Credits earned at another institution may be transferred by special permission to augment or fulfil the requirements for a degree at the Computer Science Department. Crediting may be used for major subject studies, minor subject studies or other studies. Earlier studies may replace compulsory courses, or they may be accepted as optional courses. The general principles for transferral have been set by the Science Faculty Council in its regulation (clause 15).
The purpose of these instructions is to clarify the most common transferral situations according to the degree requirements for CS major students. Where applicable, the instructions also apply to credits in computer science for others than students majoring in computer science.
Credits that can be transferred are
- computer science (majoring) credits,
- credits for the module 'other studies' in the degree requirements (except language studies),
- minor subject credits (restrictions: only completed minor subject modules, minor subject at this department; see section 4).
The University's Language Centre decides on the recognition of language studies. In general, the department in charge of the minor subject discipline decides on the recognition of credits for a minor subject module.
In order to transfer credits for compulsory courses, the contents have to correspond closely enough; for optional courses, credits can be transferred for courses that have no exact counterpart among the department's courses. Students cannot transfer credits for their Bachelor's thesis, Master's thesis, maturity exam or personal study plan. (This means that the course Scientific writing cannot be substituted by earlier credits in the new degree system.)
The transferral process demands a broader overview in addition to analysis of individual courses, so students should apply for transferral of all credits they want to have recognized at the same time. Since the extent norms for transferrals based on the most common degrees are listed below, it would be easiest for students in other degree programmes not to apply for recognition of their credits until they have completed that degree. On the other hand, it may be more beneficial for the planning of studies if the application can be made at an earlier stage.
The recognition process mainly takes into account the minimum extent of courses required for the degree. Usually, it is unnecessary to have extra credits from other institutions registered at the University of Helsinki. As credits can be recognized at different departments, the upper limits for transferable credits will be checked when the final degree is finished.
In general, transferred credits may not be over seven years old.
To apply for credit transferral, use the form that is available at the department's administrative office (room D236), at Student Counselling (room A232), and at the department secretary's (room D239). Please enclose
- certified copies of certificates (transcript from study register, possible diploma),
- content descriptions of courses taken at other institutions,
- the applicant's view of which of the department's courses can be substituted, and
- a transcript from the study register at the University of Helsinki.
The application with attachments should be delivered in person to the teaching administration (Reijo Sivèn, D236), where the information will be checked and the application prepared for the decision of the Head of Studies. It may take some time to process the application, especially at the beginning of terms, so it should be handed in in good time. Applicants will receive information on the decision by post.
Recognized credits will be entered into the credit register. The grade will usually be registered if the recognized course is part of a university's curriculum.
1. Degrees and studies completed at other universities
Credits from other universities which have not been included in a degree can be transferred without restrictions as to amount. Credits from other universities which have been included in a lower or upper university degree can be transferred to the Bachelor's degree to a maximum amount of 60 credits, as well as the compulsory language studies that belong to 'other studies'. In general, a maximum of 40 credits from other universities which have been included in an upper university degree can be transferred to the Master's degree.
Recognition of minor subjects is presented in section 4.
When transferring credits completed abroad, the ECTS norms on course extent will be taken into consideration.
2. Degrees and studies at polytechnics
Credits from a suitable discipline (e.g. computer science, information technology, software engineering) can be transferred to the Bachelor's degree to a maximum amount of 60 credits, as well as the compulsory language studies that belong to 'other studies'.
Students who have completed a degree in some other discipline can transfer a 25-credit minor subject module, 20 credits of other studies, and the compulsory language studies that belong to 'other studies' Advanced studies from a polytechnic degree or polytechnic studies can be transferred only in rare cases.
Credits (amount and courses to be substituted) from unfinished polytechnic degrees will be processed individually.
3. Other vocational degrees and studies
Students with a degree in computing (in Finland the so-called Datanomi degree) from a vocational school can have 40 credits transferred into the basic or intermediate study module in computer science, or into 'other studies', courses to be selected individually.
Students who have completed some other applicable degree in IT (such as further or specialist vocational qualification in programming) can have a maximum of 20 credits transferred into their basic studies module (to be elected individually, no grade) and a maximum of 20 credits for their 'other studies' module for the Bachelor's degree.
Students with some other degree (e.g. in engineering, business administration, technology) can have a minor subject module of 25 credits transferred as their optional minor subject for the Bachelor's degree.
Individual courses at vocational schools are not generally accepted as substitutes for computer science courses, neither are courses given by e.g. as part of employment, crash courses, or similar.
4. Transferring minor subject credits
Minor subject modules that have been completed at another university can be transferred as such, and are recognized in the degree in accordance with the degree requirements.
Credits taken at another institution in a subject that is taught at the University of Helsinki can be augmented in accordance with the regulations of UH at the department that teaches the subject. Such minor subject studies can be recognized at the Department of Computer Science as separate courses, or be recognized at the department that teaches the subject (preferable).
The Department of Computer Science can also create a minor subject module of 25 credits for the Bachelor's degree under the following conditions:
- The contents of the study modules form a sensible whole (in spite of not consisting of the same subject or being from the same university).
- The credits have been taken in subjects that are not taught at the University of Helsinki (e.g. technology, business administration).
The minor subject modules of 25 credits mentioned above in section 2 and 3 will follow the same principles.
These instructions will be valid as from 1 August 2005 for applications from students following the new degree requirements.
Helsinki 1 August 2005 Jukka Paakki Head of Department
updated by Hannu Erkiö September 25, 2008