University Education
University degrees are regulated by Government Decree on University Degrees. The scopes of
degrees are stipulated in the decree pertaining to degrees and the university degree regulations.
Universities and their faculties decide on degree regulations and curricula.
The scope of first cycle degree, usually called the Bachelor’s degree is at least 180 ECTS, in other words, three years of full-time study. The
minimum scope of the second cycle degree’, called the Master’s degree in most fields, is 300 ECTS, in other words, five years of full-time study (or
120 ECTS, in other words 2 years, after completing the Bachelor’s degree). The scope of Master’s
degrees aimed at international use can be 90 ECTS.
In most fields, it is also possible to take a voluntary (postgraduate) Licentiate degree, which takes
about two years after Master’s degree. The full-time studies for a Doctor’s degree take four years after
the completion of a Master’s degree.
In the fields of medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine, the higher academic degree is Licentiate.
The studies take 5–6 years, and their scope is 300-360 ECTS. Studies have been organised into study
units, the extent of which varies and which may include several types of work: lectures and other
guided instruction, exercises or other independent work, set-book examinations, seminars and so on.
In most fields, the study units form larger modules at three levels: basic or introductory studies, subject
or intermediate studies and advanced studies.
The lower academic degree consists of basic and subject studies in the main subject (or degree
programme), including a Bachelor’s thesis, and studies in one or more subsidiary subjects. For the
higher degree, students must complete advanced studies in the main subject and prepare a Master’s
thesis, in addition to the Bachelor’s programme. In the arts, the thesis may also be artistic proof of
learning and skills.
All students must complete courses in the native language, in the other national
language and in one or two foreign languages. Degrees may also comprise either
compulsory or optional practical training. In addition to the compulsory studies, students may include
extra courses in their degree.
Universities also organise courses and modules in foreign languages (usually English). All universities
have language centres that offer both compulsory and optional language courses in a variety of
languages.
The degree structure has been renewed in all fields of study except medicine and dentistry. The new
two-cycle degree system was adopted by Finnish universities in the academic year 2005-2006. Thus
students would have to complete a bachelor’s degree (3 yrs) before they can begin to study for a
Master’s degree (2 yrs). In the old system, even in the fields were it existed, the Bachelor-level degree
was optional, and it was possible to proceed directly to a Master’s programme. In the transitional
phase, until 2008, universities grant degrees according to both the old and the new system.
At the same time, Finnish degrees were reformed to be compatible with the ECTS-based system.In the
reform the present decrees governing university degrees will be revoked and replaced by one
Government Decree on university degrees.
Education leading to the officer’s degree at the National Defence College takes four years and consists
of 160 credits. The degree programme includes a thesis and a period of about four months of inservice
training. The postgraduate degree, the general staff officer’s degree, consists of a senior staff
officer course (34 credits) and a general staff officer course (50 credits). The degree includes
researcher training and an extensive thesis. The degree can be completed in about two years.
Professionally Oriented Higher Education
Studies leading to polytechnic degrees are organised as degree programmes, which may include
different specialisation areas. The degree programmes are designed and organised by the institutions
and are oriented towards some field of working life requiring professional expertise and development.
The Ministry of Education confirms each degree programme, but the institutions themselves design the
curricula.
The polytechnic degree programmes consist of basic and professional studies, optional studies,
practical training to promote professional skills and a diploma project.
The Ministry of Education has usually confirmed the scope of the degree programmes as being
equivalent to 210 or 240 ECTS credits (3½–4 years of full-time study). The degrees of midwife,
musician, music pedagogue, maritime engineer and sea captain, however, have a scope of 270 ECTS
credits. Finnish higher education institutions have determined the scopes of studies in terms of ECTS
credits as from the beginning of the 2005/2006 academic year. One credit,, is equivalent to about 40
hours of student work; one academic year comprises approximately 60 ECTS. Full-time students must
complete their studies within no more than one year over and above the standard duration of the
studies, unless the institution makes a specific exception. The scope of polytechnic post-graduate
degrees and in the future also upper polytechnic degrees will be 60-90 ECTS, cf. 6.1.2. and 6.3..
The scopes of degrees in polytechnic adult education are as for young people, but the time spent
completing the studies is usually less, averaging 2.8 years.
Polytechnic studies are offered in other languages that Finnish and Swedish in all fields. The most
common language of instruction is English. Polytechnics generally also have language centres that
offer both compulsory and optional language courses in a variety of languages.
Since 1.8.2005, students have had the possibility to complete polytechnic Master's degree. These
degrees are meant for people who have completed a polytechnic or any other applicable degree in
higher education, and who have a minimum of three years of work experience. Polytechnic Master's
degrees should amount to a minimum of one year and maximum of a year and a half of full-time study
(60-90 ECTS). The degree can be concluded flexibly while working at the same time, and without
having to leave the job market.
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