Master thesis project guidelines: Theatre and Drama, Dance, Art and Design
These are the guidelines for completing the master’s thesis project.
The Theatre Academy confers Master of Arts (Theatre and Drama), Master of Arts (Dance) and Master of Arts (Art and Design) degrees. These thesis project guidelines present the most key rules and instructions regarding master’s thesis projects carried out at the academy. In these guidelines, the term “degree programme” refers to both five-year degree programmes and two-year master’s programmes.
1. Master’s thesis project
Master’s degrees include a master’s thesis project, which at the Theatre Academy consists of 25–35 credits. The intended learning outcomes of the thesis project are described in the curricula. The thesis project will become public once it has been approved by the Teaching Council.
1.1. Thesis project seminar
Thesis project work includes a thesis project seminar where you are given guidance on preparing a thesis project and are introduced to the requirements and objectives of the thesis project as well as the examination process. Detailed information about seminars is provided in the Study Guide.
1.2. Thesis project plan
Before starting your thesis project or at the early stages of the process, you are required to draw up a thesis project plan.
When preparing the plan, discuss the topics, objectives, research questions, structure, supervisors, examiners, and publicity of the thesis project with the head of the degree programme or a teacher authorised by them. Your project topic must be related to the field of your degree programme.
The topic (for both the artistic/artistic-pedagogical and the written/reflective component), implementation method and schedule of the thesis project are recorded in the thesis project plan. The names of the thesis project supervisors and examiners are also included in the plan. The thesis project plan must be completed before the production of the artistic/artistic-pedagogical component. You must submit the finalised plan to the planning officer of your degree programme. The head of the degree programme approves the plan.
Thesis project plans expire within two years. If the thesis project has not been approved by the Teaching Council within two years of the approval of the thesis project plan, the student must submit a new plan for approval. In this case, the head of the degree programme will decide how the existing thesis project plan should be applied or updated.
1.3. Content of the thesis project
The thesis project can be
- an artistic/art-pedagogical work along with a related written or reflective component
- a thesis
Detailed information about the form, scope and learning outcomes of the thesis project is provided in the curricula. The thesis project also demonstrates the student’s ability to work independently.
The purpose of the artistic component in the thesis project is to demonstrate the student’s competence and knowledge of the artistic field and topic in question. The artistic component of the work must be produced in a professional setting.
Students in the theatre and dance pedagogy master’s degree programmes complete a thesis project with an art-pedagogical component. The aim of the thesis project is to demonstrate the student’s art-pedagogical views and document their growth as an artist and teacher. In these thesis projects, the topic of the written component must be related to the art-pedagogical component that is being reviewed.
The written or reflective component must demonstrate knowledge of the project topic and the ability to communicate about artistic issues. The work should discuss the topic, justifications for its selection, and conclusions. The length can be 30–60 pages depending on the nature of the work, excluding the table of contents, references, and appendices.
The topic of the written/reflective component does not necessarily have to relate to the subject of the artistic component, but it must contain an angle relating to the degree programme in question. This requirement is explained in more detail in the curriculum. The written component may also consist of the documentation, planning and review of the artistic work process. The objectives, scope and contents of the written or reflective component are discussed in further detail in the thesis project seminar of the degree programme.
A thesis can be theoretical and based on literature, or it can have an empirical/practical component. The empirical/practical component can be for instance an interview material, a teaching practice, a teaching plan or other project implemented in practice and examined in the written thesis.
In the thesis, the student must demonstrate knowledge of the subject matter, the ability to independently conduct research, competence in the research methods, and ability to articulate issues relating to their field in a research context. The scope of a written thesis is about 60 pages, excluding appendices.
The artistic component of a thesis project or a thesis can be completed jointly by two or more students, provided that the student has written it down in the thesis project plan and it has the approval of the head of the programme. The written component must be completed independently.
The student must provide an explanation of how the collaboration was carried out and demonstrate their share of the work. The explanation is provided either in the written component of the thesis project or in a separate appendix. In the case of an artistic work, the report must be submitted by the time the artistic work is examined. In addition, the Teaching Council recommends that in cases where the thesis project is done in pairs, one of the examiners should be a joint examiner.
1.4. Expiry of the thesis project
In accordance with the Education Regulations of Uniarts Helsinki, study attainments are valid for a maximum period of ten years in order to be included in a degree.The artistic component will expire if the related written component has not been submitted within two years of the date of the artistic work (read section 1.2. Expiry of the thesis project plan).
1.5. Language of the thesis project
In general, you are expected to use the same language in the thesis project as for your studies in the degree programme in question.
However, in degree programmes offered in Finnish, students whose first language is Swedish or who have completed their school education in Swedish have the right to write their thesis project in Swedish.
At the student’s request, the head of the degree programme may, for a justified reason, approve the use of another language in the thesis project. The language of the thesis project is recorded in the student’s thesis project plan.
The thesis project should demonstrate the student’s ability to write clear, well-structured and well-presented text. The student is responsible for the standard of language of the thesis project. The standard of language will have a bearing on the grading of the thesis.
Students who need additional support (for example, because of learning difficulties) in the preparation of the thesis project can contact the academy’s head of academic affairs to discuss their assistance needs. For example, students who have reading difficulties may be granted additional time to prepare the written component and/or additional guidance from their thesis project supervisor. Proofreading or editing by an external reviewer will not be offered as a support measure.
1.6. Ethical principles and good research practice
As part of the thesis supervision process, students are advised on compliance with good research and/or artistic practices. See Uniarts Helsinki’s Code of Conduct concerning research and artistic activities.
Proper use of sources is part of good research practice. The Theatre Academy recommends in-text citations for texts written as part of thesis projects. An in-text citation is a short reference to a longer-form citation listed in the references. A list of works cited is provided at the end of the thesis or the written/reflective component.
It is important that the in-text citations are used clearly and consistently. Students will familiarise themselves with the use of sources and citation techniques at the thesis seminar. More information is provided e.g. in the Structure and Annotation Guide. Students may also turn to their supervisors for further instructions on the use of references.
Universities are obligated to arrange their activities in a manner that assures that ethical principles and good scientific practice are observed in research, education and teaching. Ensuring the originality of course work and published research is part of the quality assurance of education and research. Uniarts Helsinki uses the Turnitin system to verify the originality of written components of doctoral degrees and master’s degrees.
1.7. Form of the written/reflective component of the thesis project
The Theatre Academy recommends using its thesis project template (a Word file) for writing and saving the written component of a thesis project. The template includes a cover page, abstract page and a table of contents. The library offers advice on the use of the template and organises info sessions on information retrieval.
Students can also formulate the document themselves instead of using the template, if a freer design is desired. However, please note that the Theatre Academy can provide support only for the use of its own template. The thesis must include a cover page, an abstract, a table of contents and a list of references. The cover page must contain the thesis title (and subtitle, if applicable), the name of the author, the name of the degree programme and the year of completion of the thesis project, and the logo of Uniarts Helsinki’s Theatre Academy. Adding an image is optional.
If you have problems with downloading Theatre Academy logo, please contact viestinta@uniarts.fi.
The abstract should summarise the key content of the thesis project so that readers can get a clear picture of the objectives, content and expected findings of the thesis project. The minimum length of the abstract is 250 words. The abstract must be written in the same language as the thesis project itself. The abstract can also be written in additional language.
The thesis abstract also serves as the maturity test, which is required for a master’s degree. Read section 3.1 in these guidelines to learn about the language requirements and completion of the maturity test.
The written thesis or the written/reflective component must be saved in PDF/A format. Completed thesis projects are archived by the planning officer of your degree programme.
2. Supervision of the thesis project
Students are supported in their thesis project writing by personal supervision. The number of supervision hours available is specified by the degree programme in question. A thesis project may have one or two supervisors. Supervisors can be members of Uniarts Helsinki’s academic staff or so-called external supervisors. Supervisors should have knowledge of the field of the thesis project.
The thesis supervisor discusses the objectives of the work with the student, gives advice about practical matters relating to the process and monitors the student’s progress based on agreed milestones and the thesis assessment criteria. It is recommended that the student and the supervisor draw up a supervision plan for the thesis project process. This ensures that both will have adequate time for the work. The student is personally responsible for keeping contact with the supervisor(s) and for scheduling meetings. The supervisor should also take an active approach and maintain contact with the student in order to facilitate the progress of the work. The supervisor provides comments on the student’s work, gives feedback on the content and monitors the progress of the work. The feedback must, however, remain general enough to ensure that the supervisor does not become the author of the thesis project.
2.1. Supervision of the artistic/art-pedagogical component
The artistic/art-pedagogical component must demonstrate the student’s ability to work in professional, artistic and/or academic roles in the field in question.
The supervising teacher supports the student in the planning and implementation of the artistic/art-pedagogical component. The supervising teacher acts as the mentor, and the student’s personal artistic/art-pedagogical perspective lies at the centre of the process.
The supervising teacher comments on the preliminary plans and follows the practice sessions. The idea is to give feedback on the progress of the student’s project. If necessary, the supervising teacher can participate in production meetings.
2.2. Supervision of the written/reflective component or a thesis
The thesis or the written/reflective component must demonstrate the student’s professional and theoretical knowledge and the ability to apply things they have learned in the analysis of topics relevant to the field in question.
The supervisor is expected to point out any clear factual errors and comment on any structural issues or poor standard of language. However, the supervisor is not expected to correct typos or grammatical errors.
The supervisor should discuss the public nature of the work with the student. The version submitted for examination must not include any confidential information (read section 6.2 on the publicity of the thesis project). The supervisor must also be familiar with research ethics in order to be able to detect issues such as plagiarism. Further information is available in the instructions compiled by the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK.
The thesis supervisor pre-examines the work and gives permission to submit the work for final examination. The student must make sure that the supervisor has at least one week to carry out the pre-examination. The pre-examination includes verification of the work’s originality. The student is responsible for corrections and for deciding how and to what extent to use the feedback in finalising the work before its submission. No changes can be made to the work once it has been submitted to the examiner.
2.3. Verification of the originality of the thesis project
Before the thesis project is approved, the supervision process includes checking the originality of the thesis or the written/reflective component by using the Turnitin plagiarism detection system.
The originality check is done in the final version of the written/reflective sections or thesis, which is returned to the examiners of the thesis. The student personally uploads their thesis to the electronic originality checking system and sends this same version to the planning officer of their degree programme (who sends it to the examiners) as well as to the Taju database. After the originality check, it is no longer possible to edit the thesis project. The academic supervisor of the thesis or some other Uniarts Helsinki employee designated by the degree programme is responsible for the check and for interpreting the results.
After checking the work in Turnitin, the supervisor of the thesis project or another designated person fills in the verification form and sends it to the planning officer of the degree programme.
See instructions for using the Turnitin-system.
3. Maturity test for a master’s degree
The maturity essay is part of both bachelor’s and master’s degrees and is used to assess the student’s knowledge of the field of their thesis project and their first-language proficiency. At the Theatre Academy, the maturity test for a master’s degree constitutes the abstract of the thesis project.
The abstract is checked by the head of the degree programme or the supervising teacher. The maturity test receives a passing grade or the grade Fail, and after the teacher’s approval, it is registered in the student register. The maturity test must be completed and recorded before the thesis project can be approved by the Teaching Council.
3.1. Language of the maturity test
If the student has completed their school education in Finnish or Swedish and demonstrated their language proficiency in a maturity test as part of a bachelor’s degree earned in Finland, they are not required to demonstrate their language proficiency again. In this case, the maturity test (i.e. the thesis project abstract) will be assessed only in terms of the student’s knowledge of the subject.
If the student has completed their school education in Finnish or Swedish, but they have not demonstrated their language proficiency as part of a bachelor’s degree in accordance with the Government Decree on University Degrees (e.g. if they have earned a degree in another country), they are required to demonstrate their language skills by writing the maturity test (abstract) in the language of their school education. In this case, the abstract will be assessed in terms of the standard of language, too. This also applies to students in English-language master’s degree programmes; students who write their thesis projects in English must write the abstract both in English and in Finnish or Swedish.
Students in an English-language master’s degree programme whose language of school education was not Finnish or Swedish will write the maturity test (abstract) in English.
4. Submitting the thesis project for examination
The completed thesis project, including any appendices and additional material such as a recording of the artistic component, a play or a performance script, etc. can be submitted for examination when the supervisor has given the permission. The originality check, too, must be done before the work is submitted.
The thesis project must be submitted for examination in good time so that the examiners have at least 4 weeks to review the thesis project before the meeting of the Teaching Council in which it is expected to be approved. The thesis project submission dates are published annually on the Students’ Uniarts website.
The student sends their thesis project to their programme’s planning officer in PDF/A format and includes any additional material, as specified above. In addition, for the artistic component’s recording, a metadata form containing details of the work and its authors is completed for the library.
In accordance with the vice rector’s decision, starting from 1 December 2022, students must store their work in the Taju publication repository by following the library’s guidelines. Students must make sure that the version of their work that they save in the database is the same as the one that they have sent to the examiners.
4.1. Recording of the artistic/art-pedagogical component
Along with the written component, a recording or documentation of the artistic/art-pedagogical component will be stored in electronic form, insofar as it is possible taking into account the nature and copyright of the artistic/art-pedagogical component. A recording is also needed for the thesis project assessment process in case the examiner is unable to attend the performance, for example, or if the performance takes place well before the examiners submit their statement.
Thesis project productions that are approved for the Theatre Academy’s yearly production plan and produced in the Helsinki region are recorded at the venue, and a copy of the recording is given to the student.
If the student produces the thesis project independently, outside the Theatre Academy’s production plan and/or outside the Helsinki region, recording arrangements and permissions must be agreed between the student and the venue in question. If the thesis project is produced in a professional organisation, the student is obligated to make the arrangements for obtaining a recording of the performance.
Students who complete their thesis project as an independent production are responsible for arranging the recording themselves. Recording equipment can be borrowed from the university’s support services for artistic work, or the student may organise the recording by other means and discuss the practical arrangements with the planning officer of their degree programme.
Advice about the copyright of recordings is available from the university’s legal services and the copyright lawyer. The university’s data protection officer can provide further information on matters relating to data protection.
5. Examination and assessment of the thesis project
5.1. Qualifications of the examiners
The thesis project is assessed by two examiners, who are named in the approved thesis project plan. Usually, one of the examiners must be from outside the Theatre Academy, and the second one must be a member of the Theatre Academy’s academic staff. A student completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree at the Theatre Academy cannot be an examiner.
The supervisor cannot be an examiner, except for thesis projects in the degree programme in theatre/dance pedagogy. In these thesis projects, the supervisor/examiner’s assessment will focus on the pedagogical process of the thesis project.
A person who is connected to the student in a manner specified in section 28 of the Administrative Procedure Act (434/2003) cannot be the examiner.
The Administrative Procedure Act states that a person is disqualified if (Note: the following English translation, with its binary gender phrases, has been retrieved from the Finlex website and is not produced by the university):
- he or she or a person close to him or her is a party to the matter;
- he or she or a person close to him or her serves as counsel for or represents a party or a person who can be expected to experience a particular gain or loss from the decision on the matter;
- he or she or a person close to him or her can be expected to experience a particular gain or loss from the decision on the matter;
- he or she is employed by, or, in relation to the matter under consideration, works on the commission of, a party or a person who can be expected to experience a particular gain or loss from the decision on the matter;
- he or she or a person close to him or her is a member of the board of directors, board of administration or a comparable body, or is the managing director or holds an equivalent position, in a corporation, foundation, unincorporated state enterprise or public body which is a party or can be expected to experience a particular gain or loss from the decision on the matter;
- he or she or a person close to him or her is a member of the board of management or a comparable body of an agency or public body and the matter in question relates to the guidance or supervision of the agency or public body; or
- confidence in his or her impartiality is endangered for another particular reason.
The Administrative Procedure Act states that a close person is defined as:
- the public official’s spouse, a child, grandchild, sibling, parent or grandparent of the public official, or a person who is otherwise particularly close to the public official, or the spouse of any of these;
- a sibling of a parent of the public official or the spouse of such a sibling, a child of a sibling of the public official, or a former spouse of the public official; or
- a child, grandchild, sibling, parent or grandparent of the public official’s spouse, the spouse of such a person, or a child of a sibling of the public official’s spouse.
A corresponding step-relative is also considered to be a person close to the public official. The term ‘spouse’ refers to a marriage partner or a person living in marriage-like circumstances or in a registered partnership with the person concerned.
5.2. Communication with the examiners
The student notifies the examiners of the schedule and location of the artistic project. Other
matters and instructions are communicated to the examiners by the planning officer. The
student sends the completed thesis project to the planning officer, who then submits it to the
examiners.
5.3. Assessment and the examiners’ statement
The examiners assess the components of the thesis project and provide a written statement.
No separate statements on each component are to be issued; instead, the examiners will
assess all components together and propose an overall grade for the thesis project. The
examiners must use the Theatre Academy’s thesis assessment criteria (see appendix).
The examiners may discuss amongst themselves before drawing up their statements. They
may issue a joint statement. The statement should normally be written in the language used
in the thesis project and be 2–5 pages long. The statement is addressed to the Teaching
Council of the Theatre Academy.
The examiners’ statement is an expert opinion that assesses the candidate’s professional
competence, artistic level, demonstration of learning, the interest and topicality of the
subject, reflective ability, structural clarity and coherence, the standard of language, and
referencing. The assessment is based on the learning outcomes of the master’s thesis set out
in the curriculum of the degree programme.
The examiners’ statement must clearly state whether or not they recommend that the thesis
be passed. If passing is recommended, the examiners must propose a grade and provide
reasons. The examiners may discuss the grade proposal amongst themselves before their
submissions. In their statement, the examiners may recommend the candidate for an artistic
research career and doctoral studies.
The thesis project assessment grades are: Pass with distinction, Pass and Fail. Pass with distinction should only be recommended for thesis projects of exceptional merit. An exception to this grading scale is the international double degree programme, which uses an assessment scale of 0–5.
A statement recommending a passing grade should conclude as follows: I hereby propose that the thesis project of NN is approved for a Master of Arts (Theatre and Drama) / (Dance) / (Art and Design) degree and awarded the grade Pass / Pass with Distinction / [numerical grade].
If the grade Fail/0 is proposed, the examiner(s) must provide reasons for it. However, examiners must not suggest corrections to the thesis author during the examination stage in order to help them pass. In this case, the statement should conclude as follows: I do not propose that the thesis project of NN is approved for a Master of Arts (Theatre and Drama) / (Dance) / (Art and Design) degree.
The examiner submits the dated and signed statement to the planning officer of the degree programme in question. A scanned copy of the statement may be sent, but the original must be provided for archiving purposes. The statements must reach the planning officer no later than 14 days before the meeting of the Teaching Council in which the thesis work is expected to be assessed. The examiners’ statements become public once the Teaching Council has approved the thesis project.
The planning officer of the degree programme sends the statements received from the examiners to the teaching council secretary as well as to the student. If the examiner does not recommend a passing grade for the thesis project, the student may 1) provide the Teaching Council with a written response to the statements, in which case the Teaching Council will take the response into account in its review of the thesis project; or 2) withdraw their thesis project from the list of thesis projects to be reviewed in the meeting in question. In this case, the student will make corrections to the thesis project and then re-submit it. The supervisor’s approval is required for the re-examination.
5.4. Review of the thesis project by the Teaching Council
The Teaching Council will approve or reject the thesis project based on the examiners’ statement. If the Council decides to approve or reject the thesis project contrary to the examiners’ proposal, it must provide reasons for it. However, the grade Pass with distinction may be granted only if it is recommended by both examiners.
The thesis project can be rejected only if it does not meet the assessment criteria set for master’s thesis projects or if there is evidence of academic fraud. If the Teaching Council rejects the thesis project, the student can supplement or revise the written component or thesis based on the examiner’s notes or produce an entirely new work. If approved by the head of the degree programme, the student may also supplement their master’s thesis project plan concerning the artistic component by completing additional work to complement the previous performance or by preparing an entirely new artistic work.
5.5. Appeals
A student dissatisfied with the grading of their thesis project may apply for a rectification of the grading from Uniarts Helsinki’s Academic Appeals Board within 14 days of receiving notification of the decision. The rectification request must reach the Uniarts Helsinki Registry by the due date. The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the request reaches the registry in time.
The student is notified of the decision electronically (by email), and they are considered to have received notice of the decision 3 days after the email was sent.
The address of Uniarts Helsinki’s Academic Appeals Board:
Uniarts Helsinki’s Academic Appeals Board
Registry
P.O. Box 38
FI-00097 UNIARTS
kirjaamo@uniarts.fi
The rectification request must state the following:
- The student’s name and contact information (address, email address and telephone number)
- The date on which the student received notice of the decision
- The decision (including the thesis project title and examiners’ names)
- What change the student is requesting for the decision
- The grounds for the rectification request (including copies of any documents the student is using to support the request).
6. Registration and publicity of the thesis project
6.1. Registration of the thesis project
The thesis project will be registered in the record of credits when it has been approved in a meeting of the Teaching Council.
6.2. Publicity and archiving of the thesis project
Students must take into account that their thesis project will become a public document once approved. This also applies to recordings of the artistic and art-pedagogical components of thesis projects. The thesis project will become public once it has been approved by the Teaching Council. Publication helps ensure that thesis projects are assessed equally and without bias. The version of the thesis project submitted for assessment must not contain any confidential information. Any material deemed confidential (e.g. information about a person’s health and other private matters) must be left out of the thesis work submitted for assessment.
Depending on the student’s preference, the theses and 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. The library will archive paper copies of thesis projects that have been approved before 1 December 2022 until 2025, unless the authors have given their permission to publish the thesis projects online.
The recording of the artistic component may be viewed at the library, but any copying or recording of it is prohibited. Recordings are available for viewing only when the artistic component has been carried out as a production of the Theatre Academy’s yearly programming.
The Theatre Academy’s Academic Affairs team archives written components of approved thesis projects electronically in pdf/a format, and the Technical Production Services archive the recordings of artistic components if they have been part of the Theatre Academy’s programming.
6.3. Copyright
The student retains the copyright to their thesis project. Information about copyright matter is available on Artsi and on the copyright advice website maintained by Aalto University and Uniarts Helsinki.
Appendix 1: Assessment criteria
Assessment of the thesis project for a Master of Arts (Theatre and Drama)/(Dance)/(Art and Design) degree
| Artistic work / Practical component of the artistic/art-pedagogical work | Grade: Fail | Grade: Pass | Grade: Pass with distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional competence and artistic ability | The artistic/artistic-pedagogical component demonstrates poor or clearly inadequate professional competence. Both content and expression/pedagogical ability demonstrated in the artistic/artistic-pedagogical component are of modest quality in terms of the curriculum’s learning outcomes. In the artistic-pedagogical work, the student is unable to constructively and interactively lead a group. | The artistic/artistic-pedagogical component demonstrates at least moderate, satisfactory or good professional competence. The artistic/artistic-pedagogical work is, for the most part, of moderate, satisfactory or good quality in terms of the curriculum’s learning outcomes. In the artistic-pedagogical work, the student is able to constructively and interactively function as the leader or member of an artistic work group. | The artistic/artistic-pedagogical component demonstrates exceptional professional competence and is of the highest quality. The artistic/artistic-pedagogical component demonstrates profound knowledge of the conventions in the field and/or successfully challenges them in an original and insightful manner. In the artistic-pedagogic work, the student has an ability to find individual and creative solutions for different parts of the process. The student is able to create new ways of thinking and new practices as the leader of a work group. |
| Demonstration of learning | The artistic/artistic-pedagogical work demonstrates an inadequate ability to apply what has been learned as well as inadequate professional competence. In the artistic-pedagogical work, the student is unable to articulate the artistic and aesthetic approaches and choices contained in their work | The artistic/artistic-pedagogical work shows an ability to apply and analyse what has been learned in the student’s own artistic work. The work demonstrates that the student is able to work in professional, artistic and/or research-oriented contexts in their field. In the artistic-pedagogical work, the student is able to articulate the choreographic/theatrical and aesthetic premises, approaches and choices that their work contains. | The artistic/artistic-pedagogical work shows an ability to independently, critically and creatively apply what has been learned in order to solve artistic/pedagogical issues in the student’s own field. The work shows the student’s excellent ability to analyse, problematise and develop what has been learned in relation to their own artistic/artistic-pedagogical work and the operating culture of the field, creating challenging, critical and original thinking and art. In the artistic-pedagogical work, the student’s ability to articulate choreographic/theatrical and aesthetic approaches and choices creates significant art pedagogy, both for those participating in the process and those on the receiving end. |
| Written component | Grade: Fail | Grade: Pass | Grade: Pass with distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demonstration of learning | The topic is irrelevant to the field. Both content and expression in the written section are of modest quality. The written component demonstrates inadequacies in the student’s authorial approach. No analysis is conducted and no conclusions are drawn. The relationship between the theoretical and/or cultural framework and the student’s authorial approach is not demonstrated or appropriately connected. Knowledge of professional concepts, terminology and conventions is inadequate or not demonstrated. | The topic is relevant to the field. The written component demonstrates professional and theoretical competence, as well as an ability to apply what has been learned to an analysis of issues in the field. The master’s thesis project demonstrates a moderate, satisfactory or good ability to reflect on, analyse and illustrate the issues discussed, as well as to draw conclusions on the topic of the written component | The topic is pioneering or especially relevant to the field. The written component demonstrates an excellent ability to analyse, apply, problematise and develop what has been learned in relation to the broader operating culture of the field. The thesis project demonstrates an excellent ability to reflect on, analyse and illustrate the issues discussed. In the written component, the overall context and the student’s own ideas are placed in a challenging, critical and innovative relationship. They provide new authorial perspectives and potential topics for the further study of special artistic and professional issues in the field. |
| Language | The formal and technical features of the written component are deficient in key respects, and the language used is poor. | The appearance of the written component is appropriate, and the language used is moderate, satisfactory or good. | The formal and technical features of the written component are excellent and the written expression supports the content. |
| Structure | The writing is unclear in terms of expression as well as structurally and stylistically disorganised. | The written component is communicative and interesting in style. It is research-oriented and reflective. The structure is well designed. | The written component is communicative, interesting and stimulating, and the style of writing makes the topic easy to understand. The style of writing is excellent, and the reflections offered are very good. The structure and organisation of the work are excellent. |
| Use of sources | The use and citation of sources is inadequate. | Sources are used correctly, and they support the content. | Sources are used and cited correctly. The student places sources in dialogue with each other and reflects on them through their personal thinking |
| Thesis | Grade: Fail | Grade: Pass | Grade: Pass with distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Objectives | The objectives of the thesis are unclear, and the topic is inadequately defined. | The objectives of the thesis are generally clear, and the topic is well defined. | The objectives of the thesis are clear, and the topic is exceptionally well defined. |
| Research methods | The research methods are not defined or used competently. The material and methods are inadequately structured, and the student is unfamiliar with the research tradition and literature of the topic. | The research methods are defined and for the most part competently used. The material and methods are structured. The student has an adequate knowledge of the literature and research tradition of the topic and knows how to critically apply related theories. The sources used are appropriate and up-to-date. The thesis is well structured. It contains justified conclusions and analysis. The writing in the thesis is communicative and interesting. | The research methods are very well defined in terms of the topic, and they are used skilfully, insightfully and innovatively. The research material and methods are very well structured. The student has a profound knowledge of the literature and research tradition and knows how to critically apply related theories. The sources used are appropriate and particularly up-to-date. The thesis is very well structured, and the student’s own ideas are placed in a challenging, critical and innovative relationship with the topic or material. |
| Language, structure, theory and use of sources | The theory related to the topic is not applied critically. The sources are insufficient or out-of-date. The thesis is poorly structured. No analysis is conducted and no conclusions are drawn. The writing is unclear in terms of expression and is structurally and stylistically disorganised. The language is poor. | The theory related to the topic is applied critically. The sources are appropriate and up-to-date. The thesis is well structured and contains justified conclusions and analysis. The writing in the thesis is communicative and interesting. The language is moderate, satisfactory or good. | The theory related to the topic is applied critically, and the writing highlights new ideas, knowledge or theories. The sources are appropriate and up-to-date. The thesis is very well structured and contains insightful analysis and justified conclusions. The writing in the thesis is communicative, interesting and stimulating. |
Appendix 2: Assessment criteria for Master’s thesis in the double degree master’s programme in Comparative Dramaturgy and Performance Research
| COMMON ASSESSMENT CRITERIA FOR ARTISTIC COMPONENT, WRITTEN COMPONENT AND DISSERTATION | Grade: 0 = Fail | Grade: 1 = Sufficient | Grade: 2 = Satisfactory | Grade: 3 = Good | Grade: 4 = Very good | Grade: 5 = Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Learning and professionalism | The work of the student does not demonstrate artistic nor academic ability in the manner required for the degree. | The work of the student demonstrates learning and the ability to apply that learning at a level that meets the minimum requirements of the degree. | The student demonstrates command of skills relevant to the field and the ability to apply their knowledge satisfactorily. | The student demonstrates knowledge and skills relevant to the field and the ability to apply what they have learned to issues relevant to the field. | The student demonstrates artistic vision, professionalism and analytical competence, as well as a very good ability to apply what they have learned to issues relevant to the field. | The student demonstrates distinct artistic vision, professionalism and critical, exploratory thinking, as well as an excellent ability to apply what they have learned to address issues relevant to the field. |
| Overall impression | There are significant shortcomings in the work. The parts of the work are not related to each other and the student does not give grounds for their choices. | There are significant shortcomings in the work. However, it meets the minimum requirements of the thesis. The parts of the work do not form a whole. No reasons are given for the choices made. | The work meets the thesis requirements despite certain shortcomings. The parts of the work do not form a coherent whole. The student provides weak justifications for their choices. | The work meets the requirements for the thesis well. The parts of the work form a whole or the student justifies their choices well. | The work meets the requirements for the thesis very well. There are special merits in some areas of the work. The different parts of the work form a coherent whole. The student analyses their choices. | As a whole and in almost all areas, the work is particularly meritorious. The work forms a whole, whose parts support each other excellently. The student justifies their choices and evaluates them self-critically. |
| ASSESSMENT CRITERA FOR ARTISTIC COMPONENT | Grade: 0 = Fail | Grade: 1 = Sufficient | Grade: 2 = Satisfactory | Grade: 3 = Good | Grade: 4 = Very good | Grade: 5 = Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artistic realization of work | The realization of the work is significantly deficient and does not support the starting points of the thesis project. | The realization of the artistic work is incomplete and deals poorly with the starting points of the thesis project. | The realization of the artistic work supports the starting points of the thesis project to some extent. There may be shortcomings in the implementation. | The realization of the work supports the starting points of the thesis project. | The realization of the work is of a very high standard. The artistic choices are interesting and support the starting points of the thesis project very well. | The realization of the artistic work is of a very high standard and provides insightful support for the starting points of the thesis project. |
| Artistic thinking or vision | The work provides no evidence of artistic thinking nor vision. | The work provides some evidence of artistic thinking or vision, albeit unclear and speculative evidence. | The work provides some evidence of artistic thinking or vision. | The work clearly demonstrates artistic thinking or vision. | The work demonstrates artistic thinking or vision of a high standard. | The work demonstrates highly complex and developed artistic thinking or vision. |
| Artistic and/or research goals | The work does not reveal its goals. | Artistic and/or research goals are poorly reflected in the work. | The work reveals the artistic and/or research goals of the thesis project. However, the rationale for the goals is unclear. | The student has clearly set artistic and/or research goals and their choice is justified. | The work reflects on the choice of artistic and/or research goals. | The work evaluates the choice of artistic and/or research goals. |
| Interaction with working group | The student is unable to interact with the working group constructively and coherently. | The student’s interaction with the working group meets the minimum requirements of what can be considered constructive and coherent. | The student is able to interact constructively and coherently with the working groups, although considerable shortcomings are evident. | The student is able to interact constructively and coherently with the working groups, with minor shortcomings. | The student excels in their interaction with working group, being able to both lead the group and delegate responsibility to others. | The student interacts exceptionally well with the working group, being able to transition from different roles and positions within in it without losing sight of the overall goals. |
| ASSESSMENT CRITERA FOR WRITTEN THESIS | Grade: 0 = Fail | Grade: 1 = Sufficient | Grade: 2 = Satisfactory | Grade: 3 = Good | Grade: 4 = Very good | Grade: 5 = Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Familiarity with the chosen topic | The topic has not been sufficiently studied in order to deal with it. | The subject area has been identified, but familiarity with the topic is superficial. | The subject area and chosen topic are described satisfactorily. | The work demonstrates knowledge of the topic and its artistic context or theoretical framework. | The work demonstrates very good knowledge of the topic and its artistic context or theoretical framework, as well as knowledge of previous work relating to the topic. | The work demonstrates in-depth knowledge of the topic and its artistic context or theoretical framework, as well as extensive knowledge of previous work relating to the topic. |
| Utilization of sources | The work is unable to name its sources or reproduces the contents of sources without reference to them (plagiarism). | The source material is inadequate and/or inappropriate. There are flaws in the references. | The work uses sources that allow it to address its topics, but source criticism is inadequate or missing. Reference techniques are satisfactory. | The work utilizes relevant sources and the use of the sources demonstrates good knowledge of the topic. Sources are evaluated and reference techniques are good. | The work demonstrates very good knowledge of essential sources. Sources are reflected upon, evaluated and weighted appropriately. | Diverse sources are extensively utilized. Sources are evaluated critically and their selection and emphasis support the treatment of the topic excellently. |
| Dealing with artistic thesis working process | The artistic thesis working process is not dealt with explicitly nor implicitly. | The artistic thesis working process is dealt with to a limited extent. | The artistic thesis working process is described and reflected upon. However, the treatment does not demonstrate in-depth understanding of the process. | The artistic thesis working process is described, evaluated and reflected upon. The treatment demonstrates understanding of the process. | The artistic thesis working process is described, self- critically evaluated and reflected upon. The treatment demonstrates excellent understanding of the process. | The artistic thesis working process is described, self- critically evaluated and extensively reflected upon. The treatment demonstrates in-depth understanding of the process. |
| Organization of written component | The different parts of the thesis do not relate to each other. It is considerably difficult to understand the content of the different parts. | The organization of the different parts of the thesis lacks coherence and seems arbitrary. | The organization of the different parts of the thesis is satisfactory. The relation between the parts is in places unclear, but the overall structure is coherent. | The organization of the different parts of the thesis supports the treatment of the chosen topic or question. | The organization of the different parts of the thesis is meritorious and supports the handling of the chosen topic or question very well. | The organization of the different parts of the work is very meritorious and provides excellent support for dealing with the chosen topic or question. |
| Language | There are serious shortcomings in the language of the written thesis. | The language is at an acceptable level, although significant shortcomings appear. | The language is satisfactory, although in places unfinished. | The language is fluent and there are no errors that would impair readability. | The language is fluent and almost flawless. The chosen style is appropriate for the subject. | The language is fluent and flawless. The student’s style of writing is distinct. |
| ASSESSMENT CRITERA FOR DISSERTATION | Grade: 0 = Fail | Grade: 1 = Sufficient | Grade: 2 = Satisfactory | Grade: 3 = Good | Grade: 4 = Very good | Grade: 5 = Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Familiarity with the chosen topic | The topic has not been sufficiently studied in order to deal with it. | The subject area has been identified, but familiarity with the topic is superficial. | The subject area and chosen topic are described satisfactorily. | The work demonstrates knowledge of the topic and its artistic context or theoretical framework. | The work demonstrates very good knowledge of the topic and its artistic context or theoretical framework, as well as knowledge of previous work relating to the topic. | The work demonstrates in-depth knowledge of the topic and its artistic context or theoretical framework, as well as extensive knowledge of previous work relating to the topic. |
| Utilization of sources | The work is unable to name its sources or reproduces the contents of sources without reference to them (plagiarism). | The source material is inadequate and/or inappropriate. There are flaws in the references. | The work uses sources that allow it to address its topics, but source criticism is inadequate or missing. Reference techniques are satisfactory. | The work utilizes relevant sources and the use of the sources demonstrates good knowledge of the topic. Sources are evaluated and reference techniques are good. | The work demonstrates very good knowledge of essential sources. Sources are reflected upon, evaluated and weighted appropriately. | Domestic and international sources are extensively utilized. Sources are evaluated critically and their selection and emphasis support the treatment of the topic excellently. |
| Language | There are serious shortcomings in the language of the dissertation. | The language is at an acceptable level, although significant shortcomings appear. | The language is satisfactory, although in places unfinished. | The language is fluent and there are no errors that would impair readability. | The language is fluent and almost flawless. The chosen style is appropriate for the subject. | The language is fluent and flawless. The student’s style of writing is distinct. |
| Methodology | The selected methodology does not achieve the goals of the dissertation. | Shortcomings in the chosen methods impact the outcomes of the dissertation. | The chosen methods support the achievement of the goals satisfactorily. | The chosen methods support the treatment of the chosen topic or question. The student has good command of the methods. | The student masters their chosen methods and applies them very well to their chosen topic or question. | The student applies and critically evaluates selected methods. |
| Analytical ability | There is a lack of analytical treatment and no conclusions are presented in the work. | The conclusions are exaggerated or incomplete. There are significant shortcomings in the analytical reasoning of the work. | The work includes analysis and conclusions, but they are incomplete and lack sufficient grounds. | The work demonstrates the student’s capacity to carry out analytical and exploratory work. | The work demonstrates the student’s very good ability for analytical, exploratory work and critical-creative thinking. | In the work, the student explores the topic analytically and creatively and takes fully into account the complexity of the chosen topic or question. |