Evaluation and completed studies | Open University

The evaluation of the course is based on its learning objectives and the degree to which they have been reached. The objectives for your course are posted on the course page. The objectives and evaluation of the course will be explained in more detail during the first lecture or in the online learning environment of the course.

The teacher determines the evaluation criteria, or the basis on which grades are decided in the course. You can always contact the course teacher if you have any questions on the grade you have received. 

A completed course may consist of several smaller component assignments in addition to an examination or learning assignment. These component assignments must be completed with a passing grade. If you must discontinue your studies during a course for any reason, please note that the Open University will not retain information relating to such component assignments. Only the final grade from a completed course is entered into student records.  

The student’s performance is graded either on a pass/fail/incomplete basis or on a numerical scale from 0 to 5:  
 
5 = excellent 
4 = very good 
3 = good 
2 = satisfactory 
1 = passable 
0 = fail   

The grade for a study module is calculated from the grades received for the courses included in the module. The calculation method varies by degree programme. Typically, the grade for the module is the average of the component course grades, weighted according to the number of credits received for each course.  

Teachers evaluate the studies you complete and grade them within one month of the relevant examination or the deadline for returning an assignment. In the summer time, grading may take longer.  

Completed component assignments will be visible in Moodle for the duration of the course. However, partially completed courses are not entered into the student records of the University of Helsinki.  

If your credits have not been recorded within six weeks from when you completed the course, please contact the course teacher. You can browse your completed studies through the University of Helsinki’s student information system Sisu or the My Studyinfo service maintained by the Finnish National Agency for Education (see below at Browse your completed studies).

See also:  

• Compiling a study module
• Certificates for studies

You can browse your completed studies in the My Studyinfo service service or in the University of Helsinki's student information system Sisu. 

The My Studyinfo service maintained by the Finnish National Agency for Education contains all of your rights to study and completed studies at institutions of higher education from 1995 onwards. Please note that My Studyinfo service displays the status of Open University students’ study rights as incomplete. Nevertheless, the course completion is final. 

The University of Helsinki’s student information system Sisu contains information on all the studies you have completed at the University. To log in, you need a valid University of Helsinki user account. Here is how to find the information in Sisu:  

1. Log in to Sisu with your University of Helsinki user account. 
2. Select My profile. 
3. Select Completed credits.  

Examinations

It is possible to raise the grade for a course by retaking the examination. If the course cannot be completed with an examination, or the date of the final resit has already passed, you will have to register for the same course again the next time it is organised.

Written assignments

If you wish to retake a written assignment such as a learning project, essay or learning journal, you will have to make significant rewrites to your original assignment or complete the assignment on a completely different topic. If the final date for submitting the written assignment has passed, you will have to register for the course again the next time it is organised.   

If you are a degree student at the University of Helsinki: Please note that if you wish to participate in an Open University course in order to raise the grade of previously completed studies, you must always pay the study fee for the course. Before enrolment, please contact avoin-student@helsinki.fi. 

Read more: 

• Regulations on Degrees and the Protection of Student's Rights at the University of Helsinki (PDF)
• Legal protection of students

You can always contact the course teacher if you have any questions on the grade you have received.  

If you are dissatisfied with the evaluation of your studies, you have the right to submit an appeal. If you wish to appeal against a grade:  

• Contact the course teacher within 14 days of when you had access to the grade.  
• If necessary, you can also contact student advice services: avoin-student@helsinki.fi.

Read more: 

• Legal protection of students

Completed studies entered into the University of Helsinki’s student information system Sisu and the My Studyinfo service maintained by the Finnish Agency for Education are considered official certificates of your completed studies. 

Read more:

• Certificates of studies