Scope and structure of the degree

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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.

University students complete a first-cycle higher education degree (Bachelor’s) before completing a second-cycle higher education degree (Master’s). Master’s degree holders may apply for doctoral studies.

On this page, you will find general information on the structure of undergraduate degrees, or first- and second-cycle higher education degrees, at the University of Helsinki, as well as information specific to your degree programme.

Your own programme's full degree structure is available at the top of the page in the main menu of the Studies Service, under the heading Degree Structure. 

Scope of the degree
What studies are included in my degree?
Structure of your degree programme

Scope of the degree

The scope of studies is expressed in credits. The number of credits obtainable from courses will be determined by the required workload. One credit corresponds to approximately 27 hours of work. The average input of 1,600 hours required for the completion of studies in one academic year corresponds to 60 credits (cr).

The scope of a first-cycle (bachelor’s) degrees is 180 credits, and that of a second-cycle (master’s) degrees is 120 credits. The University of Helsinki has limited the number of completed credits that the degree certificate will indicate. You can incorporate up to 200 credits into a 180-credit bachelor’s degree and up to 135 credits into a 120-credit master’s degree.

Exceptions:

  • Master of Arts (Psychology) degree: 150 cr
    • Completed after a bachelor’s degree
    • Your degree can incorporate up to 165 cr, but
    • If your degree includes pedagogical studies for teachers required for a subject teacher qualification, you can exceed the maximum scope of the degree.
  • Licentiate of Veterinary Medicine degree: 180 cr
    • Completed after a bachelor’s degree
    • You can incorporate up to 200 cr into your degree.
  • Licentiate of Medicine degree: 180 cr (study rights beginning on or after 1 August 2025)
    • Completed after a bachelor’s degree
    • You can incorporate up to 200 cr into your degree.
  • Licentiate of Dentistry degree: 150 cr (study rights beginning on or after 1 August 2025)
    • Completed after a bachelor’s degree
    • You can incorporate up to 165 cr into your degree.
  • Licentiate of Medicine degree: 360 cr (study rights that began on 1 August 2024 or before)
    • Completed as a single-cycle degree
    • You can incorporate up to 400 cr into your degree.
  • Licentiate of Dentistry degree: 330 cr (study rights that began on 1 August 2024 or before)
    • Completed as a single-cycle degree
    • You can incorporate up to 365 cr into your degree.

The above credit limits apply to students whose right to study commenced on or after 1 August 2017. If your right to study commenced before 1 August 2017, the number of credits to be incorporated into degrees may have been limited on a faculty-specific basis. Your right to study is considered to have commenced before 1 August 2017 if you were admitted through a transfer application procedure and your original right to study commenced before 1 August 2017.

What studies are included in my degree?

From the degree structure of your degree programme, you can see what studies you need to complete for your degree. You can view the degree structure as well as degree programme, study module and course details at the top of the page in the main menu of the Studies Service, under the heading Degree Structure. You will also see the information in Sisu after you have completed the study plan. You can view the entire curriculum of your degree programme on the Curriculum and equivalence between curricula page.

All Bachelor’s degrees completed at the University of Helsinki include:

  • a minimum of 60 credits of studies in the field of the degree programme: the minimum scope of basic studies is 25 credits and the minimum scope of basic and intermediate studies in total is 60 credits. Intermediate studies include a thesis (6 cr) and a maturity test.
  • a thesis seminar (applies to curricula as of 1 August 2026)
  • language and communication skills, minimum 10 credits
  • basic skills in ICT and knowledge management, minimum 3 credits
  • a career module and professional skills training modules, minimum 10 cr
  • a  study plan in Sisu
  • The Finnish Bachelor’s Graduate Survey (kandipalaute.fi)
  • University’s student feedback survey
  • optional studies offered by the degree programme or by other degree programmes.

All Master’s degrees completed at the University of Helsinki include:

  • advanced studies in the field of the degree programme (min. 60 credits) including a thesis (30 credits) and maturity test. Exception: for medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine, the scope of the thesis is 20 credits
  • other studies offered by the student’s degree programme or other degree programmes to meet the minimum scope of the degree
  • If the scope of the thesis is 30 credits, the curriculum includes a 5-credit or a 10-credit thesis seminar (applies to curricula as of 1 August 2026).
  • a study plan in Sisu
  • University’s student feedback survey

Degrees also include career orientation and expert identity studies and career planning.

Structure of your degree programme

Your own programme's full degree structure is available at the top of the page in the main menu of the Studies Service, under the heading Degree Structure.