Degree: Master of Science

Degree requirements

The University of Helsinki has a two-cycle degree system. The first-cycle degree of the Faculty of Science is a Bachelor of Science degree. The Bachelor's degree must be completed before a Master of Science degree. The Master's degree in computer science can be completed in one of three sub-programmes:

Algorithms and Machine Learning,
Networking and Services, and
Software systems.

The teaching in the first two of these sub-programmes is given fully in English.

There are also an international Master's degree programme in English offered at the Department of Computer Science that has its own degree requirements:

Master’s Degree Programme in Bioinformatics

The requirements for a Master’s degree are set according to sub-programme, but they follow a general pattern as described below.

MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE (120 credits)

1. Major subject studies

	INTERMEDIATE STUDIES
	ADVANCED STUDIES	(80 cr)
	Intermediate courses that can be taken as part of the Bachelor’s degree or in addition to the advanced module in the Master’s programme are required in the sub-programmes Distributed systems and data communications and in Software systems.
	Compulsory courses for sub-programme	8 cr
	Optional advanced courses appropriate for the sub-programme (other than seminars)	26 cr
	Seminars	6 cr
50131	Master’s thesis	40 cr
	Maturity test in MSc

2. Minor subject studies

The sub-programme Algorithms and Machine Learning requires a total of 60 credits of modules in mathematics or method sciences for the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

3. Other studies

582510	Personal study plan		1 cr
582519	Scientific Writing for MSc in Computer Science, if the student begins his or her studies at the department directly at Master's level and will complete the degree in English.		3 cr
	English language studies as specified in the approved personal study plan		0–4 cr
584403	Advanced Internship or Vocational Orientation Studies		at least 2 cr
	582511	Advanced professional IT working or	2–6 cr
	581387	Software Factory Work Experience or	5–7 cr
	582515	Information Technology as a Profession	2 cr
	or other appropriate course

Optional courses so that the extent of the degree, 120 credits, is fulfilled. These may include major or minor subject courses or courses in other subjects.