Master thesis project guidelines: Theatre and drama, dance, art and design
These guidelines describe the process of completing a master’s thesis project within the degree programmes at the Theatre Academy. The guidelines instruct you in different stages of the process, and you can revisit them at any time when you need a refresher.
Thesis project planning and first steps
The degree title of a Theatre Academy master’s graduate is either Master of Arts (Theatre and Drama), Master of Arts (Dance) or Master of Arts (Art and Design). These guidelines present the 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.
Master’s degrees require the completion of a thesis project, which is worth 30 credits at the Theatre Academy, except for the Master’s Programmes in Theatre Pedagogy and Dance Pedagogy, where the scope of the thesis project is 25 credits. In the Master’s Programme in Musical Theatre organised together by the Theatre Academy and the Sibelius Academy, the scope of the thesis project is 20 credits. The intended learning outcomes of the thesis project are described in the curricula.
Already when preparing for your thesis project, please note that an approved thesis project is a public document. Recordings of the artistic and art-pedagogical components of your thesis project are also public. A thesis project may not include any information that must be kept secret. This information may concern an individual’s health or private life, for example.
Thesis seminar
As part of your thesis work, you will participate in a thesis seminar where you are guided on your thesis journey and introduced to the requirements, goals and examination process related to your thesis project. Detailed information about seminars is provided in the Study guide.
Thesis project plan
You are expected to draw up a thesis project plan, either before you start carrying out your thesis project or at the early stages of it at the latest. Download a thesis project plan.
Have a talk with the head of your degree programme or a teacher designated by the head when drawing up the plan. Discuss the topics, objectives, research questions, structure, supervisors, examiners and publicity of the thesis project and its components.
Your project topic must be related to the field of your degree programme. The thesis project plan must be completed before carrying out an artistic or art-pedagogical work. Once you have finalised the plan, submit it to your degree programme’s planning officer. The head of the degree programme will approve the plan.
The thesis project plan will be valid for two years. If your thesis project hasn’t been approved within two years since the plan has been approved, please draw up a new plan for approval. In such a case, the head of the degree programme will decide how the previous plan should be applied or updated.
Language of the thesis project
Generally, you write your thesis project in the language used for your degree programme.
However, if you are studying in a Finnish-language degree programme and your first language is Swedish or you have completed your school education in Swedish, you have the right to write your thesis project in Swedish.
The right to use some other language than the language of the degree in your thesis project is determined by the dean (Education Regulations, section 35). Mention the language in your thesis project plan. If you are applying for the right to use some other language than the language of your degree, include your reasoning for this in the plan.
In your thesis project, you should demonstrate your ability to write clear, well-structured and well-presented text. You are personally responsible for the standard of language in your thesis project, and it will have a bearing on the grading, as well.
If you need additional support for carrying out your thesis project (due to learning difficulties, for example), you can apply for individual study arrangements. Read how to apply for individual study arrangements.
Production support services
Usually, artistic components are carried out with support from the staff working for services for artistic activities. If you act as the person responsible for the artistic component (director, choreographer, etc.), you are in charge of assembling the working group and preparing the production application. Before submitting a production application, discuss it with the head of the degree programme.
The Theatre Academy has compiled resource guidelines that describe the support services that are available for all productions and events.
Recording and documentation
Consider the recording of the artistic component already at the planning stage.
Along with the written component, a recording or documentation of the artistic or art-pedagogical component of your thesis project will be stored in electronic format, as long as it’s possible taking into account the nature and copyright of the work. Note that preparing a recording is not possible in some cases.
A recording may be required to ensure a smooth assessment process for the thesis project. It is needed, for example, when the examiner is unable to attend the performance or when the performance takes place well before the examiner submits their statement.
If your thesis project is accepted as part of the Theatre Academy’s productions and it is carried out in the Helsinki region, the recording is arranged by the academy on your behalf. In this case, you will receive a link where you can download the recording. Download the agreement form concerning recording-related permissions.
If you’re carrying out your thesis project independently or without the Theatre Academy’s production team or outside the Helsinki region, agree on the recording-related permissions and practical matters with the organiser of your production.
If you’re carrying out your thesis project in an organisation somewhere else, arrange to receive a recording of the performance.
If you’re carrying out your thesis project as an independent production, make the arrangements for the recording on your own. If needed, you can contact the services staff for artistic activities and borrow their equipment or arrange the recording in some other way.
You can contact the university’s legal team or copyright lawyer if you need copyright advice concerning recordings. The university’s data protection officer can provide further information on matters relating to data protection.
Examiners of the thesis project
Your thesis project will be assessed by two examiners, who are named in your approved thesis project plan. Usually, one of the examiners must be from outside the Theatre Academy, and the other one must be a member of the Theatre Academy academic staff. The person acting as your thesis supervisor may also act as an examiner of your thesis project. A student completing a bachelor’s or a master’s degree cannot act as an examiner of your thesis project.
If one of the grounds for disqualification mentioned in section 28 of the Administrative Procedure Act (434/2003) apply to you and a potential examiner, the person cannot act as the examiner of your thesis project. A person is disqualified if their impartiality is jeopardised by their relationship with the matter at hand, their relationship with the concerned parties or their relationship with any parties that are affected by the related decision. Read more about how to determine disqualification (requires logging in).
Inform your examiners of the time and venue reserved for showcasing your artistic work. The planning officer of your degree programme will take care of other communication with the examiners and provide guidance on the examination process.
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. However, the artistic component of a thesis project will expire if the related written component has not been submitted within two years of the date of the artistic work.
Content and format of the thesis project
Depending on your degree programme, a thesis project may refer to:
- An artistic or art-pedagogical work along with a related written or reflective component.
- An artistic research project along with a related written component.
- A thesis.
If the thesis project is carried out as a traineeship outside Uniarts Helsinki, a separate traineeship agreement is drawn up. Your degree programme will provide more detailed information. Download the traineeship agreement template.
Artistic or art-pedagogical project and a written component
Artistic component
The purpose of an artistic component as part of the thesis project is to demonstrate the student’s competence and knowledge of their artistic field and topic. You can carry out the artistic component either at the Theatre Academy or somewhere else as part of a traineeship in the field or with a partner approved by the degree programme, for example.
Art-pedagogical component
Students in the Master’s Programmes in Dance Pedagogy and Theatre Pedagogy complete a thesis project with an art-pedagogical component. The objective of your thesis project is to demonstrate your art-pedagogical vision and document your growth as an artist and teacher. In these kinds of thesis projects, the topic of the written component is linked to the art-pedagogical component of the work.
Written or reflective component
The topic of the written or reflective component does not necessarily need to relate to the topic of the artistic component, but it must nevertheless include the perspective of your degree programme. This requirement is explained in more detail in the curriculum. Depending on the nature of the work, the written component should be 30 to 60 pages in length, excluding the table of contents, list of sources and appendices. The objectives, scope and contents of the written or reflective component are discussed in further detail in the thesis seminar of the degree programme.
Thesis project with a fellow student
You can complete the artistic component of your thesis project or write a thesis together with one or more fellow students if you have mentioned this in your thesis project plan and received approval for it from the head of your degree programme. You must write the written component independently.
You must write a text explaining what your collaboration entailed and what your personal contribution to the work was. You can include the explanation in the written component of your thesis project or draw it up as a separate appendix. If your thesis project involves an artistic component, provide the explanation before the examination of your artistic work at the latest.
For thesis projects carried out in pairs, it’s recommended that one of the examiners is shared.
Artistic research project or thesis
A student can complete their thesis project by carrying out an artistic research project only if they study in either the Degree Programme in Lighting Design, Sound Design or Scenography or if their specialisation option in the Master’s Programme in Choreography is theoretical research.
In some degree programmes, students can complete their final project by writing a thesis with no artistic work involved. The written thesis authored independently by the student must have clearly defined objectives and a clearly defined topic. The thesis must utilise various research methods and literature and follow the conventions of academic writing. In the thesis, the student demonstrates their independent research-oriented thinking skills. The scope of a thesis is about 60 pages, excluding appendices.
Code of conduct and good research practices
When carrying out your thesis project, take ethical matters into consideration, and, if needed, discuss them with your thesis supervisor or the head of your degree programme.
You can read Uniarts Helsinki’s Code of conduct concerning research and artistic activities on the university website.
The university has also issued guidelines concerning the use of artificial intelligence. For more information, go to: Uniarts Helsinki’s ethical guidelines for education and studies.
Make sure that your study attainments and to-be-published research results are original. At Uniarts Helsinki, the originality of the written components of all thesis projects is checked using the Turnitin system.
Find out more about the processing of personal data if you handle personal data in your thesis project. This is the case when, for example, you collect data via surveys or interviews or by observing people. If your thesis project deals with living individuals, it is likely that you process personal data in your work. Learn more about the processing of personal data in a thesis project.
Use of the thesis template
Use Uniarts Helsinki’s standard Word template for writing your thesis or the written or reflective component of your thesis project and for saving it as a file. The template includes a cover page, an abstract page and a table of contents. Download the template and abstract for thesis projects.
The abstract summarises the key content of the thesis project so that readers can get a clear picture of the objectives, content and findings of the thesis project. The minimum length of the abstract is 250 words. Generally, the abstract is written using the same language that is used for the thesis project.
The abstract also serves as a maturity test, which is required for master’s thesis projects as part of the degree. Read section language of the thesis project.
You must save your thesis project in PDF/A format.
Use of sources
Proper use of sources is part of good research practices. Uniarts Helsinki recommends one of the two referencing style guides: American Psychological Association (APA7) Style or Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS Author-Date). Ask your degree programme about which referencing style they prefer. Check the university’s referencing guidelines.
Supervision of the thesis project
You will receive personal supervision for carrying out your thesis project. Your degree programme will give you and your supervisor information on the number of supervision hours you are entitled to. You will be assigned one or two supervisors for your thesis project. Supervisors can be members of Uniarts Helsinki’s academic staff or so-called external supervisors. Supervisors must have knowledge of the field of your thesis project.
Your supervisor will discuss the objectives of the work with you, give you advice about practical matters related to the process and monitor your progress based on agreed milestones and the thesis assessment criteria. It’s recommended that you and your supervisor outline a plan for your thesis process. This way, you can ensure that you both have enough time for completing the work.
Keep in touch with your supervisor(s) regularly and agree on supervision sessions. Your supervisor is responsible for supporting your thesis progress, commenting your work and giving you feedback.
Artistic or art-pedagogical project
Your artistic or art-pedagogical project must demonstrate your ability to work in professional, artistic and/or theoretical roles in your field.
Your supervising teacher is tasked with supporting you in the planning and execution of your artistic/art-pedagogical project. Your supervising teacher will act as your mentor, while your personal artistic/art-pedagogical vision remains the focus.
Your supervising teacher will comment on your preliminary plans and follow your practice sessions. This way, you will receive feedback on the progress of your project. If necessary, the supervising teacher can participate in the production meetings.
Written component or thesis
With your thesis or the written/reflective component, you must demonstrate your professional and theoretical competence and your ability to apply what you have learned in analysing topics relevant to your field.
The supervisor must point out any clear factual errors and comment on structural issues and the 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 you. The version submitted for examination must not include any information that is considered secret (read section thesis project planning and first steps). The supervisor must also be familiar with rules on research integrity so that they can detect issues such as plagiarism in theses. Further information is available in the guidelines compiled by the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK, for example.
The thesis supervisor pre-examines the work and gives permission to submit the work for final examination. You should make sure that your supervisor has at least one week to pre-examine your work.
The originality of your work is also checked as part of the pre-examination. You are responsible for the revisions and for deciding how you will use the feedback for finalising your work before submitting it for assessment. Once you have sent your work to the examiner, you can no longer make changes to it.
Originality check
An originality check will be carried out on your thesis or the written and reflective components of your thesis project before the thesis project is approved.
Upload the final version of your work in the Turnitin system in Moodle. Remember that you can no longer make edits after uploading the work.
The academic supervisor of your thesis project or some other person responsible designated by your degree programme is responsible for the originality check and will interpret the results.
Before the final submission, you can choose to have an unfinished version of your work checked by Turnitin using the “Tarkista keskeneräinen työsi” function (Check your unfinished work). At this stage, you can repeat the check as many times as you like. This helps you detect any inaccurate direct citations or ambiguities concerning the use of sources already at the writing stage.
Read the instructions for using Turnitin.
Maturity test and its language
A maturity test is required for both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and it demonstrates your knowledge of the field of your thesis project as well as your language skills. At the Theatre Academy, you take the master’s maturity test by writing an abstract, which is a summary about your thesis project.
The head of your degree programme or your supervising teacher will check the abstract. The maturity test is assessed on a pass-fail basis, and it will be registered in the record of credits after it has been approved. The maturity test must be completed with a passing grade before your thesis project can be approved.
If the language of your school education was neither Finnish or Swedish and you study in an English-speaking master’s programme, you write your maturity test (the abstract) in English.
If you have completed your school education in Finnish or Swedish and demonstrated your language proficiency in a maturity test as part of your bachelor’s degree in Finland in accordance with the Finnish Government Decree on University Degrees, you are not required to demonstrate your language proficiency another time. In this case, the maturity test, which is the thesis project abstract, will be assessed only in terms of your knowledge of the subject.
If you have completed your school education in Finnish or Swedish but haven’t demonstrated your language proficiency as part of your bachelor’s degree in accordance with the Government Decree on University Degrees (if you earned your degree abroad, for example), you must demonstrate your language skills by writing the maturity test in the language of your school education. In this case, your abstract will be assessed in terms of the standard of language, too. Students who have completed their school education in Finnish or Swedish but who study in an English-language master’s programme must write an abstract also in Finnish or Swedish in addition to English if they write their thesis project in English.
Submission of the thesis project
Submit your finished thesis project along with any appendices (such as a recording or documentation of the artistic component, a play or a script) for examination once your supervisor has given their permission. Make sure that the originality check has been completed before you submit your work.
Submit your thesis project in good time so that the examiners have at least four weeks to complete the assessment. The thesis project submission dates are published annually on the university website.
You must submit your thesis project on the Moodle learning platform. You can read the more detailed instructions for submission in Moodle.
Save your thesis project also in the Taju repository by following the library’s instructions. Make sure that the version you saved in the thesis database is the same as the one you submitted in Moodle.
You can choose whether your thesis or the written component of your thesis project is available in Taju as an open access online publication or only on site on library computers. Instructions for saving your thesis project in the Taju repository.
Assessment and the examiner’s statement
Thesis projects are graded on a scale of Pass with Distinction – Pass – Fail. The grade Pass with Distinction is only awarded for works of particular merit. Thesis projects carried out in the international double degree programme are graded on a scale of 0–5.
The examiners’ statement is an expert’s assessment of professional competence, artistic standard, demonstration of learning, the interest and topicality of the subject, ability to self-reflect, structural clarity and coherence of the project, the standard of language, as well as the correct use of sources. The assessment is done based on the intended learning outcomes set out for master’s thesis projects in the curriculum of the degree programme.
The examiner will assess all components of your thesis project in a written statement and give an overall grade proposal. The basis for the assessment will be the standard assessment criteria determined by the Theatre Academy for thesis projects. In principle, the examiner writes the statement, 2–5 pages long, in the language used in the thesis project. The statement is addressed to the vice dean for education. In their assessment, the examiner must clearly state whether they recommend that the thesis project be approved or not and what grade they propose for it and provide related reasoning. In their statement, the examiner may recommend the student to pursue artistic research and doctoral studies.
The examiners may consult each other about drawing up their statements and discuss their grade proposal. They may also write a joint statement.
A statement recommending a passing grade should conclude as follows: I recommend that the thesis project of NN be approved for a Master of Arts (Theatre and Drama) / (Dance) / (Art and Design) degree with the grade Pass / Pass with Distinction / [numerical grade].
The examiner will date the statement and send it to the degree programme’s planning officer. The statements must reach the planning officer according to the set schedule, no later than 14 days before the thesis project undergoes final assessment. The examiners’ statements become public once the thesis project has been approved. You will receive the examiners’ statements from the planning officer of your degree programme.
A thesis project can be rejected if it doesn’t meet the assessment criteria set for master’s thesis projects or if there is evidence of academic fraud. If the examiner recommends a Fail, you can 1) provide your written response to the statements, in which case the response will be taken into consideration; 2) withdraw your thesis project from the assessment process. In this case, you can make revisions in your thesis project and then resubmit it. The supervisor must give their permission for relaunching the examination process.
During the examination stage, the examiner is not able to suggest revisions that would lead to a passing grade in the statement. If the recommended grade is Fail, the statement concludes as follows: I do not recommend that the thesis project of NN be approved for a Master of Arts (Theatre and Drama) / (Dance) / (Art and Design) degree.
Approval of a thesis project
The vice dean for education gives a Pass or a Fail to thesis projects based on the examiners’ statements. Remember to check the graduation schedule for the ongoing academic year.
If a thesis project receives a Pass or a Fail contrary to the examiners’ proposals, the vice dean must provide the grounds for the decision. However, the grade Pass with Distinction may be awarded only if it is recommended by both examiners.
The credits for your thesis project will be registered after the vice dean for education has approved the thesis project. Master’s thesis projects are permanently archived in the Uniarts Helsinki archives.
Student’s copyright to their thesis project
You hold the copyright to your thesis project. More information about copyright matters is available on the Artsi intranet (requires loggin in) and on the copyright advice website maintained by Aalto University and Uniarts Helsinki.
Request for rectification
If you are dissatisfied with the assessment of your thesis project, you can request for rectification from the Uniarts Helsinki academic appeals board. Submit the request in writing (by email, for example) within 14 days of being notified of the decision.
Make sure that your rectification request reaches the Uniarts Helsinki registry on the due date at the latest. You are personally responsible for sending the rectification request on time. Read the instructions for requesting a rectification.
Assessment criteria
| 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. |
Assessment criteria for an artistic research project with a written section / media-based artistic research project
| Practical component of the artistic research project | Grade: Fail | Grade: Pass | Grade: Pass with distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formulation of research questions and knowledge of conventions in the field | The artistic research project demonstrates poor knowledge of conventions in the field and inability to formulate research questions that are grounded in practice. | The artistic research project demonstrates moderate, satisfactory or good knowledge of conventions in the field and ability to formulate research questions that are grounded in practice and that challenge and/or renew the prevailing ways of doing things. | The artistic research project demonstrates profound knowledge of conventions in the field and ability to formulate research questions that are grounded in practice and that challenge and/or renew the prevailing ways of doing things. |
| Development of a method/methods for one’s artistic work | The student’s artistic work did not serve as a method that facilitated the making of observations grounded in the research questions. The applied methods have not helped the student generate new artistic knowledge and/or new artistic practices. | The student’s artistic work has served as a method that suits the topic moderately, satisfactorily or well, and the method has facilitated the making of observations grounded in the research questions. The applied methods have helped the student generate new artistic knowledge and/or new artistic practices. | The student’s artistic work has served as an innovative method that has facilitated the making of insightful observations grounded in the research questions. The applied methods have helped the student generate significant new artistic knowledge and/or new artistic practices. |
| Research process and knowledge formation | The research process has been poorly managed, and/or the student has not integrated it into their selected framework. The student’s knowledge formation has not occurred in interaction with their artistic work. | The student has managed their research process well and integrated it into their selected framework and personal observations. The student’s knowledge formation has occurred in interaction with their artistic work. | The student has managed their research process well and integrated it exceptionally seamlessly into their selected theoretical and artistic framework and personal observations. The student’s knowledge formation has occurred in interaction with their artistic work. |
| Written component of the artistic research project | Grade: Fail | Grade: Pass | Grade: Pass with distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language and style | The formal and technical execution of the written component is lacking in key aspects, and the language used is poor. The student’s writing is unclear in its expression and/or stylistically incoherent. | The formal and technical execution of the written component is appropriate, and the language used is of moderate, satisfactory or good quality. The text has been written communicatively and interestingly. | The formal and technical execution of the written component is excellent, and the written expression supports the content. The text has been written communicatively, vividly and interestingly in a style that increases people’s understanding of the work’s topic. |
| Structure | The structure is unorganised. The research question, methods, documentation of the project’s practical work and the conclusions made do not stand out clearly from the work’s structure. | The structure is well organised. The research question, methods, documentation of the project’s practical work and the conclusions made stand out clearly from the work’s structure. | The way the work is structured and organised is excellent. The research question, methods, documentation of the project’s practical work and the conclusions made stand out excellently from the work’s structure. |
| Reflection and description of the research process | The student’s reflection is insufficient. The student does not write about their professional, artistic and research-related starting points, approaches and conclusions to a sufficient detail and/or in a sufficiently understandable manner. The progress of the research process is described poorly or insufficiently in the thesis. | The text has a clear reflective tone. The student writes about their professional, artistic and research- related starting points, approaches and conclusions in the text. The way the student describes the progress of the research process in the thesis is of moderate, satisfactory or good standard. | The student’s reflection is honest and exceptionally insightful, and it focuses on the key aspects of the research. The student writes about their professional, artistic and research- related starting points, approaches and conclusions in a clear and well-argued manner in the text. The way the student describes the progress of the research process in the thesis is exceptionally coherent and illustrative. |
| Use of sources | The use of sources, marking of references and their integration into the student’s artistic research project and its context is insufficient. | Sources are used correctly, and they support the subject matter with consideration to the context of an artistic research project. | The student has selected their sources well considering the content of their artistic research project, and the use and citing of sources is correct and faultless. The student has put the sources in dialogue with each other and reflected on the source literature through their personal thinking. |
| Demonstration of learning | Grade: Fail | Grade: Pass | Grade: Pass with distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research competence | The thesis demonstrates poor or insufficient research competence. The student’s way of working in professional and/or artistic tasks that entail an research-based orientation in their field is of poor standard and/or lacking in key aspects. | The thesis demonstrates at least moderate, satisfactory or good research competence. The student is able to work in professional and/or artistic tasks that entail an research-based orientation in their field. | The thesis demonstrates exceptionally high-standard research competence. The student is able to work independently and innovatively in professional and/or artistic tasks that entail an research-based orientation in their field. |
| Applying learned knowledge | In the thesis, the student demonstrates insufficient ability to apply what they have learned to solving professional, artistic and research-related questions in the field. | In the thesis, the student demonstrates moderate, satisfactory or good ability to apply what they have learned to solving professional, artistic and research-related questions in the field. | In the thesis, the student demonstrates independent and critical thinking and excellent ability to apply what they have learned to solving professional, artistic and research-related questions in the field in a creative manner. |
| Contextualisation | Contextualisation of the work is insufficient, or it has not been provided at all. | The student has contextualised the work within their own artistic discipline to a sufficient extent. | The student has contextualised the work within their own artistic discipline and the surrounding arts scene in an accurate and comprehensive manner. |
| Research process and conclusions | In the thesis, the student demonstrates poor or insufficient ability to problematise, analyse and further develop their learned knowledge in relation to their artistic work and/or the operating culture in the field at large. The student’s conclusions are not understandable and/or based on the research process. | In the thesis, the student demonstrates moderate, satisfactory or good ability to problematise, analyse and further develop their learned knowledge in relation to their artistic work and/or the operating culture in the field at large. The student’s conclusions have been presented in an understandable manner, and they are based on the research process. | In the thesis, the student demonstrates exceptional ability to problematise, analyse and further develop their learned knowledge in relation to their artistic work and the operating culture in the field at large. The student’s conclusions are presented in an exceptionally skilful and transparent manner, and they are based on the research process. |
| Argumentation | The student has not presented grounds for their claims/views or the argumentation is poor and insufficient. | The student has presented grounds for their claims/views. | The student has presented grounds for their claims/views in an exceptionally convincing manner. |
| Creation of new knowledge and skill | The student has not generated new ideas and/or artistic practices through their thesis. | The student has generated new ideas and/or artistic practices through their thesis. | The student has generated challenging, critical and new ideas and/or artistic practices through their thesis. |
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 criteria 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 criteria 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 criteria 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. |