Study planning and PSP guidance

Belongs to themes:

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.

Your degree requirements include writing a personal study plan (PSP), a process that starts during the orientation week and continues throughout the degree programme to support your progress and the development of your expertise. You receive support and guidance from the teacher assigned to this role and from Student Services.

You must create your study plan in the Sisu system, accessible from the main menu on this page. In your study plan, you indicate the studies you intend to complete at different stages of your degree. It is not necessary to draft the plan all at once; instead you can update it as your studies progress. You will also use your study plan in Sisu to register for courses and submit electronic applications.

How to plan your studies
Selections and applications during studies
PSP guidance and other support for study planning
Guidelines for the study guidance in the Master’s programmes of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry
PSP Instructions in Your Degree Programme
Guidance in the Master's Programme in Agricultural Sciences

How to plan your studies

  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. 

Selections and applications during studies

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. 

PSP guidance and other support for study planning

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).

Guidelines for the study guidance in the Master’s programmes of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry

  1. Degree programme has agreed with relevant Bachelor´s Programmes how to provide information about the Master´s Degree programmes to Bachelor programme students.
  2. Master´s programme´s curriculum includes a course with themes integrating to Academic University Studies, carrier planning, and building expertise (e.g- portfolio)
  3. The student receives information about his / her supervising teacher, the agreed method of communication and meets his / her supervising teacher.
  4. Students whose studies are delayed are contacted and offered guidance.
  5. Master´s Programme´s curriculum includes an information in which course(s) guidance is integrated.

PSP Instructions in Your Degree Programme

AGRI-001 Personal study plan (PSP)

The supervising PSP teachers help you with your Personal Study Plan (PSP). A personal supervising PSP teacher according to the AGRI study tracks and modules is appointed to each AGRI student and a study guidance group is formed in Sisu for the student and the teacher. After that you can receive direct feedback on your PSP and answers to your questions through Sisu from your supervising PSP teacher. If you do not yet have a supervising PSP teacher and a study guidance group Sisu, please contact one of the AGRI supervising PSP teachers below for forming the study guidance group in Sisu. Your supervising PSP teacher will register the pass mark in Sisu for the compulsory AGRI-001 (0 cr) after the first PSP discussion is made.

More information about the AGRI-001 Personal study plan (PSP) is in the Moodle-area and in Sisu.

The supervising PSP teachers in the AGRI programme for the different study tracks are (modules in parenthesis)

Agrotechnology
Plant Production Sciences
Animal Science
Environmental Soil Science

Programme Director and Education Planning Officer

Contact information of the Programme Director and Education Planning Officer is found here.

Guidance in the Master's Programme in Agricultural Sciences

What? Who guides and advises? When, how?
General orientation to studies and integration to university community Degree programme director and teachers, education planning officer, peer tutors, supervising PSP teachers Orientation Week events in the beginning of studies and AGRI-001 PSP meetings with the supervising PSP teachers in the beginning studies. Integration continues in all AGRI study units during studies.
General guidance (study rights, annual registrations, various applications in Sisu, extension of study rights, graduation, etc.) Student advisors in Viikki Student Services (uni-help@helsinki.fi,  HelsinkiUni Help) Anytime, by email or by booking an appointment.
Drawing up a personal study plan (PSP) Supervising PSP teachers, education planning officer PSP is made in Sisu in the beginning of studies. A personal supervising PSP teacher according to the AGRI study tracks and modules is appointed to each AGRI student and a tutoring group for PSP supervising is formed in Sisu. Instructions in the Orientation Week's Degree Programme Day with the supervising PSP teachers and in AGRI-001 PSP meetings with the supervising PSP teachers in the beginning and during studies. Education planning officer gives technical help with Sisu.
Recognition of prior learning Supervising PSP teachers, responsible teachers of the substituted courses, education planning officer, student advisors in Viikki Student Services (uni-help@helsinki.fi, HelsinkiUni Help) Applications are made in Sisu in the beginning of studies. Instructions in the Orientation Week's Degree Programme Day with the supervising PSP teachers and in AGRI-001 PSP meetings with the supervising PSP teachers in the beginning of studies. Substitutions are agreed with the responsible teachers of the substituted courses. Student advisors in Viikki Student Services give technical help with Sisu.
Advanced studies in the student’s own discipline Supervising PSP teachers In the Orientation Week's Degree Programme Day with the supervising PSP teachers and in AGRI-001 PSP meetings with the supervising PSP teachers in the beginning and during studies.
Selecting the study track or modules Supervising PSP teachers, responsible teachers of the modules In the Orientation Week's Degree Programme Day with the supervising PSP teachers and in AGRI-001 PSP meetings with the supervising PSP teacher in the beginning of studies.
Planning student exchange Supervising PSP teachers, International Exchange Services and Education Cooperation (studentexchange@helsinki.fi) Instructions in the Orientation Week and AGRI-001 PSP meetings with the supervising PSP teachers in the beginning of studies. International Exchange Services and Education Cooperation organize info sessions in autumn and spring semesters.
Discussing optional studies Supervising PSP teachers, education planning officer In the Orientation Week's Degree Programme Day with the supervising PSP teachers and in AGRI-001 PSP meetings with the supervising PSP teachers in the beginning and during studies.
Traineeship Supervising PSP teachers, education planning officer, Career Services (uni-help@helsinki.fi).  Anytime. Instructions in the Orientation Week and AGRI-001 PSP meetings in the beginning of studies. Career Services help with the questions about funding of the training.
Deviations from the degree structure Responsible teachers of the entities, supervising PSP teachers, education planning officer, student advisors in Viikki Student Services (uni-help@helsinki.fi).  Anytime. The application is made in Sisu in a free edit mode. Supervising PSP teachers or responsible teachers of the entities give advise. Education planning officer gives technical help with Sisu.
Master’s thesis Responsible persons of the study track modules, responsible persons of the study unit AGRI-005 Master's thesis, responsible persons of the study unit AGRI-003A+B Scientific Writing and Seminars, MSc thesis supervisors, supervising PSP teachers The MSc thesis topic and supervisor is agreed with the responsible person of the study track module and/or the study unit AGRI-005 Master's thesis in the end of the first year of studies. The practical and theoretical part of the MSc thesis is usually completed in summer and during the second year of studies.
Generic academic skills, including study skills Degree programme teachers, supervising PSP teachers In the Orientation Week's joint Guidance and Well-being Event and in AGRI-001 PSP meetings with the supervising PSP teachers in the beginning and during studies. Also integrated in many AGRI courses. UH-level courses such as PED590 Towards Better Well-Being and Studying.
Professional skills and career planning Degree programme teachers, supervising PSP teachers, Career Services (uni-help@helsinki.fi).  In the Orientation Week's Degree Programme Day with the supervising PSP teachers and in AGRI-001 PSP meetings with the supervising PSP teachers in the beginning and during studies. Also integrated in many AGRI courses. Career Services organize info sessions.
Graduation Student advisors in Viikki Student services, education planning officer (uni-help@helsinki.fi, HelsinkiUni Help) At the end of MSc studies. The application for the degree certificate is made in Sisu. Student advisors in Viikki Student Services and education planning officer give technical help with Sisu.