Preparing a Master's Thesis

Starting the thesis work:

• Familiarize yourself with SCI's instructions and thesis process.
• Agree upon the thesis topic with your supervisor.
• Apply for the approval of the topic.

Preparing your thesis:

• Primary guidance comes from your advisor.
• Discuss the thesis structure with your supervisor already in the early phase of the process.
• Remember that all theses are public documents.
• The Systems Analysis Laboratory maintains an archive of all master's theses online. If you add the text below in Finnish or in English to the cover page of your thesis, your thesis can be made openly available in this archive:
  "Työn saa tallentaa ja julkistaa Aalto-yliopiston avoimilla verkkosivuilla. Muilta osin kaikki oikeudet pidätetään."
  "The document can be stored and made available to the public on the open internet pages of Aalto University. All other rights are reserved."
  If the text has not been added, the thesis will be password-protected but still available in the laboratory.

Finalizing the thesis:

• You will need to give a presentation on your thesis (about 15 minutes). Unless you have agreed otherwise with your supervisor, you may give this presentation in the weekly seminar of the Systems Analysis Laboratory, held on Mondays at 15:00. Once your supervisor has agreed that you are ready to present your thesis in this seminar, please contact Helmi Hankimaa to arrange a time for your talk. Preferrably, contact her a month before your desired presentation date. After giving the presentation, fill in the thesis presentation form on your part and ask your supervisor to sign and submit it to the student services of the MSc programme. 
• Deliver the thesis to the supervisor for feedback and guidance. Note that the supervisor may need up to a month to read your thesis. You may also need time to edit and correct your thesis. 
• Once the thesis has been submitted, the supervisor typically contacts the advisor before preparing the assessment statement. 

Submitting the thesis:

• Follow the SCI-level instructions and links
• Email a PDF copy of the thesis to Minna Westerlund.  
• If you choose to have your thesis bound as a hard copy, it is common to give a bound copy to your advisor and supervisor.

Evaluation of the thesis:

• The supervisor proposes a grade for your thesis in the assessment statement. See evaluation principles.
• The Degree Programme Committee of the Master's Programme in Mathematics and Operations Research evaluates all theses and decides the grades.

Congratulations!

• You have graduated with valuable skills in Systems and Operations Research! 
• Keep in touch with us also in the future!