A European Framework for Psychologists' Training

STRUCTURE OF FORMAL EDUCATION - FINLAND

The full psychology degree is taught in six universities in Finland: Helsinki, Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Tampere, Turku and Åbo Akademi.

Entry requirements

The educational system consists of the comprehensive school of nine years which is compulsory. The upper secondary school of three years leads to matriculation examination, which is the basic requirement for studies at the universities. The annual enrolment of new psychology students is about 160. Every applicant must take an entrance examination in order to start studying psychology in a university. Generally the entrance examination carries the greatest weight in the selection criteria. Next come the matriculation examination and school leaving certificate. In some universities (Jyväskylä, Turku, Åbo) the applicants are required to pass adaptability tests held by the department. The Numerus clausus is quite high in psychology - about 8% of the applicants are admitted to begin studies in psychology.

The degree structure. The Decree 318/96 concerning psychological degrees provides the general outline for the structure and volume of the degree. The study modules are classified with respect to their contents and their position in the curriculum, into three different types:

basic studies, subject or intermediate studies and advanced studies.

The degree also consists of general studies including language studies and minor subject studies. The aim of general studies is to familiarise the student with the basic principles of scientific thought and research and to give a broad foundation for further studies. Language studies are included in general studies. All Finnish students are required to learn a second home language (Swedish for Finnish speaking students, Finnish for those speaking Swedish) and at least one foreign language. The basic degree also contains studies in the native language.

In the basic studies students concentrate on the acquisition of the basic skills required to fulfil the aims of the degree programme. Subject studies aim at deepening the student´s knowledge of the central fields of psychology, especially in terms of current research and research methods.

The aim of the advanced studies is to provide the students with basic professional skills and expertise, and with sound knowledge in the research methods to benefit students' own research. A large part of the advanced studies is taken up by research work, and the writing of the thesis is usually the most extensive single study module. A compulsory period of professional training outside university is included in the advanced studies.

Subsidiary studies

Depending on the student´s orientation, suitable subsidiary studies include sociology, social policy, education, philosophy, medicine, mathematics and statistics among others.

ECTS see above. In Finland the credit unit by which progress through the curriculum is measured is the opintoviikko (abbreviated 'ov'), or 'study week'. One credit refers to tan input of approximately 40 hours of work by the student: lectures, classes, seminars, reading, writing and independent research are all regarded as work. One semester of full-time studies i.e. 30 ECTS credits are usually worth 15-20 study weeks; in other words, one 'ov' or Finnish credit is equivalent to 1.5 or 2 ECTS credits

Examinations are taken after every module usually in written form. Essays and written reports are also used. During the studies students carry out two supervised empirical research works: one in intermediate studies and the Master's thesis. For professional skills there are practical examinations and students are required to write a written report about the practical period, which is evaluated by the supervisor.

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