Ã…boy—Yes, I know it’s usually not the same as what one might do for a university graduate degree, although I know a polytechnic guy in Germany who came pretty close to it.

Anyway, I couldn’t think of a proper term. Maybe a ‘graduation project?’

Incidentally, in German it’s called ‘Diplomarbeit.’ It’s the same word for both polytechnic and university.

It is not a thesis and is not called such. In finnish it’s “lopputyö”.

What I find interesting is that, in Europe, a Bachelor’s degree usually implies a polytechnic education; whereas, in the US, it designates the undergraduate portion of a university education. There’s a difference:

The 4-year, US Bachelor’s degree encompasses a stronger theoretical foundation—every bit as strong as the foundation of a European 5-/6-year university Diploma; even stronger in some cases—but it doesn’t necessarily round-out those 4-years with a synthesizing experience. For that, it’s necessary to continue-on for a Master’s.

Conversely, a polytechnic Bachelor’s degree has an abbreviated theoretical foundation. However, it DOES have a synthesizing experience that usually takes the form of a ‘thesis’ (although, I’m not sure if it’s called a thesis, per se).

Incidentally, I know a few people who’ve made it to both middle and top management positions with European polytechnic educations. Many times, good communicational, interpersonal and organizational skills can count more than theoretical knowledge.

Not true. It was their own decision to use that name. Officially these institutions should be called polytechnics as the ministry of education does.

I agree that it’s a stupid name and it may cause a lot of misconceptions about the nature of these organisations. University refers to scientific institution but polytechnics are mainly meant to provide practical education.

Yes, it is silly. The purpose of it is to try and identify with the academia, to create the image that they’re part of the academic world. That’s because academic education is highly thought of and because polytechnics have always suffered from inferiority complex in this regard.

It’s a silly name change and serves no real purpose.

That however wasn’t the point of your comment was it? But maybe it did make you feel that little bit superior.

They like to call themselves “universities” but actually they’re polytechnics.