Scope and structure of the degree

Studies are measured in credits. Courses yield credits according to the workload required. One credit corresponds to approximately 27 hours of work. The average input of 1,600 hours needed to complete one year of studies corresponds to 60 credits.

The scope of first-cycle (bachelor’s) degrees is 180 credits, and that of second-cycle (master’s) degrees is 120 credits. The University of Helsinki has limited the number of credits that can be incorporated into degrees. 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 170 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: 360 cr
  • Completed as a single-cycle degree
  • You can incorporate up to 400 cr into your degree.
• Licentiate of Dentistry degree: 330 cr
  • 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 July 2017. If your right to study commenced before 1 July 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 July 2017 if you were admitted through a transfer application procedure and your original right to study commenced before 1 August 2017.

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 at the end of this page by selecting your degree programme from the menu above. You will also see the structure of your degree and information on the modules and courses after you have completed the study plan in Sisu. You can view the entire curriculum of your degree programme on the Curriculum and equivalence between curriculums 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.
• language and communication studies, a minimum of 10 credits
• IT and data management studies, minimum 3 credits
• a career skills component, components preparing the student for expert positions, a minimum of 10 credits
• personal study plan in Sisu
• The Finnish Bachelor’s Graduate Survey (kandipalaute.fi)
• University of Helsinki student feedback
• optional studies in the student’s own degree programme or 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, which can be studies in the field of the degree from the student’s own degree programme or other degree programmes to meet the minimum scope of the degree
• personal study plan in Sisu
• University of Helsinki student feedback

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

Structure of Studies

You undertake studies for a total of 120 credits according to your personal study plan.

Curriculum 2023-2026

The curriculum enters into force on 1.8.2023.

If you have started your studies before 1.8.2023, you can switch to the new curriculum or complete your degree according to the 2020-2023 curriculum until 31 July 2026.

• 90 credits of advanced studies in ecology and evolutionary biology
  • Ecology, 5 credits
  • Evolutionary biology, 5 credits
  • Statistical methods in ecology, 5 credits
  • Quantitative Methods in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 5 credits
  • Master’s thesis courses 1 and 2, 5+5 credits
  • Master’s thesis, 30 credits
  • 30 credits of alternative studies chosen from ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation.
• 30 credits of other optional studies. You can choose studies from:
  • Master’s Programme in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
  • other relevant master's programmes
  • Language center
  • Biodiversity Education Network
  • career studies and extracurricular activities
  • complete the studies as part of a student exchange abroad

Curriculum 2020-2023

• 90 credits of advanced studies
  • Ecology, 5 credits
  • Evolutionary biology, 10 credits
  • Statistical methods in ecology, 5 credits
  • Master’s degree seminar, 5 credits
  • Master’s thesis course, 5 credits
  • Master’s thesis, 30 credits
  • 30 credits of alternative other studies chosen from the Master's Programme in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• 30 credits of optional other studies
  • Optional studies chosen from your own or or from other degree programmes.
  • Career planning or extracurricular activities can also be included in your personal study plan.

Biology teacher study track

If you are studying to qualify as a biology teacher, in your degree you will complete:

• 60 credits of pedagogical studies
• 60 credits of ecology and evolutionary biology

This applies only to Finnish or Swedish speaking students who have been accepted to pedagogical studies during their Bachelor’s studies.

Degree language

The Master's programme in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology is a multilingual master's programme. Teaching is in English, but you can study in Finnish, Swedish or English, depending on which language you choose. If your degree language is Finnish/Swedish, you can change your degree language to English by applying for a change of degree language during the first semester of your master's studies. Please note that you can only obtain a diploma in English if your degree language is English.

If you have been admitted to the programme through the international call and have proven your English language proficiency at the admission stage, your degree language will automatically be English.

For more information on changing your degree language and the requirements for an English-language degree, see the page Languages of study and degrees.