FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Contact Information

General Information

Degree structure, system and terminology

Instruction in English

Staff

Dean: Professor Hannu Niemi

Chief Executive Officer: Ms. Riitta Honkala Tel. (+358-9) 191 24804

Administrative Officer: Ms. Terhi Kulonpalo Tel. (+358-9) 191 24805

Financial Officer Tel. (+358-9) 191 24801

Office Secretaries: Ms. Ami Kytömaa, Tel. (+358-9) 191 24802 Ms. Katriina Ahtiainen, Tel. (+358-9) 191 24803

Student Affairs Office P.O. Box 54 (Unioninkatu 37), 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland

Head of Student Affairs: Ms. Tuula Hakkola, Tel. (+358-9) 191 24806

Coordinator, International Affairs: Mr. Sami Krogerus, Tel. (+358-9) 191 24807 (Consultation hours: Wed 13-15) E-mail: krogerus@valt.helsinki.fi

International Relations´ Officer: Ms. Miia Rosenberg, Tel. (+358-9) 191 24808 (Consultation hours: Mon 13-15, Tue - Thu 9 - 11 and 13-15) E-mail: miia.rosenberg@helsinki.fi

Counselling Officer: Ms. Marianne Järveläinen Tel. (+358-9) 191 24812

Office Secretary: Tel. (+358-9) 191 24811

WWW-pages

The Faculty of Social Sciences offers extensive information and the most up-to-date source of information of the Faculty in the Internet. The home pages of the Faculty in English can be found from:

http:/www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/index.htm

General Information

The decree on the establishment of a Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Helsinki was issued in 1944, and its operations started on the 9th of May 1945. The Faculty is the third most recent ones of the faculties at the University, but its origin dates back to 1640 when the University of Helsinki (The Academy of Turku as it then was) was first founded. There are ten departments in the Faculty. They are:

The Faculty has not previously been concentrated in one location. In April 1994, however, four departments and the administrative staff moved to a new location (Unioninkatu 37). In May 1996 the department of Social Policy moved to Snellmaninkatu 10, right next to the main location, and the Faculty library and in August 1996 the department of Sociology moved to Unioninkatu 35. In 1999 the Institute of Development Studies finally moved to Topeliana (Unioninkatu 38). The Faculty buildings are within five minutes' walking distance from the centre of Helsinki.

Detailed information regarding the departments can be found in the sections of the departments. Today the number of students in the Faculty totals about 3,500 including around 320 under- and postgraduate international students. The Faculty hosts also about 150 international visiting- or exchange students annually, and the flow of Finnish students to foreign exchange universities is approximately the same. There are about 100 teachers, 40 of whom are full professors in addition to several visiting lecturers. The Faculty is headed by the Dean. Practical matters such as registrations for examinations and counselling within the Faculty are handled by the Student Affairs Office (Opintotoimisto) and the Faculty Office (Yleinen toimisto). International students may turn to the Faculty's Planning Officer, Ms. Marianne Järveläinen and International Affairs´ Officer, Sami Krogerus. The consultation hours of the Planning Officer are on Mondays from one to three PM and from Tuesday to Thursday from ten AM to noon and from one PM to three PM. The International Affairs´Officer´s consultation hours are from one to three PM on Wednesdays, but making an appointment beforehand is also possible and recommended. The International Affairs´ Officer is also the Faculty's ECTS contact person. His contact information is available above.

STUDYING SOCIAL SCIENCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI

This section is divided in two separate paragraphs, information to visiting (including exchange students) and information to degree students. Most of the things mentioned apply to both groups, however.

Visiting students

Visiting students have been granted the right to study at the Faculty for a limited period of time, normally one year. All the exchange-students are by definition visiting students, and they may not take a degree at the University of Helsinki.

Visiting students may choose the courses they want to follow rather freely, but they ought to pay attention to the pre-registration dates mentioned in the handouts etc. Also please see the section Modes of Study -below for Faculty examinations.

It is advised that the students read through carefully the orientation handbook and attend the orientation week, arranged in the beginning of every autumn-term (at the beginning of the spring term a similar orientation is arranged, although it usually only lasts two days).

At the beginning of their studies, students are advised to draw up a study plan if they have not yet done so ( for instance a Learning Agreement for Socrates-exchange students), and the Planning Officer, the International Affairs´ Officer and the tutors are available for counselling and help. The International Student Advisors in each department help students more with subject-specific problems and questions. A listing of the International Student's Advisors of the departments is available from the International Affairs´ Officer.

Exchange students should note that the Faculty offers a wide variety of courses in different subjects. Exchange students are free to take courses or Faculty examinations from other departments if they so choose. The most notable exception to this rule is the department of communication (please see their section for details). Studies in other Faculties and even in other Universities (Technology, Business etc) are also sometimes a possibility. Enquiries should be directed to the International Affairs´ Officer. Please also see http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/studies/joo.htm and http://www.helsinki.fi/opintoasiainosasto/opintojen_kehittamisyksikko/english/joo.html

N.B. This book contains information about the requirements of the Faculty-examinations (see Modes of study below), and the units mentioned are not lecture courses, but requirements for written examinations.

Degree Students

Degree students have been accepted to study at the Faculty of Social Sciences either by passing the entrance examination or having been accepted to study at the Faculty on the basis of their previous studies taken at another university (please see the International Applicant´s Guide for these).

The first thing that a student has to do is to enrol at the Faculty and the University at the time given in the acceptance letter, and then follow the orientation week, since it gives a solid background and some very basic information needed at the beginning of studies.

One should note that although there are quite a few courses in English, it is nonetheless very difficult to study by only following the lectures, and the student is bound to take quite a few book-examinations. Furthermore, it is often required that the student has to take courses in Finnish, because they are not arranged in English (especially at the advanced level), so it is strongly recommended that the students start studying Finnish or Swedish as early as possible. One should also note that those students that have been accepted to study via the entrance examination first get a two-year provisional admission, under which time they have to accomplish the required studies:

All the credits must be obtained at the university of Helsinki. After the student has fulfilled these requirements, the student will be given the right to take a degree at the University of Helsinki. In order to get this done, the student should obtain an up-to-date printout of his/her studies (available also from the web, at https://www-db.helsinki.fi/perl-bin/otetilaus/) and come and see the International Affairs´ Officer.

Should one want to change one's major when studying at the Faculty, the same rules apply as for the Finnish students. This cannot be done before the student has been granted the right to study for a degree, i.e. the change of major is not possible under the period of provisional admission. For rules concerning changing one´s major, the students are advised to take a look at http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/optoim/paa-aine.htm.

One of the most important things to do at the beginning of the studies is to draw up a study-plan. This is very important for a number of reasons. The Planning Officer, the International Affairs´ Officer and the tutors are available for counselling and help. The International Student Advisors in each department help students more with subject-specific problems and questions. A listing of the International Students´ Advisors of different departments is available from the International Affairs' Officer. The Finnish system varies from a number of European, American, Asian etc. study-systems in its freedom, i.e. the student may rather freely choose the pace and contents of his/her studies, Minor subjects etc. Of course there are some restrictions, but one should consult the department for those (please see below, section Minor Subject Studies).

The best way to draw up the study-plan is to first see the instruction offered at the Faculty that particular year from the web, from http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/studies.htm, and choose all the basic courses that are arranged that year in the subject one has been accepted to study. One should not just take courses in the major subject, but also other courses from other departments, particularly those one intends to take a Minor subject in the future. If the student is able to study also in Finnish, one should take a look also at the Finnish Study-guide, II part (opetus).

It is also a good idea to start taking the courses in Finnish or Swedish language as early as possible at the beginning of the studies, since the amount of lecture courses arranged in Finnish or Swedish is multifold compared to those arranged in English. Also those studies that the department requires as compulsory programme-related general studies (for instance Mathematics and Statistics for Economics, Basic Course in Computing (several departments)) etc. ought to be taken as early as possible, since they offer a solid basis for advanced studies, seminars etc. in one´s major subject. Even so the outcome might remain somewhat meager, and thus one should also start to think about book-examinations (tiedekuntatentti in Finnish, see below, section Modes of study), held as a general rule once a month. The dates are available below and also from the web, from http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/inst/impor2003.htm Please also note that any study-unit can not be taken at any examination date, but at specific dates, for instance in the Faculty examinations in September, January and April. This applies for instance to economics, social psychology, sociology etc. Please see the study guide in Finnish, part II (opetus) about these restrictions or come and see the Planning Officer.

Also students intending to take a degree should note that the Faculty offers a wide variety of courses in different subjects. Also degree-taking students are free to take courses or Faculty examinations from other departments if they so choose. The most notable exception to this rule is the department of communication (please see their section for details). Studies in other Faculties and even in other Universities (Technology, Business etc) are also sometimes a possibility. Enquiries should be directed to the International Affairs´ Officer. Please also see http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/studies/joo.htm and http://www.helsinki.fi/opintoasiainosasto/opintojen_kehittamisyksikko/english/joo.html

Also international applicants who have been admitted to the Faculty of Social Sciences for a degree are eligible to study abroad, if they so choose. Some restrictions do apply. For instance a person who is not a citizen of the European Union member-state, who is citizen of a country that is not taking part in the European mobility programmes (these include most of the stats currently seeking membership in the Union) or who does not have a permanent residence permit in any of the countries meant above, can not be chosen to take part in an Erasmus- student-exchange programme within European Universities. However, also students coming from outside EU are eligible to exchanges between Nordic countries and exchanges with Universities outside European Union. The students who have just begun their studies are not eligible to student exchanges. As a general rule, the best time to study abroad is the third or forth year of one´s studies, either for a full year or for one semester.

The Faculty has many exchange-agreements with European Universities, both in the Nordic Countries, the European Union and Universities in countries, that are in the process of becoming members of the European Union. The University of Helsinki has in addition to those agreements mentioned above several agreements with different Universities in Asia, USA, Canada, Russia, Africa and Latin America etc. Those students, who are interested in studying abroad should contact the International Affairs´ Officer and also visit the related web-pages of the Faculty at http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/exchange.htm.

Also in issues regarding the transfer of previously obtained credits the first person to see is the International Affairs´ Officer.

Degree structure, system and terminology

In the Finnish system the Bachelor's degree is a part of the Master's degree and students who have obtained a right to study for Bachelor of Social Sciences (B.Soc.Sc.) at the University of Helsinki may automatically continue to pursue a Master of Social Sciences (M.Soc.Sc) degree. No separate application procedure is necessary. Master's degrees are cumulative; i.e. they are a continuation of the Bachelor's degree work.

Students pursuing a degree in Social Sciences may choose from eleven different majors, which consist of the subjects offered by the Faculty (those applicants pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Development studies have first have the right to study for a degree at another department of the Faculty).

The minimum number of credits in a Master's degree programme is 320 ECTS/160 local credits, and the studies can be divided into three main blocks: General studies, Major subject studies and Minor subject studies. Major subject studies can be divided into Basic, Intermediate or Advanced studies and form the integral part of the degree. Students of the Faculty may fairly freely choose additional subject as Minors. These may be selected from those offered by the Faculty's departments or even from other Faculties or other universities. General studies support the main studies. The required portion of General studies varies from one department to another.

Degree studies at all ten departments include all-Faculty general studies (language studies) which are the same regardless of the major. Furthermore, some departments have additional, compulsory programme related general studies. The compulsory courses for all the students are: (ECTS/local credits):

All Faculty General Studies 24 ECTS (12 local credits):

The components of studies included in the degrees B.Soc.Sc. and M.Soc.Sc. are shown below.

*Including the maturity test and practice essays. Master of Social Sciences 320 ECTS (160 local) credits: *Including the maturity test and practice essays.

Degree Structure Terminology

General studies (yleisopinnot): Introduction to scientific thought, language courses, computer skills, etc. Basic studies (perusopinnot): Studies that give an overall picture of the discipline(s) of the intended degree. Intermediate studies (aineopinnot): The main problems, theories, and methods of the discipline leading up to the Bachelor's degree. Sometimes also called subject studies or subject-related studies. Advanced studies (syventävät opinnot): In-depth studies in the discipline, including independent research and the Master's thesis. Major subject studies (pääaineopinnot): All studies in the discipline in which the Master's thesis is written. Major subject studies may be basic, intermediate, or advanced studies. In some faculties the major is chosen as one proceeds from intermediate studies onwards; major subject studies are then the same as advanced studies. Minor subject studies (sivuaineopinnot): Studies intended to complement the major subject. In many cases the minor may be chosen from another Faculty. Study module, study block, study unit: English translations for the Finnish terms opintojakso and opintokokonaisuus. These are entities that make up the degree. Opintokokonaisuus is a larger entity, comprising several opintojakso, but the English terms are used for both. Course (kurssi): Usually a lecture course that forms a part of an opintojakso. Sometimes a course means the same as an opintojakso.

Major and Minor Subject Studies

The studies in one´s major subject are made up of Study blocks, usually called Basic studies (about 15 Finnish credits), Lower Intermediate studies (about 25 Finnish credits) and Higher Intermediate studies (about 35 Finnish credits). These are cumulative, i.e. Lower Intermediate studies consist of Basic studies and additional study units, Higher Intermediate studies of Lower Intermediate studies and additional studies etc. The Bachelor´s Thesis belongs to Higher Intermediate studies. The advanced studies come after the higher intermediate studies and are, as the name states, advanced studies in one´s major subject.

All the major subjects of the Faculty require, that the student has at least one minor subject and a full study-block gathered from another subject than one´s own. The requirements in Minor subject studies differ from those studies that one takes in one´s major subject, although they are grouped in study-blocks as well.

To distinguish the minor subject studiers from one´s major subject the blocks that the student gathers in his/her minor subject are known as A-, B- and C-block. In general, Study A-block consists of 30 ECTS-credits (15 local) credits, B-block of about 50-60 ECTS (25-30 local) credits and the C-block of about 70-84 ECTS (35-42 local) credits.

It should be noted that the contents of the studies for a student studying for a Minor normally differ from the requirements of the students majoring in that particular subject. For instance, students studying a certain subject in order to obtain a Minor subject do not need to take part in a seminar, while it is expected from a major student. Also it should be noted that all the departments require at least one minor subject, normally a B-block, but the requirement by departments are mentioned in their respective sections. For instance social policy and statistics require, that the student has obtained at least one C-block in another field of studies. Please see the sections of the departments in this book for details.

It should be noted that any credits obtained at a certain Minor do not form a Study block. Each department has defined these courses or Study units, that form a Study block and they can be found under each department's requirements. Furthermore, the student has to register all the Study blocks at that department's office where they were taken after all the requirements for a particular Study block have been fulfilled. The registration form for the Study blocks is available from the department. An up-to-date printout (extract) of the student registry can be obtained from the computer. For details consult the International Affairs´ Officer or see http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/index.htm.

practice essays

The students are expected to write at least one practice essay (harjoitusaineet, also known as preparatory essays or preliminary essays) before they can graduate, and preferably this should be taken care of simultaneously with the participation to the seminar. The practice essays are meant to prepare the student for the writing of the thesis, and they can be for instance a short section from the applicant's Bachelor´s or Master's thesis, one or two chapters, 15-20 pages altogether. The essay is to be handed to the International Affairs´ Officer, who will forward it to the person in charge of the language check-up. The language verification takes approximately one month to complete, so the students ought to bring the essays well before submitting their Bachelor´s or Master´s thesis.

The essays are also checked for the contents, and the students are responsible for submitting the essays to the responsible professor after the language verification has been taken care of. More details from the departmental sections of this book or from the department offices.

Normally the departments expect that the student obtains at least the grade "good" (equalling 2 in the Finnish system of grading), but this varies with the department. If the first essay written by the student is not accepted, the student has to write a second one and if the second one is not accepted, s/he has to take part in a course of written English arranged by the Language Centre. A failure in the practice essays also means that the student will not be able to graduate.

If the student has already written an approved practice essay for the Bachelor´s degree and it is marked correctly in the transcript, no separate essay is required for the Master´s degree.

Please note, that as a general rule the practice essays are to be written in the same language that the student has finished his/her secondary school. This means, that if the student has written the Finnish Ylioppilastutkinto either in Finnish or Swedish, the practice essays are to be written either in Finnish or Swedish, although the Thesis itself might be in English. In this case, the language instructor of the Faculty, Ms. Raija Lehtinen, will accept also a prior scientific text written in Finnish, provided it fills the conditions of a practice essay. The same goes for Swedish-speaking students, but they should deliver their practise essays to the language instructor of the Swedish School of Social Sciences. However, the practice essays are checked also for their contents by the department, and this text can be delivered in the same language as the Thesis itself is.

If the student has finished his/her secondary schooling abroad, i.e. not in Finland, the practice essays are to be written in the same language as the Master´s Thesis is written, normally in English. In this case, the essay is to be delivered to the International Affairs´ Officer as early as possible, preferably at least a month before submitting the Master´s Thesis.

If in doubt about the language of the practice essays, the students should turn to the International Affairs´ Officer for assistance.

The Bachelor´s Thesis

The Bachelor´s thesis is compulsory for students who aim at the Master´s degree at most departments (please see the departmental sections of this guide). It is usually written as the final work of intermediate studies before moving to advanced studies. The Bachelor´s thesis is to be submitted to the department office of the major subject. The practice essay(s) must be accomplished and the mark has to be in the transcript before the Bachelor´s thesis may be handed in. The Bachelor´s thesis must be submitted for inspection at the department office at least nine days before the maturity test (see below, Master´s Thesis), i.e. 23.9.2002, 14.10.2002, 4.11.2002, 2.12.2002, 3.2.2003, 3.3.2003, 14.4.2003 and 5.5.2003. At the same time a filled Faculty examination envelope is submitted for the questions of the maturity test (see below). The dates for 2003-2004 will be announced in May 2003. Please also see the departmental sections of this book.

The Master's Thesis

One of the main elements forming the degree of Master in Social Sciences is the Master´s Thesis. It is a written work of substantial length, and its purpose is to enable and train the students to:

The Master´s Thesis is worth 20 Finnish credits (40 ECTS) of the advanced studies at any field offered at the department. In addition, writing one´s Master´s Thesis forms a large part of the seminars one has to attend at the advanced studies.

The topic and the research field of the Master´s Thesis ought to be selected in such a way that enables the student to achieve the task within a relative time and ergonomical efforts. The normal length of the Master´s Thesis is from 60 to 80 pages, but depending of the research topic also longer or shorter works can be considered. The length of the Master´s Thesis should not exceed 120 pages.

Also a previously published work can be accepted as a Master´s Thesis, provided that it fulfills the requirements given to a Master´s Thesis. Although normally the Master´s Thesis is written on one specific topic, the Master´s Thesis can also be a compilation of several writings of the same field, provided that they deal with the same problem setting and a caption is provided, that binds the ensemble together. If the Master´s Thesis is written in a group, the independent work of the student must be clearly definable from the outcome. The sections written in a group are to delivered separately and will be graded as separate entities.

Selecting the topic and supervising of the work

Writing one´s Master´s Thesis is to be scheduled in such way, that it consists a whole with the seminar work and one´s other work at the advanced level of one´s studies. The subject handled in the Master´s Thesis is decided by the student after consulting the professor of one´s own field. At the same time a supervisor is nominated to the work, who, in general, is a professor or a docent at the university. At the same time, a secondary supervisor is nominated to the work. As a general rule, the secondary supervisor is an assistant from the same department. If the Master´s Thesis is written in any other language than in Finnish, Swedish or English, this must be agreed upon by both the supervisor and the student.

Most departments publish written guidelines and instruction to be used in writing the Master´s Theses (in Finnish). They are available from the departmental offices. Closer information on how to conduct the research and deal with a certain topic is provided, from the particular point of view of a certain department or field.

The outlook of the Master´s Thesis

There are few common rules that dictate the outlook of the Master´s Thesis in the Faculty of Social Sciences. One ought to note, that the departments have guidelines that are to be respected. The best way of getting acquainted with these is to read the departmental guidelines mentioned above and by getting familiar with the Master´s Theses already presented at the department in question. Additional information is available also at the guidebook "Ohjeita harjoitusaineiden kirjoittajille", available on loan from the International Affairs´ Officer.

The outlook of the Master´s Thesis ought to be polished and easily readable, including the layout of the work. The line spacing of the work is 1.5, i.e. 36 to 38 lines per page. The pages are not to be binded or perforated.

The library of the Faculty of Social Sciences will take care of the binding of the finished work. For this reason, the left margin of the work must be at least 4 centimetres and the right margin must be at least one centimetre.

On the first page of the work the following information is to be given:

1.The full name of the student, with the name one uses in daily life underlined 2.The title of the work 3.The name of the department of the students 4.The month of submitting the work

Also, an abstract is to be delivered at the same time as the work itself is delivered. The abstract must contain the following information: the purpose of the Thesis, the main source material used and the most important conclusions. The abstract is to be delivered both on paper and in electronic form. Guidelines about the abstract are available from http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kirjasto/gradu/absohje_eng.htm.

Submitting the Master´s Thesis

The Master´s Thesis is to be delivered for grading in two identical copies to the Administrative Officer of the Faculty. The copies are to be submitted in a binder-case or in a box (if this is unclear, there are examples of these at the Study Office). The Dean will appoint two examiners for the work delivered after hearing the head of the department of the work delivered. One of the two examiners will act as the main examiner.

The Master´s Thesis is to be delivered at the latest on Monday-mornings directly preceeding the maturity test, at the latest at 9.30 A.M. For the study year 2003-2004 the dates are the following: 15.9.2003, 13.10.2003, 10.11.2003, 8.12.2003, 9.2.2004, 8.3.2004, 5.4.2004 and 3.5.2004. If the work is submitted late, i.e. after the deadline has been exceeded, it will be dealt at the next possible opportunity to write the maturity test. The dates for submitting the Master´s Thesis, Maturity tests, enrolling for the graduation and graduating in the study year 2003-2004 can be found from here. 

Also, an envelope of Faculty examination (the brown one) is to be filled and delivered at the same time, i.e. when submitting the Master´s Thesis. Only the personal information regarding the student is to be filled. Also, the abstract is to be added as the second page of the Master´s Thesis, right after the cover page (please see above). Please note, that the abstract has to be added to both copies of the Master´s Thesis.

When submitting one´s Master´s Thesis, the student has to be able to show, that s/he is a majoring student in the field s/he has submitted his/her Master´s Thesis in and also that the s/he is currently enrolled at the University. This can be indicated with the student card with a valid sticker or an up-to-date printout of the registry. Also, the student has to be able to prove, that the practice essays have been written and the mark is in the registry. If the Master´s Thesis is written in any other language than in Finnish, Swedish or English, this must be agreed by both the supervisor and the student.

Grading of the Master´s Thesis:

The grading of the Master´s Thesis is the following, from the highest to the lowest:

1.Laudatur (highest) 2.Eximia cum laude approbatur 3.Magna cum laude approbatur 4.Cum laude approbatur 5.Non sine laude approbatur 6.Lubentur approbatur 7.Approbatur 8.Improbatur (fail)

Laudatur is very seldom awarded and only for a very exceptional work, and a student may not graduate if his/her Master's thesis is graded as failed (Improbatur). In the grading of the Master´s Thesis emphasis is, inter alia, placed on the command of the research methods, the scientific presentation of the results obtained and the ability to draw conclusions.

The Council of the Faculty will decide on the approval and the grading of the Master´s Theses in its so-called scrutinium -meetings. The proposition regarding the grade will be made by the examiners appointed by the Dean. The main examiner will make a written statement of the work. If the examiners do not agree on the grade proposed to the student, the Council of the Faculty will appoint a third examiner for the work in question.

The candidate who has submitted his/her Master´s Thesis may read the statement given by the examiner and the proposition for grading one week before the grading will be taken to the Council of the Faculty. The statement is to be seen at one´s home department´s office. The candidate who is not satisfied with the grading may submit a written rectification appeal of the grading to the general office of the Faculty in such way, that it can be distributed at the meeting at the members of the Council in that meeting, where the matter is to be handled.

The Faculty will handle the registration of the approved work to the registry.

The storage of the Master´s Theses

As a general rule all Master´s Theses are public. One of the copies delivered is stored at the library of the Faculty of Social Sciences and the second copy at the department. The abstracts of the Theses are stored at the library, and the library also has a separate listing of the abstracts. The statements of the examiners of Theses are also stored at the library.

The Dean may grant on request an exception to the rule, that all Theses are public. This exception can be granted after scrunizing, that the Thesis in question contains facts, that can and should be kept not open to public, as stated in the law regarding publicity of documents. The length of the period that the work is not public is decided on a case-by-case basis. In any case, the abstract of the Master´s Thesis is public.

MATURITY TEST

The maturity test is designed to double-check students' thesis work. It takes place after the student has submitted his/her thesis for a Bachelor´s or the Master´s degree. The maturity test is a written test where students answer a question (an essay of 3-5 pages) about their thesis. The essay is then assessed for its content.

The maturity test must be taken for both Bachelor´s and Master´s degree, if the student has taken both degrees. A failure in this test will result in a delay in the thesis grading. The maturity tests are arranged on the following dates in 2003-2004: 26.9.2003, 24.10.2003, 21.11.2003, 19.12.2003, 20.2.2004, 19.3.2004, 16.4.2004 and 14.5.2004. The dates for 2004-2005 will be announced in May 2003.

GRADING

Most courses and examinations on set literature are graded on a scale from one to three. The following scale is the most typical one, but note that the application of this scale varies from department to department.

The scale used at the Faculty of Social Sciences is, from highest note to the lowest: 3, 3- (excellent), 2+, 2, 2- (good), 1+, 1, 1- ( passable).

Please note, that some courses are graded as pass/fail only.

The Finnish system is not based on the expectancy of the distribution of different grades. For conversion to ECTS-grades, please see the first chapter of this book.

HOW TO GRADUATE

When the student has accomplished all the requirements for a Bachelor's or a Master's degree (see section Degree Structure System and Terminology above and the departmental sections of this guide), she must fill a form available from the study office or from the International Affairs´ Officer. An up-to-date transcript has to be taken along (https://www-db.helsinki.fi/perl-bin/otetilaus/ ) and it has to include all the requirements needed for that particular degree.

It is advised that he students come and see the International Affairs´ Officer at least a month before the deadline to make sure that all the units, study-blocks, compulsory studies etc. are marked correctly in the registry. One should pay special attention that all the study-blocks in the major subject and the minor subject(s) are correctly registered. The graduation form and the up-to-date transcript are submitted to the International Affairs´ Officer. The deadlines for submitting the graduation form in the study year 2003-2004 are the following: 3.9.2003, 8.10.2003, 5.11.2003, 3.12.2003, 7.1.2004, 4.2.2004, 3.3.2004, 31.1.2004, 28.4.2004 and 26.5.2004.

The ready diplomas can then be collected from the Faculty Office on the following dates: 24.9.2003, 29.10.2003, 26.11.2003, 17.12.2003, 28.1.2004, 25.2.2004, 24.3.2004, 21.4.2004, 19.5.2004 and 16.6.2004. The dates for submitting the Master´s Thesis, Maturity tests, enrolling for the graduation and graduating in the study year 2003-2004 can be found from here. 

If the student so chooses, s/he can also take part at the official graduation ceremony, where the diplomas will be given directly to the student. The ceremony is public and the students can also invite their family or friends along, if they so choose. Please note, that getting one´s diploma in the ceremony requires that the student has enrolled at the appropriate graduation, i.e. at the latest for one of the following dates: 8.10.2003, 3.12.2003, 7.1.2004, 3.3.2004 or 28.4.2004. The dates for submitting the Master´s Thesis, Maturity tests, enrolling for the graduation and graduating in the study year 2003-2004 can be found from here. 

The graduation ceremonies will be held in the Great Hall of the University (main building of the University) on the 29.10.2003, 17.12.2003, 28.1.2004, 24.3.2004, 19.5.2004 at 10 o'clock. The dates for 2004-2005 will be announced in May 2004. The dates for submitting the Master´s Thesis, Maturity tests, enrolling for the graduation and graduating in the study year 2003-2004 can be found from here too. 

Instruction in English

The main languages of instruction at the Faculty of Social Sciences are Finnish and Swedish. There are a number of courses available in English, too. Detailed information concerning courses for the academic years 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 are not included in this guide. Information about courses can be obtained directly from the departments, the Faculty's International Affairs´ Officer, the noticeboard of the Faculty (next to the main entrance) or from the University´s s Internet site at:

http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/studies.htm (Faculty of Social Sciences only)http://www.helsinki.fi/english/courses/ (all the courses offered in English)

Advance registration for lecture courses is usually not required. For most courses it sufficient that students attend the first meeting. For some departments there might be some courses that require this, but this is always stated in the course information.

Autumn semester courses usually begin after September 10 and usually end by December 10. The spring semester courses most commonly begin around January 15 and last until May 10. However, some courses are more intensive and may be organised so that the lecture hours are more concentrated.

For studies of Finnish, Swedish or any other language, please see the Study-guides in Finnish (also available at http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/index.htm).

The Modes of Study

The Finnish university education system differs from the many other higher education systems in its organisation. At the University of Helsinki, it is possible to accumulate credits in a number of different ways. Students may earn credits by attending lectures, taking part in seminars, taking examinations based on the course syllabus as independent study or writing essays as agreed with the teacher. In this chapter some of these options are explained in detail.

1. Lecture courses (luennot, luentokurssit). A lecture course normally ends with a final examination where participants must answer to questions based on the course syllabus. The final examination is sometimes in the form of an final essay. This should be discussed and agreed with the lecturer. N.B. Credits are not given for just sitting in class, i.e. the student has to pass the final examination in order to obtain the credits.

2. It is possible to complete almost all the study-units by taking written examinations called Faculty examinations (tiedekuntatentti) on the dates listed later in this chapter. In Faculty examinations students are tested on the relevant course syllabus. If the student does not know Finnish or English well enough to attend regular lecture-courses, taking Faculty examinations might be the most relevant form of study. Students are usually expected to produce essay-type answers, solve problems or give definitions in the examinations. Students may fairly freely choose the examinations to be taken. For restrictions see the Finnish programme book, part II, opetus, the section containing the study units in this guide or contact the department in question.

It should be pointed out that the possible prerequisites mentioned with the study-units have to be taken into consideration. If a degree-student fails to obey this rule, the examination may not be graded. Exchange-students ought to take a look at the prerequisites as well, since if the student does not have the background studies mentioned in the prerequisites, it is almost impossible to pass the examination.

Students must register for the Faculty examination on the Wednesday prior to the week when the examination takes place (i.e. ten days before the examination) by 19.30. For registration, students should fill out a special brown registration envelope (tenttikuori), which should be submitted at the Faculty building (Unioninkatu 37, next to International Affairs´ Officer's room). Nonetheless, this does not apply to the courses of the department of Political Science. The registration for those courses (inludes JOS and EU studies) must be done in WebOodi.

Students will get the envelope back at the beginning of the examination session and it will contain the question sheet. If a student wishes to take the examination on more than one subject, he or she should first fill out a special form obtainable from the Study Office. The names of the examiners for each course are given in the Finnish programme book under the relevant degree programme or from the department in question.

Instructions in English for filling in the envelope are posted on the noticeboard above the box.

The Faculty examination dates for 2003-2004 are the following: 20.9.2003, 25.10.2003, 29.11.2003, 17.1.2004, 21.2.2004, 20.3.2004, 17.4.2004 and 15.5.2004. Examination dates for EU minor studies and JOS programme (Leadership and Management Studies) are: 25.9.2003, 30.10.2003, 4.12.2003, 20.1.2004, 24.2.2004, 23.3.2003, 20.4.2004 and 19.5.2004. The dates for 2004-2005 will be announced later (please also see http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/optoim/tdktentti.htm).

The examinations are held either in the lecture halls in Porthania (Yliopistonkatu 3) or in the main building. The distribution of lecture halls according to subjects is announced before the examination in the entrance hall of Porthania and also on the web-pages (http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/optoim/tdktentti.htm). The following rules must be adhered to at the examination: * The examination begins at 9.00. Students will not be admitted into the lecture room after 9.30, and may not leave before 9.30. * Students may bring only their writing implements to the examination (including in some cases calculators). * Answers are to be returned to the examiners in the envelope containing the questions. * Students must present an identity card or other proof of identity when returning their papers. * The use of dictionaries is not allowed.

The results are usually available within thirty days of the examination at the latest. They are posted on departments' notice boards. The departments are responsible for registration of the study-units taken. The students can obtain the transcript directly from the Internet, from https://www-db.helsinki.fi/perl-bin/otetilaus/. Instructions how to do it are available from http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/transcripts.htm. The students may also obtain one official transcript per semester from the registry office of the university (Fabianinkatu 33). If there are omissions in the transcript, students should contact the department in question and ask for the missing credits to be registered.

All books needed for the degree requirements are available at the undergraduate library in Vuorikatu 7, tel. (+358-9) 191 23 920. The literature for each unit within the Faculty is also available for reading room use in the Social Sciences' Library on the 1st floor in Unioninkatu 35, tel. (+358-9) 191 22547.

3. In seminars (seminaari) students write an essay, or a short research paper, which they present to the seminar group. Each student also has to act as an opponent for one of his or her fellow students presenting their paper. Attendance at the seminars is usually compulsory. The credits assigned to a course indicate the amount of work students are required to do. This means that lecture hours, independent studies and possible exercises are all added together and the total is indicated as the number of credits.

4. It is also possible to write essays for professors, but these ought to be individually negotiated with the examiner. This mode of passing examinations is not encouraged, and the examiners have no obligation to accept essays. The normal ways are lecture-courses and Faculty examinations.

Hints and suggestions

  1. The information in this book is subject to change. The departments publish corrected information at their respective homepages, so please see also http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/index.htm. Some departments also publish separate papers at the beginning of the terms, including changes in the instruction. These are also available from http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/studies.htm.
  2. Answers to most questions can be found from the web-pages and this study-guide, so please take a look at them first. Also the Orientation Guide of the university is an important source of information.
  3. Please follow the announcements at the noticeboard of the Faculty, Unioninkatu 37, next to the Study Office, on the right side of the main entrance.
  4. Please consult the instructors and other staff at their consultation hours. They are mentioned at the doors and also at the study-guide in Finnish, part II (opetus), or, even better, send your question etc. with e-mail. The addresses are available from http://www.helsinki.fi/mainari/index_eng.html

  5. Please check your transcript every now and then to see, that everything is correctly marked in the registry. This is equally important for visiting students, because the academic transcript is based on the transcript from the registry. The degree student ought to remember to register their study-blocks as soon as they accomplish them. It is on the responsibility of the student that the marks are correctly in the registry.
  6. If you are studying for a degree (both undergraduate and postgraduate students), please remember, that you have to enrol annually between the beginning of May and 15th of September.

Finnish Society and Culture - programme

The Faculty of Social Sciences also co-ordinates the Finnish Society and Culture -programme, which is intended as a supplementary source of instruction in English for international students. The programme consists of several independent courses, which aim at describing various aspects of Finland. These courses are normally worth 2-4 ECTS (1-2 local credits) and exchange students may choose any number of courses according to their preferences. Courses in Finnish Society and Culture can also form a minor subject under certain conditions. More details from the International Affairs´ Officer. The detailed programme is described in a separate booklet and is also available on the Internet, at http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/fcsc.htm.

Via Baltica - Baltic Studies

Baltic countries are a newly born multi-disciplinary area of interest for studies and research at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Helsinki. This program aims at introducing the Baltic countries to international and Finnish students. It will provide a versatile picture of the Baltic Countries; the eventful history, the societies, the future and security issues in the Baltic Region as well as other relevant topics.

The programme consists of several independent courses, which aim at describing various aspects of the Baltic Countries and their place in the world. These courses are normally worth 2-4 ECTS credits and exchange and degree-students may choose any number of courses according to their preferences. Courses in Via Baltica can also form a minor subject under certain conditions. More details from the International Affairs´ Officer. The detailed programme is described in a separate booklet and is also available on the Internet (http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/viab/index.htm).

European Union studies

European Union (EU) studies are an interdisciplinary study unit that are recommended as a Minor Subject in the Faculties of Social Sciences and Law, but it is available also for the students of other Faculties. The purpose of the study unit is to improve readiness for being in charge of positions related to the European Union. The study unit gives a many-sided package of the EU and to the scientific debate around the EU. More information is available on the Internet (http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/vol/eu/index.htm).

Other entities

The Faculty of Social Sciences also offers several different study entities, (Programme in Leadership (Johtamisen sivuainekokonaisuus, JOS), Programme in International Careers (Kansainvälisten tehtävien opintokokonaisuus), Media studies (Mediakasvatuksen opintokonaisuus), Study-block in Statistical Methods (tilastollisten menetelmien sivuainekokonaisuus), Women Studies (Naistutkimuksen sivuainekokonaisuus) etc.), but the majority of these are meant for students with fluency in Finnish language, since the language of book-examination, lecture etc. is Finnish. The details regarding these entities are available at the Finnish study-guide , part one.