Master's programme options

Each student who has been granted, through an admissions process, the right to complete a second-cycle degree has at least one direct master’s programme option, i.e., a master’s programme in which they can continue their studies without having to register separately after completing their bachelor’s degree. If students select their study track in the bachelor’s programme, the direct master’s programme option is usually the equivalent master’s programme study track.

If you wish to continue your studies in your direct master’s programme option after completing a bachelor’s degree, no action is required on your part. You will confirm your direct master’s programme option in Sisu when applying for graduation as a bachelor’s degree holder. 

In some cases, you can apply to a master’s programme or study track that is not your direct master’s programme option. This depends on your bachelor’s programme and the studies you have completed. 

You can continue your studies in some master’s programmes without registering separately as long as you have completed the studies required for the master’s programme as part of your bachelor’s degree. In such cases, you can indicate your chosen option in Sisu when graduating as a bachelor’s degree holder. The official processing your graduation application will verify that you have completed the required studies and confirm your option in Sisu.  

You may also be able to apply for the right to continue to study in certain master’s programmes and study tracks through a separate registration procedure. These options admit only a certain number of students. You can register for such options while completing the bachelor’s degree, usually towards the end of the bachelor’s studies. 

There are two registration periods: in the autumn between 1 and 31 October and in the spring between 1 and 30 April. The registration periods vary by master’s programme, so please find out in advance which registration period is used in the master’s programme that you are interested in. Registration takes place using the electronic forms below. The forms are open only during the programme registration periods. 

You can register after you have completed the studies defined in the relevant criteria. You can find the criteria in the degree programme-specific section. You can register no more than twice during your studies. The master’s programme in which you register will verify that you meet the criteria and, if necessary, rank those registered in accordance with predetermined criteria. 

The registration results will be announced by email no later than one month after the registration deadline. The results cannot be appealed. When you graduate from a bachelor’s programme, you will indicate the master’s programme in which you will continue your studies. The official processing your graduation application will verify your master programme options and confirm your choice in Sisu. 

Master’s programmes accepting registrations in the spring (1–30 April) 

• Master's Programme in Philosophy, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master's Programme in Social Science (in Swedish), registration form (in Swedish)
• Master’s Programme in Politics, Media and Communication, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master’s Programme in Social and Health Research, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master's Programme in Social Research, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master's Programme in Economics, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master 's Programme in Society and Change, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master´s Programme in Translation and Interpreting, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master´s Programme in Food Sciences, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Agricultural Sciences, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Human Nutrition and Food Behavior, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Food Economy and Consumption, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Agricultural, Environmental and Resource Economics, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Forest Sciences, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Integrative Plant Sciences, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Genetics and Molecular Biosciences, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Environmental Change and Global Sustainability, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Neuroscience, registration form

Master’s programmes accepting registrations in the autumn (1–31 October) 

• Master's Programme in Philosophy, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master's Programme in Social Science (in Swedish), registration form (in Swedish)
• Master’s Programme in Politics, Media and Communication, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master’s Programme in Social and Health Research, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master's Programme in Social Research, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master's Programme in Economics, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master 's Programme in Society and Change, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master´s Programme in Translation and Interpreting, registration form (in Finnish)
• Master´s Programme in Food Sciences, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Agricultural Sciences, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Human Nutrition and Food Behavior, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Food Economy and Consumption, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Agricultural, Environmental and Resource Economics, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Forest Sciences, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Integrative Plant Sciences, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Genetics and Molecular Biosciences, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Environmental Change and Global Sustainability, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, registration form
• Master´s Programme in Neuroscience, registration form

If you wish to continue your studies in a master’s programme that is not listed as an option for your bachelor’s programme, you can apply separately to it through an admissions process. The University of Helsinki offers several international master’s programmes that accept applications each December. Some of these programmes are included in the master’s programme options that have a separate registration period. For further information on international master’s programmes, please see the University's external website.  

Before submitting a graduation request concerning your bachelor’s degree, add the master’s programme option of your choice to your study plan. See the technical instructions for doing so in Sisu. When you graduate as a bachelor's degree holder, indicate in your graduation request the master’s programme and study track, if any, in which you wish to continue your studies.  

If the master’s programme of your choice has a separate registration procedure, register in accordance with the instructions above before graduating as a bachelor’s degree holder. You cannot indicate that you will continue your studies in a master’s programme which is not one of the options available to you. Time your graduation as a bachelor’s degree holder appropriately so that you have first received information about the options available to you.  

If you are offered options other than a direct master’s programme option, the other options will become void when you confirm the option of your choice in connection with graduating as a bachelor’s degree holder.  

Some master’s programmes offer several study tracks in which students can complete their degree. Depending on the programme, students must select their study track at different points of their master’s studies. You can see the relevant instructions by logging in or selecting your BA programme at the top of the page. The degrees completed in different study tracks differ in content to a varying extent.