessed by a University of Helsinki professor, associate or assistant professor, senior university lecturer, university lecturer or research director, together with a person who has at least a doctoral degree. The supervisor of the thesis can also act as an examiner. The thesis does not require examiners from outside the faculty.

For master's programmme-specific detailed instructions on appointing the thesis supervisor and examiners, see the section below.

The supervisor of the thesis informs the names of the examiners of the thesis using this Forms form to Kumpula Student Services. The information from the form is transferred to the E-thesis system.

If the examiners of the master's thesis disagree on the grade of the thesis, the director of the master’s programme discusses with the examiners and, if necessary, appoints a third examiner to the thesis. If the director of the master’s programme is disqualified, the deputy director of the master’s programme appoints a third examiner.

The first step is to determine whether an embargo is needed or whether limited publication is sufficient. An embargo requires a decision by the Dean, but the author themself can decide on limited publication. An embargo is not granted for scientific publication alone, but must be based on other grounds (e.g. an invention disclosure or a patent application). For both options, it should be noted that, as the thesis is a public document, an electronic copy must always be provided on request.

Begin by looking into the options above. If an embargo is still needed, the thesis advisor should follow instructions given below.

If an embargo is needed, proceed according these instructions:

• The student indicates the need for an embargo in the new e-thesis when submitting the thesis for assessment.
• The thesis supervisor needs to contact the dean and discuss the matter.
• The outcome of the discussion between the Dean and thesis supervisor will be communicated to kumpula-student@helsinki.fi and the E-thesis officer will prepare the Dean's decision on the embargo if necessary. The Dean's decision needs to be done before the assessed thesis is sent to dean for approval. 

Schedules for supervising, submitting, assessing and approving master’s theses during the 2025–2026 academic year are as follows: Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Social Sciences

Students must submit their completed theses for assessment by 23.59 (Finnish time) on the submission deadline. The schedules do not apply to master’s theses completed in international joint degree programmes.

No supervision and feedback are provided in July, unless required in a given faculty or master’s programme. 

Theses are not assessed in July.

Schedules for supervising, submitting, assessing and approving master’s theses during the 2026–2027 academic year are as follows: Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Social Sciences

Students must submit their completed theses for assessment by 23.59 (Finnish time) on the submission deadline. The schedules do not apply to master’s theses completed in international joint degree programmes or commissioned training programmes.

No supervision and feedback are provided in July, unless required in a given faculty or master’s programme. 

Theses are not assessed in July.

Schedules for supervising, submitting, assessing and approving master’s theses during the 2025–2026 academic year are as follows: Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Theology

Students must submit their completed theses for assessment by 23.59 (Finnish time) on the submission deadline. The schedules do not apply to master’s theses completed in international joint degree programmes.

No supervision and feedback are provided in July, unless required in a given faculty or master’s programme. 

Theses are not assessed in July.

Schedules for supervising, submitting, assessing and approving master’s theses during the 2026–2027 academic year are as follows: Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Theology

Students must submit their completed theses for assessment by 23.59 (Finnish time) on the submission deadline. The schedules do not apply to master’s theses completed in international joint degree programmes or commissioned training programmes.

No supervision and feedback are provided in July, unless required in a given faculty or master’s programme. 

Theses are not assessed in July.

The student registers for the submission of their thesis and maturity test in Sisu. After that the student submits their finalised thesis in the system by the deadline. Student Services forwards the thesis to the examiners for assessment. The assigned examiners receive an email about the thesis to be assessed. 

The thesis must be assessed by the deadline indicated in the email and in the system. 

When all examiners have approved their assessment, the system will send an email notification to the examiners and Student Services about the completion of the assessment. Student Services then transfers the thesis to await the dean's decision. At the same time, the student is informed about the grade proposal.

Read the user instructions for the redesigned E-thesis (English instructions will be available during August 2024).

The dean will decide on the approval and grading of theses required for second-cycle degrees. The faculty council issues regulations on the grading procedure. Once the thesis has been approved and graded, the grade will be registered by Student Services within one month. The student may not change their specialisation once a thesis included in their degree has been approved and graded.

It is not possible to try to improve the registered grade of a master’s degree. If the student is not satisfied with the grade awarded to their work, they may submit an appeal for the examination of the thesis. Instructions for submitting an appeal can be found under Instructions for Students.

You can access the students' version of these instructions in Instructions for students.

Supervisor and topic

A student's thesis project starts with finding a supervisor and a thesis topic. The student can browse preliminary thesis topics added by teachers in Overleaf. The list is not exhaustive, so you may decide on another topic with your student. Then a short (1-2 pages) thesis plan and a supervision plan are written and mutually accepted by the thesis supervisor and the thesis candidate.

Length, language and format

A typical length for a thesis in the programme is 30-50 pages, but this varies based on the topic. The thesis can be written in Finnish, English or Swedish. The student can write their thesis using LaTeX or other software of their choice.

Grading criteria

The supervisor should get acquainted with the evaluation matrix before evaluating a thesis. In addition to a thesis, the student must complete a maturity test. It is a one-page abstract of the thesis topic, and it will be included in the thesis file. The content and language of the maturity test is verified by the supervisor.

Evaluation matrix 2024-2026 (pdf)
Evaluation matrix 2026-2030 (pdf)

Evaluation matrix for Master's programme in Mathematics and Statistics

Thesis submission, assessment and formal approval

After the writing of the thesis is completed, the thesis can proceed to the final approval and grading as specified in the Faculty and University level instructions. 

Starting from 1 January 2025, a student submits the final version of their master’s thesis into the new E-thesis by the deadline. The thesis will be passed on for assessment, and it will no longer be editable. Ideally, the potential grade of the thesis is discussed beforehand with the student as it may discourage submission of an incomplete thesis. The student will receive a confirmation of a successful submission by email and can track the progress of the assessment in the system.

The supervisor of the thesis informs the names of the examiners of the thesis using this Forms form to Kumpula Student Services. The information from the form is transferred to the E-thesis system. Student Services forward the thesis to the examiners for assessment. The assigned examiners receive an email about the thesis to be assessed. 

The thesis must be assessed by the deadline indicated in the email and in the system. When all examiners have approved their assessment, the system will send an email notification to the examiners and Student Services about the completion of the assessment. Student Services then transfer the thesis to await the dean's decision. At the same time, the student is informed about the grade proposal.

Please read the user instructions for E-Thesis. If you have any additional questions regarding thesis assessment process, please contact Kumpula Student Services (kumpula-student@helsinki.fi). If you have any additional technical issues regarding E-Thesis system or its functionalities, please contact E-Thesis support address (e-thesis@helsinki.fi).

The Dean of the Faculty of Science approves the master’s theses. 

Master’s thesis

The length of the master’s thesis, according the new degree requirements, is usually 40-60 pages (excluding possible appendices). A student should begin writing their Master’s thesis during the advanced studies seminar. A student can complete a thesis, as a joint project with another student, the length of the thesis must be 60-80 pages. The introduction and abstract of a jointly written thesis must specify each writer’s individual input. A thesis can also be written as part of a research project.  In this case, each member of the group must submit own thesis for examination, and each thesis is graded separately.

Before embarking on the thesis project, or at its initial stages at the latest, a student must draft a thesis plan, which will be discussed and approved by student’s degree programme. The plan must also indicate the supervisor(s) of the thesis. You can read more on who to supervise a Master’s thesis.

Addition to the thesis, a student writes a summary, which functions as the maturity test in the Master’s degree.

Structure and content of the work (instructions provided for students)

Learning outcomes of the Master’s thesis for every degree programme can be read in Sisu (search with the code). In advanced seminars, the degree programmes or lines of study provide more detailed provisions and instructions for writing a Master’s thesis in their discipline.  Thesis Instructions of the faculty of the Arts as well as formatting instructions can be read on the student’s guide.

Preliminary examination

Before the formal examination, it is recommended that a student submits the thesis for preliminary examination. The supervisor provides the preliminary examination. Degree programmes and disciplines may issue their own instructions on preliminary examination. During the teaching periods, the supervisor has four weeks to provide feedback on the thesis. After the preliminary examination, the student can supplement and revise the thesis.

Formal examination process

A student submits the Master’s thesis for formal examination electronically (as a PDF document) to the E-Thesis system. The examination timetable must be followed in the examination process.  When a student has submitted their thesis, two examiners is appointed for the thesis. One of the examiners is the thesis supervisor. Both must be persons with a doctorate. In certain rare cases, the head of the degree programme can allow an exception to be made to this rule.

The examiners get the thesis electronically through the E-Thesis system. The examiners have to be in contact and agree on the grade proposal and a written statement.

During teaching periods, the thesis examiners must submit their grade proposal within three weeks of receiving the assignment if the thesis was submitted for formal examination on a separately notified due date. The examiners submit the grade proposal and the written statement to the E-Thesis system, according the guidelines in E-thesis system. Please check on the examination timetable when the proposed grade and written statement have to be ready.

Assessment criteria

Assessment criteria or an assessment matrix refers to the grading scale in use, which has six grades (from 0 to 5). Examination is based on the assessment criteria of the master’s theses (word-file) acknowledged by the Faculty of Arts. The point number 7 is not assessed.

The Dean of the Faculty decides on the grade. The master's theses will be registered into the study register after the decision. The Student services try to register the thesis in a week (at least in a month) after the approval.

Dissenting opinions between the examiners

If the two appointed examiners cannot agree on the grade, the dean will appoint a third examiner. After the third examiner has submitted their grade proposal, the dean will approve the grade of the thesis as follows:

• If two out of three examiners agree on the grade, the grade shall be the one proposed by the two examiners.
• If all three examiners have different grade proposals, the grade shall be the average of all three examiners' grade proposals so that the grade is rounded to an integer. 

Suspension of grading

If the student is not satisfied with the proposed grade, they may request the suspension of grading before the dean's decision. The student sends a written request for suspension by email to Metsätalo Student Services at latest by 12 o'clock the day before the dean's decision. They title the email descriptively (e.g. “Suspension of Master’s thesis grading”). This enables the students to make revisions or additions to the thesis and then re-submit it to formal examination, as a new work. 

Abstract

A Master's thesis must include an abstract in the language of the thesis, placed between the cover page and the table of contents. The abstract also serves as a maturity test for the Master's degree, which will only be evaluated for its content if the student has demonstrated their language skills specified in the government decree on university degrees in their bachelor's degree or university of applied sciences degree or if their language of secondary education is not Finnish or Swedish.

If the student's language of secondary education is Finnish or Swedish but they have not demonstrated their language skills in a bachelor's degree or university of applied sciences degree (e.g. if the student has completed their bachelor's degree abroad), they need to do it in their MA degree. This means that the student writes the abstract of their MA thesis also in the language with which they received their basic and upper secondary education. Read more about the language of the maturity test in the chapter Maturity tests for master’s degrees, marking maturity tests.

The abstract should be written on an accessible abstract template. Such abstract templates are available in Finnish, Swedish and English. For abstracts in other languages, the student can use any of these abstract templates. If the student includes two abstracts in their thesis, they can either use two abstract forms or only one abstract form and write the abstract texts in both languages one after another. The abstract does not have to fit on one page.

Further information, the abstract template and a model abstract can be found in Instructions for Students on Thesis in Master's and Licentiate's Programmes.

Master's thesis

Under the new degree requirements, the recommended length of master's theses is 45–70 pages (without appendices, if any). Students begin writing their thesis in the thesis seminar. The thesis topic is often determined on the basis of the seminar theme. Students must agree on the thesis topic with their seminar supervisor. Two students can write a thesis as a joint project if their supervisor supports this arrangement. In such cases, the length of the thesis should be 70–90 pages. In addition, the student must write an abstract of the thesis, which serves as the maturity test required for the master’s degree.

At the beginning of the seminar, students must make a plan for the timetable of the thesis. The thesis must be completed on the basis of this plan by the end of the calendar year in which the seminar ends. For further information on the supervision of theses, please see the Supervising theses page on the Instructions for Teaching website.

Thesis structure and content (instructions for students)

The Faculty’s thesis instructions, thesis template and writing instructions for students can be read on the Instructions for Students website. Students receive detailed thesis instructions in the thesis seminar.

Examination process

Students must submit their master's theses for official examination electronically as a PDF file in the E-thesis system. The examination process is based on the timetable set by the University. 

When a student has submitted a master's thesis for examination, two examiners are assigned, of whom one is, as a rule, the thesis supervisor (primary examiner). Each examiner must hold a doctoral degree, unless there are special reasons for not following this rule.

The examiners then receive the thesis electronically through E-thesis. The examiners must communicate with each other to agree on a grade proposal and write a statement.

During teaching periods, thesis examiners have at least three weeks to submit their grade proposal and written statement if the student submitted the thesis for official examination in compliance with the examination timetable.  The examiners submit the grade proposal and the written statement to the E-Thesis system, according the guidelines in E-thesis system and manual instructions in Digitutkielmat page. Please see the examination timetable for information on when the grade proposal and statement must be completed.

Assessment criteria

Assessment criteria (or the assessment matrix) refer to a six-level grading scale (0–5) in the new degree requirements. The examination of theses is based on the assessment criteria for advanced studies theses.

Advanced studies theses are assessed by issuing a written statement that takes all areas of assessment (1–7) into account. In addition, theses receive an overall grade on a scale of 0–5.  The Faculty Council of the Faculty of Theology has decided that area-specific numerical assessments will not be used on the assessment form. However, if the examiners, or one of them, wish to assess each area (1–7) with a numerical grade (0–5), this must be done in the statement, i.e., the numerical grades must be entered in the “Grounds for the proposed grade” field in the E-thesis system.

The sub-area concerning the completion of the thesis in the planned timetable, included in the seventh area to be assessed, is used in the Master’s Programme in Theology and Religious Studies as follows:

• At the beginning of the seminar, students must make a plan for the timetable of the thesis. The thesis must be completed on the basis of this plan by the end of the calendar year in which the seminar ends.
• The completion of the thesis in the planned timetable is taken into account in the assessment.

The final decision on the thesis grade is made by the Faculty Dean. The thesis is registered as completed studies after the decision. Student Services aims to have the thesis registered approximately one week after (but no later than within one month).

Differences of opinion between examiners

If the two appointed examiners cannot agree on the grade, the dean will appoint a third examiner. After the third examiner has submitted their grade proposal, the dean will approve the grade of the thesis as follows:

• If two out of three examiners agree on the grade, the grade shall be the one proposed by the two examiners.
• If all three examiners have different grade proposals, the grade shall be the average of all three examiners' grade proposals so that the grade is rounded to an integer. 

Suspension of thesis grading

If the student is not satisfied with the proposed grade, they may request the suspension of grading before the dean's decision. The student sends a written request for suspension by email to Metsätalo Student Services at latest by 12 o'clock the day before the dean's decision. They title the email descriptively (e.g. “Suspension of Master’s thesis grading”). This enables the students to make revisions or additions to the thesis and then re-submit it to formal examination, as a new work. 

Maturity test or abstract

Students write the abstract required for a master’s thesis based on their advanced studies thesis. The abstract also functions as the maturity test at the master’s level. When written for a master’s degree, the abstract is only reviewed for content. If the language of a student’s maturity test was not checked at the bachelor’s level, it will be checked at the master’s level. The language of the abstract is the language of the student’s secondary education. For further information on determining the language of secondary education, please see the Instructions for Students website.

The abstract must be an independently understandable text that describes the objectives and theoretical background of the thesis, the material used, any research methods and the key results. As a rule, abstracts are examined by the primary examiner (supervisor) of the advanced studies thesis. If the supervisor does not have sufficient proficiency in Finnish or Swedish, the thesis is examined by another teacher in the degree programme. Information on the approval of the abstract (i.e., the maturity test) is provided in conjunction with the assessment of the advanced studies thesis in the E-thesis system.

Instructions on abstracts for students

Submitting the thesis for evaluation

When both the thesis author and the supervisor consider the thesis ready, the author submits the final version of their thesis to E-Thesis by the deadline date. Check the submission and assessment deadlines in the above table.

Note that no changes can be made to the thesis after it is submitted to E-thesis. Therefore, it is important that both the thesis author and the supervisor review the thesis and ensure that no further changes are necessary before submission. 

The supervisor of the thesis informs the names of the examiners of the thesis using this Forms form to Kumpula Student Services. The information is transferred from the form to the E-thesis system.

The thesis is forwarded to the examiners for assessment. The assigned examiners receive an email about the thesis to be assessed.

Thesis examiners

The thesis shall be assessed by a professor, an assistant/associate professor, a research director, a (senior) university lecturer of the faculty together with a person with at least a doctoral degree. 

The supervisor often acts as one of the examiners and finds the second examiner for the thesis. Examiners are not be paid a separate fee for examining the thesis. For more information, see the section "Supervisor(s) and examiners of the Master's thesis in the Faculty of Science" on this page.

Assessment of the thesis

The thesis is graded in E-thesis on a scale of 0-5 using the evaluation matrix of the Master's Programme. In particular, extreme grades (0,1 and 5) need to be clearly justified.

Link to the evaluation matrix of the Master’s programme

When all examiners have approved their assessment, the system will send an email notification to the examiners and Student Services about the completion of the assessment. Student Services then transfers the thesis to await the dean’s decision. At the same time, the student is informed about the grade proposal.

Read the user instructions for E-thesis.  

Maturity test

One of the examiners accepts the abstract page of Master’s thesis as the maturity test. 

If the student's language of secondary education is Finnish or Swedish but they have not demonstrated their language skills in a bachelor's degree or university of applied sciences degree (e.g. if the student has completed their bachelor's degree abroad), they need to do it in their MSc degree. This means that the student writes the abstract of their MSc thesis also in the language with which they received their basic and upper secondary education. Read more about the language of the maturity test in the chapter Maturity tests for master’s degrees, marking maturity tests.

Approval and registration of the thesis

The Dean approves the thesis. After the thesis has been approved, the thesis and maturity test are registered by the Student Services. The thesis author is informed of the approval by email.

Master's thesis of the EnChiL programme that are evaluated at University of Helsinki are evaluated with the rules and regulations of Faculty of Science and the Master's programme in Atmospheric Sciences.

Submitting the thesis for evaluation

When both the thesis author and the supervisor consider the thesis ready, the author submits the final version of their thesis to E-Thesis by the deadline date. Check the submission and assessment deadlines in the above table.

Note that no changes can be made to the thesis after it is submitted to E-thesis. Therefore, it is important that both the thesis author and the supervisor review the thesis and ensure that no further changes are necessary before submission. 

The supervisor of the thesis informs the names of the examiners of the thesis using this Forms form to Kumpula Student Services. The information is transferred from the form to the E-thesis system.

The thesis is forwarded to the examiners for assessment. The assigned examiners receive an email about the thesis to be assessed.

Thesis examiners

The thesis shall be assessed by a professor, an assistant/associate professor, a research director, a (senior) university lecturer of the faculty together with a person with at least a doctoral degree. 

The supervisor often acts as one of the examiners and finds the second examiner for the thesis. For more information, see the section "Supervisor(s) and examiners of the Master's thesis in the Faculty of Science" on this page.

Assessment of the thesis

The thesis is graded in E-thesis on a scale of 0-5 using the evaluation matrix of the Master's Programme. In particular, extreme grades (0,1 and 5) need to be clearly justified.

Link to the evaluation matrix of the Master’s programme

When all examiners have approved their assessment, the system will send an email notification to the examiners and Student Services about the completion of the assessment. Student Services then transfers the thesis to await the dean’s decision. At the same time, the student is informed about the grade proposal.

Read the user instructions for E-thesis.  

Maturity test

One of the examiners accepts the abstract page of Master’s thesis as the maturity test. 

If the student's language of secondary education is Finnish or Swedish but they have not demonstrated their language skills in a bachelor's degree or university of applied sciences degree (e.g. if the student has completed their bachelor's degree abroad), they need to do it in their MSc degree. This means that the student writes the abstract of their MSc thesis also in the language with which they received their basic and upper secondary education. Read more about the language of the maturity test in the chapter Maturity tests for master’s degrees, marking maturity tests.

Approval and registration of the thesis

 The Dean approves the thesis. After the thesis has been approved, the thesis and maturity test are registered by the Student Services. The thesis author is informed of the approval by email.

Submitting the thesis for evaluation

When both the thesis author and the supervisor consider the thesis ready, the author submits the final version of their thesis to E-Thesis by the deadline date. Check the submission and assessment deadlines in the above table.

Note that no changes can be made to the thesis after it is submitted to E-thesis. Therefore, it is important that both the thesis author and the supervisor review the thesis and ensure that no further changes are necessary before submission. 

The supervisor of the thesis informs the names of the examiners of the thesis using this Forms form to Kumpula Student Services. The information is transferred from the form to the E-thesis system.

The thesis is forwarded to the examiners for assessment. The assigned examiners receive an email about the thesis to be assessed.

Thesis examiners

The thesis shall be assessed by a professor, an assistant/associate professor, a research director, a (senior) university lecturer of the faculty together with a person with at least a doctoral degree. 

The supervisor often acts as one of the examiners and finds the second examiner for the thesis. For more information, see the section "Supervisor(s) and examiners of the Master's thesis in the Faculty of Science" on this page.

Assessment of the thesis

The thesis is graded in E-thesis on a scale of 0-5 using the evaluation matrix of the Master's Programme. In particular, extreme grades (0,1 and 5) need to be clearly justified.

Link to the evaluation matrix of the Master’s programme

When all examiners have approved their assessment, the system will send an email notification to the examiners and Student Services about the completion of the assessment. Student Services then transfers the thesis to await the dean’s decision. At the same time, the student is informed about the grade proposal.

Read the user instructions for E-thesis.  

Maturity test

One of the examiners accepts the abstract page of Master’s thesis as the maturity test. 

If the student's language of secondary education is Finnish or Swedish but they have not demonstrated their language skills in a bachelor's degree or university of applied sciences degree (e.g. if the student has completed their bachelor's degree abroad), they need to do it in their MSc degree. This means that the student writes the abstract of their MSc thesis also in the language with which they received their basic and upper secondary education. Read more about the language of the maturity test in the chapter Maturity tests for master’s degrees, marking maturity tests.

Approval and registration of the thesis

The Dean approves the thesis. After the thesis has been approved, the thesis and maturity test are registered by the Student Services. The thesis author is informed of the approval by email.

Submitting the thesis for evaluation

When both the thesis author and the supervisor consider the thesis ready, the author submits the final version of their thesis to E-thesis by the deadline date. Check the submission and assessment deadlines in the above table.

Note that no changes can be made to the thesis after it is submitted to E-thesis. Therefore, it is important that both the thesis author and the supervisor review the thesis and ensure that no further changes are necessary before submission. 

The supervisor of the thesis informs the names of the examiners of the thesis using this Forms form to Kumpula Student Services. The information is transferred from the form to the E-thesis system.

The thesis is forwarded to the examiners for assessment. The assigned examiners receive an email about the thesis to be assessed.

Thesis examiners

The thesis shall be assessed by a professor, an assistant/associate professor, a research director, a (senior) university lecturer of the faculty together with a person with at least a doctoral degree. 

The supervisor often acts as one of the examiners and finds the second examiner for the thesis. For more information, see the section "Supervisor(s) and examiners of the Master's thesis in the Faculty of Science" on this page.

Assessment of the thesis

The thesis is graded in E-thesis on a scale of 0-5 using the evaluation matrix of the Master's Programme. In particular, extreme grades (0,1 and 5) need to be clearly justified.

Link to the evaluation matrix of the Master’s programme

When all examiners have approved their assessment, the system will send an email notification to the examiners and Student Services about the completion of the assessment. Student Services then transfers the thesis to await the dean’s decision. At the same time, the student is informed about the grade proposal.

Read the user instructions for E-thesis.

Maturity test

One of the examiners accepts the abstract page of Master’s thesis as the maturity test. 

If the student's language of secondary education is Finnish or Swedish but they have not demonstrated their language skills in a bachelor's degree or university of applied sciences degree (e.g. if the student has completed their bachelor's degree abroad), they need to do it in their MSc degree. This means that the student writes the abstract of their MSc thesis also in the language with which they received their basic and upper secondary education. Read more about the language of the maturity test in the chapter Maturity tests for master’s degrees, marking maturity tests.

Approval and registration of the thesis

The Dean approves the thesis. After the thesis has been approved, the thesis and maturity test are registered by the Student Services. The thesis author is informed of the approval by email.

Theses are examined and assessed electronically in the E-thesis system. Since 1 August 2024, theses have been approved by the Faculty dean. 

If specific attachments or forms are used for theses or their examination in a given degree programme, these must be delivered to Student Services before submitting the thesis for examination. 

Theses must be stored in the E-thesis system by the submission deadline. Please note that your thesis will not transfer automatically for examination; instead, theses will be sent to examiners after the submission deadline.

Students will receive information on assessment via email at least one week before the dean’s decision. Student Services will record approved theses and maturity tests as completed. The date on which the thesis was submitted for assessment in the E-thesis system is recorded as the date of thesis completion.  

If the thesis is the only uncompleted component of your studies, please read the instructions for graduation.

The thesis timetable is identical for all master’s and licentiate programmes at the Faculty of Medicine. Please read the instructions of your degree programme.

Thesis assessment matrix

New assessment matrices will apply to theses submitted on or after 1 January 2025. For theses submitted earlier, please see the instructions of your degree programme.

Theses are examined and assessed using the designated assessment matrix:

• Assessment matrix (pdf) for the degree programmes in medicine and dentistry
• Assessment matrix for the master’s programmes in logopedics, psychology and development of health care services

General assessment principles for advanced studies theses at the Faculty of Medicine (theses submitted on or after 1 January 2025) 

1. If both examiners assign the grade 0 (i.e., fail) for a given area, the thesis will receive a failing grade.

2. Once they have submitted their thesis, the student cannot fail 7 of the assessment matrix.

3. Item 7 is assessed by the thesis supervisor involved throughout the thesis process. Area 7 is not assessed in the Master’s Programme in Translational Medicine.

4. With the introduction of the new assessment matrices on 1 January 2025, examiners must submit a written final statement on each thesis.

5. The grade of the thesis is not necessarily the average of the assessments of the sections in the matrix.

Suspension of assessment and disagreement   

These instructions will apply to theses submitted on or after 1 August 2024. For theses submitted earlier, please see the instructions of your degree programme.

1. If you are dissatisfied with the assessment proposed by the examiners  

If you are dissatisfied with the grade proposed by the examiners, you can ask in writing for the suspension of the grading process before the date when the dean decides to confirm the grade. You must do so by 12.00 on the previous day. The grading process will be terminated, and the thesis will not be submitted to the dean for decision or confirmation. You can then add to or revise your thesis and resubmit it for examination as a new thesis.  

2. If the examiners disagree on the assessment  

If the examiners are unable to agree on the thesis grade, the director of the degree programme will appoint a third examiner. This third examiner must examine the thesis promptly to avoid unduly delaying the thesis approval process or the student’s graduation. The dean will decide on the grade after receiving the third examiner’s proposal.  

In the event of a disagreement, the grade will be determined as follows:  

If two out of three examiners agree on the grade, it is assigned to the thesis.  

If all three examiners disagree on the grade, it is determined by rounding the examiners’ grades to the nearest whole figure.  

3. If an examiner must be changed  

If a thesis examiner must be changed during an assessment process, the director of the degree programme will appoint a new examiner. 

The University of Helsinki and the Faculty of Medicine encourage the diverse use of artificial intelligence in support of learning. When writing their theses, students familiarise themselves with the appropriate use of AI in research. The Faculty of Medicine complies with the University’s guidelines on AI use in teaching and learning. Guidelines on AI use in theses at Faculty of Medicine (pdf)) elaborate on the University guidelines for the Faculty of Medicine.

These instructions are only in finnish. Change the language to finnish to see the instructions.

MED-721 Thesis

Guidelines and instructions for thesis work are descibed in MED-721 Thesis and Instructions for students Thesis and maturity test in master's and licentiate programmes. Instructions for the degree programme in medicine are available in Finnish and Swedish. 

Please note that there are changes in the use of a publication as a thesis, from 1.1.2025 onwards. 

Thesis examiners  

Each completed thesis is assessed by not only the student’s supervisor, but also an external examiner. The supervisor must propose an examiner for the thesis using this form (PDF, in Finnish). The form must be submitted to Meilahti Student Services, which will ask the degree programme director to approve it. The form should be submitted to Student Services before the thesis is uploaded into E-thesis. Email addresses supplied on the form serve as the examiners’ contact details during the examination process and as their E-thesis usernames.  

See MED-721 Thesis for more information on supervisor and examiner criteria. 

Examiners not employed by the University of Helsinki Faculty of Medicine are entitled to an examiner’s fee. They will receive the fee form and instructions by email after the thesis has been approved. 

Submission of a thesis for assessment and the examination timetable 

Schedule for submitting, assessing and approving theses is described in chapter "Schedules for supervising, submitting, assessing and approving master’s theses".

Theses are examined and assessed in the E-thesis system. Students submit a final version of the thesis, approved by their supervisor, to the system for processing. Student Services forwards the thesis to the examiners for assessment. The examiners are informed of this via email to the addresses supplied on the form for proposing examiners.  

From 1 August 2024, the dean will decide on the approval and grading of theses required for second-cycle degrees.

Thesis assessment instructions of degree programmes  

Examiners receive a message on a new thesis to be examined to the email address they have supplied. For E-thesis instructions for thesis examiners, please click here.  

Theses are examined and assessed on the basis of the assessment matrix used in the degree programme:  

• Assessment matrix (pdf) (in use for theses submitted from 1.1.2025 onwards)

Examination of maturity tests required for a second-cycle thesis

At the Faculty of Medicine, maturity tests are approved, with regard to language proficiency, by the examiner(s) of the relevant advanced studies thesis, unless another procedure is justified. The examiner(s) can, if necessary, delegate the examination of a maturity test to a person designated by the degree programme director. The abstract required for a second-cycle thesis serves as the maturity test. The language of the maturity test is determined as outlined in the guidelines for degrees and studies at the University of Helsinki.  

In accordance with the abstract instructions (PDF, in Finnish) approved by the steering groups of the degree programmes in medicine and dentistry, the length of a thesis abstract must be approximately 200 words in the language of the student’s secondary education for the maturity test to be passed.   

Maturity tests are assessed on a pass/fail basis using the thesis assessment form available in E-thesis.  

Tutkielman tarkastajat  

Ohjaajan lisäksi valmiin tutkielman arvostelee työn ulkopuolinen tarkastaja. Ohjaajan tulee esittää tutkielmalle asiantuntijatarkastajaa tällä lomakkeella (pdf). Lomake toimitetaan Meilahden opiskelijapalveluihin, jossa esitykseen haetaan koulutusohjelman johtajan hyväksyntä. Lomake tulee toimittaa opiskelijapalveluihin ennen työn lataamista E-thesikseen. Lomakkeella ilmoitetut sähköpostiosoitteet ovat tarkastajien yhteysosoitteet tarkastusprosessissa sekä tunnukset E-thesis-järjestelmässä.  

Vastuuohjaaja toimii työn ensimmäisenä tarkastajana ja asiantuntijatarkastaja työn toisena tarkastajana. Tutkielman arvosana muodostuu vastuuohjaajan ja asiantuntijatarkastajan lausuntojen perusteella. Vastuuohjaaja ja asiantuntijatarkastaja arvioivat työn ja antavat ehdotuksensa arvosanaksi e-thesis -järjestelmään.

Vähintään yhden tarkastajista tulee olla akateemiselta arvoltaan tohtori, jolla on palvelussuhde Helsingin yliopiston lääketieteelliseen tiedekuntaan.

Asiantuntijatarkastajat, joilla ei ole työsuhdetta HY lääketieteelliseen tiedekuntaan, ovat oikeutettuja tarkastuspalkkioon. Palkkiolomake ja ohjeistus lähetetään sähköpostitse, kun tutkielma on hyväksytty. 

Submission of a thesis for assessment and the examination timetable 

Schedule for submitting, assessing and approving theses is described in chapter "Schedules for supervising, submitting, assessing and approving master’s theses".

Theses are examined and assessed in the E-thesis system. Students submit a final version of the thesis, approved by their supervisor, to the system for processing. Student Services forwards the thesis to the examiners for assessment. The examiners are informed of this via email to the addresses supplied on the form for proposing examiners.  

From 1 August 2024, the dean will decide on the approval and grading of theses required for second-cycle degrees.

Thesis assessment instructions of degree programmes  

Examiners receive a message on a new thesis to be examined to the email address they have supplied. For E-thesis instructions for thesis examiners, please click here.  

Theses are examined and assessed on the basis of the assessment matrix used in the degree programme:  

• 0–5 (PDF, in Finnish) (in use for theses submitted 31.12.2024 latest) 
• Assessment matrix (pdf) (in use for theses submitted from 1.1.2025 onwards)

Examination of maturity tests required for a second-cycle thesis

At the Faculty of Medicine, maturity tests are approved, with regard to language proficiency, by the examiner(s) of the relevant advanced studies thesis, unless another procedure is justified. The examiner(s) can, if necessary, delegate the examination of a maturity test to a person designated by the degree programme director. The abstract required for a second-cycle thesis serves as the maturity test. The language of the maturity test is determined as outlined in the guidelines for degrees and studies at the University of Helsinki.  

In accordance with the abstract instructions (PDF, in Finnish) approved by the steering groups of the degree programmes in medicine and dentistry, the length of a thesis abstract must be approximately 200 words in the language of the student’s secondary education for the maturity test to be passed.   

Maturity tests are assessed on a pass/fail basis using the thesis assessment form available in E-thesis.    

Kypsyysnäyte arvioidaan asteikolla hyväksytty/hylätty tutkielman tarkastuksen arviointilomakkeella E-thesiksessä.  

Arviointiin liittyvät erimielisyydet 

Eriävät mielipiteet tarkastajien välillä  

Mikäli tutkielman tarkastajat eivät pääse yksimielisyyteen esittävästä arvosanasta, tiedekunnan dekaani tai koulutusohjelman johtoryhmän puheenjohtaja nimittää työlle kolmannen tarkastajan. Vastuuohjaajan tulee ilmoittaa erimielisyydestä opiskelijapalveluihin.  

Arviointiin tyytymätön opiskelija 

Mikäli opiskelija ei ole tyytyväinen tarkastajien esittämään arvosanaan, hän voi pyytää kirjallisesti arvostelun keskeyttämistä ennen sitä tiedekuntaneuvoston kokousta, jossa arvostelusta päätetään. Opiskelijan tulee ilmoittaa arvostelun keskeyttämisestä opiskelijapalveluihin viimeistään kokousta edeltävän viikon loppuun mennessä. Tällöin arvostelumenettely raukeaa eikä tutkielma etene tiedekuntaneuvoston käsiteltäväksi. Tämän jälkeen opiskelija voi vielä tehdä tutkielmaansa lisäyksiä ja korjauksia ja jättää tutkielmansa tarkastettavaksi uutena työnä.  

Vaihtoehtoisesti tutkielman tekijä voi laatia arvostelusta kirjallisen huomautuksen tiedekunnalle ennen kuin tiedekuntaneuvosto päättää arvosanasta. Tällöin tiedekuntaneuvosto määrää tutkielmalle kaksi uutta tarkastajaa.  

Tiedekuntaneuvostossa hyväksyttyyn arvosanaan tyytymätön opiskelija voi hakea oikaisua kirjallisesti oikeusturvalautakunnalta 14 päivän kuluessa arvostelupäätöksen tiedoksisaannista. Ohjeistus Opiskelijan ohjeissa.   

Assessment process of a thesis

1. Once you and your student are satisfied with the thesis, the student must submit the completed thesis to Ethesis no later than 23.59 on the submission date. 
   1. If there is a need to limit the availability of the thesis, remember to discuss this before the submission (further details on limiting thesis availability can be found on this page).
2. The supervisor of the thesis informs the names of the examiners of the thesis using this Forms form to Kumpula Student Services. 
   1. The information is transferred from the form to the E-thesis system and the thesis is forwarded to the examiners for assessment. The assigned examiners will receive an email when they can assess the thesis.
3. The assessment should be done in 2-3 weeks from when the thesis was submitted. Deadlines for the Dean's decisions can be found on this page.
4. The Maturity test must also be completed before the final grade proposal is submitted to the faculty for the Dean's decision. Further instructions on how to complete the maturity test can be found below.

Thesis examiners

The thesis shall be assessed by a professor, an assistant/associate professor (on 1. or 2. step in the tenure track), a research director, a (senior) university lecturer at the Department of Chemistry or Physics alongside a person with a doctoral degree. The supervisor often acts as one of the examiners and gets the second examiner for the thesis.

The thesis is forwarded to the examiners for assessment. The assigned examiners receive an email about the thesis to be assessed.

Assessment of the thesis

• The thesis is assessed on a scale of 0-5 using the evaluation matrix found below.
• In particular, extreme grades (0,1 and 5) need to be clearly justified. The steering group wishes that any written statement would be written in English despite the language of the thesis.
• The maturity test must be completed before the final proposal is submitted to the faculty for the Dean's decision. Further instructions on how to complete the maturity test can be found below.
• If the student disagrees with the proposed mark or grade for the thesis:
  • they may either stop the thesis assessment process no later than at 12 (noon) on the day before the Dean's final day, or
  • they may appeal the grade decided by the Dean.

Other Considerations

• Theses are public immediately after approval. You can check here if there is a need to limit the publicity of the thesis.
• The Research Project -course (MATR344/MATR363) will be registered separately and the thesis supervisor needs to request the registration from arviointi@helsinki.fi.
• The thesis submitted to E-thesis must be identical to the one for which the evaluation was done. No changes may be made to the thesis after it has been submitted to ethesis.
• After the Dean has approved the thesis, Teaching and Learning Services will handle the registration for the thesis and the maturity test.

Assessment process of a thesis

1. Once you and your student are satisfied with the thesis, the student must submit the completed thesis to Ethesis no later than 23.59 on the submission date. 
   1. If there is a need to limit the availability of the thesis, remember to discuss this before the submission (further details on limiting thesis availability can be found on this page).
2. The supervisor of the thesis informs the names of the examiners of the thesis using this Forms form to Kumpula Student Services. 
   1. The information is transferred from the form to the E-thesis system and the thesis is forwarded to the examiners for assessment. The assigned examiners will receive an email when they can assess the thesis.
3. The assessment should be done in 2-3 weeks from when the thesis was submitted. Deadlines for the Dean's decisions can be found on this page.
4. The Maturity test must also be completed before the final grade proposal is submitted to the faculty for the Dean's decision. Further instructions on how to complete the maturity test can be found below.

Thesis examiners

The thesis shall be assessed by a professor, an assistant/associate professor (on 1. or 2. step in the tenure track), a research director or a (senior) university lecturer at the Department of Chemistry alongside a person with a doctoral degree. The supervisor often acts as one of the examiners and gets the second examiner for the thesis.

The thesis is forwarded to the examiners for assessment. The assigned examiners receive an email about the thesis to be assessed.

More information can also be found in thesis guide (choose either Bachelor's Programme in Chemistry of Master's Programme in Chemistry and Molecular Sciences).

Assessment of the thesis

• The thesis is assessed on a scale of 0-5 using the evaluation matrix found below.
• In particular, extreme grades (0,1 and 5) need to be clearly justified. The steering group wishes that any written statement would be written in English despite the language of the thesis.
• The maturity test must be completed before the final proposal is submitted to the faculty for the Dean's decision. Further instructions on how to complete the maturity test can be found below.
• If the student disagrees with the proposed mark or grade for the thesis:
  • they may either stop the thesis assessment process no later than at 12 (noon) on the day before the Dean's final day, or
  • they may appeal the grade decided by the Dean.

Other Considerations

• Theses are public immediately after approval. You can check here if there is a need to limit the publicity of the thesis.
• The Research Project -course (KEM410/KEM422) will be registered separately and the thesis supervisor needs to request the registration from arviointi@helsinki.fi.
• The thesis submitted to E-thesis must be identical to the one for which the evaluation was done. No changes may be made to the thesis after it has been submitted to ethesis.
• After the Dean has approved the thesis, Teaching and Learning Services will handle the registration for the thesis and the maturity test.

Emphasis given in brackets only applies to thesis graded in CHEMO.

1. Objective and Research Question (10%)

Criteria: Relevance of the topic; clarity of research question; ethical considerations (if required).

Grade Scale:
0: No clear research question or objective, significance not explained.
1: Research question or significance poorly justified, objective unclear.
2: Research question and objective defined but vague, scope unclear.
3: Clear research question, objective, and significance presented.
4: Very clear and well-outlined objective and research question, significance well described.
5: Outstanding clarity and justification of the research question, objective, and significance, in near professional level.

2. Scientific Framework and Use of Sources (10%)

Criteria: Knowledge of scientific literature; critical use and analysis of sources.

Grade Scale:
0: Little or no familiarity with research field, poor or missing references.
1: Limited understanding of research field, weak or irrelevant references, few in number.
2: Some understanding of research field, references used but of limited relevance or from questionable sources.
3: Adequate understanding of research field demonstrated, relevant references used from reputable sources, some critical analysis.
4: Good understanding of research field demonstrated, used numerous, well-chosen references, critical analysis of literature presented.
5: Deep and critical understanding of the research field demonstrated to near professional level, selectively used the most appropriate references.

3. Research Data, Materials and Methods (10%)

Criteria: Quality, relevance, and adequacy of data; appropriateness of methods; clarity in description and justification; rigor in analysis; and methodological innovation or adaptability.

Grade Scale:
0: Data and methods are entirely inadequate for addressing the research question. The description of methods is absent or severely lacking in detail.
1: Significant shortcomings in the selection or use of data and methods. The rationale for the choice of methods is unclear, and the data analysis shows critical flaws.
2: Data and methods are mostly adequate but contain inconsistencies or gaps in execution or explanation. Some aspects of the data analysis lack rigor or coherence.
3: Data and methods are suitable for addressing the research question. Their selection and application are explained and mostly justified. The data analysis is coherent and largely supports the objectives.
4: Data and methods are well chosen and clearly aligned with the research question. Their selection and application are strongly justified and based on relevant scientific practices. The data analysis demonstrates rigor and clear reasoning.
5: Data and methods are exemplary, are excellently presented, and have clear alignment with the research question. The work demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of methodological approaches. The data analysis is of exceptional quality, with detailed, well-reasoned insights.

4. Presentation of Results (10%)

Criteria: Clarity of presentation; logical flow; use of visuals and equations; applicability of results.

Grade Scale:

0: Results are unclear or poorly presented. Visual elements are missing, irrelevant, or incorrect.
1: Results lack logical flow and clarity. Figures, tables, and equations are poorly executed or fail to support findings.
2: Results are presented but lack precision or coherence. Visual elements are inconsistent or of limited relevance.
3: Results are clear and logical. Figures, tables, and equations are appropriate and support the analysis well.
4: Results are well-structured and insightful. Figures, tables, and equations are accurate, high-quality, and integral to understanding findings.
5: Results are exceptionally clear and impactful. Figures, tables, and equations are exemplary, all enhance interpretation and are of professional quality.

5. Discussion and Conclusions (25%)

Criteria: Addressing the research question; results interpreted and linked to previous work; identifying problems, proposing future research directions and/or applications.

Grade Scale:

0: Reflection and conclusions absent.
1: Weak reflection, does not address research question.
2: Partial reflection, unclear significance of results relative to literature and research question.
3: Clear reflection that relates to literature and research question, significance demonstrated.
4: Insightful reflection and conclusions, clear connection to literature and research question.
5: Excellent insight, demonstrating creativity and critical thinking, proposing new ideas or applications.
 

6. Thesis as an Academic Text (10%)

Criteria: Structure, language, use of references, and presentation quality.

Grade Scale:
0: Poor structure, grammar and spelling, and no referencing; figures irrelevant or missing.
1: Major flaws in structure, grammar, spelling, or referencing; figures poorly integrated.
2: Adequate structure and referencing but with imbalances or errors.
3: Good structure, clear writing, appropriate referencing, visuals support text.
4: Consistent and clear writing, smooth integration of visuals and references.
5: Exemplary academic text, flawless and concise in structure, language, referencing and presentation.

7. Thesis Process and Working (25%)

Criteria: Independence, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, adherence to schedule.

Grade Scale:

0: No independence, poor collaboration, schedule not met.
1: Heavily reliant on supervisor, major delays in schedule.
2: Partial independence, interaction inconsistent, progress uneven.
3: Mostly independent, active collaboration, schedule mostly followed.
4: Independent and creative, smooth collaboration, schedule met.
5: Highly independent and creative, exemplary collaboration, schedule adhered to.

Tutkielmien käsittelyaikataulu löytyy Ylemmän korkeakoulututkinnon ohjaus -teeman alta.

These instructions are available only in Finnish. For more information, please change the language of this page to Finnish.

Theses in the Master's Programme in Urban Studies and Planning (USP) are examined according to the USP thesis process, which is described in these Instructions for students -pages. 

Thesis evaluation

Thesis will be evaluated by two examiners. The main supervisor, together with the thesis contact person of student’s faculty, will nominate the examiners. They will evaluate thesis in e-thesis. The minimum requirement for thesis examiners is a doctoral degree. At least one of the two examiners must come from the University of Helsinki. The main supervisor is usually one of the examiners.

Follow the general instructions and deadlines of the Faculty of Science (above).

Necessary documents related to the thesis process can be found below:

• Thesis Supervision Plan: download here (pdf)
• Thesis Assessment Criteria:
  • Evaluation matrix in English (pdf)
  • Evaluation matrix in Finnish (pdf)
  • Evaluation matrix in Swedish (pdf)

If you have questions about the process, please contact USP education coordinator or programme director.

Submitting the thesis for evaluation

Once you and your student are satisfied with the thesis, student must submit the final version to E-Thesis by the deadline date. Check the submission and assessment deadlines in the above table. The thesis is forwarded to the examiners for assessment. The assigned examiners receive an email about the thesis to be assessed. 

Thesis examiners

The thesis shall be assessed by a professor, an assistant/associate professor, a research director, a (senior) university lecturer of the faculty together with a person with at least a doctoral degree. 

The supervisor often acts as one of the examiners and finds the second examiner for the thesis. The supervisor of the thesis informs the names of the examiners of the thesis using this Forms form or alternatively, clicks on a button in PreThesis to submit the data already filled in there. This forwards the information to Kumpula Student Services, who in turn transfer it to the E-thesis system.

For more information, see the section "Supervisor(s) and examiners of the Master's thesis in the Faculty of Science" on this page.

Assessment of the thesis

The thesis is graded in E-thesis on a scale of 0-5 using the evaluation matrix of the Master's Programme. In particular, extreme grades (0,1 and 5) need to be clearly justified.

If a student has started writing their Master’s thesis before 1.8.2024 and if the assessment of the thesis gets done by 31.12.2024, the student may choose whether their thesis will be assessed with the former or the newer evaluation matrix. Instructions for using the former evaluation matrix you can get from Kumpula Student Services (kumpula-student@helsinki.fi). All master’s theses will be assessed with the new evaluation matrix from 1.1.2025 onwards.

Link to the new evaluation matrix of the Master’s programme

When all examiners have approved their assessment, the system will send an email notification to the examiners and Student Services about the completion of the assessment. Student Services then transfers the thesis to await the dean’s decision. At the same time, the student is informed about the grade proposal.

Read the user instructions for E-thesis.  

Maturity test

One of the examiners accepts the abstract page of Master’s thesis as the maturity test. 

If the student's language of secondary education is Finnish or Swedish but they have not demonstrated their language skills in a bachelor's degree or university of applied sciences degree (e.g. if the student has completed their bachelor's degree abroad), they need to do it in their MSc degree. This means that the student writes the abstract of their MSc thesis also in the language with which they received their basic and upper secondary education. Read more about the language of the maturity test in the chapter Maturity tests for master’s degrees, marking maturity tests.

Approval and registration of the thesis

Starting from 1.8.2024, the Dean approves the thesis.

After the thesis has been approved, the thesis and maturity test are registered by the Student Services. The thesis author is informed of the approval by email.

Submitting the thesis for evaluation

Once you and your student are satisfied with the thesis, student must submit the final version to E-Thesis by the deadline date. Check the submission and assessment deadlines in the above table. The thesis is forwarded to the examiners for assessment. The assigned examiners receive an email about the thesis to be assessed. 

Thesis examiners

The thesis shall be assessed by a professor, an assistant/associate professor, a research director, a (senior) university lecturer of the faculty together with a person with at least a doctoral degree. 

The supervisor often acts as one of the examiners and finds the second examiner for the thesis. The supervisor of the thesis informs the names of the examiners of the thesis using this Forms form or alternatively, clicks on a button in PreThesis to submit the data already filled in there. This forwards the information to Kumpula Student Services, who in turn transfer it to the E-thesis system.

For more information, see the section "Supervisor(s) and examiners of the Master's thesis in the Faculty of Science" on this page.

Assessment of the thesis

The thesis is graded in E-thesis on a scale of 0-5 using the evaluation matrix of the Master's Programme. In particular, extreme grades (0,1 and 5) need to be clearly justified.

If a student has started writing their Master’s thesis before 1.8.2024 and if the assessment of the thesis gets done by 31.12.2024, the student may choose whether their thesis will be assessed with the former or the newer evaluation matrix. Instructions for using the former evaluation matrix you can get from Kumpula Student Services (kumpula-student@helsinki.fi). All master’s theses will be assessed with the new evaluation matrix from 1.1.2025 onwards.

Link to the new evaluation matrix of the Master’s programme

When all examiners have approved their assessment, the system will send an email notification to the examiners and Student Services about the completion of the assessment. Student Services then transfers the thesis to await the dean’s decision. At the same time, the student is informed about the grade proposal.

Read the user instructions for E-thesis.  

Maturity test

One of the examiners accepts the abstract page of Master’s thesis as the maturity test. 

If the student's language of secondary education is Finnish or Swedish but they have not demonstrated their language skills in a bachelor's degree or university of applied sciences degree (e.g. if the student has completed their bachelor's degree abroad), they need to do it in their MSc degree. This means that the student writes the abstract of their MSc thesis also in the language with which they received their basic and upper secondary education. Read more about the language of the maturity test in the chapter Maturity tests for master’s degrees, marking maturity tests.

Approval and registration of the thesis

Starting from 1.8.2024, the Dean approves the thesis.

After the thesis has been approved, the thesis and maturity test are registered by the Student Services. The thesis author is informed of the approval by email.

A thesis plan that is done together with the student and will be sent to the HelsinkiUni Help.

Thesis evaluation matrix

Evaluation matrix

Appointment practices and criteria / eligibility criteria for inspectors

The first examiner (reviewer) will typically be the first supervisor of the thesis. The second examiners' nomination team under the study program management team will nominate the second examiners in the days following the submission of the thesis in E-Thesis. The second examiner of the degree should be a doctor and employee on the Faculty. In exceptional cases, a doctor from another Faculty or university may be nominated (e.g. one of our docents).

Fees

There is no separate fee for the examination of the thesis. Reviewing is part of work plans of our faculty.

Form of thesis: monograph or article?

At the Faculty of Educatioal Sciences the master's thesis can be either in the form of a monograph or an article. The article-type thesis contains a so-called summary and the article manuscript.

Differing opinions between inspectors

If the examiners of the thesis do not reach a agreement in the evaluation of the dissertation, the examiners must contact the head of the degree program and the head of academic affairs  of the Faculty well in advance of the examination deadline. In such exceptional situations, a new solution is quickly negotiated, taking into account the legal rights of the student. These solutions may include, for example, a new consultation between the examiners or a consultation with other examiners.

Disagreement between examiners and student

If a student is dissatisfied with his or her assessment, he or she has the right to interrupt the assessment process before the Faculty Council discusses it. The student must notify the head of academic affairs (virpi.kiljunen@helsinki.fi) of the interruption of the assessment process by e-mail as soon as possible after receiving information about the proposed grade. The notice must be submitted to the head of academic affairs no later than the day before the meeting of the Faculty Council.

If the student is dissatisfied with the decision on the assessment of the master's thesis by the Faculty Council, the student may request a correction in writing from the University’s Academic Appeals Board within 14 days of receiving the decision. The Board may return the review to the Faculty Council for reconsideration.

Master’s thesis

A master’s thesis is an academic study included in a second-cycle degree and intended to familiarise students with conducting social science research. The length of a master’s thesis is 50–70 pages.

After completing the thesis, students will be able to

• Choose a justified research topic in the field of social sciences, compose a research question, design a study and implement the different phases of a research process
• Appropriately utilise previous research, concepts, theories and material available in their field in accordance with research ethics and good scientific practice
• Generate results and clarify their relationship to previous research
• Assess their own research critically
• Create a clear and logical thesis structure and produce good, grammatically correct academic writing

Examination process

A student submits the Master’s thesis for formal examination electronically (as a PDF document) to the E-thesis system. The University of Helsinki has defined an examination timetable that must be followed in the examination process. 

When a student has submitted their thesis, two examiners are appointed for the thesis. One of the examiners is usually the thesis supervisor. Both must be persons with a doctorate. If the examiner is not from the University of Helsinki, they receive a payment according to the fee criteria of the Faculty. The examiners get the thesis electronically through the E-thesis system.

During teaching periods, the thesis examiners must submit their grade proposal within three weeks of receiving the assignment if the thesis was submitted for formal examination on a separately notified due date. The examiners submit the grade proposal and the written statement to the E-thesis system, according the instructions for the E-thesis system. Please check on the examination timetable when the proposed grade and written statement have to be ready.

Assessment criteria

Assessment criteria or an assessment matrix refers to the grading scale in use, which has six grades (from 0 to 5). Examination is based on the assessment criteria of the master’s theses (pdf) acknowledged by the Faculty of Social Sciences. Please note that the point number 7 is not assessed in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Areas of assessment for Master's thesis from 1.8.2024

The Faculty of Social Sciences introduced new areas of assessment 1–6 for master's thesis from 1 August 2024.

1. Thesis objective and research questions
2. Scholarly framework and use of sources
3. Research data and method
4. Presentation of thesis results
5. Discussion and conclusions
6. The thesis as an academic text

Maturity test

A student writes an abstract of the Master's thesis which functions as the maturity test for the Master’s degree. The abstract describes the content of the Master's thesis and it is an independent text, which must explain the objective and theoretical background of the thesis, the material used (nature and scope), the key results and the research methods used. You can approve a maturity test if you have good proficiency in the language in which the test has been written. When you have examined the maturity test, you can mark a grade (pass/fail) to the E-thesis system, at the same time with the grading of the thesis. Usually the maturity test will be assessed by the thesis supervisor.

Unlike the Bachelor’s level maturity test, usually only the content of the maturity test is assessed. If the language of the student’s secondary education was Finnish or Swedish, but their bachelor’s degree included no maturity test in that language, the student must complete a maturity test in the language of their secondary education. In doing so, the maturity test must be marked and approved in terms of both content and language.

Please see more information on the assessment and the language of the maturity test.

Detailed Master´s thesis instructions for the Study programme can be found in Moodle.

Detailed Master´s thesis instructions for the Study programme can be found in Moodle.

The examiners of the thesis

The person responsible for master's thesis appoints two examiners for the thesis, who in general must be holders of a doctoral degree or equivalent qualifications. In an exceptional case, the responsible person may, for justified reasons, also appoint as the second examiner a person with at least a master’s degree and who has the expertise and experience required for the task.  One of the examiners can be the thesis supervisor.

Submission instructions and examination schedule

Students must submit their completed master’s thesis for examination by saving it in its final form as a PDF file in the University’s electronic E-thesis system following the instructions provided by the system. Students must agree with the responsible person on submitting the thesis for examination before entering it into the electronic system, since no changes can be made to the thesis after it has been stored in the system.

The dean decides on the approval and grading of master's theses according to the University of Helsinki’s general timetables. The student will be informed of the grade proposal one week before the Dean's decision date. 

Please also see the instructions on publicity, publication and archiving of Master’s theses.

Instructions for the examination

The examiners must assess the thesis in the electronic system. The assessment can be written in Finnish, Swedish or English. The examiners’ assessment is based on the areas of assessment in the assessment matrix. 

The thesis assessment is based on the areas of the assessment matrix (1–7), each assessed on a scale of 0 to 5. Area 7 (Work during the thesis process) is assessed by only one examiner. However, theses must be assessed as a whole, and the overall grade need not be the average of the grades given for individual areas. The written component of the assessment statement must be based on the matrix criteria. If any of the grades for areas 1 to 7 is 0, the thesis will receive a failing grade.

• Read also the assessment guidelines

If the examiners are unable to agree on the thesis grade, the director of the degree programme will appoint a third examiner. In the event of a disagreement, the grade will be determined as follows:  

• If two out of three examiners agree on the grade, it is assigned to the thesis.  
• If all three examiners disagree on the grade, it is determined by rounding the examiners’ grades to the nearest whole figure. 

The evaluation of the maturity test as part of the master’s degree

In the Faculty of Pharmacy the thesis abstract serves as a maturity test. The maturity test is approved during the electronic examination process of the thesis and the approval is entered to the student register at the same time as the thesis grade. In the English-language degree programme, the person responsible for the master's thesis checks the language requirements for the maturity test for each student.

Registering the grade

Once the thesis has been approved and graded, the grade (and the approval of the maturity test) will be registered by Education Services.

More information

Instructions for students: 

• Thesis instructions in Master’s Programme in Pharmacy
• Thesis instructions in the Master's programme in Pharmaceutical Research, Development and Safety

Instructions for teachers and students also in Moodle.

All licentiate theses in veterinary medicine are assessed electronically in the E-thesis system.

Theses are examined by the coordinating supervisor and another (external) examiner. Together they submit a grade proposal, while the dean decides on the approval of theses according to a separate schedule. 

Students must complete the thesis seminar before submitting their theses for examination. Detailed instructions for seminar work are available on the Instructions for Students website. For the seminar dates, see the seminar programme.

The schedule for the submission, examination and approval of theses is also available on the Instructions for Students website.

Students wishing to attend the graduation ceremony in June 2026 must submit their completed theses for assessment in E-thesis no later than on Tuesday, 7 April 2026. The schedule is binding, and the student cannot agree with the supervisor on a shorter review period.

A new assessment matrix and the new E-thesis introduced January 2025

The assessment matrix for theses is being redesigned. A single matrix has been drawn up for the medical fields at the University of Helsinki, approved by the Faculty Council in May 2024.

The new assessment matrix (link to PDF) and the redesigned E-thesis system have been deployed in the Degree Programme in Veterinary Medicine and all theses are assessed using the new assessment matrix. 
 

Assessment of licentiate theses in veterinary medicine – detailed instructions

The thesis belonging to a licentiate degree in veterinary medicine is assessed by the coordinating supervisor and an external examiner appointed by the director of studies. The examiners submit a grade proposal to the dean, who decides on the approval and grade of the thesis.

The thesis can be a literature review or a systematic literature review or include original research in the form of an experimental section.

To facilitate the evaluation, the evaluation matrix is divided into three parts according to the type of thesis:

• a literature review thesis
• a thesis including original research in the form of an experimental section
• a systematic literature review thesis

Thesis assessment is based on the areas of the assessment matrix (1–7), each assessed on a scale of 0 to 5. Area 7 (Work during the research process) is assessed only by the coordinating supervisor. For a literature review thesis, areas 3 (Research data and methods) and 4 (Presentation of thesis results) are not assessed.

The final grade of the thesis is the arithmetic mean of the area grades assigned by the examiners, where each area (1–7) has equal weight. Area 7, assessed only by the supervisor, must be multiplied by two so that its weight matches other areas. The grade is rounded to the nearest whole number.

The mean must be calculated with particular precision, and it is recommended that both examiners calculate it to verify its accuracy.

If both examiners assign the same area (1–6) a grade of 0, the thesis is rejected. If the grades assigned by the examiners for the areas of assessment differ by more than a single grade, the examiners may discuss the assessment.

In addition to the grade proposal, the examiners give the student written feedback, which must be based on criteria presented in the assessment matrix.

Both examiners must agree on the overall grade for the thesis, based on the arithmetic mean. If the examiners cannot reach a consensus on the grade, the programme director will appoint a third examiner for the thesis.

In case of disagreement, the grade for the thesis is determined as follows:  

If two out of three examiners agree on the grade, it is assigned to the thesis. If all three examiners disagree on the grade, it is determined by rounding the mean of the examiners’ grades to the nearest whole number.

Master's thesis

The Master's degree studies include a written Master's thesis, which usually consists of an empirical part and a critical analysis of the empirical part based on the literature related to the research topic. The thesis may also be a research paper based solely on literature or other scientific sources.  The total length of the thesis is 30 credits, i.e. the work must be carried out on a full-time basis over approximately one semester (approximately 4-5 months of work, approximately 30-60 pages (excluding appendices), approximately 40-50 sources). The Master's thesis must be analytical and focused and, as a rule, follow the style of a scientific article. The Master's thesis will follow a consistent referencing technique, which will be further specified by the programmes. When drawing up the outline, it is important to ensure that the thesis can be written within the scope of the programme guidelines, even if it is part of a larger research project. 

Master’s theses are academic papers primarily intended to familiarise students with research work within a reasonable time frame. For this reason, a thesis with results that prove inadequate for reasons unrelated to the writer can nevertheless be approved if the empirical section is completed as planned, the use of material is appropriate, and the scientific approach used in the reporting is acceptable. Master’s theses must be planned and written in observance of the principles of research ethics, which should be ensured already at the planning stage. Here can you find further information on the research ethics principles of the University of Helsinki.

Supervision plan 

Students must always prepare a separate, written supervision plan before starting their Master's thesis. The plan must be signed by the responsible person, the student and the supervisor(s). The plan will be processed and filed in a manner specified by the programme. It is the responsibility of the responsible person to ensure that the plan is archived. The plan shall include, inter alia, the objectives and conduct of the research, the supervisors and the progress of the work in the supervisory relationship, the role of the supervisor, the detailed timetable for the thesis, the language and the duration of the supervisory relationship. The supervision plan will also include information on the handling of any confidential data and results. 

When the plan is signed, the responsible person approves the topic of the thesis and ensures that the research equipment and facilities required for the work are available to the student. The supervisor or supervisors of the thesis are also approved by the responsible person. The responsible person may also act as a supervisor. At least one supervisor must be a doctoral graduate or equivalent. 

The Master's thesis supervision plan shall specify its period of validity. If the period of validity expires and the student has not submitted the thesis for review, the plan must be re-approved by the supervisors and the responsible person. A short extension of time, e.g. to complete the thesis, can be agreed with the responsible person. The period of validity should be determined in such a way that the student has a reasonable time to collect the thesis material, carry out the necessary analyses and write the actual thesis text. 

The student and the responsible person must update the supervision plan if the topic of the Master's thesis or the supervisor changes or if the student's/supervisor's situation changes in such a way that the Master's thesis cannot be completed as agreed. If the period of validity of the plan expires and a new plan has not been approved, the supervisor is no longer obliged to act as supervisor. Access to the material collected by the student is agreed in the plan form. The approved supervision plan is kept in the degree programme. The original plan form is given to the student. 

Responsibilities and obligations of the supervisor and the student 

The student is primarily responsible for the progress of the work and is expected to maintain regular contact with the supervisor. The supervisor should read the manuscript versions of the thesis, give feedback, advise on scientific writing and correct factual errors. He/she will also be responsible for helping with the design phase, guiding the possible experimental phase of the work, data collection and the use of methods. However, the supervisor's responsibilities do not include, for example, carrying out analyses or analyses on behalf of the student. Once the supervision plan has been approved, the student is committed to working with the supervisor within the agreed time frame. The student discusses and agrees with the supervisor(s) the progression of work and responsibilities in the process and these are recorded on the plan form.

Abstract of the Master's thesis 

The Master's thesis must include a separate abstract. The abstract is written in the same language as the thesis and it is recommended that the abstract is also written in English. A student who is a native speaker of Finnish or Swedish and writes his/her thesis in English or another language must also include an abstract written in his/her mother tongue. The title of the thesis must also be translated into mother tongue (fin or swe). The abstract must include keywords describing the thesis. The abstract is written on the university's general abstract form.

When writing an abstract, it should be assumed that the reader has a general knowledge of the subject. The abstract should be understandable without the need to read the whole thesis. It should be written in complete sentences, not as a list of subheadings. The abstract should not include references or quotations, nor should it contain information or claims that are not included in the thesis itself. 

The abstract should include the purpose and objectives of the study, the research method and data used, the main findings and conclusions drawn from the results, and any need for further research. The abstract form should also mention the supervisor(s).

Master's theses are public. The thesis itself may not include information that is confidential under the Act on the Openness of Public Authorities (621/1999). This includes, for example, business or professional secrets. Any confidential information must be left in the background of the thesis. The examiners of the thesis can see the confidential information, but are bound by a duty of confidentiality. However, the evaluation of the thesis is based on the public part of the thesis. 

Examination of the thesis 

The student must submit the completed Master's thesis for marking by entering the thesis into the electronic system according to the Faculty's instructions. The student must have a valid Master's degree study right in the programme. In addition, the student must be present at the University during the semester in which the thesis is approved and graded. 

Two examiners are appointed by the responsible person. The examiners must be doctoral graduates or equivalent. In addition, Articles 27 and 28 of the Administrative Code (434/2003) provide for the disqualification of examiners. In order to ensure a uniform application of the grading scale, it is recommended that at least one of the examiners should be from the student's own faculty or degree programme. The degree programme shall establish the principles for the appointment of the supervisor(s) and examiners by the responsible person. The second examiner should be a person other than the supervisor.

The examiners must evaluate the thesis in the electronic system.  The examiners' evaluations are based on the components of the assessment matrix. Examiners are expected to be familiar with the use of the assessment matrix.

The assessment can be written in Finnish, Swedish or English. If the author of the Master's thesis is not a native speaker of Finnish or Swedish, examiners must write their assessment in English. When writing the evaluation, attention must be paid to the correspondence between the content of the evaluation and the grade proposed for the thesis. The evaluations must be stored in an electronic system in accordance with the decision of the University of Helsinki.

Thesis marking and grading criteria descriptions (university-level matrix and sub-areas)

The Master's thesis examiners assess points 1-6 and the supervisor assesses point 7. The Master's thesis is graded in each of the sub-areas 1-7. 

1. Thesis objective and research questions
2. Scholarly framework and use of sources
3. Research data and method
4. Presentation of thesis results
5. Discussion and conclusions
6. The thesis as an academic text
7. Work during the thesis process

The Master's thesis will be assessed on a scale of 0-5. The grading criteria are described in a separate assessment matrix. The examiners are required to write their statements in such a way that they cover all the main aspects of the thesis and provide a sufficiently comprehensive justification for the proposed grade. The overall mark for the thesis is the arithmetic mean of the marks awarded by the examiners and the supervisor in each of the sections, with each section having equal weighting from 1 to 7. The calculation of the average grade for the overall mark is based on the grade for the module. The verbal part of the assessment report is based on the criteria set out in the assessment matrix. If both examiners give a mark of 0 in the same area (1-6), the thesis is failed.

Read also the assessment guidelines.

Pedagogical Master's thesis

A student with a subject teacher qualification can write a Master's thesis on pedagogy, focusing for example on research on pupils, students, teachers or student teachers, or on the production and testing of teaching materials/teaching methods in a school or university setting. The Master's thesis in pedagogy should follow the general guidelines for Master's theses of the faculty. The supervisor will ensure that the student writing the pedagogical thesis also receives pedagogical guidance. It is recommended that at least one supervisor with experience of Master's theses in pedagogy or with pedagogical training should be involved in the evaluation process of the Master's thesis in pedagogy. The instructions for educational theses in the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences apply.

Decision making   

The Dean of the Faculty decides on the acceptance and grading of the Master's thesis. If the Dean is unable to attend, the substitution arrangement (HY\173\00.00.06.03\2022) will be applied. For the grading decision, the Dean is provided with the grading report and the grade proposal prepared by the examiners of the Master's thesis. If the examiners disagree with the grade, the responsible person will make a reasoned proposal for the grade. In the event that responsible person is one of the examiners, the programme director will appoint a new responsible person for the thesis. The student will be informed of the grade proposal approximately one week before the Dean's decision. 

Before the Dean's decision, the student may submit a request for the suspension of the grading process before the Dean decision. The suspension must be requested in writing to Viikki Student Services (viikki-student@helsinki.fi) no later than 12.00 noon on the day before the day on which the thesis is to be approved.  The student will be contacted by the responsible person and the relaunching of the marking process will require the submission of a new thesis for the examination procedure. 

A student dissatisfied with the marking decision may apply to the University's Academic Appeals Board for redress in accordance with Article 56 of the Regulations on Degrees and Judicial Protection. The Dean decides on the response to be submitted to the Academic Appeals Board. 

The Faculty Council decides on the guidelines and principles for the marking of Master's theses. The Faculty Council monitors the number of theses graded each semester, the distribution of grades, the number of appeals and the number of students who have request of the examination. The Faculty Council may also request other information if it so wishes.

Maturity test

The Master's degree always includes a written maturity test, which must demonstrate familiarity with the field and content of the Master's thesis. In the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, the maturity test for a Master's thesis is the abstract of the thesis.

Tutkielma on tarkastettava kohtuullisessa ajassa siten, ettei valmistuminen tarpeettomasti viivästy.

Syventävien opintojen tutkielman tarkastaa kaksi opettajaa, joista toisen on oltava tohtorin tutkinnon suorittanut ja toisen vähintään ylemmän korkeakoulututkinnon suorittanut.

Tarkastajien tulee laatia E-Thesis-järjestelmän kautta tutkielmasta tiedekuntaneuvostolle kirjallinen lausunto sekä ehdottaa joko tutkielman hyväksymistä ja arvolausetta tai tutkielman hylkäämistä. Kaikki tutkielmat arvioidaan järjestelmässä olevan yhteisen lomakkeen sisältämien kriteerien pohjalta. Ohje tutkielman pituuden osalta (60-80 sivua).

OTM-koulutusohjelman mukaan tutkintoaan suorittavan tutkielma arvioidaan asteikolla 0-5, jossa 5=erinomainen, 4 =kiitettävä, 3=hyvä, 2=tyydyttävä, 1=välttävä ja 0=hylätty. Tarkemmin arviointia on linjannut Helsingin yliopiston opintoasiainneuvouvosto.

Mikäli tarkastajat ehdottavat, että tutkielma hylätään, on tutkielman tekijälle varattava tilaisuus antaa vastine ennen asian ratkaisemista tiedekuntaneuvostossa.

Helsingin yliopiston johtosäännön mukaan syventävien opintojen tutkielmat hyväksyy tiedekuntaneuvosto.

 

Master's Programme in International Business Law & Master's Programme in Global Governance Law

Assessment of Master’s theses included in second-cycle degrees (Word-file)

If a student is dissatisfied with the grade proposal for a master’s thesis, they can request, in writing, that the grading is suspended before the Faculty Board has made a decision on the matter. This will cancel the grading procedure. The student can continue working on the thesis and the thesis will be graded later. The OTM steering group recommends that at leat one of the teachers grading the thesis should change, if possible, when the thesis is graded again.

Master’s theses in TRANSMED

Students must complete a Master’s thesis independently, not in pairs or groups. Each student is assigned a responsible supervisor who must hold at least a doctoral degree.

Students in the study track Health Industry and Innovation are encouraged to do the thesis as a commission.

The written work is based on the work conducted by the student. The research can be part of a wider research project that aims to produce new scientific knowledge. The thesis should form a coherent entity with clear research question. Any materials, analyses etc. produced by others must be clearly indicated and acknowledged according to good scientific practice. Students must follow good laboratory practices, ethical guidelines of animal handling and use of patient material as well as other laws and guidelines for scientific research so that the results they produce can later be published in a scholarly article, for instance.

Duties and responsibilities of student and supervisor

Before starting the thesis project, the supervisor(s) and the student must complete and sign a supervision agreement. The supervisor and the student must agree on a clearly defined project including a tentative timetable, and the practices in supervision and guidance. The supervisor and his or her unit or research group must provide the student with the necessary material, tools, and equipment. The supervisor must allocate time for scientific supervision and provide feedback and advice on academic writing. The supervisor’s duties do not include carrying out analyses or determinations on behalf of the student.

The supervision agreement must be accompanied by a research plan. The supervision agreement and research plan are approved by the TRANSMED director. 

The student is committed to working with the supervisor and completing the work within the agreed timetable. Responsibility for the progress of the work rests primarily with the student. The student must be provided with the opportunity to stop research, if the time limit set has elapsed and the acquired results are adequate for the writing of the Master’s thesis. If for any reason the supervisor is unable to carry out his or her supervisory duties and this to a significant extent extends the agreed schedule, TRANSMED director must be informed.

Assessment and grading 

The examiners are proposed by the responsible supervisor. Both examiners must hold a doctoral degree and at least one must be a docent or a professor. The supervisor may not have any recent or ongoing collaboration with the examiners. 

The examiners are expected to give a statement and an unequivocal proposal for a grade. If the examiners are unable to reach agreement on the grade, the programme director will nominate a third examiner. If two of the examiners agree upon the grade, that grade be approved by the Dean. If all three examiners disagree, the average of the three proposed grades (rounded up to the nearest integer) will to be approved by the Dean.

Grading scale: 0-5. The grade descriptions are described in a separate assessment matrix. The assessment matrix used in grading will change on 1.1.2025. The matrix to be used in assessment is determined by the date when the thesis is submitted for examination. 

Matrix used in grading until 31.12.2024

Matrix used in grading from 1.1.2025

Student who is not satisfied with the grade proposal can request in writing the grading and approval to be suspended. The student needs to make the request about the suspension of the grading before the thesis and the proposed grade are to be approved by the Dean (by 12.00 on the preceding day the latest). The thesis will then not proceed for approval and grading, but the student may make additions and amendments to the thesis and submit the revised work as new. As a rule, the revised thesis will be assessed by the examiners of the original submission. If an original examiner is not available, the programme director will nominate a new examiner for the re-submission.

Structure and layout

Use of the University of Helsinki template is recommended.

You may use different levels of subheadings to clarify how the text has been organized, but avoid excessive use of subheading levels. A typical thesis is arranged in sections using subheadings as follows:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Table of contents
• List of abbreviations
• Introduction
• Aims of the study
• Materials and methods
• Results
• Discussion
• References

Figures and tables should be placed within the Results-section.

Recommended fonts: Arial 11, Times New Roman 12, or Calibri 12. 
Recommended line spacing: 1.5.

Page setup: A4 portrait. Use page numbers.

As an inspector can act:

• The person in charge of the thesis herself/himself can act as an expert inspector.
• The thesis supervisor with doctoral degree and with teacher status in Department of Food and Nutrition can act as an expert inspector if the person in charge appoints her/him and the person in charge will not act as an expert inspector in this case.
• A person inside the University of Helsinki with the doctoral degree in Food Sciences or other relevant area can act as another expert inspector. However, this person should not be related to supervision of the Master’s thesis in question.
• Only one of the expert inspectors of the Master’s thesis can be from outside the University of Helsinki. It is recommended that one of the expert inspectors of the Master’s thesis would be from outside the University of Helsinki if there are high-quality experts available with doctoral degree in the field relevant to Master’s thesis.

Who can act as an assessor of the thesis?

The general guidelines of the thesis state that the assessor must have completed at least a doctoral degree or a degree of equivalent level. The person in charge of the thesis or the supervisor of the Master's Programme in Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology cannot act as an expert examiner. One of the assessors is always the professor in charge of the programme.

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.

Maturity tests demonstrate students’ familiarity with the field of their thesis.

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.

In what language do students complete their maturity test, and do they demonstrate their language skills through the test?

The language of a maturity test depends on whether the student completed one for their bachelor’s degree and on the language of their secondary education.

• If the language of the student’s secondary education was Finnish or Swedish and their bachelor’s degree included a maturity test taken in that language, the student can complete their maturity test at the master’s level in Finnish, Swedish, English or the language of their thesis. They no longer need to demonstrate their language skills through the maturity test, but rather must demonstrate their familiarity with their field of the thesis. In other words, the maturity test must be marked and approved only in terms of content.

• If the language of the student’s secondary education was Finnish or Swedish, but their bachelor’s degree included no maturity test in that language (e.g., the student completed their bachelor’s degree outside Finland), the student must take a maturity test in the language of their secondary education. In doing so, they demonstrate both their language skills and their familiarity with the field of the thesis. In other words, the maturity test must be marked and approved in terms of both content and writing.
  
  This also applies to students in an English-language master’s programme and those completing an English-language degree in a multilingual master’s programme.

• If the language of the student’s secondary education was not Finnish or Swedish or if the student completed their secondary education in a country other than Finland and is studying in a Finnish- or Swedish-language master’s programme or in a multilingual master’s programme in Finnish or Swedish, the student can take a maturity test in Finnish, Swedish, English or the language of their thesis. In doing so, they demonstrate their familiarity with the field of the thesis. In other words, the maturity test must be marked and approved only in terms of content.
• If the language of the student’s secondary education was not Finnish or Swedish or if the student completed their secondary education outside Finland and is studying in an English-language master’s programme or in a multilingual master’s programme in English, the student must take a maturity test in English. In doing so, they demonstrate their familiarity with the field of the thesis. In other words, the maturity test must be marked and approved only in terms of content.

Master’s thesis

The requirements for a master’s degree include a written master’s thesis, usually consisting of an empirical section and its critical examination using literature related to the research topic. The thesis may also be based solely on literature or other scientific source material. Before starting to write their master’s thesis, students must always draft a separate written thesis plan (word) which must be approved by the degree programme. The overall scope of a master’s thesis is 30 credits, which means that it can be completed in one term when working full-time (approximately four to five months of work, some 20 to 40 pages and 40 to 50 sources, unless it is a literature-based thesis, in which case there are usually far more sources). The thesis must be analytical and focused on the topic, primarily following the style requirements for academic articles. Furthermore, the thesis must observe a consistent system of referencing, on which degree programmes will provide detailed instructions. Even if a master’s thesis is part of a larger research project, students must ensure when devising the master’s thesis plan that it will be possible to complete the thesis in accordance with the scope described in these instructions.

Master’s theses are primarily intended to familiarise students with research work within a given timeframe. The chief supervisor must hold a doctoral degree or equivalent qualifications, the other supervisors, if any, must hold at least a Master’s degree.

Principles of research ethics

Master’s theses must be planned and written in observance of the principles of research ethics, which should be ensured already at the planning stage, for example if the aim is to use animal testing. The Committee for the Ethical Review of Human Sciences does not handle Master's theses. Supervisors of undergraduate theses are responsible for ensuring that theses comply with ethical principles.  It is recommended that theses should avoid research designs in the human sciences that would require ethical peer review. If this kind of permission is needed the license or the decision / permission number should be mentioned in the supervision plan. If personal data is handled in the research project, it is necessary to clarify with the supervisor already in the planning phase of the work how the data protection principles of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be implemented.

Further information on the research ethics principles of the University of Helsinki is available through following links:

• University  of Helsinki, research ethics
• Board for Gene Technology
• Animals in research
• Students can also get acquainted with the use of laboratory animals by attending the course NEU-603 Laboratory Animal Science Design
• Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare/ Ethics committee
• Information on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Research ethical issues must be examined in accordance with common publishing practices in the thesis part material, acquisition of material and analyses (assessment of thesis, section 3).

Writing and language of the thesis 

The master’s thesis can be conducted independently or by participating in a research group or a broader research project. The work must include independent input by the student that can be clearly demonstrated and assessed, and the thesis itself must be independently written. If a degree programme has made a separate decision and instructions on the matter, the master’s thesis can be written as pair work with a fellow student. In such cases, the independent contribution of both students must be clearly demonstrable. Further information on this is available in the degree programme's own instructions. 

The thesis must be written in a language specified in the language guidelines of the University of Helsinki (Rector’s Decision 45/2016, 27 April 2016). As a rule, students write their master’s thesis in the same language as they have chosen as their degree language (Finnish or Swedish), but they can also write it in English. Those completing master’s degree in English, without exception, write their master’s thesis in English. The language of the thesis will be recorded in the master’s thesis plan, to be approved as part of the plan. 

If AI language models are used to produce the thesis, the student must indicate in writing in the thesis which model(s) have been used and in what way (for more information, please read Using AI to support learning).

Students can begin writing their thesis and gain approval for their master’s thesis plan only after being admitted to a master’s programme. At least one supervisor must be appointed to the thesis. Detailed requirements concerning the selection of thesis topics and supervisors are provided by the degree programmes.

The degree programmes have one or more members of their teaching and research staff serving as responsible person(s) for master’s theses and their assessment. Details on the responsible person(s), as well as instructions on thesis layout, drafting a research plan and the system of referencing are provided in programme-specific instructions. These specific instructions are available in the instructions for students under the student’s personal degree programme.

Master’s thesis plan and obligation of the responsible person for the thesis

A master thesis plan is drawn up and must be approved by the programme before the thesis can be carried out. The plans shall be drawn up by using the thesis plan form (word). The plan will be signed by the responsible person for the theses in the degree programme, the student and the supervisor(s). The plan is processed and archived in the degree programme as determined separately by the programme. The supervisor and student are responsible for ensuring that the responsible person for the thesis is informed of the completion of the thesis in time to appoint examiners.

There are separate instructions for writing a thesis in cooperation with an employer.

By signing the plan, the responsible person for the theses in the degree programme approves the thesis topic and confirms that the research equipment and work facilities needed for the work will be at the student’s disposal. Furthermore, the responsible person approves the thesis supervisor(s). The responsible person for the theses in the degree programme may also be appointed as a supervisor. If the responsible person for the thesis is appointed as chief supervisor, the programme must appoint another person as the responsible person for the thesis and in this role he/she will sign the supervision plan and appoint two examiners for this thesis. 

The validity of the master’s thesis plan will also be determined in the plan. The validity of the plan can be extended to the next term, counted from the term in which it was made, and it can be valid for a maximum of nine months. If the plan expires before the student has submitted his/her thesis for examination, the plan must be submitted again for approval by the supervisors and the responsible person for the theses in the degree programme. Short extensions to the deadline may be agreed upon with the responsible person for the purposes of, for example, adding final touches to the writing. The validity must be determined in such a manner that the student has a reasonable time to acquire material for the thesis, conduct the necessary analyses and write the actual thesis. If the student submits the thesis for examination before the validity of the plan expires, the supervisor’s responsibility to supervise will end on that day when the thesis is submitted.

If the topic or supervisor of the master’s thesis changes, or the student’s/supervisor’s personal situation changes so that the thesis cannot be completed in accordance with the original master’s thesis plan, the student must update the plan. If the recorded term of the plan expires and no new plan has been approved, the supervisor is no longer obligated to carry on with his/her supervisory responsibilities.

Master’s thesis abstract

Master’s theses must be accompanied by a separate abstract. The abstract must be written in the language of the thesis, in addition to which it is recommended to write an English-language version of the abstract. Students whose native language is Finnish or Swedish and who write their thesis in English or another language must also write an abstract in their native language, and translate the title of the thesis into their native language. The abstract must include keywords describing the content of the thesis. The abstract must be written on the University’s abstract form (word) (also see attached a model document as a pdf).

When writing the abstract, the author must assume that the readers have a general understanding of the topic. However, the abstract must be understandable to readers when read independently of the thesis. The abstract must also be written in full sentences, not as a list of subheadings. The abstract should not include references, quotations, information or claims not included in the thesis itself.

The abstract should indicate, among other things, the purpose and objectives of the thesis, the research method and materials used, central research results and related conclusions, as well as the potential need for further research. The thesis supervisor(s) must also be stated in the abstract form.

Master’s theses are public documents. The actual thesis to be assessed must include no information intended to remain confidential under the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999) (e.g., business or professional secrets). Such information, if any, must be included only in the background material of the thesis. Assessment of the thesis, however, is based on its public content.

Duties and obligations of the supervisor and the student

Responsibility for the progress of the work rests primarily with the student, who is expected to stay in regular contact with the supervisor. The supervisor must read the various versions of the thesis manuscript, provide feedback, offer advice on academic writing and correct factual errors. The supervisor is also responsible for providing help in the planning stage, as well as steering the experimental stage, the acquisition of material and the use of methods. The student can also use completed data that has been collected earlier as material for the thesis. The duties of the supervisor do not, however, include carrying out analyses or determinations on behalf of the student. After the student’s plan has been approved, he/she has committed to cooperating with the supervisor according to the agreed schedule. The student must discuss and agree on the stages of the work and responsibilities related to the process with the supervisor(s). These will be recorded in the master’s thesis plan. A supervisor from outside the faculty or the Biological and Environmental Sciences is expected to familiarize with the faculty’s instructions for the thesis and examination of the thesis, the assessment areas (described below) and the grading criteria in the assessment matrix (pdf). Moreover, in these cases it is advisable to include at least one supervisor from within the faculty.  

Examination of the master’s thesis

Students must submit their completed master’s thesis for examination by storing the thesis in a digital system (E-thesis). Students must have a valid right to pursue a master’s degree in the relevant degree programme. 

The responsible person for the theses in the degree programme will appoint two examiners for the thesis. The minimum requirement for thesis examiners is a doctoral degree or equivalent qualifications. In addition, the disqualification of examiners is governed by sections 27 and 28 of the Administrative Procedure Act (434/2003). In order to consistently apply the grading scale, among other reasons, it is recommended that at least one of the examiners is from the student’s Faculty or degree programme. Examiners must complete the thesis assessment through a digital system (E-thesis).

Persons who are not experts in the field of the research in question can be appointed as examiners if they have broad experience and perception of this branch of science in general. The supervisor cannot act as an examiner in the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, except in the Master's programme in Environmental Change and Global Sustainability (ECGS) (a joint programme with two other faculties), where the supervisor may also act as an examiner for justified reasons.

When examining a pedagogical master’s theses at least one examiner should be familiar with the pedagogical discipline.

Examiners base their assessment on the sections included in the assessment matrix (pdf). The assessment statement may be written in Finnish, Swedish or English. For those students whose native language is not Finnish or Swedish, the examiners must write their assessment in English. When writing their assessment, the examiners should ensure that its contents correspond with the proposed grade. The time schedule decided by the rector must be followed in the assessment and approvement procedure. Assessments must be stored in the digital system. 

Master’s thesis assessment and grading criteria

In their statements, the master’s thesis examiners will assess areas 1 to 6, while the supervisor will assess area 7. When examining master’s theses, the following aspects are considered, but the final grade is not an arithmetic mean of the grades given for each area: 

1. Thesis objective and research questions
2. Scholarly framework and use of sources
3. Research data and method
4. Presentation of thesis results
5. Discussion and conclusions
6. The thesis as an academic text
7. Work during the thesis process

Master’s theses are graded on a scale of 0 to 5. Grading criteria are described in a separate assessment matrix (pdf). 

A thesis with results that prove inadequate for reasons unrelated to the writer can be approved if the empirical section is completed as planned, the use of material is appropriate, and the scientific approach used in the reporting is acceptable. 

The examiners must draft their statements so that they consider all the main points of the thesis and include justification based on the matrix for the proposed grade. Examiners base their assessment on the sections included in the assessment matrix. The examiners are expected to familiarise themselves with the assessment matrix in accordance with the instructions. When writing their assessment, the examiners should ensure that its contents correspond to the proposed grade. 

Read also the assessment guidelines.

Pedagogical master’s theses

Students who are completing studies required to qualify as a subject teacher may write a pedagogical master’s thesis focused on themes such as research concerned with pupils, students, teachers or subject teacher students, or the production and testing of teaching material/methods in school or university studies. Pedagogical master’s theses must observe the faculty’s general guidelines on master’s theses. The pedagogical master’s thesis must have a connection to the discipline of the degree programme. At least one of the supervisors must be able to offer pedagogical guidance or if not, it must be described in the thesis plan how the pedagogical guidance is arranged. It is advisable to include at least one examiner with experience in pedagogical master’s theses or training in pedagogy in the thesis assessment process. 

Guidelines for pedagogical master's thesis (pdf).

Master’s thesis processing

Decisions on approving master’s theses and their grading are made by the Dean of the faculty.  For the grading decision, the Dean is provided with the examiners’ statements and grade proposal. If expert examiners have differing views on the grade, the responsible person will make a reasoned grade proposal. The student will be notified of the grade proposal approximately a week before a decision on approving the thesis and the grade will be made.

Schedules for assessing and approving master's theses during 2024–2025

The student may submit a written request for the suspension of the grading process before the Dean decides on the grade. This will cancel grading procedures. The suspension must be requested in writing (viikki-student@helsinki.fi) no later than 12.00 noon the day before the thesis is to be approved by the Dean. The student may relaunch the examination process by submitting the amended thesis for examination after having contacted the responsible person for the thesis.

If the student requests that the grading process be discontinued, the master’s thesis cannot be approved or graded. However, the student should bear in mind that interruption of the grading process may prolong the time needed to approve and assess the master’s thesis.

In requesting to discontinue the grading process, the student essentially accepts the issues that the examiners raised in their statements. In this sense the interruption differs from an appeal to dispute a grade submitted after the approval and assessment of the thesis, which implies that the student disagrees with the examiners’ statements.

The examiners are under no obligation to provide further information regarding the issues raised in the written statements or to offer the student guidance or advice on amending the thesis.

Relaunching of the grading process requires that the thesis be submitted as a new work to be assessed by expert examiners. For this to be the case, the thesis must be significantly rewritten (text revision), or the student must have supplemented or replaced empirical material in the thesis to such a degree that the conclusions drawn in the thesis change or the material supporting them becomes significantly stronger (revision of the scientific content). When the student has requested the grading process to be discontinued the supervisor(s) is/are no longer obligated to carry on with his/her supervisory responsibilities.

Once the student has resubmitted the master’s thesis for examination after the grading process has been discontinued, the responsible person of the programme may appoint the same examiners for the thesis or new examiners. The student should be aware that if the only corrections made to the thesis consist of amendments to details raised by the examiners, this does not mean that the corrections will result in a higher grade. When submitting the amended theses for assessment, the grade may also be lower than the previous grade.

A student dissatisfied with the Faculty Council’s grading decision may appeal to the Academic Appeals Board in accordance with section 56 of the Regulations on Degrees and the Protection of Students’ Rights. The Dean decides on the response to be submitted to the Academic Appeals Board. 

The Faculty Council decides on the guidelines and principles for the assessment of master's theses. The Faculty Council monitors the number of theses graded each semester, the distribution of grades, the number of appeals and the number of students who have graduated. Also, the Steering Boards of the Master’s programmes monitor information on approved master’s theses regularly.

Maturity test

The requirements for a master’s degree include a written maturity test, which is intended to demonstrate familiarity with the topic and content of the master’s thesis. The written maturity test is made as a separate examination (essay task(s)) in Examinarium, due to Artificial Intelligence. Details on organising and completing the maturity test are separately announced in degree programme instructions. 

Appendices and links

• The University of Helsinki Abstract document (word), please, also read the instruction and see the model above on this site, in section one)
• Thesis plan form (word)
• Instruction for a master's thesis based on relevant literature or other scholarly source material (pdf)
• Instruction for a pedagogical master's thesis (pdf)
• List of supervisors and examiners for pedagogical master's theses (pdf)
• Assessment matrix (pdf)
• E-thesis (system for submitting thesis for evaluation and publishing it)
• HELDA (University collection of digital theses)

• The maturity test must be a literary work done under supervision.
• It can be done either under personal supervision or in examinarium as a personal exam
  • If it is completed as an examinarium exam, you must create a personal exam for the student:
    • use course code EXAMTEST
    • give the exam a name the student will recognize
    • it is also possible to share a direct link to the exam (however, the personal exam should be visible to the student in examinarium) 
    • If the maturity test has been completed before submitting the grading form (and has been marked on the form as completed) the education coordinator will take care of registering it in sisu. If the maturity test has not been marked as completed (on the form), the supervisor needs to request the registration from arviointi@helsinki.fi. The course code for the maturity test is MATR399.
  • If it is completed under personal supervision, it should be done with pen and paper without the use of a computer.
• The literary work can be for example a short essay (ca. 1-2 pages) on a topic taken taken from the thesis.
• The student has two hours to write the essay.
• Language of the maturity test:
  • The thesis author and the supervisor can agree on the language of the maturity test (Finnish, Swedish or English) if the author has completed a previous university degree in Finland or they are an international student. 
  • However, if they have not completed another university degree (either lower or higher) in Finland and their language of secondary education is Finnish or Swedish, the language of the maturity test must be the language of the secondary education (Finnish or Swedish).

• The maturity test must be a literary work done under supervision.
• It can be done either under personal supervision or in examinarium as a personal exam
  • If it is completed as an examinarium exam, you must create a personal exam for the student:
    • use course code EXAMTEST
    • give the exam a name the student will recognize
    • it is also possible to share a direct link to the exam (however, the personal exam should be visible to the student in examinarium) 
    • If the maturity test has been completed before submitting the grading form (and has been marked on the form as completed) the education coordinator will take care of registering it in sisu. If the maturity test has not been marked as completed (on the form), the supervisor needs to request the registration from arviointi@helsinki.fi.
  • If it is completed under personal supervision, it should be done with pen and paper without the use of a computer.
• The literary work can be for example a short essay (ca. 1-2 pages) on a topic taken taken from the thesis.
• The student has one hour to write the essay.
• Language of the maturity test:
  • The thesis author and the supervisor can agree on the language of the maturity test (Finnish, Swedish or English) if the author has completed a previous university degree in Finland or they are an international student. 
  • However, if they have not completed another university degree (either lower or higher) in Finland and their language of secondary education is Finnish or Swedish, the language of the maturity test must be the language of the secondary education (Finnish or Swedish).