Studying

Degree programmes

Acquaint yourself with the structure, content and guidelines of your degree programme by taking a look at the University of Lapland's study guide.

• Master's degree programme in Arctic Art and Design>
  
• Master's degree programme in Northern Tourism>
• Master's degree programme in Tourism, Culture and International Management (TourCIM)>

Elective and minor studies

As a student of the University of Lapland, you have a free choice of minor subjects and elective studies. You may select minor subjects and elective studies

• from studies offered by other faculties
• from the modules offered by the Language Centre
• from courses taken as an exchange student at a university abroad
• from the modules offered by the Lapland University of Applied Sciences.

When starting your studies, take some time to discuss your choice of elective and minor studies with your teacher tutor. Take a look at the minor subject and other study options >

Take advantage of online studies

You may complete some degree courses as online courses. Please note, however, that the degrees of the University of Lapland cannot be earned entirely online: the degree student's presence at the university is an essential part of studying towards these degrees. Studying online requires some initial effort, because students are required to familiarize themselves with the new learning environment and adopt new modes of working.

Online courses at the University use the following learning environments and applications:

• Moodle >
• Adobe Connect >

Language and communication studies

Language and communication studies at the University support your degree work and are a plus when you go to work after graduation.

Some of our master's programmes have as compulsory studies for the degree

• Academic Writing
  
• Academic Speech Communication.

In addition to compulsory language and communication studies, you can choose a module in foreign language and culture as one of your minors or take part in foreign-language courses and study units.

More about language and communication studies >

Gain international expertise at the University of Lapland

• Choose international minors.
• Complete foreign language courses and study units.
  
• Go on an exchange abroad.
• Do a traineeship abroad.
• Complete a short mobility period (e.g. an intensive course or a summer school) abroad.
• Join the Café Lingua discussion groups.
• Take part in the international activities of ESN Lapland, the Student Union and the student associations.
• Take part in the tutor and friendship activities for international students.

Read more about the international activities offered by the University >

What is RPL?

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a procedure whereby credit is awarded on the basis of learning that has been acquired outside the degree programme in which you are currently studying. The purpose of RPL is to ensure that you do not have to spend time studying things that you already have demonstrably learned. You can apply for RPL credits for studies you have completed previously as well as for skills and knowledge acquired in other ways.

Applying for RPL credits

You can apply for RPL credits for studies completed elsewhere that you wish to include in the degree you are currently pursuing, or apply for RPL credits to substitute a part of your current studies with equivalent studies completed elsewhere. You may also have part of your studies substituted by other learning you have acquired in different contexts such as continuing education, work experience, short courses in the workplace, or through projects, positions of responsibility or hobbies.

Familiarize yourself with our RPL instructions >

What are cross-institutional studies?

As a student of the Lapland University of Applied Sciences and the University of Lapland you have the opportunity to complete some studies offered by the other university (the Lapland UAS or the University of Lapland) as part of your degree. Cross-institutional studies allows you to broaden your competence and acquire knowledge and skills that are not included in the study offerings of your home institution. You have the opportunity to personalize your degree by choosing from a variety of study options.

How to undertake cross-institutional studies?

You can familiarize yourself with the offer of cross-institutional studies in Peppi study guides. In order to complete studies at another university, you must first apply for the right to study in cross-institutional studies. Check out more detailed instructions and frequently asked questions regarding cross-institutional studies on the cross-study subpage.

Go for a traineeship!

A traineeship is an opportunity to test out your skills and knowledge in real-life labour market conditions while studying. Work experience will be a major advantage when applying for a job after graduation. Take time to consider different traineeship options in order to be able to find one that complements the skill set and knowledge you have gained during your studies and prepares you for your planned career path.

You can include a completed traineeship in your degree. The optimal timing of traineeship varies from one field of study to another.

Applying for a traineeship

It is entirely your responsibility to find and apply for a traineeship. The University receives traineeship offers and you may consider applying for these, too. Before applying for a traineeship, please present your traineeship plan to the teacher in charge of traineeships in your degree programme/faculty. Once your traineeship is approved, you can sign an employment contract with your employer.

• Option 1: Find a traineeship independently. Once you have agreed with your employer on the details of the traineeship, please ask the employer to fill in the traineeship data sheet and have the traineeship approved by the teacher in charge of traineeships in your degree programme/faculty.
• Option 2: Find a traineeship from among the traineeship offers advertised at the Aarresaari Career Services Network for Finnish Universities. Once you have found a traineeship, have the traineeship approved by the teacher in charge of traineeships in your degree programme/faculty.

Traineeship funding

You may apply for traineeship support. The traineeship support is paid directly to the employer to cover some of the expenses the employer incurs from providing the traineeship opportunity to the student.

You can also do a traineshipship without financial support, in which case the employer of your internship pays the entire salary, or you complete the internship without pay with a study grant (Kela).

Support is not granted if your degree includes a mandatory traineeship that the university finances anyway, such as primary teacher, art education teacher and social work studies. Traineeship support is not granted afterwards or for a traineeship that has already started.

Read more about traineeship and how to apply for traineeship support

Accessible Studying

Accessible studying refers to organizing and implementing the physical, psychological, and social environment in such a way that everyone, regardless of their characteristics, can participate equally with others. Accessibility and accessibility issues affect our entire university community – all students and staff. It is especially important for a community member who has a disability, illness, or learning difficulties. Our students have the right to reasonable individual study arrangements to support their studies for medical reasons. A medical reason could be a learning difficulty (e.g., dyslexia), sensory impairment, or a mental/physical illness. These individual study arrangements ensure equal opportunities for everyone to study.

Individual study arrangements should not be seen as a reason to stop pursuing the set learning goals. Instead, they are a way to support students in achieving those learning goals. The arrangements do not change the learning objectives but help in reaching them. The aim of individual arrangements is to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to progress in their studies, based on the principle of positive special treatment. According to the principle of positive special treatment, it can be considered that a student may need more or different support than another student, and for example, guidance and support can be provided more or differently depending on the need. However, not all students' life situations justify individual arrangements. Arrangements are not made, for example, because a student lives outside the campus location.

Accessibility work is based on the non-discrimination act, and accessibility is also included in our university's equality and plan.

Teacher’s instructions regarding individual study arrangements: TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING INDIVIDUAL ARRANGEMENTS.pdf

 

Individual Arrangements to Support Studying

A student can apply for individual study arrangements to complete their studies and assessments for health-related reasons. Reasons for such arrangements may include, for example, hearing, vision, or other sensory impairments, reading and writing difficulties, panic disorder, or ADHD. Individual arrangements can be made based on a reading difficulty if the difficulty is severe or moderate. Individual arrangements can also be applied for with a doctor’s certificate if the impairment is temporary, for example, as a result of an accident.

Student Instructions for Applying for Individual Arrangements: STUDENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLYING FOR INDIVIDUAL ARRANGEMENTS.pdf

The application for individual arrangements should be submitted via encrypted email to yksilolliset.jarjestelyt(at)ulapland.fi. We aim to accommodate individual arrangements for the entire duration of your studies if possible. If you need individual arrangements, please complete the application. Submit the completed application to yksilolliset.jarjestelyt@ulapland.fi.s. 

Examples of Individual Study Arrangements:

• Extra time for exams and/or submission of independent assignments.
• The possibility to take exams on a computer and use proofreading software while writing.
• The possibility of an alternative method of examination. Alternative forms of assessment to traditional exams may include oral exams, presentations, or computer-based take-home exams, or remotely supervised take-home exams.
• A quiet exam room.
• Larger writing space.
• Consideration of mobility impairments.
• Clear and precise information about the course structure, key dates, exam requirements, practical arrangements, and assignment instructions.

Ask for more information:

Individual Study Arrangements: Head of Study Affairs Janette Tolppi provides guidance and makes decisions regarding individual study arrangements for students. If necessary, an appointment can be scheduled to discuss the appropriate forms of individual arrangements for the specific student. To book an appointment, send an email to yksilolliset.jarjestelyt@ulapland.fi.s

Janette Tolppi, Head of Study Affairs
Teaching and Learning Services

yksilolliset.jarjestelyt(at)ulapland.fi.s

Accessibility Contact Person at the University:

Aino Kärpänniemi, Study Psychologist, Student Wellbeing Services
study.psychologist(at)luc.fi

University of Lapland Student Union:

Student Union:
Adviser of Educational and Social Affairs
edunvalvonta (at) lyy.fi

Student access rights outside the opening hours of the university

Students may use the study facilities on campus 24/7. If you would like to study in the university main building outside the opening hours of the university you need the STid Mobile ID application that can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or App Store. As a student, you will receive a personalised LUC access keycard activation link by email, which you can use to activate the card in the app. Your personal Access key card will enable you to access the university main building between 7:00 and 23:59, and the designated study spaces on campus can be used 24/7.

For further information, please contact kampuspalvelut(at)ulapland.fi, tel.: +358 40 861 7866.

Accessing the campus facilities

Outside the opening hours of the university, you may enter and exit the campus facilities only through the doors you have been instructed to use. Your Access key card will enable you to access only the spaces you have the right to use.

You must not pass your personal Access key card to anyone else or use it to give anyone else access to the university premises. Upon receiving your Access key card, you agree to the terms and conditions of its use. Failure to comply with the terms and conditions may result in termination of access.

Further instructions and Frequently Asked Questions

You may attend lectures with your child. When doing so, please consider other students by leaving the room if you have to calm down or otherwise attend to your child. When outside the room, please let people in the nearby rooms work in peace.

However, you cannot be accompanied by your child in the following cases:

• your child is ill
• the studying or teaching requires spaces, equipment, or materials that involve safety issues
• the child’s presence restricts the handling of the topic or makes it difficult to focus on teaching
• the content of teaching is harmful to the child’s development.

Student tutoring as part of your studies

Every new student is appointed a personal tutor who acquaints the students with the practicalities of study and student life in Rovaniemi during the first year of study. The student tutors are students of the same degree programme/field of study who are in their second year or higher. Student tutoring is an important part of the guidance services provided to the students of the University of Lapland.

Student tutors can earn credits for their activities. In addition, tutors receive a fee for their work.

Submit a student tutor application

The Student Union of the University of Lapland (LYY) is responsible for the student tutor application process, selection and training of student tutors. The annual application period for student tutors starts early in the spring term, the tutors are selected at the beginning of April and training is provided for them at the end of April.

Read more about the tasks of the tutor and the tutor application process >

GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) and other similar artificial intelligence-based text editors or text generators—generally referred to as large language models (LLM)—are interactive artificial intelligence-based applications that can be used to generate content based on user input. Artificial intelligence-based generators can be used to produce, for example, written text, images, sound, and video. The University of Lapland’s guidelines on the use of language models cover all the modes of expression mentioned above.

The University’s guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence-based tools have been outlined by the University of Lapland’s Teaching Management and Development Committee and addressed by the Strategic Steering Committee during spring 2023. The focus of the University’s guidelines is on critical and reflective use of artificial intelligence-based tools. A language model should be thought of in positive terms as a useful tool that can bring advantages. The use of language models is allowed, provided that the user, for example in connection with submission of an assignment, explains how language models have been used when completing the assignment.  However, language models must not be used for producing the final content of an assignment or a thesis, and content created using a language model must not be presented as the student’s own work. Teachers may deviate from the recommendations, but the students must be clearly informed of any exceptions to the guidelines and the reasons for the exception must be clearly stated at the beginning of the course.

If you have any questions or concerns about the use of artificial intelligence-based tools on a particular course, please contact the teacher directly.

The University of Lapland’s Guidelines on the Use of Artificial Intelligence-Based Tools are available on the University’s website under Studies > Studying.