Courses and lectures
The curriculum of the Master's Degree Programme in Environmental Sciences includes common studies (25 ECTS), advanced studies in the specialisation field (about 55 ECTS), an extensive Master's Thesis (40 ECTS) and possibly also some auxiliary studies to attain 120 ECTS.
The studies consist of lectures, seminars, book exams and experimental field and laboratory courses. The Finnish University system is quite flexible, and it requires students to be active when planning one's studies. In the beginning of the programme, each student will formulate a personal study plan with the help of an advisor. Personal study plan is an indicative plan about the content of the degree and studies included in it. It helps students to make a schedule for studies in order to graduate in two years. However, students are responsible for keeping, updating and implementing their own personal study plans.
In the Finnish system, all courses are measured in credits, opintopiste (op) in Finnish. One credit refers to an input of approximately 27 hours of work for the attainment of set objectives for a course. At the University of Turku one Finnish credit equals 1 ECTS credits starting Autumn term 2005. In the curriculum of the Master's Degree Programme credits are marked as ECTS credits, which is used as a translation of opintopiste.
In addition to the Study Guide of the Master's Degree Programme, useful information about studies can be found at the University's web sites for international degree students: http://www.utu.fi/en/studying/students/degree/index.html
Photo: Petteri Alho