Which curriculum should be followed?
The curricula of the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences are available in Sisu or in the Study Guide (links above in the general instructions).
Students who have started their doctoral studies in autumn 2024 or later must follow the
Students who started their doctoral studies before August 2024 may follow the until July 31, 2030 (graduation at latest on July 31, 2030). After this (at latest), they must switch to following the new study requirements (curriculum 2024-2028).
Students who have started their doctoral studies on or before 1.1.2025
Doctoral students are required to complete 40-60 ECTS credits of studies included in the doctoral degree, taking into account their background and the curriculum they follow. The studies are defined in each doctoral student's personal study plan at the admission stage.
If the main subject of the previous (M.Sc.) degree is different from the specialisation of doctoral studies, the necessary amount of supplementary studies defined by the Faculty must be completed to achieve the required competencies for the specialisation. The amount of supplementary studies is generally 15 ECTS (recommended intermediate-level studies). The supplementary studies are defined in each doctoral student's personal study plan at the admission stage. Supplementary studies are not included in the degree. For those accepted with a master’s degree from a university of applied sciences, 60 ECTS credits of advanced studies in the specialisation are automatically assigned, of which 15 ECTS credits are supplementary studies.
It is possible to apply for changes to the personal study plan approved during the admission stage. See the section "Changes to the doctoral study plan" below.
Doctoral programmes offer postgraduate seminars for at least 20 hours during each academic year. More information about these can be asked from the programmes.
Students starting their doctoral studies on or after 1.8.2025
All studies required from the student included in the degree must meet the minimum scope of the curriculum (40 credits). No supplementary studies are assigned to those accepted into the doctoral studies; instead, they must have the required competencies for the studies at the time of admission.
Recommendation for doctoral studies
Upon the admission to doctoral studies, the research plan will be drafted on a template provided by the faculty. The template acts as guidance and recommendation for doctoral studies. You can download the template following the link below:
Template for doctoral study plan at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences (.docx)
Credits earned from work included in doctoral studies
It is possible to gain credits for work experience (maximum of 10 ECTS if the study right has begun after August 1, 2024, or maximum of 20 ECTS if the study right has begun before July 31, 2024), according to what is agreed on the doctoral student's postgraduate study plan. The work needs to be included to the study plan and must be more demanding than the work for the dissertation (teaching, research work, participation in the development of the department or the faculty, work conducted outside the university). The study plan including the credits of work experience needs to be approved by the working group for postgraduate studies before the work is started.
Teaching of a study unit can only be included once to the doctoral studies (i.e. if you teach repeatedly on the same course in different years, it is count only once). Other teaching than teaching at a university can be included only partially and upon agreement. In the case of research tasks, the research duties must be unrelated to the doctoral research project and the role of the doctoral student must be clear, independent and demanding. An assistant role, or simple measurements or analysis is not sufficient to produce credits for the doctoral studies. In case the work is completed outside the university, the work must be research-oriented in order to be suitable for credits in the doctoral studies, and it may grant only part of the maximum amount of 10-20 ECTS. The ECTS amount can be defined taking into account that 1 ECTS corresponds to approximately 27 hours of student's work.
Once the tasks for the credits have been completed, the doctoral students delivers a short report, accepted by the main supervisor, to the doctoral school coordinator via , and the credits will be registered for the doctoral student.
Changes to the doctoral study plan
It is possible to apply for changes to the personal study plan approved during the admission stage.
In case of major changes to the accepted study plan later during the studies, the modified plan will be processed and accepted by the working group for postgraduate studies. Major changes include for example a substantial change in the number of credits required for the degree within the 40-60 curriculum, changes in supplementary studies, and adding credits earned from work to the doctoral studies. The updated study plan, approved by the supervisors and including justifications for the change, is submitted to the coordinator of the doctoral school via , who will forward the change proposal to the working group for postgraduate studies for consideration.
Small changes, such as changes in individual study units/courses, do not need to be accepted by the working group.
