1. Study Advisor Jessica Lindroos Faculty of Science and Engineering
Close to graduation information session in Swedish in English
Study Advisor Jessica Lindroos Faculty of Science and Engineering

2. Apply for degree certificate
When? As soon as you have written your last exam and/or your Master’s thesis has been sent to the Centre for Language and Communication (CLL).
Degree dates every month except in July and August, deadline for application two weeks before.
You find the deadlines and the form on: (Faculties -> Faculty of Science and Engineering -> Studies –> Final Phase of the Studies)
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo

3. Apply for degree certificate continued
Order a ”MinSture” to your (look under Tools on the ÅAU-web) where you check your courses and score out the courses that should NOT be included in your degree (It must be possible to read the names of the scored out courses, though!).
Book an appointment with a Study Advisor if you’re not sure if you meet the degree requirements,
Submit your application to the Faculty Office (Axelia, IIIrd floor). If you’re not in Åbo/Turku a scannad application to is ok.
You will get an when the certificate is ready (on the degree date)
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo

4. The degree certificate
When you have graduated you will receive:
Degree certificates in both Swedish and English (send in copies of both when you apply for jobs)
Transcripts of courses in both Swedish and English (send in copies fo the one that’s relevant)
A Diploma supplement in English (describes your Finnish degree, send in a copy when you apply for jobs outside Finland)
(Congratulationletters and ads)
Never give away your originals, send in copies. If you loose your certificate you won’t get a new one, just an official copy.
You can get official copies from the Local Register Office (Maistraatti) or from us. We charge 35 euros for them. If you copy them yourself and bring us the copies and the original, we’ll stamp and sign them for free. (Often signatures of two friends, or a scan, will do.)
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo

5. The degree structure
A Master’s degree is 120 credits cr is ok.
Courses above that can be listed on a separate transcript, outside the degree, free to use in later degrees. Ask for it when you collect your certificate.
You can graduate according to the structure described in the Study Guide Book of the year you were admitted or a later one (not one before though).
NEWS: After 2018 students may only graduate according to the structure or a later one.
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo

6. The degree structure continued
We check that you have everything mandatory and that your major and minor subject fill a minimum of credits according to the structure you follow.
Free optional courses are used to fill the degree up to 120 cr.
You can have more credits in your major or minor than requested, it only reduces your free optional credits. All courses in your major/minor will be counted in the final grade, even if it goes above the minimum requirements. (No chance to use tactics.)
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo

7. Final grades
In the major and minor subject you will get a final grade, 1-5.
All courses on the right level in the subject, assessed with a numerical grade, will be counted, but not the thesis.
Courses assessed ”PASS” won’t have any effect on the final grade.
Courses in the major/minor subject at the wrong level (e.g. intermediate studies in the major subject or advanced studies in a minor subject) do not count, since they are not included in the degree as major/minor courses. (Exception: if your minor has been replaced with intermediate courses in your major.)
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo

8. Final grades continued
A weighted average (a 10 cr course affects the grade twice as much as a 5 cr course) rounded to the nearest integer (3,50 => 4)
A GPA (grade point average) will be counted for the Master of Science (Technology) degree. All courses included in the degree, but not the Master’s thesis, will be counted. This two decimal number is marked in the certificate and in the Diploma supplement. If the GPA is 4.00 or above and the thesis grade is 4 or 5 the degree is awarded ”with distinction” and this will be marked in the certificate and in the Diploma supplement.
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo

9. The Thesis
When you’ve finished your thesis you submit the manuscript to your supervisor printed out on paper and bound together in a folder. (There are plans for online submission next academic year.)
An English abstract of 2500 characters must be included
This should appear clearly on the manuscript’s front page:
Your name, student number, abo.fi adress
Faculty, Subject/Degree programme
Supervisor’s name
Type of text, in your case ”Master’s thesis”
When your supervisor finds that the thesis is ready, (s)he will arrange:
check for plagiarism (with the tool ”Urkund”)
language check at the Centre for Language and Communication (CLC)
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo

10. Language check
When the thesis is language checked you (and we) will get a result e- mail from CLC and your manuscript will be sent to the Faculty Office in Axelia the next day. (Unclear how this will be done next year.)
Language NOT PASSED: pick the manuscript up from the Faculty Office in Axelia (next day), correct the errors and return it to CLC for re- check together with the old manuscript. If your thesis isn’t approved in time for a graduation date, your application will be moved to next graduation date.
Language PASSED: if you want you can pick it up from the Faculty Office (next day) and correct the minor language errors they might have found before you bind the thesis in
Read more about the language check and CLC:s deadlines on
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo

11. Thesis registration and grading
2 hardcover copies (black or colour, your name and this year on the spine) must be submitted to the Faculty Office at least one week before the graduation date
Your supervisor and another examiner suggest a grade but the Dean approves the thesis. After that it will be registered into STURE.
7 degree grading scale: approbatur – laudatur, or if it is a thesis for M.Sc. (Tech): 1-5. (Plans for next academic year: 1-5 for all.)
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo

12. Check this
Does ÅAU have all your names and are they correctly spelled? See a transcript from the Study Register (STURE)! If not, show your ID at the Student Office in Gripen (open 12-14).
Please check with the Study Guide Book that you have taken the right courses: (Faculties -> Faculty of Science and Engineering -> Studies -> Education -> Master’s programmes -> IT: Programmes before 2017)
Are courses that should be included in your degree from other universities registered in your ÅAU transcript, and are they listed under the right subject? Do you have a written decision of your replacements of courses?
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo

13. The TEK survey
Graduated Master’s of Science (Technology) are kindly asked to answer a survey that the union TEK (Academic Engineers and Architects in Finland) administers for ÅAU
You will get the link to the survey in the you get when you graduate
Helps us develop the study programs and university services
You can take part in a draw of an iPad tablet after the survey!
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo

14. Graduation ceremony
Åbo Akademi University arranges graduation ceremonies in December and June
Next ceremony will be on Tuesday at 3 p.m. in Arken
More information and registration on: (Studies -> Degree studies -> Graduation)
Last day of registration:
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo

15. Good luck with your last courses and the thesis!
Åbo Akademi | Domkyrkotorget 3 | Åbo