Handbook for Practice-Based Theses

Läromedlet Handbook for Practice-Based Theses har publicerats i Novias publikationsserie Läromedel i september 2025. 

Foreword

Universities of Applied Sciences actively co-operate with working life in both teaching and research. Practice-based theses have become an important part of students’ education. These theses aim not only to apply theoretical knowledge, but also to develop practical solutions and concrete products that beneft diferent sectors and industries.

In 2003, the first Finnish book, Toiminnallinen opinnäytetyö, written by Hanna Vilkka and Tiina Airaksinen, was published to guide both students and supervisors in writing practice-based theses. The latest Finnish book on writing theses that combines data collection and scientifc writing with theory and practice in a way that develops working life, Kirjoita itsesi asiantuntijaksi – Opas toiminnalliseen opinnäytetyöhön (by Kostamo, Airaksinen, and Vilkka), was published in 2022.

The Swedish version of the handbook you are now reading is the frst to be written in Swedish for Finnish conditions. The handbook aims to ofer Swedish-speaking students and supervisors a practical handbook on how to proceed when doing a practice-based degree thesis. The handbook was written within the framework of Novia University of Applied Sciences’ project Funktionella examensarbeten (Functional Theses) (1.12022 – 31.12.2024), funded by the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland and the association Föreningen Konstsamfundet r.f.

The handbook has been developed by senior lecturers and principal lecturers from the Department of Health and Welfare at Novia UAS, with the intention that it can also be used in other degree programs at universities of applied sciences. The frst version of the handbook was published internally at Novia University of Applied Sciences (UAS) in December 2023 and was used during the thesis process in the spring semester of 2024 by students and lecturers at the Department of Health and Welfare. Lecturers from other departments at Novia and other universities also had access to the handbook during the spring semester of 2024. During the autumn semester of 2024, the handbook was revised based on feedback from students and their supervisors, as well as feedback collected through interviews with those who had used the handbook. Before publication, the handbook has been expanded to include more practical examples, also from sectors other than social and health care, and the text has been clarifed.

At Novia UAS we have degree programmes in English. This English version of the handbook offers also our English-speaking students’ tools for conducting practice-based theses.

Information about the publication

Handbook for Practice-Based Theses
Ann-Louise Glasberg
Pia Höglund-Ingo
Pia Liljeroth
Carolina Silin

Graphic design:
Jenny Wiik

Novia University of Applied Sciences, Wolfskavägen 33, 65200 Vasa, Finland
© Yrkeshögskolan Novia

Novia publikation och produktion, serie L: Läromedel 1/2025

ISBN: 978-952-7526-54-5 (Online)

ISSN: 1799-4195