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1. Background

Principles for recognition of prior learning at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ are based on the following statutes:

Government Decree on University Degrees 794/2004

Section 25: In degree studies the student may count studies completed in a Finnish or foreign university or some other educational institution towards the degree and replace studies included in the degree with other studies of a corresponding level, as specified by the university. At the discretion of the university, the student may also count towards the degree and replace studies included in the degree with knowledge demonstrated in some other manner.

Universities Act 558/2009

Section 7 a: Universities may arrange tuition other than by virtue of subsection 1 in cooperation with other university of university of applied sciences or procure it from one of these institutions. When tuition is procured from a Finnish university or university of applied sciences that provides the tuition for its own students as well, the university is not obliged to provide such tuition itself to fulfil its educational responsibility. A university is obliged to provide a majority of tuition for degrees and disciplines under its educational responsibility.

Degree Regulations of the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥

Section 33: The study right awarded for a degree includes the right to pursue studies included in the degree in the curriculum. Degrees may also include studies from other faculties and higher education institutions.

Section 37: At the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥, it is possible to recognise studies completed at Finnish and foreign higher education institutions in compliance with the curriculum as well as competence acquired otherwise when it corresponds to the learning outcomes of the pursued degree or part of it. Learning must always be demonstrated and evaluated. Recognition of prior learning can be made at any point during studies for a student who has registered for attendance and has a study right at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥.

From an earlier degree of the same level, only studies that comply with the curriculum of the degree pursued at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ can be recognised.

Theses cannot be recognised.

The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, gives more detailed guidelines for the recognition of studies or competence acquired otherwise. In addition to them, deans and directors of independent institutes may decide on more detailed practices and grounds for recognising prior studies.

The director of the Centre for Multilingual Academic Communication, or a person designated by the director, decides on the recognition of communication and language studies.

2. Purpose and application of the principles

The purpose of these principles is to supplement and specify the recognition of prior learning based on the Government Decree on University Degrees, the Universities Act and the Degree Regulations of the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥.

The principles are applied to the recognition of prior learning for the degree studies and, when applicable, to non-degree studies at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥.

3. Definitions related to the recognition of prior learning

The recognition of prior learning refers to the process of approving previous studies, internship, work experience or other competence as part of a degree, study module or study unit in compulsory or optional studies. The recognition of prior learning is always based on competence.

Substitution refers to substituting studies included in the curriculum fully or partly with studies completed elsewhere or with competence demonstrated otherwise than in formal education. Substitution requires similarity of content and that the studies or other competence are at the same EFQ level as the substituted studies.

Inclusion refers to adding studies completed elsewhere or competence proven otherwise than in formal education as part of a degree to, for example, elective studies. The level of the studies or other competence must correspond to the curriculum and the learning outcomes of the degree. The similarity of content with a certain part of the curriculum is not required. If the question is about using inclusion to make competence acquired otherwise than in formal education part of studies, the curriculum must detail the principles related to the inclusion.

In these principles, making competence part of studies refers to recognising competence demonstrated otherwise than in formal education as part of a degree.

In these principles, recognition of prior learning refers to both substitution and inclusion unless otherwise mentioned.

4. Principles of the recogition of prior learning

The opportunity for the recognition of prior learning derives from competence-based curricula that describe the learning outcomes of study units, study modules, and degree programmes.

Students who have the right to study at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ and who have registered for attendance can apply for the recognition of prior learning. Students, for whom the University has granted a study right that does not lead to a degree and that has a limited duration and content, are also entitled to apply for the recognition of prior learning.

The recognition of prior learning may also relate to application guidance, but actual credit transfer is realised only for persons who have valid study rights.

The student is responsible for starting the process for the recognition of prior learning. As part of creating and updating the personal study plan, the student has the responsibility to clarify, in cooperation with the personal study plan supervisor, if the student has competence suitable for the recognition of prior learning. When necessary, the personal study plan supervisor guides the student to apply for the recognition of prior learning. Recognised prior studies must be included in the degree, or in case of a non-degree student, in the studies for which the student has the study right.

The recognition of prior learning requires that the competence corresponds to the learning outcomes of the pursued degree or part of it. The competence to be recognised cannot overlap with study units already completed for the degree or other recognised competence. The student must be able to demonstrate the competence so that it is possible to evaluate it. The recognition of prior learning may require additional evidence.

According to the Degree Regulations of the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥, the faculty council decides on the principles for the expiry of completed study units and study modules, excluding communication and language studies, which are decided on by the board of the Centre for Multilingual Academic Communication (Movi). The principles for expiry also apply to recognised prior studies or competence demonstrated by other means.

Granting a degree from the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ requires that recognised studies do not exceed 90 ECTS credits in bachelor’s degree studies and 60 ECTS credits (in the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology 75 ECST credits) in master’s degree studies. The final thesis and the maturity essay cannot be recognised. The share of recognised studies in the theoretical studies of doctoral education is not limited.

Deviating from the main rule, the share of recognised studies in the degrees of transfer students can be more than half. However, final theses and maturity essays cannot be recognised for credit transfer even in this case. The transfer students’ prior studies, which the transfer is based on, are recognised as fully as possible when the learning outcomes so allow.

5. Recognition of studies completed in formal education

Studies completed at a Finnish university or a foreign higher education institution can be recognised through substitution or inclusion as part of a degree pursued at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥. The recognised studies must correspond to the learning outcomes defined in the curricula of the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ and their level must correspond to higher education studies.

Study modules included in degrees must meet the requirements defined in the curriculum of the degree programme, and they must be approved by another Finnish university or a foreign higher education institution.

Studies from a degree creating the eligibility to apply for a degree pursued at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ cannot be recognised unless the studies are compulsory in accordance with the curriculum of the degree for which the studies are recognised. Compulsory studies are studies that are defined in the curriculum of the degree programme as studies at the study-unit level that are necessary to complete the degree. Studies that are not included in the degree creating the eligibility to apply can be recognised when necessary. Studies included in a bachelor’s degree cannot be recognised for a master’s degree.

If the student has already completed a degree at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ and is pursuing another same-level degree, or if the student is pursuing two same-level degrees at the University at the same time, only compulsory studies defined in the curriculum can be recognised for the other/second same-level degree pursued at the University.

If the same study unit is part of several study modules, the curriculum specifies how a student who has completed the study unit earlier should construct the study module to achieve the minimum extent in compliance with the curriculum. It is not possible to register doubled credits within a degree, but the situation must be resolved through curriculum work. If the curriculum does not give options, the completion should be agreed in the personal study plan.

6. Recognition of competence acquired outside formal education

Only degree students of the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ can have competence acquired outside formal education recognised as part of their studies, provided that this competence fulfils the learning outcomes of a pursued degree or part of it. Separate studies required for teacher qualification are an exception. For these studies, the Faculty of Education and Psychology decides on the recognition of prior learning in non-degree education.

Competence recognised as part of studies may be created in, for example, studying, positions of trust, hobbies or the world of work. From the perspective of recognition of prior learning, the knowledge and skills acquired through experience are central, not experience as such.

The competence acquired outside formal education is compared to the learning outcomes of the study unit or module. If the competence and learning outcomes correspond to each other, the prior learning can be recognised either fully or partly. The competence can be demonstrated using certificates, exams, a portfolio, essays, interviews or other applicable procedures. The person making the decision on the recognition of prior learning defines more detailed procedures for demonstrating competence.

7. Proactive recognition of studies completed by degree students in a partner higher education institution

Degree students who have registered for attendance can include suitable studies from a Finnish higher education institution or a foreign partner university in their degrees, depending on the stipulations of the curriculum and partnership agreements between the higher education institutions. Studies completed at another institution should be included in the student’s personal study plan.

a. Proactive recognition of prior learning as part of curricula

An opportunity for studies in a partner institution must be described in the curriculum. If the decision to recognise studies completed at another higher education institution has been made as part of a curriculum, the student does not need to apply for the recognition of the studies separately.

b. Proactive recognition as part of the student’s personal study plan

In the case of studies whose recognition has not been decided as part of a curriculum, the student must apply for proactive recognition before registering to the study unit or study module. If studies completed at a partner institution have been agreed to be approved for the student’s degree through the proactive recognition process, the student does not need to apply for the recognition after completing the studies. The studies will be registered when the student submits a document on the completed studies.

The principles of studies in international joint degree programmes are decided in related agreements and curricula. In international double and joint degree programmes, studies that are completed at another university or higher education institution and that comply with the curriculum of the degree programme may constitute more than half of the degree, depending on what has been agreed between the universities.

8. The recognition process

The student applies for the recognition of prior learning using a designated online form or online service.

The documents needed to assess the recognition of prior learning must be attached to the application. When necessary, the student must also describe, based on the presented evidence, what competence relates to the learning outcomes of the study programme.

In addition to the recognition application, the student must submit a clarification on the extent of studies in ECTS credits or the workload and the grading scale used for the studies completed or competence acquired abroad.

Based on the material submitted by the student, the University may recognise the study units or modules or their parts directly, request more evidence from the student or reject the application.

As a rule, a recognition decision is made within a month from the date the application is received. The time limit does not include periods during which, upon the decision by the Rector, teaching is not arranged. The decision must express if more evidence is required from the student and give instructions and a deadline for providing further evidence.

A substitution is entered in the study register with the extent of ECTS credits in compliance with the curriculum approved at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥, and a grade on the scale 0–5 is given for the recognised studies unless there is a specific reason to use the grading pass/fail. Substitutive studies must be registered with the original grade, if the grading scale is the same. If the original grading scale of substitutive studies is other than 0–5, the grading pass/fail is used.

In case of an inclusion, studies completed elsewhere or earlier are recognised for the degree to the original extent of the study attainment. Only studies completed with a passing grade can be recognised.

Student and Academic Services provides more detailed instructions on applying for recognition of prior learning and on entering the recognised studies in the study register.

9. Appeal procedure against a decision on the recognition of prior learning

A student dissatisfied with a recognition decision can appeal for a re-assessment verbally or in writing. The request for re-assessment must be made within 14 days from receiving information on the decision. Rectification is requested from the person who made the decision. A request for rectification must specify the part of the decision and the grounds on which the request is based.

Decision on the request for rectification must be made within a month from the date the request for rectification was submitted. The decision must be given in writing. A student dissatisfied with this decision may apply for rectification from the Appeals Board of the University. The student may apply for rectification within 14 days from being informed of the decision. The rectification request is submitted to the University’s Registry Office. The decision of the Appeals Board may not be appealed.

10. Validity

This decision comes into effect on 1 August 2020. The Rector’s decision on the principles of recognition of prior learning on 5 February 2013 will be followed until 31 July 2020, considering also the stipulations of Section 37 of the Degree Regulations, effective from 1 August 2019, on the recognition of prior learning.

The changes made to the decision on 18 December 2020 are effective from the date of signature.