These instructions provide information on the grades and grading scales applying to courses, modules and doctoral dissertations.
Courses are primarily graded on the scale of 0–5 or pass/fail. Doctoral dissertations are graded on a scale of pass with distinction, pass or fail.
Grades are defined as follows: 5 (excellent), 4 (very good), 3 (good), 2 (satisfactory), 1 (adequate) and 0 (fail). If a course is graded on a pass/fail basis, check the course description for information on what a pass grade requires.
Modules (discipline-specific studies and transferable skills) consist of courses. You can find information on the content of modules in Sisu course catalogue of your doctoral programme. (link)
You must request the registration of all modules (discipline-specific studies and transferable skills studies) required for a doctoral degree after completing the courses included in them, or you will not be able to graduate. The module coordinator will register the module and grade it within one month of the date of your request. You can find information on the module coordinators in Sisu course catalogue of your doctoral programme.
Once the module has been registered, it will be entered into student records within one month. The registration of modules may take longer in the summer.
Once completed, the module of transferable skills is marked with a passing grade. The module of discipline-specific studies is accepted either with a passing grade or graded on the scale of 0–5, depending on your doctoral programme's grading scale. Information on the grading scale used in your doctoral programme can be found in the programme’s course catalogue in Sisu.
If a course is graded on the scale of 0–5, the grade of the module is based on the grades of the courses included in it, with each course weighted in accordance with the number of credits it provides. When calculating the grade, only the courses graded on the scale of 0–5 will be taken into account. If more than half the number of credits included in the module have not been graded on the scale of 0–5, no module grade will be given.
Module grades are calculated to two decimal places and rounded off as follows:
Doctoral dissertations and licentiate theses are graded on a scale of pass with distinction, pass or fail. The faculty council grades dissertations based on the proposal of the grading committee. More information on the grading of doctoral theses is available on page Public examination and grading.
If you believe you have been unfairly treated in the grading of a course, read the instructions related to legal protection of students.
If you are otherwise dissatisfied with your grade, read the instructions related to retaking completed studies and improving grades.