Learning opportunities for students of all levels at the Language Centre this autumn
Make an early start on planning and pursuing the language studies required for your degree this academic year. Alongside the language and communication studies included in degrees, the Language Centre offers numerous opportunities to build on a language you’ve studied previously or take up an entirely new one. If you’re starting a new language from scratch, it’s best to begin in the first teaching period, as introductory courses typically commence at the beginning of the academic year. The Language Centre also offers 15- or 25-credit language programmes.
In the first teaching period the Language Centre offers both optional and compulsory courses in a range of languages, with many different methods of completion, from classroom instruction to independently completed courses. Options are available at refresher, beginner and advanced levels. Registration for courses is open until 24 August 2025. Register for our courses and exams through Sisu.
The courses offered in the first teaching period include:
Arabic:
Arabic for Beginners 1 – The Basics of Arabic: Speak, Read and Write KK-ARA001 (CEFR A1), contact teaching, 2 cr
English:
NEW COURSE Academic and Professional Communication in English 1/2 KK-ENKAIKKI1/2 (CEFR B2) (2 cr). This course is intended for students of all faculties who have already completed 2 credits of English as a compulsory foreign language (4 credits).
Grammar for Writing KK-ENG303 (CEFR B1), remote teaching, 2 cr
Speaking and Vocabulary KK-ENG302 (CEFR B1), remote teaching, 2 cr
Genres of Creative Writing KK-ENG510 (CEFR C1), contact teaching, 3 cr
Feedback on Writing KK-ENG504 (CEFR C1), remote teaching, 1 cr
For University of Helsinki Doctoral School students: Feedback on Writing and Presentation KK-PHD-ENG604, remote teaching, 1 cr
Explore all English courses on the Instructions for Students website.
Spanish:
Spanish for Beginners 1 + 2, intensive course KK-ESP003 (CEFR A1), blended teaching, 7 cr
Spanish for Beginners 1 KK-ESP001 (CEFR A1), contact teaching, 4 cr; same course available as remote teaching
Spanish for Beginners 2 KK-ESP101 (CEFR A1), remote teaching, 4 cr
Intermediate Spanish 1 KK-ESP201 (CEFR A1–A2), remote teaching, 3 cr
Intermediate Spanish 2 KK-ESP203 (CEFR A2), remote teaching, 3 cr; same course available as contact teaching
Intermediate Spanish 3 KK-ESP206 (CEFR A2), contact teaching, 3 cr
Curso de continuación 4 – Intermediate Spanish 4 KK-ESP312 (CEFR B1), blended teaching, 4 cr
Curso de español sobre el medio ambiente – Environmental Spanish KK-ESP305 (CEFR B1), blended teaching, 3 cr
Curso práctico sobre cultura y actualidad de los países latinoamericanos – Culture and Current Issues in Latin American Countries KK-ESP309 (CEFR B1), contact teaching, 4 cr
Independent project: Proyecto individual de nivel avanzado – Independent Project in Advanced Spanish KK-ESP405 (CEFR B2), 2 cr
Italian:
Italian for Beginners 1 KK-ITA001 (CEFR A1), blended teaching, 3 cr; intensive format of the same course, completed within a single teaching period
Intermediate Italian 1 KK-ITA104 (CEFR A1), blended teaching, 3 cr
Intermediate Italian 3 KK-ITA203 (CEFR A2), blended teaching, 3 cr
Practical Italian KK-ITA204 (CEFR A2), contact teaching, 2 cr
Independent project: Expand Your Vocabulary in Italian KK-ITA210 (CEFR A2), online course, 1 cr
Independent project: Reading Comprehension in Italian KK-ITA211 (CEFR A2), online course, 1 cr
Independent project: Ascoltando 1 – Listening Module in Italian 1 KK-ITA207 (CEFR A2), online course, 1 cr
Japanese:
Introduction to the Japanese Language KK-JAP001, remote teaching, 2 cr
Japanese for Beginners 3 KK-JAP104 (CEFR A1), blended teaching, 4 cr
Upper Elementary Course in Japanese 2 through Blended Learning KK-JAP204 (CEFR A2), blended teaching, 3 cr
Upper Elementary Course in Japanese 4 through Blended Learning KK-JAP208 (CEFR A2), blended teaching, 4 cr
Chinese:
Elementary Chinese 1 KK-KII005 (CEFR A1), remote teaching, 4 cr
Elementary Chinese 2 KK-KII006 (CEFR A1), remote teaching, 4 cr
Elementary Chinese 3 KK-KII103 (CEFR A1), blended teaching, 3 cr
Intermediate Chinese 1 KK-KII207 (CEFR A2), blended teaching, 3 cr
Advanced Chinese 1 KK-KII301 (CEFR B1), blended teaching, 4 cr
Korean:
Korean for Beginners 1 KK-KOR001 (CEFR A1), remote teaching, 3 cr
Intermediate Course in Korean 3 KK-KOR202 (CEFR A2), remote teaching, 3 cr
Portuguese:
Intermediate Portuguese 1 KK-POR102 (CEFR A1), lectures, 3 cr
French:
French Pronunciation KK-RAN006 (CEFR A1), online teaching, 2 cr
CLARA (Cours de Langue en Autonomie pour Réactiver son Apprentissage) – French Course in Autonomy KK-RAN311 (CEFR B1), blended teaching, 3 cr
Français pluridisciplinaire – Oral and Written French on an Advanced Level KK-RAN402 (CEFR B2), contact teaching, 4 cr
Independent project: Grammaire en ligne 1 – French Grammar Online on an Advanced Level 1 KK-RAN308 (CEFR B1), online course, 2 cr
La France qui bouge – Intermediate French 4 KK-RAN302 (CEFR B1), blended teaching, 4 cr
Swedish:
NEW COURSE: Oral Skills in the Second National Language KK-RUKAIKKI (CEFR B1) (2 cr). This course is intended for students of all faculties (excluding students of medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine).
Swedish for Beginners 1 KK-RUO001 (CEFR A1), contact teaching, 3 cr
Repetera svenska – Remedial Course in Swedish KK-RUO205 (CEFR A2), blended teaching, 2 cr
Open University: Swedish for Beginners 1 KK-RUO001, remote teaching, 3 cr
Open University: Intermediate Swedish 1 KK-RUO201 (CEFR A2), remote teaching, 3 cr
Independent project: Avancered integrerad kurs i svenska – Advanced Integrated Course in Swedish KK-RUO420 (CEFR B2), online course, 2 cr
Nordisk kultur – Nordic Culture KK-RUO418 (CEFR B2), blended teaching, 2 cr
Explore all Swedish courses on the Instructions for Students website.
German:
German for Beginners 1 KK-SAK002 (CEFR A1), blended teaching, 4 cr; group 2 of the same course
German for Beginners 2 KK-SAK102 (CEFR A1), remote teaching, 4 cr; same course available as blended teaching
Intermediate German 2 KK-SAK217 (CEFR A2), blended teaching, 3 cr
Land und Leute – German Regional Studies Course KK-SAK309 (CEFR B1), blended teaching, 4 cr
IDEAL – Individuelles Deutsch Autonomes Lernprogram – Autonomous German Learning Course KK-SAK306 (CEFR B1), blended teaching, 3 cr
Russian:
Russian for Beginners 1 KK-VEN002 (CEFR A1), contact teaching, 4 cr; same course available as blended teaching
Russian for Beginners 2 KK-VEN101 (CEFR A1), remote teaching, 4 cr
Intermediate Russian 1 KK-VEN102 (CEFR A1), blended teaching, 4 cr
Tšitat, pisat i obsuždat – Spoken and Written Russian KK-VEN301 (CEFR B1), contact teaching, 3 cr
Estonian:
Estonian for Beginners 1 KK-VIR001 (CEFR A1), remote teaching, 3 cr
First language
Independent project: My Work Life Language and Interaction Skills (Finnish as the first language) KK-KIE00, 1 cr
Independent project: Communication and Writing Skills (Finnish as the first language) KK-AI013, 1 cr
Supporting Writing Using Creative Methods (Finnish as the first language) KK-AI009, contact teaching, 2 cr
Advanced Course in Finnish as a Second National Language (Finnish as a second language) KK-FIN04 (CEFR B2), online teaching, 2 cr
Academic Communication Competence (Swedish as the first language) KK-MOAKKO1SP and KK-MOAKKO2SP, remote teaching, 1 cr
Explore all first-language (Finnish and Swedish) courses on the Instructions for Students website.
Additional information
The independent project ALICE – Academic Language and Intercultural Exchange (CEFR A2) is available in the first teaching period in Italian, French, Spanish and German. The second language in ALICE courses is always either Finnish or Swedish. Read more about ALICE courses on the Instructions for Students website.
If you have questions about course content, please contact the Language Centre course teachers. If you need assistance in choosing the right course, get in touch with the Language Centre’s tutors. For the tutors’ office hours, see the Instructions for Students website.
Wishing you a fantastic start to the new academic year – join us in studying languages and communication at the Language Centre!