Language Centre Programmes in Languages as optional studies

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.

You can acquire diverse and profound language proficiency for your studies and work life by completing a Language Centre Programme in Language in the language of your choice. The minimum requirement to complete a programme is 15 or 25 credits. You can combine language and cultural courses offered by the Language Centre, UH degree programmes or other Finnish higher education institutions as well as language studies completed in a foreign higher education institutions into a programme. Completing the module does not mean that the student receives a right to study the language in question at the corresponding degree programme. The study modules are evaluated on a pass/fail basis.

Who and when?

Students of all University of Helsinki faculties can complete a Language Centre Programme in Languages. You can begin to pursue the language studies to be included in the programme from the beginning of your studies. You must specify the intended scope of the programme in your personal study plan (PSP). Often Language Centre Programme in Language can be included in the optional studies of your degree. However, always check the applicability from your degree programme. NB! Students of the Bachelor’s Programme in Languages or the Master’s Programme in Languages at the Faculty of Arts may not complete a Language Centre study module in the language of their study track.

NB! Language studies included in a Language Centre Programmes should not be included in a bachelor’s degree if you intend to continue the programme during your master’s degree.

Completing a Language Centre Programme

1. Planning a programme in languages with the teacher

First check the Language Centre’s language-specific requirements for Programmes, and contact the responsible teacher of the programme. If you have already begun studies in a language and wish to complete an entire programme in that language, contact the responsible teacher of the programme in question. You should also contact the responsible teacher of the programme if your study plan changes during your studies and whenever you need advice on choosing language courses. 

2. Completing language courses included in a programme

At the University of Helsinki
  • Register for Language Centre courses in Sisu in accordance with the instructions provided by the Language Centre.
  • Registration for courses offered by University of Helsinki degree programmes must follow the instructions of each degree programme.
 At other Finnish higher education institutions
  • Students must agree with the responsible teacher of the programme on the inclusion of language courses completed at other Finnish higher education institutions (universities, universities of applied sciences) in a Language Centre programme.
  • When relevant, remember to apply for the flexible study right (JOO) to be able to complete language studies at other Finnish universities.
At higher education institutions abroad
  • It is recommended that before your student exchange, you agree with the responsible teacher of the programme on the inclusion of language studies to be completed at higher education institution outside Finland before the beginning of the exchange period.
Transferring credits for a language course completed elsewhere to a Language Centre programme

3. Approval and compilation of the Language Centre Programme

The Language Centre programmes must be separately approved by the responsible teacher of the programme. When you have completed all the courses that you planned to include in the programme, you must apply for separate approval in Sisu in accordance with the instructions providedNB! With this application, you are applying approval for the content of the module. The module will be compiled separately at the latest when you graduate.

When compiling the module, take the following into account:

  • Modules completed more than ten years ago cannot be included in degrees, and courses completed more than ten years ago cannot be included in modules. You can find more information on the page Expiry of studies
  • Requests for the approval of modules must be submitted in Sisu by the end of May each academic year. Requests received during the summer will be processed as of mid-August.
  • A compiled module cannot be deleted from the records.