Master's thesis in technology/architecture
This page provides a general overview of the master’s thesis in the fields of technology and architecture (Finnish: diplomityö) and outlines the stages of the thesis process. For detailed guidance on completing your thesis – including information on the thesis process, scheduling and supervision – please refer to the programme-specific instructions at the end of this page. The programme-specific instructions also include information about any master’s thesis courses/seminars that may be offered within your degree programme, along with links to their Moodle pages.
A master’s thesis is the final academic project required for the degree of Master of Science (Technology) or Master of Science (Architecture). It is designed to demonstrate students’ depth of learning and professional competence within their discipline. Completing a master’s thesis requires independent scholarly work and project management skills. The thesis carries 30 credits and is typically completed during the final stage of your MSc-level studies. Theses may be written in Finnish or in the primary language of instruction of your degree programme. Writing the thesis in any other language requires formal approval from your thesis supervisor.
The focus of your thesis may be empirical research, planning and implementation, or a review of existing research literature. Completing a thesis also involves participating in a master’s thesis seminar, giving an oral presentation, serving as an opponent for another student’s thesis, and taking a maturity test. You can write your master’s thesis independently or with one or more of your fellow students. In the case of a co-authored thesis, all students must be able to clearly demonstrate their independent contribution to the work. Master’s theses are assessed according to academic standards using defined assessment criteria and/or an assessment matrix. Once approved, your final thesis will be deposited in the University’s institutional repository.
Stages of the thesis process
Completing a master’s thesis is a process that helps you refine a range of competencies and prepares you for entry into the professional world. The key stages of the thesis process are listed below.
- Choose your topic and plan your thesis project: Select a thesis topic that is both engaging and relevant to your field of study. You can identify a topic independently, choose from those offered by the University, or undertake a thesis commissioned by an external company.
- Thesis supervision: The University will appoint one or two supervisors for your thesis project, one of whom will serve as your primary supervisor. Your supervisors will guide you in academic writing and help you develop the content and structure of your thesis. Typically, your primary thesis supervisor will also serve as the examiner of your thesis. If your thesis is commissioned by an external company, a supervisor from that company will support you in conducting research and implementing the practical aspects of your project. You must discuss your thesis topic and proposed approach with your supervisors. They will assist you in planning your thesis and offer scientific guidance. You must prepare a Thesis Supervision Plan in collaboration with your supervisors.
- Conduct your research: Prepare a research plan and follow it systematically. The research component of your thesis may consist of an empirical study, focus on planning and implementation, or take the form of a literature review. Conducting research requires information retrieval skills and a solid understanding of research methodologies.
- Write your master’s thesis: Master’s theses must comply with the principles of research ethics and academic writing. Make sure your thesis is clearly written and coherently organised. While writing, refer to the University’s Guide to Writing a Thesis in Technical Fields and use the designated MSc thesis template.
- Master’s thesis seminar and presentation: You are expected to participate in a master’s thesis seminar, where you will present your thesis to your peers and receive feedback. This presentation is an important part of your thesis project. If your degree programme does not include a master’s thesis seminar, other forms of instruction or activities to support your thesis progress may still be available.
- Maturity test: As part of your thesis project, you must complete a maturity test to demonstrate your understanding of the thesis topic and your ability to express yourself using an academic writing style. For international master’s students the abstract of your master’s thesis will serve as your maturity test at the MSc stage. When you submit your master’s thesis for evaluation, your thesis examiner assesses the abstract’s content, and the approved maturity test result is recorded in Sisu in the Faculty. There is no language checking at all.
- Submit your thesis for examination and publish your final thesis: After your thesis has passed an originality check using the Turnitin system, it will be evaluated according to academic standards. The final version of your thesis will be made publicly accessible via Trepo, the University’s institutional repository.
How to get started with your master’s thesis
To begin your thesis project, you must have sufficient expertise both in terms of your subject area and the expected learning outcomes of your degree programme. Before you can start working on your thesis, you must have either completed your bachelor’s degree or received formal approval for your bachelor’s thesis. You should begin preparing for your thesis project early, ideally at the start of your MSc-level studies. This will give you enough time to explore potential topics and secure a potential thesis placement. Finding a suitable thesis topic or placement can take longer than expected.
Choose your topic and plan your thesis project: When selecting a thesis topic, consider areas that genuinely interest you. Choose a topic that is related to themes covered in your coursework, aligns with research conducted at the University, or is commissioned by an external company. You can also consult teaching staff responsible for advanced studies in your field. To find their contact details, please visit the advanced study module pages in the Sisu system. You can also choose a topic independently, without external commissioning or a paid placement.
Register for the master’s thesis seminar/ course: You need to register for the master’s thesis seminar or course included in your degree programme. The seminar is designed to support your independent thesis work by helping you define your research problem, structure your thesis, select appropriate research methods, analyse your data and report your findings. If your degree programme does not include a master’s thesis seminar or course, other forms of instruction or activities to support your thesis progress may still be available.
Training in information retrieval: Participate in the University Library’s information retrieval training, which is especially designed to support students during the thesis writing stage. The training covers areas such as locating relevant sources, structuring your research topic, evaluating the credibility of sources, and using sources ethically throughout your thesis project. If necessary, you can also attend a workshop that offers additional guidance on search techniques and practical tips for accessing information related to your thesis topic.
How to proceed with your thesis
Thesis supervisor(s): The University will appoint one or two supervisors for your master’s thesis, with one serving as your primary supervisor. These supervisors are assigned based on your thesis topic. They are typically members of the teaching staff responsible for advanced studies in your field or other teaching and research personnel. If your thesis is commissioned by a company, you will usually also be assigned a supervisor from that company. Your company-appointed supervisor will primarily support you in conducting research and managing the practical aspects of your project, whereas your University-appointed supervisor will focus on guiding your academic writing and helping you refine the content and overall structure of your thesis.
Kick-off meeting and Thesis Supervision Plan: When beginning your thesis project, arrange a meeting with your supervisor to agree on the supervisory practices. Discuss your thesis topic and goals in more detail with your supervisor during this meeting. You must also prepare a Thesis Supervision Plan in collaboration with your supervisor in accordance with your faculty’s guidelines. This plan outlines, for example, the frequency of supervisory meetings and the key stages of your thesis project. It also specifies the expected timeframe for the completion of your thesis, which determines the duration of the supervisory relationship. With the thesis supervision plan, the responsible supervisor also nominates examiners at the beginning of the thesis process.
Research plan: Prepare a preliminary research plan and arrange a meeting with your supervisors so they can review it. As the research plan serves as a framework for your thesis, it is important to prepare it carefully and review it thoroughly with all your supervisors. You can update your research plan as your work progresses. If your thesis is commissioned by a company, you can refer checklist for the kick-off meeting.
If the research component of your thesis involves collecting personal data, agree on the data processing procedures with your supervisor and consult the University’s data protection guidelines. You should also review the guidelines for academic ethics and research integrity.
While writing your thesis, attend the agreed supervisory meetings, maintain regular communication with your supervisors, and feel free to ask for their advice. Students complete their thesis under supervision but are personally responsible for its completion. Supervision is a collaborative process in which both the student and the supervisors contribute by requesting, providing and receiving feedback.
Writing your thesis: While writing your thesis, please refer to the University’s Guide to Writing a Thesis in Technical Fields and use the designated MSc thesis template. Instructions for using these resources will be provided during the master’s thesis seminar/course. The University Library’s Writing and citing page offers information on academic writing, reference management software and citation practices. The Library’s Researcher’s guide to responsible and open science provides guidance on publishing research findings and copyright considerations.
LaTex template in GitLab
Typst template in GitLab
Use of AI: As a general rule, students are permitted to use AI applications to support their learning. Any use of AI, including how it is acknowledged, must comply with Tampere University’s guidelines. You must agree on the principles for AI use during your thesis project with your primary supervisor. More detailed instructions on the use of AI are available on the Student's Guide page How to use AI in studies.
Our guidance and counselling services provide a dedicated intranet page with useful information about the support available at the University: Other help and support for writing a thesis.
How to polish and finalise your thesis?
When your master’s thesis is approaching completion, consult your supervisors to agree on the final steps and the preliminary examination of your thesis. If the language of the maturity test you completed as part of your bachelor’s thesis was not assessed, you must take a new maturity test. Once the preliminary examination and final revisions are complete, your supervisor will give you permission to submit your thesis for formal examination.
Maturity test and demonstration of language skills in degrees
Good to know before submitting your thesis for examination
Submitting a master’s thesis for examination: After receiving permission from your primary supervisor, upload your thesis to the Turnitin system for an originality check. Once your supervisor has reviewed the Similarity Report generated by Turnitin, you can deposit your thesis in the institutional repository Trepo. Please note that you must be registered as attending at Tampere University in order to submit a thesis for examination and receive credits.
You will receive an email from the University Library within three working days after depositing your thesis in Trepo. This email will include the web address where the examiner(s) can access your thesis. You must forward this email to the examiner(s) as soon as it arrives. The examiners will have 21 days to assess your master’s thesis (This deadline is extended to 28 days if you must also complete a maturity test as part of your master’s thesis).
Submitting your thesis for examination
Master’s theses are graded on a scale of 0–5. The grading scale is: 1 (=Sufficient), 2 (=Satisfactory), 3 (=Good), 4 (=Very Good) and 5 (=Excellent). Architecture Master's theses are graded on a pass/fail scale. The Faculty Council determines the assessment criteria.
The criteria for assessing theses in the fields of architecture, computing and electrical engineering are available in the faculty-specific sections on this page.
The examiners’ statement and proposed grade will be sent to your tuni.fi email address.
If you are satisfied with the examination of your thesis, you may expedite the process and the recording of the grade into your academic records by promptly notifying the Study Services within your faculty of your decision via email. This means the Dean will confirm the grade of your thesis in accordance with the examiners’ statement.
Written response: If you are dissatisfied with the proposed grade for your thesis, you may submit a written response to the examiner’s statement within seven (7) days. This seven-day period begins on the date the email containing the proposed grade is sent to your tuni.fi email address. Submit your written response to your Faculty, where it will be reviewed by the Dean. The Dean will decide whether further action is warranted or whether the original grade proposed by the examiners should remain unchanged. The Dean may also appoint an additional examiner to review your thesis or refer the matter to the Faculty Council for further consideration.
Once a thesis has been approved, it is considered final and cannot be resubmitted.
Appeals
If you are dissatisfied with the grade awarded for your thesis, you may submit a written appeal to the Faculty Council. The appeal must be submitted within 14 days from the date on which you had the opportunity to access the assessment results and information on how the assessment criteria were applied to your thesis.