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Publishing a written thesis

Read the final stage guidelines on how to publish your written thesis.

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The written thesis of a doctoral degree is published as open-access publications (PDF) in the University of the Arts Helsinki’s Taju publication archive, and it is a public document. The maximum print run for the written thesis is 50 copies.

The written thesis can also be published online as a Research Catalogue (RC) exposition in the University of the Arts Helsinki RC portal. Metadata for an RC-format thesis is published in the Taju publication archive. If the thesis is published in PDF format, an RC link can also be added to the Taju record as supplementary material. The University of the Arts Helsinki RC portal contact person is Tero Heikkinen (University Researcher, Research Institute).

Explore the University of the Arts Helsinki RC portal

The doctoral thesis is either a dissertation (artist education), a doctoral dissertation(researcher training), or the written part of a doctoral thesis package (applied training). Written components are published as part of one of the Sibelius Academy publication series and are assigned publication numbers. The EST series publishes artistic works, and the Studia Musica series publishes scholarly works.

Indicative timelines

  • Complete and submit the online form for publishing the written component of a doctoral degree no later than 1.5 months before the public examination date.
  • The publication must be delivered to the printers no later than 3 weeks before the public defence/examination.
  • The thesis must be made publicly available (the so-called deposition) in the Taju publication arhcive as an open-access publication no later than 10 days before the public defence/examination.

Complete the online form

Order the printing of the written thesis, publication ISBN/ISSN numbers, and the series sequence number by completing the online form. In the form, you will:

  • provide the title of your thesis,
  • indicate the number of pages,
  • select the cover layout and one main colour,
  • state the date of the defence/examination.

You will also be asked to supply a back-cover description text, with a maximum length of 1,000 characters.

The contact person will request by email:

  • the final version of your abstract, and
  • a print-ready image for the cover.

The university contact person for publication and printing matters is Michaela Bränn (Publication Specialist, Library). After submitting the form, she will contact you by email and provide the necessary information for the publication information page.

Covers for doctoral written works are always designed according to the University of the Arts Helsinki graphic guidelines. Cover layout and printing are carried out by the university’s contracted printing house.
The contact person orders the print run (50 copies) and supports you throughout the printing process.

The contact person delivers to the printer all required cover information: cover design, selected main colour, back-cover text, cover image, other cover texts, as well as details on publication size, paper choices, and print run.

Open the form for publishing a written doctoral thesis

The layout of the publication inlay

As the graduating candidate, you are responsible for finalising the inlay of the written work (the internal pages of the publication; the publication content) in PDF format and delivering it to the printer and the contact person according to the agreed schedule. Pay particular attention to the publication information page (colophon) inside the publication.

You may, at your own expense, use external assistance (e.g. a graphic designer) for the technical preparation of the inlay.

  • Instructions for formatting the written component of an artistic doctoral degree can be found in the LibGuide
  • General formatting instructions for written doctoral theses (e.g. licentiate theses and dissertations) are available online
    View the instructions

Once the inlay is ready, the contact person will assist you in delivering it to the printer.

Proofs, print approval, Open-Access publication, and distribution

The printer will send electronic proofs of both the cover and the inlay by email. Review the proofs carefully; they will also be checked by the contact person. Any corrections must be sent by email to the printer. Print approval is granted once both you and the contact person confirm that the print files are correct.

The contact person will submit the open-access PDF version of your written thesis and the abstract to the library for the Taju publication repository. The work will be assigned a permanent electronic URN identifier, used when referencing the electronic version of the thesis.

Printed books are delivered directly from the printer to the postal service. The contact person will provide you with a mailing list template, which you will complete with recipients’ contact details (name, postal address, phone number, email address). You may also order your own copies to be delivered by post.

During the publication process, you will sign a University of the Arts Helsinki publication agreement.

Distribution

You will receive 10 copies of the publication to distribute at your discretion. The books can be delivered directly to you by post from the printer. The contact person will provide a mailing list for collecting the necessary delivery information.

Deliver one copy (depending on degree type) to each of the following: opponent(s), examiner(s) of the thesis/written work, members of the artistic committee, members of the supervision group, chair of the public examination (custos).

You may also request that copies be delivered directly to recipients by post from the printer.

Three (3) copies must be delivered to the University of the Arts Helsinki Library for public display (deposition) at least 10 days before the examination.

The book will be sold in the University of the Arts Helsinki online shop and Ostinato. Pricing is determined by the university. Porters will handle the sale of remaining copies to the public in connection with the public examination.

Publication series and identifiers

The Sibelius Academy Board’s approval to hold a public doctoral examination simultaneously constitutes the publication permission:

  • for an artistic doctoral licentiate thesis in the EST series
    (ISSN 1237‑4229 print, ISSN 2489‑7981 PDF), or
  • for a doctoral dissertation in the Studia Musica series
    (ISSN 0788‑3757 print, ISSN 2489‑8155 PDF).

A series publication includes 3–5 publication identifiers:

  • ISBN (on the back cover and publication information page): identifies the individual publication and its format (print or electronic). An ISBN is also used to generate the EAN barcode for the back cover.
  • ISSN (on the back cover and publication information page): identifies the series and publication format. All publications in the same series share the same ISSN, separately for print and PDF versions.
  • Series sequence number indicates the publication’s order within the series and is shown on the cover, spine, title page, and publication information page.

Additional information on publishing