How are studies completed?

The instruction belongs to the following themes

By selecting a degree programme you are able to see the general content as well as the possible degree programme-specific content. You do not have to select a degree programme to see the Open University's instructions.

At the University of Helsinki, students plan their studies independently. There are many ways to complete studies, and the possible ways of completing each course are listed on the course pages. The most common modes of completion are described here.

Courses

A common way of completing a course is to participate in teaching and complete a final examination at the end of the lecture course. Courses can comprise mass lectures for a large amount of students or work in small groups.

All courses are defined as contact, distance, blended, or online teaching, and this form of teaching is intended to be reflected in the Course search and course pages of the Studies Service. Blended teaching in this context refers to courses that include both contact and distance teaching. Online teaching does not contain scheduled teaching, but rather all teaching is available as recordings. Courses may also include independent or group work as well as scheduled online or on-site exams regardless of their form of teaching.

Examinations

In some degree programmes some of the studies are completed independently. Instead of lectures, examination questions can be based on required reading, in which case the mode of completion is a book examination. In such cases, students must study the set literature independently and register for the examination to demonstrate their command of the subject.

Examinations can also be taken in digital format, e.g., in the Moodle learning environment or as an Examinarium examination in an electronic exam room.

Other ways of completing studies

Other common ways of completing study units include essays, seminars and assignments.

An essay is a piece of writing drafted on a set topic and based on relevant literature. You must begin to learn the conventions of academic writing from the very beginning of your studies.

At seminars, students practice research work, using source material, academic writing as well as academic debate and argumentation in a supervised setting. Each seminar participant will prepare and present an individual seminar assignment.

Some studies involve practical assignments to teach students to apply their skills. Such assignments may involve laboratory work, for example.

Studying in your Degree Programme: Course Exams

  • Bachelor's Programme in Computer Science (TKT)
  • Master's Programme in Computer Science (CSM)
  • Master's Programme in Data Science

General Exams in your Degree Programme

  • Bachelor's Programme in Computer Science (TKT)
  • Master's Programme in Data Science
  • Master's Programme in Computer Science (CSM)

Studying in Your Degree Programme: Seminars

  • Master's Programme in Computer Science (CSM)

The degree includes a compulsory seminar course. Taking a seminar is an important step towards Master's thesis, and you will learn to study scientific literature, give presentations, write essays, and most importantly to gain an in-depth understanding of an advanced topic by teaching this topic to your fellow students.

Seminar topics vary from year to year. See Courses page for seminars organized this year.