Study Guide

Objective

The objective of the Bachelor’s Thesis is for the student to demonstrate and develop the ability of applying professional skills and knowledge to a practical development assignment or project relevant to the profession and the working life.
In Metropolia’s Bachelor’s Thesis the student learns and carries out development work, which is based on researched knowledge and other evidence and which concerns the development of professional competences or practices.
During this process the student applies the data search methods relevant to his/her own field of study, adapts previously acquired information with new information and creates new solutions and interpretations. He/she learns to perceive details as a part of a larger context.
The student knows how to write a written report on his/her work including description, analysis and clarifying examples of the process and the results of the work.
On completion of the Bachelor’s Thesis the student will be able to
• identify questions and needs for development in the professional field and the working life and to plan for their solutions
• use reliable and confined information from various sources in the development work
• apply professional skills and knowledge and use appropriate methods for the development task
• execute a development project useful for the working life or the profession in an independent, responsible and collaborative manner
• communicate in different stages of the work both to peers and to other audiences in a clear, well-argued and illustrative manner
• report the results of the work, to assess them and to bring forth proposals for improvement in an appropriate way both in writing and in speech as well as visually.

Content

- Applying theory to practice.
- Data management.
- Ideas, methods for planning and problem-solving.
- Research methods.
- Argumentation, justifying one's own reasoning.
- Reflection.
- Working unsupervised.

Prerequisites

Four years studies in the degree programme in construction architecture.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Thesis planning and project:
- The student can follow the plan and schedule when being guided.
Applying the theory, choosing the sources, logical thinking:
- The student is able to gather enough information from his/her field of study to formulate a thesis.
- The student needs guiding to select the appropriate methods to reach the goals of the work
Achieving the goals and relevance and functionality of methods used:
- The student is able to choose appropriate tools to achieve his/her goals when guided
- The student reaches some of the goals of the work.
Recoverable results:
- The results of the thesis are to some extent relevant to the professional field..
Conclusions, critical evaluation:
- Some conclusions are made and evaluated in critical way.
Written report and oral presentation:
- The student can prepare an understandable thesis report using the language guidelines, layout template and instructions.
- The student can present the work orally and communicate in an appropriate way in the presentation.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Thesis planning and project:
- The student can create the plan and schedule and follow it through.
Applying the theory, choosing the sources, logical thinking:
- The student can find knowledge of his/her own field to build the theory background for the study.
- The student can select the appropriate methods to reach the goals of the work independently and can justify them.
Achieving the goals and the relevance and functionality of methods used:
- The student reaches the main goals of the work and they are relevant to the professional field.
Usability and feedback from the client:
- The student reaches results which are usable for the client.
Conclusions, critical evaluation:
- The student can make correct and justified conclusions from the results of the work and can reflect on them critically.
Written report and oral presentation:
- The student can prepare a thesis report with an appropriate content and style of presentation. The student can focus the presentation and its context to the reader and can write fluently using the language guidelines. The student can structure the report clearly and logically.
- In the oral presentation the student can communicate in appropriate way and illustrate the speech in multiple ways.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Thesis planning and project:
- The student can create the plan, and schedule and follow it independently.
Applying the theory, choosing the sources, logical thinking:
- The student is able to gather both old and fresh information extensively from his/her field of study in order to formulate a thesis.
- The student is able to apply the theory to support the practical solutions
- The student can select the appropriate methods to reach the goals of the work and can justify them in a convincing way.
Achieving the goals and the relevance and functionality of methods used:
- The student reaches the goals of the work.
- The student has solved a significant technical problem or produced new, significant information to the professional field.
Usability and feedback from the client:
- The student reaches results which are widely usable by the client.
Conclusions, critical evaluation:
- The student is able to make right and well-reasoned conclusions and is able to evaluate these in
critical way.
- Conclusions are personal, new and interesting for the constructional architecture.
Written report and oral presentation:
- The student can prepare a professional, fully finalised thesis report with an appropriate style of presentation. The student writes as a professional of the field in an illustrative and interesting way. The student can structure the report in an innovative and clear way.
- In the oral presentation the student can communicate as an expert in the field in an illustrative, interesting way using visual presentation tools.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

Thesis planning and project:
- The student can follow the plan and schedule when being guided.
Applying the theory, choosing the sources, logical thinking:
- The student is able to gather enough information from his/her field of study to formulate a thesis.
- The student needs guiding to select the appropriate methods to reach the goals of the work
Achieving the goals and relevance and functionality of methods used:
- The student is able to choose appropriate tools to achieve his/her goals when guided
- The student reaches some of the goals of the work.
Recoverable results:
- The results of the thesis are to some extent relevant to the professional field..
Conclusions, critical evaluation:
- Some conclusions are made and evaluated in critical way.
Written report and oral presentation:
- The student can prepare an understandable thesis report using the language guidelines, layout template and instructions.
- The student can present the work orally and communicate in an appropriate way in the presentation.