Study planning and PSP guidance

1. Check the studies included in your degree either in Sisu or on the Degree structure pages in the Studies Service. 
2. Explore the courses on offer: Where can I find courses? 
3. Add courses to your study plan in Sisu if they do not yet appear in your plan. 
4. Schedule your studies. To do this, you can use the template created by your degree programme. 
5. Select the completion methods of studies (e.g., a lecture-based course or an examination). 
6. When the registration period begins, go to the ‘Registration’ tab in Sisu. Further information is available at How do I register for my courses and exams? 

Basic principles for the study plan

• It is not necessary to create the entire study plan for the whole duration of your degree. It is enough that you add to the plan the studies you wish to register for. You can edit your study plan whenever you wish. You must apply for the approval of any changes you make only if you do not follow the predetermined structure of your degree (see ‘Selections and applications during studies’). 
• You can have several plans in Sisu, but only one of them can be your primary plan. You can register for courses only through the primary plan. The primary plan is also used, for example, to register decisions on the recognition or extension of studies. These decisions will not be transferred if you designate another study plan as your primary study plan, so select it carefully! 
• If you hold several rights to study, create a separate primary plan for each of them. 
• Sisu does not notify you if your studies have expired. Take the provisions on the expiry of studies into account when planning to incorporate previous studies into your degree. 

Sisu monitors and guides the selections you make against the structure of your degree programme. In the situations below, you may also need some of the electronic services and applications available through Sisu to ensure that your plan meets your needs.

• Selecting a study track: If students in your degree programme are to select their study track during their studies, your selection will be confirmed by Student Services in Sisu. Before this is done, you can create separate study plans for alternative study tracks to see what you would study in the different tracks.   
• Completing optional studies: The study plan has a separate section for optional studies, which may include detailed instructions for selecting studies. You can browse the optional studies offered by faculties on the Instructions website. Your study plan can incorporate not just modules, but also individual optional courses included in the section 'Other studies'. Detailed instructions with screenshots can be found in the instructions for study plans.
• Completing studies at another higher education institution: Outline the stage of your degree where you would place a student exchange or studies completed under the Flexible Study Right Scheme (JOO). Further information on planning exchange studies can be found at Application process for exchange studies. 
• Deviating from the degree structure: Under the free edit mode in Sisu, you can propose the establishment of personal study paths for your degree, for example, that a study module required for your degree be substituted with another study module you have previously completed at the University of Helsinki. Adjustments made under the free edit mode must always be submitted for approval to Student Services. Read the instructions for using the free edit mode.
• You need not usually have your study plan separately approved. However, your plan may include sections or modules indicated as requiring separate approval. This means that their content will be reviewed by Student Services before your graduation. Instructions for applying for module content approval
• Recognising prior learning: If you have previously completed studies elsewhere, outline the stage of your degree where you wish to place them. First carefully read the general principles of recognition and then ask for advice on selecting the correct application type, if necessary. You can apply for the inclusion and substitution of prior learning through your study plan. 
• Changing degree requirements: As the curriculum period of your degree programme may change during your studies, the content of studies may also change. If that happens, it is recommended that you change a certain section of your study plan to the newer curriculum period or version to avoid needing to create a completely new plan. Instructions for changing the course or module version 
• Selecting a master’s programme: Read about the master’s programme options offered by your degree programme, their criteria and their registration periods at Continuing to a master’s programme after completing a bachelor’s degree. When graduating with a bachelor’s degree, you select in your study plan the master’s programme in which you wish to continue. Your selection will be confirmed by Student Services. Instructions for selecting and confirming a master’s programme in Sisu.
• If the duration of your right to study is about to expire before you graduate, you can apply in Sisu for an extension to your right to study. Instructions for applying for an extension 

Education coordinators and student advisors at Student Services process applications in Sisu. If you have questions about applications and electronic services in Sisu, you can contact your faculty’s Student Services. 

Sisu is a tool available to both you and the teacher assigned to provide you with guidance. Once you have been added to this teacher’s group, the teacher will have access to your study plan, and you can send each other questions and comments about the plan. Communication practices for the group are agreed separately in each degree programme. Please note that Student Services staff do not monitor comments, so you must contact them separately via email or other channels. Detailed information on guidance in Sisu can be found in the instructions for study plans. 

The goal of PSP guidance is to support the progress of your studies and the development of your expertise and help you find the right methods of learning for you. PSP guidance is also a way for you to interact with teachers and other students and become acquainted with your discipline.

A teacher providing guidance or a group of teachers is designated at the beginning of your studies to coordinate your PSP guidance. This teacher may also go by another title (e.g., PSP supervisor, teacher tutor or mentor) in your degree programme. Degree programmes may offer guidance in different ways, including separately agreed meetings or as part of specific courses. For further information on practices in your degree programme, please see the section specific to your degree programme on this page. 

PSP guidance allows you to reflect on the following issues with a teacher’s support: 

• What your study-related goals and needs are
• How you intend to progress in your studies
• What your skills and professional goals are, how you will develop your expertise
• How different choices affect your goals

A carefully written study plan supports you in studying according to your goals, whether they relate to your target graduation date, the enhancement of expertise in a specific area or the balance between studies and other commitments. 

Both you and the teacher assigned to provide you with guidance are responsible for the guidance process. You are responsible for completing studies, attending guidance meetings and responding to the teacher’s attempts to contact you. Apart from the teacher, you will also receive support for planning and completing studies from the University advice and guidance services:

• General student advice staff help with issues including the technical use of Sisu, registration for the academic year, the right to study and student benefits. Faculty-specific student advice staff help with issues such as writing study plans and having previous learning recognised through credit transfer.
• International Exchange Services and Education Cooperation advises with issues including student exchange and the Flexible Study Right Scheme (JOO).
• Career Services supports you with traineeships, career counselling and similar matters.

If you are unsure whom to contact for support, the Guidance Compass can help you find the right person or unit. 

Further information

For guidelines on student supervision, guidance and progress monitoring, please see this rector's decision (2017): Guidelines for academic supervision and guidance as well as the monitoring of student progress at the University of Helsinki (PDF).

Academic mentoring in ParAs

In the beginning of your studies in ParAs programme you will be asked to mark your main scientific interests via an electronic form. Based on the form, you will be appointed an Academic Mentor (Personal study plan supervisor).  Once the mentorship has been established, you will be added to the corresponding study guidance group in Sisu. You will receive the contact information of the mentor in an email sent by the Education coordinator. 

Guidance during different stages of your studies

Guidance is given by direct discussions between the student and the Academic Mentor in the very beginning of the supervision period. Later on, whenever you are in need of academic guidance, you can contact your mentor and ask for a meeting. The format and time of the meeting will be decided between you and the supervisor.

• In the very beginning, the focus is on the study plan.
• During the second term, the focus moves to finding a suitable Master’s thesis topic and supervisor, and the possibility of studies abroad. 

You are strongly encouraged to request guidance whenever you need it. Your mentor may contact you if they notice that you are falling severely behind your study plan.

You are encouraged to register on the Moodle page of the programme.

Who should I contact?