Curriculum 2013 – TYA14KJ (in English)

LAUREA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

Degree Programme in Security Competence (Laurea Leppävaara, turva), TYA14KJ

                                                                       1. year         2. year
OP               STUDIES
189              ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT METHODS
00646            Action Research                                                  5
00403            Innovation Management Methods                                    5
00715            Futures Studies Methods                                                          5
190              SECURITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT
00656            Security Management in Risk Management Process                   5
00657            Security Behaviour of Individuals and Organisations                              5
00659            Continuity Management                                                            5
00660            Exception Situations and Crisis Communication                                    5
01345            Security of Data Management                                     2,5             2,5
191              BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP
00416            Strategic Management                                             5
00661            Responsible Leadership and Workplace Development                                 5
01043            Management of business networks                                                  5
01037            Service Marketing and Selling                                                    5
00819            Growth Entrepreneurship                                          5               5
01044            Cross cultural issues in service development                                     5
192              INTERNATIONAL SECURITY MANAGEMENT
00667            Security Management in International Business                    5
00666            Operating in Global and Multicultural Environment                                5
00669            English for managers and professionals                           5
00668            Current Issues in International Security Management                              5
194              THESIS
00716            Thesis                                                          15              15
                                                                                  0               0
189 ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT METHODS, 0 cr

Description:
Students acquire strong methodological skills in investigating and developing organisations, tasks, man-agement
and business operations. The learning process strengthens the students’ research and devel-opment skills with
methodological competence. The emphasis is on developing the workplace and or-ganisations through action
research, innovation management and research that predicts future operat-ing environments, among other means.
The study entity supports the students’ thesis work.

Students who have completed the theme’s study units:
• know the approaches of research-oriented development and proactive organisational development
• know the methods for applying theory in practice
• understand the process of researching and utilising information as a whole
• know the main workplace development methods

The student will be able to:
• use different methods in their own operating environments in situationally appropriate ways, i.e. understand what
knowledge is needed and what methods can be applied to acquire it
• define their knowledge needs and apply knowledge to their own operating environments
• evaluate and manage the information gathering process
• outline objectives for the development of their organisations and sectors, and choose development objects
• participate in a social value network and a competence-enriching community
• independently carry out research and development projects that develop the profession
• acquire and handle information in their field of expertise and in other related fields, evaluate it critically, see things
holistically and generate new knowledge
• assess the operation of a work community, and plan, organise and develop operations in changing circumstances
• understand extensive entities and the causal relationships between things, and work with limited information in
situations requiring multidisciplinary competence
• design the elements of project work, participate in and manage projects
• initiate viable, customer-focused development operations
• find solutions and alternatives in problem-solving situations
• explain and justify things in writing and interact with other people

Content:
Teeman opintojaksot muodostavat vahvan kokonaisuuden organisaatioiden käytännön kehittämistarpeiden
ennakoinnille, identifioinnille, analysoinnille ja niihin liittyvän innovaatiotoiminnan johtamiselle.

Opintojaksot
00646 Toimintatutkimus, 5 op (pakollinen)
00715 Tulevaisuuden haltuunoton menetelmät, 5 op (pakollinen)
00403 Innovaatiotoiminnan menetelmät, 5 op (pakollinen)

Learning process:
Teema syventää ja vahvistaa opiskelijan osaamista modernien organisaatioiden kehittäjänä ja tulevaisuuden
luotaajana.


00646 Action Research, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• know the methodological approach in which the researcher is closely involved with the operations of the
organisation being studied, and actively develops its operations by identifying and solving problems and by working
towards certain improvement objectives
• know the methods in which the researcher investigates the emergence of the problem, gathers information on the
phenomenon, considers alternatives for its origins and development, and tests possible solutions for improving
operations, sometimes together with other members of the target organisation

Contents of the study unit:
• researcher’s active participation in the change and research process
• relationship between the researcher and research object, cooperation and shared participation
• practical orientation and focus on problems
• stages and progression of the research process

Study unit description:
The course looks at research methods, with which researchers can develop an organisation’s activities while
participating simultaneously as change agents. Action research is a process that aims at changing and improving
things. The main thing is to understand the process in a new way. Action research is an approach that is not
interested in how things are but above all in how they should be.


00403 Innovation Management Methods, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• participate innovatively in development networks and leading teams’ development activities in a proactive, target-
oriented way
• generate new ideas and implement them in a networked environment
• manage a process aimed at refining an innovation idea

Contents of the study unit:
• concept of innovation
• incremental and radical innovation
• the innovation process
• goods, service and process innovation, social innovation
• commercialising innovations
• leadership and organisation to support innovativeness

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit relates to participating innovatively in development networks and leading
teams’ development activities in a proactive, target-oriented way. Core competences are creating new ideas and
their practical implementation in a network environ-ment. Competence is reflected concretely in the management of
a project that aims to refine an innovation idea.


00715 Futures Studies Methods, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• use information gathering and management to increase individuals’ or organisations’ knowledge and
understanding of the organisation’s current status and operating environment, to create foundations on which to
base decisions and the identification of potential benefits, and to form a basis for measuring change.
• use futures research to identify megatrends and weak signals in the operating environment, point out development
directions for the sector, and evaluate the effects of recognised change drivers and change processes on the sector
or business cluster in question

Contents of the study unit:
• information gathering entity
• futures research entity

Study unit description:
The course produces skills in investigating the possible, desirable and probable futures of a target organisation. It
also increases competence in the approaches through which target organisations can be directed towards the
desired future


190 SECURITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT, 0 cr

Description:
Students acquire in-depth skills in organisational security and risk management. They learn to develop security
management systems based on organisations’ needs and to assess how well they work in vari-ous threatening
situations. By looking at the issue as a whole and progressing in a process-oriented way, students learn to develop
security management, organisational risk management and internal monitoring. The students’ competence
development is based on security management in risk control processes, the security behaviour of individuals and
organisations, information security, ensuring the continuity of operations in security incidents, emergency
management and crisis communication.

The student will be able to:
• act on their own initiative, predicting changes and change needs
• plan, organise and develop their own work
• manage the socioeconomic links of organisations in their fields, know and can utilise social influ-encing
opportunities, can apply the principles of sustainable development to their own work, and are aware of their
organisations’ corporate social responsibility
• analyse and evaluate project operations and work methods, model the tacit knowledge of experts and employees,
and acquire information on an organisation and enrich it into a concrete plan
• listen to others and can make presentations in writing, orally and visually to different target groups
• take initiatives, adopt a developmental approach to work, and initiate and implement change processes
• outline the core competences of the sector and their significance
• work in diverse communication and interaction situations, and organise and create professional networks
• develop security systems and secure information systems

Content:
Teema vahvistaa ja syventää opiskelijan osaamista turvallisuuden ja riskienhallinnan keskeisiltä osa-alueilta.
Opiskelijan omien oppimistavoitteiden ja mielenkiinnon kohteiden perusteella teema antaa mahdollisuuden syventää
osaamistaan useammasta eri turvallisuusjohtamisen osa-alueesta tarjolla olevien vapaavalinnaisen opintojaksojen
muodossa.

Learning process:
Teeman opintojaksot muodostavat kehittämistä tukevan kokonaisuuden, jonka sisällöt määräytyvät opiskelijan
omista lähtökohdista ja turvallisuusklusterin kehittämisen tavoitteista. Alalla tarvittavan ydinosaamisen ja tutkimus- ja
kehittämistoiminnan avulla hahmotetaan tärkeitä kehittämiskohteita ja muodostetaan kestävä pohja kehittäjäksi
oppimiselle. Opintojaksoissa tarkastelunäkökulmana on osaamisen yhdistäminen ja osaamisen tuottaminen
turvallisuusklusterin arvoverkostoon.


00656 Security Management in Risk Management Process, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• develop security management as part of a risk management process
• bknow comprehensive risk management and can use the main risk management tools
• develop and implement security management systems based on an organisation’s needs.
• set out the principles of an organisation’s security management, organise the coordination of security matters, and
measure/assess the status of the organisation’s security management
• know the main standards for security management and can use them in their work
• develop cooperation with internal and external security-related stakeholders

Contents of the study unit:
• risk management processes and methods
• comprehensive organisational security management system and coordination
• interest groups related to security management

Study unit description:
Students deepen their competence in demanding and comprehensive security management as a part of
organisations’ risk management.


00657 Security Behaviour of Individuals and Organisations, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• analyse how the social world and its individuals influence and modify each other
• analyse and influence the social formation of the human mind (thoughts, emotions and personality) as well as its
dysfunctions, which may significantly affect security
• analyse human activity, philosophies, emotions and identity-building in relation to the social environment and the
society, in interpersonal interaction and in group processes
• use the tools for managing everyday human phenomena in their social and security-related contexts
• apply psychological and moral-philosophical theory as a basis for the choices and actions of individuals
• use the principles of crisis psychology to understand how traumatic situations are encountered in work communities

Contents of the study unit:
• methods for analysing the security behaviour of individuals and organisations
• developing security behaviour
• psychological and ethical principles of security behaviour
• security behaviour at the individual, group, organisational and societal levels

Study unit description:
We live in a social world and in continuous interaction with other individuals in groups, organisations, societies and
cultural communities. Competence and skill development has its foundations in the behavioural sciences.
Competence is increased in group behaviours, moral philosophy and crisis psychology in order to understand and
manage the security challenges and demands through these theories.


00659 Continuity Management, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• coordinate activities related to determining and managing risks in business and technical infrastructure
• identify an organisation’s critical functions and evaluate their resource prioritisation
• determine the responsibilities needed for ensuring fault-free operation and manage recovery plans for diverse
recognised faults or incidents
• produce continuity plans for business operations and technical systems, administer them and arrange practical
testing of the plans

Contents of the study unit:
• analysing an organisation’s processes, environment and infrastructure from the point of view of continuity
• pre-empting and classifying problem incidents
• continuity and recovery plans
• incident management methods

Study unit description:
Students deepen their competence in leadership actions to ensure the continuity of target-oriented operations during
problematic incidents.


00660 Exception Situations and Crisis Communication, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• manage exception situations as a part of an organisation’s risk management
• handle internal and external crisis communication as a part of crisis management
• analyse various exeption situations that would affect an organisation’s operations
• create, together with the necessary stakeholders, preventive measures against various incidents, as well as action
plans and guidelines for various situations
• know the different elements of crisis communication and can produce plans and instructions for communicating on
exceptional events and situations to the right target groups using the right methods
• use crisis communication to protect or, if necessary, reinstate the organisation’s reputation

Contents of the study unit:
• anticipating and preparing for exception situations
• crisis management
• internal and external crisis communication

Study unit description:
Students deepen their competence in the management of exception situations, and increase their skills in crisis
communication.
01345 Security of Data Management, 5 cr

The student is able to:

•   viewpoints of security in development of information systems
•   strategy-based design
•   development of user-centred information systems in perspective of security
•   applied new technology
•   collaboration
•   self-assessment


Contents of the study unit:
•  shared expertise
•  viewpoints of regional research agenda and ICT-cluster




Study unit description:
•   shares challenges related to the regional ICT-cluster
•   novel core competences


Previous studies:
•   research methods (parallel)
•   research workshop (parallel)



191 BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP, 0 cr

Description:
Students acquire strong business and management skills that supports their actions in demanding security
competence development and management duties. The focuse is on responsible leadership, workplace
development, strategic leadership, entrepreneurship, knowledge-intensive business development and network
management.

The student will be able to:
• develop an organisation’s operations to be simultaneously responsible and target-oriented
• understand responsibility as a whole and their own relationship with responsible leadership
• recognise their own value bases and work methods and examine and develop them as a part of organisational and
business development
• apply leadership methods that support individual creativity and well-being at work
• develop business practices to be ethically, economically, socially and environmentally sustainable
• master the main principles and methods of strategic planning
• evaluate a company’s operating strategy and choices
• make strategy-based choices and use them to plan and organise operations
• evaluate and situationally create alternative strategies for the achievement of a company’s ob-jectives
• work as an active member, opinion leader and developer in networks formed by individuals and organisations
• analyse, lead and develop network operators, their mutual relationships and their resources
• promote creativity and dialogue in projects and organisations, provide constructive feedback to project members,
use different idea-generating methods in projects and motivate other project par-ticipants to work towards a shared
objective
• understand the basic functions and processes of knowledge-intensive business as a critical success factor for the
organisation and a value-adding factor for customers
• be responsive to change and work in cooperation with diverse operators, produce plans and solu-tions, and
promote creative
• examine a knowledge-intensive company’s operating environment, identifying its major change drivers
• develop various knowledge-intensive business models and earnings principles
• develop the business of a future or existing company holistically
• assume overall responsibility for a company’s business development and financial success

Content:
Teeman opintojaksot muodostavat vaihtoehtoisia polkuja muodostaen yksilöllistä osaamista liiketoiminnan ja
johtamisen alueella. Kaikki opintojaksot ovat osaamista syventäviä ja merkitsevät uuden osaamisen luomista
turvallisuuteen liittyvän liiketoiminta- ja johtamisosaamisen alueella. Opintojaksojen toteuttamisen vaikuttavuus
ilmene opiskelijoiden, Laurean, turvallisuusklusterin ja alueen osaamisen kehittymisenä.

Learning process:
Teema vahvistaa ja syventää opiskelijan osaamista turvallisuusosaamiseen liittyviltä keskeisiltä liiketoiminnan ja
johtamisen osa-alueilta. Opiskelijan omien oppimistavoitteiden ja mielenkiinnon kohteiden perusteella teema antaa
mahdollisuuden syventää osaamistaan useammasta eri liiketoiminnan ja johtamisen osa-alueesta tarjolla olevien
vapaavalinnaisen opintojaksojen muodossa.


00416 Strategic Management, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• know the main principles and methods of strategic planning
• evaluate a company’s operating strategy and choices
• evaluate and situationally create alternative strategies for the achievement of a company’s objectives
• analyse the effects of strategy renewals on CRM strategies, competence strategies and internal business
processes, and initiate profitable, customer-oriented development functions
• listen to others and communicate with diverse target groups in writing, orally and visually
• analyse the operating culture of the market and participate in coordinating, developing and managing
organisations’ activities
• identify the socioeconomic links of organisations in their fields, know and can utilise social influencing
opportunities, can apply the principles of sustainable development to their own work, and are aware of their
organisations’ corporate social responsibility
• have general knowledge of the status and significance of their professional field in the international operating
environment
• promote creativity and dialogue in projects and organisations, provide constructive feedback to project members,
use different idea-generating methods in projects and motivate other project participants to work towards a shared
objective
• analyse and evaluate project operations and work methods, model the tacit knowledge of experts and employees,
and acquire information on an organisation and enrich it into a concrete plan
• know how to manage and, particularly, motivate, projects

Contents of the study unit:
• principles and methods of strategic planning
• radical strategy reforms
• strategies of the new economy
• effects of strategy renewals on CRM strategies, competence strategies and internal business processes

Study unit description:
The course familiarises students with the significance and methods of strategic planning and management. The
emphasis is on strategy reforms, and on looking for and producing strategic innovations in a rapidly changing
operating environment.


00661 Responsible Leadership and Workplace Development, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• understand responsible leadership as a whole
• examine their own work, value bases and leadership methods as part of the social system at the workplace
• reflect on and develop their leadership styles and their relationships with the members of the work community and
with other stakeholders
• develop their personal approach to responsible leadership to become a functional part of target-oriented strategic
management
• promote responsible business operations with their own actions
• apply the core concepts of responsible leadership in their thinking and deduction
• form an approach to responsible leadership that suits their own leadership styles

Contents of the study unit:
• challenges posed by the operating environment for responsible operations and management
• ethics and morals in decision-making and operations
• benefits of responsibility for security management
• responsible leadership and different stakeholders
• self-evaluation in responsible leadership
• humanity vs. profitability

Study unit description:
Students deepen their competence in responsible leadership and workplace development. Responsibility is seen
from the point of view of managing man-made systems. The most essential elements are individual operators’
actions and the relationships between operators. Responsible leadership and workplace development are about
managing networks, trust and interaction. Social responsibility stresses the effects of a company’s operations on the
company’s stakeholders, immediate community and society. Some of the main stakeholders are the organisation’s
staff, the customers and partners.


01043 Management of business networks, 5 cr

The student is able to:
 • Evaluate the historical aspects of the network theories, key principles, and contexts of application, organizational
structures, and their impact on managing them
 • Develop ‘shared value’ and principles that can be applied across the business
 • Come up with creative (radical) ideas in developing, leading ,and managing business within networks
 • Outline a ‘good practice’ approach to management of business network
 • Evaluate and improve organization’s network context


Contents of the study unit:
• Network theories, models, and principles
• Types of networks, systems of networks
• Networked society, service business in networked context
• Management and beyond in leading networked organizations
• Complexity science and service science approaches towards the networks
• Key principles and dynamics in network management
• Interaction and action in networks, the actors in networks
• Development of business within networks

Study unit description:
 The aim of the study unit is to enhance the students’ business and leadership competences in network context.
Service systems are typically made up of number of firms collaborating, i.e. networks. This study unit is looking in
the development of networked society in general and more specifically, how organizational forms and types, and
relationships have transformed. The history of network theories and models are analyzed. This study unit moves
further in thinking of the future of networks and their management. This course takes the management perspective
on networks. How to manage different networks and what are the managerial challenges. Students learn the
historical development of networks and their management..Further, they will learn to interact within the network. The
focus is inter-organizational networks, not on intra-organizational networks.



01037 Service Marketing and Selling, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• understand the evolution of services marketing thought
• understand the strategic approach in service marketing
• establish, maintain and develop customer relationships
• conceptualize and sell services

Contents of the study unit:
• services marketing thought
• strategic marketing management in service business
• customer relationship management
• selling of services


Study unit description:
 Students become familiar with the key concepts and methods of service marketing. They will deepen their
managerial skills in service marketing and in customer relationships. The students will also learn how to sell services
in business to business market.



00819 Growth Entrepreneurship, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• make concrete development plans for business ideas or operations
• analyse a company’s global operating field
• commercialise the products and services required to put a business idea into practice
• build a scalable business model
• organise the development of a business
• manage a company
Students are also strongly motivated for entrepreneurship and willing to assume responsibility for managing and
developing a financially viable business.

Contents of the study unit:
Students work on developing either a new business idea or existing operations, with the aim of achieving a financial
growth trend. The object of development is a genuine business (or business opportunity), not a theoretical exercise.
The study unit is shared by all Laurea Mas-ter’s degree programmes.

Study unit description:
Students are encouraged (but not forced) to work in groups to build their business operations; i.e. several students
can work on one business. In addition to guidance from Laurea lecturers, students can make use of Laurea’s
investment services and other public or private investment or consulting services (such as TEKES programmes or
Enterprise Agency advice).

This 10-credit study unit aiming at growth entrepreneurship is designed to fit into students’ personal study plans
according to their professional aims. With regard to growth entrepre-neurship targets, the study unit is organised by
Principal Lecturer Vesa Taatila, vesa.taatila@laurea.fi, who also handles enrolments. The content of the necessary
expertise in the field is provided in the students' Master's degree programmes. The study unit continues through the
academic year.


01044 Cross cultural issues in service development, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• identify and deeply understand cross-cultural issues related to service development
• plan and implement intercultural strategies and processes
• manage multicultural teams and projects
• support and develop frontline personnel's intercultural communication competences
• involve diverse customers in the service design processes.


Contents of the study unit:
• Understanding and managing diversity based on chosen cultural theories
• Cross-cultural knowledge in strategic service development (back office)
• Intercultural competences in service business (front office)

Study unit description:
 Services are often offered globally and to customers and end-users from different cultures. Deep understanding of
cultural needs and preferences are a prerequisite for effective service design.
 This study unit offers understanding of the theoretical basis of cross-cultural and intercultural perspectives and
enables the student to acquire appropriate knowledge and skills for service design.



192 INTERNATIONAL SECURITY MANAGEMENT, 0 cr

Description:
Students receive skills in managing security in international environments. The thesis deepens the stu-dents’
competence, preparing them to work as experts, managers or developers of security compe-tence in international
organisations and positions. The focus of the development of international com-petence is on activities in global and
multicultural environments, managing security in companies’ in-ternational functions, topical questions in
international security management, and the English language skills needed by managers and experts.

The student will be able to:
• develop the international operating environment, recognise the opportunities in internationalisation and identify its
main change drivers
• analyze cultural differences and can work in global work and operating environments
• have general knowledge of the status and significance of their professional field in the international operating
environment
• identify operating culture of the labour market and can participate in coordinating, developing and managing
organisations’ activities in a global environment
• work in diverse communication and interaction situations, and organise and create professional networks in
international environments
• plan and implement projects, operations and functions related to security management interna-tionally, in
partnership with diverse operators
• work in international projects and partnership networks as responsible and active experts
• understand the principles of group and teamwork in international functions, and can work with others in
multicultural teams and lead such teams
• carry out management communication and activities in English
• serve international customers and evaluate the effects and quality of services
• develop international business operations, subsidiaries and business processes

Learning process:
Learning by Developing (LbD)


00667 Security Management in International Business, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• know and map the general security risks associated with international operations, and are able to develop methods
for controlling them
• analyse and evaluate the security operating environment, and develop and apply security management methods in
relation for example to international subsidiaries or joint ventures, customer and partner relations, outsourcing and
procurement, information security, technology and electronic communications, cultural diversity, legislation and
contractual differences

Contents of the study unit:
• security risks in international business operations
• security of international business processes, projects and operations
• security related to international partners and partnerships
• international security risks associated with business information systems, media, technology and infrastructure,
and how to manage them
• actions of the authorities and legislative issues in international security management

Study unit description:
Students increase their competence in security management in relation to international business.


00666 Operating in Global and Multicultural Environment, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• analyse the challenges posed to organisations by globalisation
• know the principles of international business and can develop an organisation’s international operations
• analyse and manage the effects of culture on interaction and management and can develop multicultural
partnership management methods

Contents of the study unit:
• social and economic globalisation
• challenges and opportunities of globalisation
• management in a multicultural environment
• global networking
• cultural encounters and inter

Study unit description:
Students deepen their competence in working in a global and multicultural environment. They achieve increased
understanding of multiculturalism and its conceptual bases. As business and societies become multicultural, the aim
is to become familiar with and process the challenges and methods of cultural encounters within security-related
management operations.


00669 English for managers and professionals, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• communicate in international professional environment

Contents of the study unit:
• Written and oral English for business administration and security management

Study unit description:
The course emphasizes language skill in English important for managers and professionals. It develops students’
communication skills for varying managerial situations.


00668 Current Issues in International Security Management, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• analyse and manage the special international security issues discussed on the course

Contents of the study unit:
• variable topical issues related to international security management

Study unit description:
The specific questions that are addressed change each time the study unit is run. Instruction is carried out in
cooperation with international security competence experts and representatives from trade and commerce.


194 THESIS, 30 cr

Description:
· Creating research plans and project brochures for development projects
· Using and applying bibliography and previous studies
· Constructing a theoretical framework
· Gathering and analysing primary and secondary material
· Implementing and reporting the research and development work
· Maturity test and constructive opposition


The student will be able to:
• carry out development work and applied research independently in their fields;
• analyse the theoretical starting points for development work and evaluate de-velopment tasks through clear
documentation;
• generate new, reliable information for solving delineated problems;
• evaluate the effects of the methods they use on the reliability of the informa-tion generated;
• understand the meaning of researched information for supporting business de-cisions, and
• apply research data in their work by developing new operating methods and models;

Learning process:
The thesis conducted as a development project forms the core of the Master's degree. Its implementation is
supported in all of the study units. Work on the thesis can begin already during the first study units. The thesis is
public.
The thesis is an applied research or development task focused on developing the re-gion and the field, on the
challenges of developing the employment sector, and on pro-fessional growth. Thus the theses respond to employer
needs, use process-based and applied methods and aim to generate new information and innovations. The work
serves as proof of a student's expertise and innovativeness to solve development chal-lenges related to the
workplace. The theses are a learning process which allow stu-dents to prove their ability to apply competence
gained through their studies to practi-cal needs of change in the employment sector, whilst paying attention to its
generic competences: ethical, reflection, network, innovation and globalisation competence.
The thesis is usually organised as a shared development process with various organisa-tional participants, which
means that the participating organisation develops itself and in addition the surrounding sector and the labour
market as a whole.



00716 Thesis, 30 cr

The student is able to:
The students will be able to

• carry out development work and applied research independently in their fields
• apply research information they have acquired in their theses, critically and analytically
• apply suitable information gathering methods in their development projects
• choose sound research and development method and create documentation and reports for it
• evaluate and oppose others’ theses in terms of background, implementation, outcome and re-porting, as in a
research community
• work as experts on applied research and development teams
• gather information independently, and monitor, analyse and critically evaluate the development of professional
practices and research data in their fields
• produce and apply information independently

Contents of the study unit:
Content

The aim of the thesis is to develop the students’ ability to apply research data, to use selected meth-ods for
analysing and solving workplace problems and to carry out demanding specialist tasks inde-pendently. The thesis
must demonstrate the students’ ability to define and process chosen develop-ment targets, a development-oriented
approach, mastery of the theories and research methods needed in their work, familiarity with the thesis topic and
related literature, skills in processional communica-tion, the ability to work with long-term persistence and skills in
understanding things holistically.

Study unit description:
The thesis can be a research or development project that increases the student’s professional skills and serves the
development needs of the labour market. Theses that take the form of development projects can focus on new or
improved work processes, products, methods, events or artworks. The thesis can also be a development plan or
other plan, or a progressive report with development proposals.

The thesis process encompasses the following stages:


• Choice of topic and tutoring
• Planning and scheduling
• Setting objectives and specifying the topic
• Theoretical definition of the phenomenon (context) and specification of objectives
• Choice of research and development method
• Completion of the research and development project
• Writing the thesis report
• Thesis presentation and feedback session