Guide­lines for the Mas­ter of Arts the­sis pro­ject (Praxis)

If you are completing your thesis project based on the old curriculum, please read the old Master thesis project guidelines: Praxis (Exhibition Studies)

Contents, objectives and schedule of the thesis project

There are two alternatives for the master’s thesis project in the Praxis Master’s programme: A) planning and executing a practical curatorial project as well as a written component or B) a written thesis.

The learning outcomes of the thesis project are:

The student is able to execute a project and examine it critically or to study their chosen topic from a theoretical perspective. The student creates an understanding of how their work is situated in the context of contemporary art and what kinds of goals they want to pursue through their work.

Alternative A: once the student has completed the thesis project, they will be able to carry out a curatorial project and to describe and analyse it in relation to relevant critical and artistic contexts both in oral and in written form. The student is also able to reflect on the work in the context of contemporary art.

Alternative B: when the thesis is completed, they will be able to collect material and knowledge related to the specific question of contemporary art. This will include the ability to: outline and structure, critically evaluate different forms of knowledge and analyse material using research literature and an appropriate methodology. In addition, the student will have the opportunity to master the different genres of research writing and find one’s own voice. The student is able to write the text required for the thesis in the style they have chosen.

The student is awarded 30 credits for the successful completion of the thesis project.

Support for compiling the thesis project is provided by the professor of the responsibility area or by another supervising teacher designated by the responsibility area (referred to as supervising teacher in these guidelines). The student is also designated a separate thesis project supervisor (referred to as supervisor in these guidelines) who supports the content-related aspects of the thesis project, in particular. If needed, the student can receive support for for compiling the written component of their thesis project also from a writing teacher (referred to as writing teacher in these guidelines).

The student must work in cooperation with the supervising teacher, and they may not present the practical component of the thesis project unless it has been approved by the supervisor as part of the project plan.

Remember to read the guidelines for processing personal data. When carrying out thesis projects in the field of fine arts, you may need to refer to private conversations you have had with another person or to an idea that was created in cooperation with someone else. In these cases, make sure that you have the consent from the person you mention for using their personal data in your thesis project (link to the university’s data protection guidelines: https://student.uniarts.fi/guides/personal-data-processing-in-thesis-projects-or-study-attainments/). 

The curatorial work, its public presentation and the written thesis must adhere to ethical research and artistic practices. The Code of Conduct applied to research and artistic work at Uniarts Helsinki can be found on the university website.   

Structure of the thesis project

The thesis project in the Praxis Master’s programme consist of either alternative A or alternative B; a hybrid combination of the two is not permitted:

Alternative A:

A curatorial project consists of a practical component, such as an exhibition, or an event, supported by a written component that includes all relevant documentation. The practical component involves developing and implementing a project management plan, for example organising an exhibition or event, and is accompanied by a written component that explains, contextualises, and documents the project.

Components:

1. Curatorial project: 

• Plan and execute one curatorial project (such as an exhibition or equivalent event). 
• Include visual documentation that accurately represents the exhibition/event. 
• Invite examiners to all exhibitions/events related to the thesis project 
  • The invitation must clearly state that it concerns a thesis project 
• If the practical component is presented differently, inform examiners about the method and location. 

2. Written component of 15-25 pages without images (approx. 1,800 characters per page without spaces, totalling 27,000 – 45,000 characters): 

• Reflective analysis of the project’s process, execution, and content. 
• Evaluation of how the implementation aligns with the original project plan. 
• Contextualisation of the project in relation to: 
  • Contemporary art and curatorial practice. 
  • Research, audience engagement, and societal or spatial contexts.

Alternative B: A written thesis

• The student produces a written thesis of 40-60 pages without images (approx. ~1,800 characters per page without spaces, totalling 72,000 – 108,000 characters), where they show profound knowledge of a theme related to the Praxis Master’s programme, and of contemporary art.  
• In the thesis, the student must demonstrate their familiarity with the thesis topic, ability to use chosen research methods, and proficiency in academic writing. In addition to discussing their topic from the perspective of a discipline with a long tradition in art research, such as curatorial practice and theory, exhibition histories, art history and theory, philosophy and history, the thesis must include a discussion of how the work is contextualised within the field of contemporary art.  
• Before embarking on the thesis, the student must agree on a thesis plan with the supervising teacher.

Schedule of the thesis project

First year of the master’s studies, spring term:

• Start of the master’s thesis seminar (K-MP25151A)  
• Develop a thesis project plan  
• Decide on a research question 
• Develop an appropriate timeline to plan the composition and execution of the thesis project  
• Select a supervisor and arrange the first supervision meeting 
• Preparation work for the written component of the thesis project begins in connection with the thesis seminar

Second year of the master’s studies, autumn term:

•  Continued attendance at the master’s thesis seminar  
• Work for the written component of the thesis project continues in connection with the thesis seminar  
• Examiners for the thesis project are selected 
• If a student chooses the alternative A, the practical component is executed during this period.  

Second year of the master’s studies, spring term:

• Continued attendance at the master’s thesis seminar
  • Presentation of the thesis project
• Finalising the written component 
• Submission of the thesis project and the maturity essay for preliminary examination at least three weeks before the submission deadline 
• Submission of the written component of the thesis project in April (exact date TBC)

Notes on the schedule:

• At least three weeks should be allotted for preliminary examination, but the student can also submit the thesis project for preliminary examination before that (see section 3.1: Submission of the written component).  
• Please check the submission schedule for the written component of the thesis project on the Students’ Uniarts website.

Written component of the thesis project (option A or B)

During the thesis seminar, the student receives support in their writing process. Through their writing, the student examines the field of contemporary art, exhibitions and other exhibiting methods as well as research and literature that is central to their thesis project.   

If needed, the student can receive a maximum of five hours of support for the written component of their thesis project from a writing teacher.  

A hybrid combination of the two aforementioned options (A) or (B) not permitted. 

References

Students must use references when discussing ideas expressed by another person. A list of references and literature must be included at the end of the written component. Instructions on citing references, sources and literature are available on Students’ Uniarts.

Language of the thesis

Students must complete the thesis in the language of their degrees (section 35 of t the Degree Regulations of Uniarts Helsinki). This also applies to the language of the written component. Students can apply for the right to complete a written thesis in a language other than the one used for the degree in their thesis project plan.   

Use of images in the thesis project

All images used in the thesis project must be accompanied by detailed information about the image and its source. It is important to include this information even if you have personally made the works depicted in the images or taken the photographs yourself. Make sure that all images are used in accordance with the prevailing copyright laws. In general, images can be used more freely in student theses than in commercial publications, but you should nevertheless check the precise instructions regarding to the publishing of images in the ImagOA resource guide. You should not use an image in your thesis project unless you are certain that you have the right to publish it. 

For more information, please check the ImagOA resource guide: 

 The title page of the written component must include:

• The student’s name 
• Title of the thesis project  
• Academy (Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Helsinki) and the academy logo 
• A text indicating that the written component is part of an master’s thesis project 
• Date of submission of the thesis project 

The first pages of the written component must clearly indicate:

• What the practical and written components include and how emphasis is placed between them. 
• All the information about the works related to the practical component and their presentation 
• The supervisor and examiners of the thesis project. 
• If the thesis project, or any part of it, has been produced in collaboration with other students, the first pages of the written component must include a description of the division of labour between all the contributing students. 

An alternative way of documentation for special cases:

Under special circumstances, the written component can be produced in some other way. If this is deemed necessary, the student must state the reasons in their thesis project plan, and the supervising teacher of the student’s subject area must approve the special arrangements. Students who need additional support (for example, because of learning difficulties) in the preparation of the thesis project may apply for individual study arrangements. The student can acquire a certificate of their condition from an expert and discuss the situation with their teacher. By doing this, the special needs can be taken into consideration in the approval of the thesis project plan and the evaluation of the thesis project. The student can also be provided with supplementary supervision, if necessary. 

Master’s maturity essay

The student will write a one-page (c. 1,800 characters) abstract, which constitutes the maturity essay of the master’s degree. The abstract briefly describes the essential contents of the thesis project, and it must include a short account of both the practical and the written component. The abstract should provide a concise description of the most important parts of the thesis project to someone unfamiliar with the project. The abstract should be titled “abstract”. If the student so wishes, they can write a separate introduction to the thesis project, and the title of this introduction can be chosen more freely. The abstract is attached to the beginning of the written component of the thesis, and it is submitted for preliminary examination together with the written component.  

Thesis grant

The Academy of Fine Arts supports the completion of the thesis project with a thesis grant. The exact sum to be awarded is established at the beginning of the autumn term. The thesis grant is intended to cover the costs related to completing the thesis project. The student is allowed to start using the grant funds once their thesis project plan has been approved. You must refer to the information about the use of the grant on the Students’ Uniarts website.  

Thesis project plan and the selection of supervisor and examiners

Thesis project plan

The thesis project plan is made by using an electronic form on the Students’ Uniarts website. The thesis project plan is written in the same language as the written component of the thesis project. 

The thesis project plan comprises an overall plan for the execution of the thesis project. The plan should include the following information:

• A short description of the themes of the thesis project and the execution of the project 
• The schedule of the thesis project (incl. the target date of the examination of the thesis project) 
• The language of the thesis project  
• The supervisor of the thesis project and their contact information 
• Information about alternative ways of documentation if the written component is not in text form 
• A timeline indicating how the project is managed (pertains to the practical component).  

If you wish to complete a written thesis in a language that differs from the language of your degree, you must apply for the right to do so in the plan. In this case, you must justify in your plan why you wish to complete your written thesis in a language other than your own degree language. You must write the reasoning in the language in which you wish to write your thesis. Example: If the student’s degree language is Finnish and they wish to write a written thesis in English, they must write their justification in English.  The right to use a language other than that used for the degree is determined by the dean.  

The thesis project plan is approved by the supervising teacher of the student’s responsibility area. The student will be notified by email once the thesis project plan has been approved. The student is allowed to receive supervision and apply for the thesis grant only after the thesis project plan has been approved. The student must discuss any changes to the thesis project plan with their supervising teacher and notify the Study Services and the Production Services of the changes. If necessary, the student must also inform the supervisor of the thesis project of the changes.  

Note that the master’s thesis project plan will expire in three years after its approval if the thesis project has not been submitted for examination. If the plan expires, the student must write a new plan with an updated schedule and supervision information and have it approved by their supervising teacher.  

Thesis supervision and the selection of the supervisor
 

Selection of the supervisor

The student is entitled to receive a maximum of ten hours of supervision for their thesis project. The student will discuss the suitable supervisor for the thesis project in advance with their supervising teacher. The supervising teacher must ensure that the student’s supervisor is chosen appropriately. 

The supervisor is expected to have the necessary expertise in fine arts and contemporary art to be able to supervise a master’s thesis project. The supervisor must be significantly more advanced in the field of supervision than the supervised student. The supervisor cannot be studying for the same (or a lower) degree as the supervised student during the supervision process. The language used in thesis project should also be taken into account in the selection of supervisor. Thesis projects are not translated, which is why the supervisor must understand the language of the thesis project. 

After having a discussion with their supervising teacher, the student will contact the potential supervisor and ask if they are willing to take on the job. The supervising teacher confirms the choice of supervisor when approving the thesis project plan, after which the Academy of Fine Arts Study Services submit the supervision-related guidelines to the supervisor. After the supervising teacher has approved the supervisor choice, the student submits a copy of their thesis project plan to their supervisor and agrees on the first supervision meeting.  

Supervision of a thesis project

The supervisor of the thesis project is responsible for mentoring the student’s work, supervising the contents of the work, and following the progress of the project. The supervisor must inform the student and their supervising teacher in good time if they think that the work does not conform with the requirements set for a master’s thesis project and if it cannot be submitted for evaluation within the schedule set by the student. 

The supervising teacher’s task is to support the thesis project and to serve as the preliminary examiner of the written component of the thesis project. Students who are working on their master’s thesis projects can receive supervision in the compiling of the written component from the writing teachers. 

Supervisor’s fee

The Academy of Fine Arts will compensate the supervisor for a maximum of ten hours of instruction. The supervision session lasts 60 minutes, which includes a 15-minute break. The supervisor’s fee is paid according to the Uniarts Helsinki fee decision. The supervisor’s fee is taxable income. No fee is paid to a monthly salaried member of the teaching staff of the Academy of Fine Arts. 

In order for the fee to be paid, the supervisor must provide the Study Services with current information related to the bank transfer. The fee payer receives the up-to-date tax data directly from the tax authority’s database for the taxation of the fee recipient, unless the tax card is for a different type of income, i.e. a tax-at-source card. 

Selection of the examiners

Two examiners are assigned to each thesis project. The supervising teacher selects competent examiners for the student’s thesis project. If the supervising teacher is also the supervisor or the examiner of the thesis project, they cannot make a decision on the examiners. In such case, the decision is made by another supervising teacher of the subject area or the vice dean responsible for teaching. 

The Study Services of the Academy of Fine Arts will be in touch with the examiners and send them instructions for the examination of a thesis project. The supervising teacher agrees on the time of the examination event with the examiners and invites the examiners to the examination event.  

The supervising teacher confirms the schedule for the examination event for the student and the examiners after the thesis project has been submitted. Supervising teachers inform the community of the event via the student and teacher email list. 

Submission of the written component / written thesis

Preliminary examination

The written component of the thesis project is sent to the supervising teacher of the responsibility area for preliminary examination prior to the final submission of the thesis project. In the preliminary examination, the supervising teacher will read the written component of the thesis project to ensure that its contents meet the criteria set for the thesis project. The student will receive support to finalise the written component, if necessary. The student should be in touch with the supervising teacher concerning the schedule of the preliminary examination well in advance. A minimum of three weeks should be reserved for the preliminary examination. 

In connection with the preliminary examination, the student may still make corrections and amendments to the text. The student is responsible for corrections and the extent to which they make use of the feedback given when finalising their work before they submit it for evaluation.  

As part of the preliminary examination, the supervising teacher will review the summary of the thesis project, which serves as the maturity test of the thesis project. 

Originality check (plagiarism detection)

In connection with the final submission of the completed thesis, its originality is checked to detect any instances of plagiarism. Checking the originality of a thesis involves detecting similarities with previous student works, material available on the internet and material that has been previously published. Students will receive a link from the supervising teacher to the Moodle area, which is intended for checking the originality of the written thesis. The supervising teacher is responsible for checking the originality and the interpreting the results. More detailed instructions for using the Turnitin plagiarism detection system are available on the Students’ Uniarts website.  

Submission of the written component

Once the written component has been pre-examined and the supervising teacher has approved it for examination, it is submitted electronically to three locations: 

1. Study Services
2. Uniarts Library Publishing Archive
3. Plagiarism detection

After submission, no further changes can be made to the thesis project. Read the more detailed submission instructions below. 

1. Submission to the Study Services

The thesis is submitted in PDF/A format as a single file by email to:   kuva.opinnaytteet@uniarts.fi (max. file size 10Mb).

The file should include the written component in its entirety: the title page, abstract, text, images, and a list of references and works cited. If the thesis involves a verbally recorded presentation and not just written text, agree on the file format and submission with the Study Services. 

Instructions for saving the digital version (PDF/A) of the thesis project can be found in the following link, for example:

2. Saving a file in the library’s Taju repository

When submitting the written component of the thesis project for examination, the student must save their work also in the Taju publication repository in accordance with the library’s instructions.

Every student must do it even if they do not give their permission to have their thesis project published online. The version that is saved in Taju must be the same as the one submitted to the examiners.

3. Saving the file in the Turnitin plagiarism detection system

Students must also save the PDF/A version of the thesis in the Turnitin folder, where the work is indexed in the plagiarism detection system. After reviewing the work in this folder, the supervising teacher for the thesis project approves the plagiarism detection process and informs the student of the approval and fills in an examination form that is delivered to the study services coordinator. The version that the student submits for the final plagiarism detection must be the same file that they sent to the examiners.

Acceptance of the thesis project and registration of studies

Once the examination event has been held and the examiners have submitted their final examination opinions to the Academy of Fine Arts, the supervising teacher who carried out the preliminary examination will either support or not support the approval of the thesis. If the supervising teacher does not support the approval of the thesis, they must notify the Study Services without delay. The thesis is finally submitted to the vice dean responsible for teaching for approval.   

Once the master’s thesis project has been approved, the student will receive a notification of the decision together with the examiner’s statements. If the vice dean does not approve the thesis project, the student is provided instructions for supplementing the work. 

The credits for the thesis project will be registered in the student’s record of credits after the thesis project has been approved. 

The student cannot receive partial credit for the thesis project prior to its approval. According to the Education Regulations of the Academy of Fine Arts, completed studies are valid for a maximum of ten years. Expired studies will not be accepted as part of a degree. 

Fail as the proposed grade

If either one or both of the examiners propose that the thesis project should receive a grade of Fail (0), the student will be notified of the proposal prior to the submission of their thesis project.  

In such case, the student can either

1) announce the suspension of the process and ask the supervising teacher of their subject area for instructions on how to amend the thesis project. In this case, the student will make corrections to the thesis project and then resubmit it. The examination of the resubmitted thesis project can only start after the supervising teacher of the subject area has granted their permission.  

or  

2) continue the process and provide the vice dean with a written response to the examiner’s statements, which the vice dean will take into consideration in their discussion of the thesis project. If one of the examination statements is unfavourable, the vice dean asks a third examiner to assess the thesis project based on the written component and the documentation included in it before decision-making. 

Request for rectification

If the student is not satisfied with the grading of the thesis project, they can submit a written request for rectification to the decision-maker within 14 days of the date of notification. If the student is dissatisfied with the decision-maker’s decision regarding the request, they can bring the matter to the Academic Appeals Board of Uniarts Helsinki within 14 days of being informed of the decision. More information on requesting a rectification from the Academic Appeals Board is available on the Students’ Uniarts website.

Archiving and publicity of the thesis project

Thesis projects are stored by the Academy of Fine Arts Study Services for the duration of the valid rules on storage periods, after which they will be archived by Uniarts Helsinki. Thesis projects are public, which is why they cannot include material that cannot be published due to copyright reasons. Depending on the student’s preference, the written components of their thesis projects are available in the Taju publication repository online as open access material or only on site on the library computers. 

You can find more information on copyrights on the Students’ Uniarts website and in the student agreement that each student signs at the beginning of studies.

Instructions to the examiners of the thesis project

The examination of the master’s thesis project consists of the evaluation of a written thesis or the practical and written component of a thesis project.  

The examiners should be given a minimum of three weeks to write the examiner’s statement after they have received the written component of the thesis project.  

The Academy of Fine Arts will notify the examiners of the requested schedule when the written component is submitted to them for examination. If the examiner is unable to comply with the schedule, they must inform the Study Services and the student of the delay well in advance.  

The finalised, written examiner’s statement will be submitted to the Study Services. The vice dean responsible for teaching will take the statement into consideration in the grading of the thesis project and the decision on its approval. 

Examiner’s statement

The evaluation of the practical and the written components of the thesis project are included in the examiner’s statement. The statement also includes the examiner’s proposal for the grade of the thesis project. The grade proposal should be explicitly expressed in the statement. 

The examiners will write their statements once they have evaluated the thesis project in its entirety. The Academy of Fine Arts will not accept statements on individual parts of the project. The examiners are not allowed to comment on any part of the thesis project until the entire project is completed. 

The evaluation must be based on the guidelines for the master’s thesis project.  

Should the examiner recommend that the thesis project receive a grade of Fail, they must inform the Academy of Fine Arts Study Services of the grade proposal in writing, along with the grounds, at least one week prior to the date set as the deadline for submitting the examiner’s statement.

The examiner’s statement is submitted with a separate form that must include the following parts: 

1. Title: Examiner’s statement of an master’s thesis project 
2. Student’s name 
3. Time and place for the public presentation of the artistic component of the thesis project 
4. The main statement 
5. Proposed grade: 0-5 
6. Date of the statement 
7. Examiner’s name 

The requested length of the statement is 2–3 pages.  

The examiner can write the examiner’s statement in Finnish, Swedish or English. The student’s language proficiency must be taken into consideration in the language used in the statement, as the student has the right to receive the statement in a language which they can understand. The language of the statement is discussed when the examiner agrees to undertake examiner’s duties. The Academy of Fine Arts will not order translations for the thesis projects or the examiner’s statements. If the student has dyslexia or another kind of learning disorder, the examiners will be provided with a medical certificate of the student’s condition, and they must take this information into consideration in their evaluation.  

Evaluation guidelines and grades

The thesis project is evaluated as a whole. The evaluation of the practical component is based on curatorial merit. The evaluation of the written component, on the other hand, focuses on clarity of expression, showing insight in the selection and definition of the topic, research question, perspective and methods used. The assessment also considers the balance and the relationship between the text and the practical component of the thesis project.  

As for thesis option B that includes a written thesis, the evaluation is based on the student’s research merits. The assessment focuses on the student’s clarity of expression, insight in the selection and definition of the topic, research question, perspective and methods used. In addition, the student must be familiar with relevant research and literature and be able to use a wide range of sources analytically and critically. They must also be able to use the method in a critical way and report the outcomes or conclusion clearly.  

The examiners provide a more detailed evaluation of the strengths and shortcomings of the contents and structure of the project in their reports. The examiners can discuss the grade proposal with each other if they so wish. The final grade is approved by the vice dean of teaching after hearing the supervising teacher. 

Examiner’s fee

The Academy of Fine Arts pays a fee to the examiner for providing the evaluation, writing the examiner’s statement and participating in the public examination. The examiner’s fee is paid in accordance with Uniarts Helsinki’s fee decision. The examiner’s fee is taxable income. No fee is paid to a monthly salaried member of the teaching staff of the Academy of Fine Arts. 

In order for the fee to be paid, the examiner must provide the Study Services of the Academy of Fine Arts with current information related to the bank transfer. The fee payer receives the up-to-date tax data directly from the tax authority’s database for the taxation of the fee recipient, unless the tax card is for a different type of income, i.e. a tax-at-source card.