Degree regulations of the University of Jyväskylä

NB: This is an unofficial translation. In case of discrepancies between the Finnish and the English text, the Finnish text shall prevail.

In compliance with Section 14 of the Universities Act (558/2009), the University Board has approved the following degree regulations on 18 June 2019. The degree regulations shall be applied to the operations of the University of Jyväskylä, in addition to what has been stipulated by provisions in acts, decrees and the University of Jyväskylä Regulations.

Degree regulations of the University of Jyväskylä 

§ 1 Scope of application

The degree regulations apply to degrees completed at the University of Jyväskylä, to degree studies and, when applicable, to separate studies as well as studies arranged as open university education, continuing education, commissioned education and professional specialisation education. In these degree regulations, faculty refers to faculties and, when applicable, to independent institutes that provide teaching.

The Rector, dean or director of an independent institute that provides teaching may, in matters within their jurisdiction, issue stipulations that further specify these degree regulations.

§ 2 Definitions

In these degree regulations

1. Education refers to organised activity whose aim is to produce competence that is based on research and teaching. Education may refer to degree education or non-degree education. Degree education consists of degree programmes and its type can be bachelor’s, bachelor’s and master’s, master’s or doctoral education. The structure of non-degree education consists of study modules and study units and its type is, for example, open university education, continuing education or specialisation education.
2. Degree programme refers to a target-oriented set of competences. After completing the package, a student is granted a degree title based on the degree programme. Degree programmes consist of study modules and units that accumulate students’ competence and must be passed to complete the degree programme.
3. Specialisation refers to a specialisation option of a degree programme, to which students are selected in student admission or which students can apply for or select during their studies.
4. Study right refers to the right, stipulated in the Universities Act, to complete degree studies in the way defined in the degree regulations and the curriculum.
5. Study entitlement refers to a time-limited right to complete non-degree studies whose content is limited.
6. Curriculum refers to a competence-based tool for teaching, study planning and guidance, which includes information necessary for teaching, study guidance and counselling, study planning and smooth progress of studies as well as competence evaluation and registration of credits. A curriculum describes the competence the student will achieve and the structure of the degree programme or study module.
7. Teaching schedule refers to a plan of offered teaching and related schedules during an academic year or a longer period.
8. Personal study plan refers to a student’s plan for completing and scheduling studies.
9. Study unit refers to a part of studies on a certain topic or content, which accrues competence.
10. Study module refers to a part of studies consisting of study units.
11. Completed study unit refers to the mode of completion defined in the curriculum and a recognised prior study unit or other proof of competence required by the curriculum.
12. Thesis refers to a doctoral dissertation, licentiate thesis, bachelor’s thesis and master’s thesis.

§ 3 Education management

The education management system is built on responsibilities defined in the University of Jyväskylä Regulations and in these degree regulations.

Educational activities are managed at the University level as well as in faculties, departments and independent institutes that provide teaching. The Rector or a person designated by the Rector decides on University-level education policies. The Education Council of the University supports the Rector and monitors and supervises the implementation of the University’s strategy.

1. Quality and quality management

§ 4 Quality management responsibilities in education 

The University is responsible for the overall quality and resources of education. Faculties are responsible for the quality of awarded degrees, as well as for achieving agreed results and appropriately allocating and prioritising the resources they have received for education. Each independent institute that arranges teaching is responsible for the quality of its education.

Teaching units monitor the efficiency of their education and develop the quality of teaching and studying. Furthermore, they promote quality management and are responsible for the continuous development of education in the unit. To support the development of teaching, a teaching development committee is assigned for each faculty and for each independent institute arranging teaching. Student representation must be considered at all levels of development at faculties and independent institutes.

The teacher is responsible for the quality of teaching and the assessment of learning.

The student is responsible for their studies and the progress of studies.

§ 5 Feedback on education

Feedback on education, teaching, studies, study guidance and degrees is collected from students, teachers and other parties such as employers and alumni.

The feedback is to be utilised regularly in the planning and development of teaching, study guidance and education. Students have the right and obligation to give feedback.

The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, provides guidelines for collecting and processing feedback.

§ 6 Responsible conduct of research

Studying and teaching follow the responsible conduct of research and good study practices as well as guidelines on study and research ethics and responsibility in research provided by the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity and the University of Jyväskylä.

All final theses completed at the University of Jyväskylä are verified using an electronic plagiarism detection system selected by the University.

The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, provides separate ethical guidelines for studying and guidelines for the processing of academic fraud and plagiarism.

2. Scope of education

§ 7 Educational responsibilities of the University

According to Section 7 of the Universities Act, educational responsibilities are enacted by the decrees of the Government and the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Ministry of Education and Culture decree is prepared in cooperation with universities. The University Board submits proposals to the Ministry of Education and Culture for changing the University’s educational responsibilities and comments on motions to change the responsibilities.

§ 8 Organising degree education

Degree education is implemented as degree programmes. Bachelor’s degree education is arranged as bachelor’s degree programmes and master’s degree education is arranged as master’s degree programmes. Doctoral education is arranged as doctoral programmes.

A licentiate degree can be completed as part of a doctoral programme.

§ 9 Establishment and discontinuation of education entities and degree programmes

The Rector, after hearing the faculty council and the Education Council, decides on the establishment and discontinuation of education entities and degree programmes when the establishment or discontinuation do not change the educational responsibilities of the University.

If a degree programme is discontinued, the University shall offer the students of that programme the possibility to complete their unfinished studies within a reasonable period or compensatory studies instead of the discontinued degree programme. The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, decides on the length of the transition period and other arrangements related to compensatory studies or application of the Universities Act, Section 7b.

If a non-degree programme is discontinued, the University shall offer the students of that programme the possibility to complete their unfinished studies within a reasonable period. The length of the transition period and arrangements are decided by the dean or the director of the independent institute.

§ 10 Joint education and degree programmes

The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, decides on the establishment, discontinuation and general rules and regulations of joint education and degree programmes arranged with domestic and international universities. Joint degree programmes are agreed on in separate agreements between universities.

§ 11 Continuous learning

The University can arrange open university education, separate studies, specialisation education, continuing education and commissioned education as continuous learning studies.

Faculties and the Centre for Multilingual Academic Communication (Movi) may grant separate study rights for such study entities that are not available as Open University education at the University of Jyväskylä. This does not apply to separate study entitlements that are based on agreements between universities or exchange programmes. Students of other Finnish or international higher education institutions may pursue studies at the University in compliance with separate agreements between the institutions.

Faculty councils and the board of the Centre for Multilingual Academic Communication (Movi) decide on the application procedure and criteria for awarding separate study entitlements.

The faculty council or the board of the unit responsible for continuing education decides on the possible selection criteria of students, unless otherwise stipulated. The dean selects the participants of continuing education that includes parts of degrees, unless otherwise stipulated.

After completing the degree in accordance with the study rights (for students admitted to bachelor's and master's degree education, this refers to the master's degree), the student has the right to register as an alumni student. An alumni student can complete studies for free until the end of two academic years following graduation in compliance with the rights the student had when the degree was awarded and all Open University studies.

§ 12 Teacher’s pedagogical studies

The Faculty of Education and Psychology is responsible for the content of pedagogical studies required for teacher qualification.

The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, decides how the rights to complete the pedagogical studies are distributed between faculties and degree programmes.

§ 13 Language of instruction, examinations and degrees

The language of instruction, examinations and degrees at the University of Jyväskylä is Finnish. Curricula determine the use of a language other than Finnish as the language of instruction. Students have the right to use, both in writing and speech, Finnish or the language determined for a study unit in the curriculum. However, the language defined in the curriculum is used when studying a foreign language. The dean or the director of the independent institute decides on the right to use other languages. The use of any language other than Finnish shall not supersede the position of Finnish as a language of instruction, examinations and degrees at the University of Jyväskylä.

The Rector decides on the language of a degree programme when the degree programme is established. A degree programme can be completed in Finnish, in a foreign language or in several languages. In multilingual programmes, the dean decides on the student's language of examination in connection with student admission.

In programmes with English as the language of instruction, examinations and degrees, the thesis included in the degree must also be written in English regardless of what has been stipulated about the language of study attainments in the degree regulations.

3. Student admission

§ 14 Number of students selected to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree

The University Board decides on the number of students to be admitted to each faculty and field of higher education institution steering. The Rector, upon the proposal of the faculty council, decides on the distribution of study places between study options.

§ 15 Selection to education leading to a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree

Student admission is stipulated in Sections 36 and 38 of the Universities Act.

The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, decides on the general policies of student admission upon the proposal of the Education Council. In case of student admission for education leading to doctoral degrees, the Education Council hears the Science Council before making the proposal.

Faculty councils decide on the detailed student admission criteria.

The dean admits the students to the faculty.

§ 16 Admission to professional specialisation programmes

Eligible applicants for professional specialisation programmes have completed a relevant degree at a university or university of applied sciences.

Faculty councils decide on the detailed student admission criteria.

The dean admits the students to the faculty.

§ 17 Admission to Open University education

The board of the Open University decides on the admission criteria for Open University education.

The director of the independent institute decides on awarding a study entitlement, if the granting of the study right is not based on registration.

4. Study rights

§ 18 Granting of study rights 

When selecting new students to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree, the study right can be awarded to a bachelor’s degree programme, a master’s degree programme or a combination of them.

A student selected to doctoral education is granted a study right for a doctoral programme. The study right for a doctoral degree includes the right to a licentiate degree. For a special reason, a study right can be awarded only for pursuing a licentiate degree. 

§ 19 Student registration

In order to retain the study right, a student pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree or a licentiate or doctoral degree must formally register for attendance or non-attendance for each academic year.

The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, decides the registration period and procedures of student registration.

§ 20 Losing the right to study 

In accordance with Section 43 of the Universities Act, a student who, after accepting the study place, fails to enrol at the University or register for attendance or non-attendance, as well as a student who has not completed their degree in the time stipulated in the Universities Act or in a granted extended time, or who has not been granted an extension to the duration of studies, loses the right to study.

If a student who has failed to register for the academic year wishes to continue studying later, the student must apply for a new study right from the University and pay the application processing fee.

If the student has not registered in two years or more, the requirement for restoring the study right is that the student prepares a new personal study plan, including a schedule, and the dean decides on the approval of the study plan.

If a student who has not completed their degree in the time stipulated in the Universities Act (Section 41), or in an extension granted to that time, wishes to start or resume their studies at a later point, they must reapply for the study right from the faculty. Decision on restoring the study right can be made without the student participating in student admission. The dean decides on the restoration of the study right.

If a transfer student receives a new study right, they lose the study right that was the basis of the transfer. Study rights lost in a transfer application cannot be restored.

§ 21 Revocation of the right to study and request for the extract of criminal records

The revocation of the right to study is stipulated in Section 43a of the Universities Act, access to information relating to the revocation of the right to study in Section 43b and restoration of the right to study in Section 43c. The stipulations for cancelling the right to study apply to degrees defined in Section 2a of the Government Decree on Universities (770/2009, amended 1034/2011).

§ 22 Voluntary renouncement of the right to study

A student may permanently renounce the granted right to study by notifying the University in writing. The notification is submitted to the University’s Registry Office. The right to study is marked as expired, at the earliest, on the date the notification was received. After this, the right cannot be restored.

§ 23 Deactivation of doctoral students’ study rights 

The dean may, upon a proposal of the supervisor, decide to deactivate the study right of a doctoral student who has registered for attendance if the student’s doctoral studies and research work have not proceeded sufficiently in the previous academic year. Before making the decision, the follow-up group is heard and the student is allowed a chance to be heard.

If a doctoral student whose study right has been deactivated wants to continue their studies later, the student must provide the supervisor a legitimate and scheduled study plan for the continuation of doctoral studies. The dean decides on restoring the study right.

§ 24 Transferring from one degree programme to another at the same level

The faculty council decides on the principles for allowing students to transfer from one degree programme or specialisation to another within the faculty. The faculty council also decides on principles for allowing students from another faculty or another Finnish higher education institution to transfer to the faculty to complete a degree of the same level.

The dean grants students the right to move between degree programmes at the same level in accordance with the principles decided by the faculty council.

When a student accepts a new study place in a transfer admission or changes degree programmes or specialisations within the faculty, the earlier study right expires. The study completion time is not prolonged. The time the student has already used for completing the earlier degree is reduced from the normative study time for the new degree.

§ 25 Expiry of the right to study

The study right expires when the degree is completed.

After completing studies in accordance with the personal study plan, the student must submit an application for awarding the degree in accordance with the University’s guidelines.

§ 26 Study entitlement to optional studies

The University’s students are entitled to study optional studies freely, excluding studies in which an aptitude test is used for student admission or in which there is a justified reason to limit the granting of rights for optional studies.

The faculty council can decide to limit the study entitlement to optional studies only after hearing the Education Council. The faculty council decides on the grounds for awarding the right to pursue optional studies.  

The teaching of optional studies can also be arranged as cooperation between programmes and as thematic entities suitable for different target groups.

5. Teaching

§ 27 Arranging teaching

Teaching units must arrange teaching and study guidance so as to enable full-time students to complete their degrees within the target time stipulated in the Universities Act, in an appropriate order and without interruptions. Teaching is arranged in accordance with approved curricula and teaching schedules.

§ 28 Scheduling of teaching periods

The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, confirms the scheduling of teaching periods for the following academic year at the latest by the end of January each year.

§ 29 Curricula

A curriculum is a tool for competence-based teaching, study planning and guidance.

A curriculum includes information necessary for teaching, study guidance and counselling, study planning and smooth progress of studies as well as for evaluating competence and registering credits. A curriculum describes the competence the student will achieve and the structure of the degree programme or study module.

According to the University of Jyväskylä Regulations, faculties and independent institutes providing instruction publish their curricula by the end of March and their teaching schedules for the academic year to follow by the end of May. A curriculum is valid for at least four academic years at a time, unless a shorter period of validity is necessary due to exceptional circumstances.

A plan for student guidance and counselling is confirmed along with the curriculum.

The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, confirms the curricula for common education at the University and the organisers of teaching.

The faculty council approves the curricula of summer and winter schools before the start of their application periods.

§ 30 Internship as part of studies

The curricula of faculties shall be prepared so that bachelor’s and master’s studies include the possibility for a supervised internship as a required or optional part of the studies. The internship may be completed either in Finland or abroad. An internship agreement must be signed for an internship. The internship supervisor shall ensure the parties understand that the internship is an important part of studies.

§ 31 International student exchange

Faculties are responsible for ensuring that the studies that students complete in the exchange destination, in compliance with an approved study plan, are fully recognised for the degree.

§ 32 Accessibility of studies

Accessibility is considered in the planning and implementation of teaching so that students can complete their studies in an accessible manner.

If a student is not able to complete studies in the manner defined in the curriculum or on the course because of disability or other health-related reason, the teaching unit must make reasonable adjustments to arrange an opportunity to complete the studies, while ensuring equal treatment of students. The learning outcomes set for the degrees and courses must be fulfilled.

The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, decides in more detail on the general guidelines for promoting accessibility.

6. Studying

§ 33 Pursuing studies

Following the responsible conduct of research, students are responsible for the progress of their studies and the development of expertise in compliance with the learning objectives of the degree and its study modules and study units.

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.

§ 34 Expiry of studies

The faculty council decides on the principles for the expiry of completed study modules and study units, excluding communication and language studies, which are decided on by the board of the Centre for Multilingual Academic Communication (Movi).

§ 35 Study guidance of bachelor’s and master’s degree students 

Teaching units are responsible for making student guidance and counselling available at all stages of study.

The student makes a personal study plan for each degree programme for which they have the study right and keep the study plan up to date during the studies. The study plan is based on the degree structure of the degree programme. In the study plan, the student presents the study modules and study units they are planning to complete as part of the degree and a schedule for completing them. The study plan also considers internationalisation and possible internships.

The units are responsible for assisting students in devising and updating their personal study plans (including the exchange study plans of students leaving for exchange).

The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, decides on the principles of high-quality guidance at the University level.

§ 36 Supervision of doctoral studies

Doctoral students create their own research and study plans and update them.

Each doctoral student must have a personal supervisor-in-charge, designated by the dean. The supervisor-in-charge must have an employment relationship with the University of Jyväskylä, a doctoral degree and sufficient academic merits. In order to ensure continuity of supervision and guidance, a new supervisor-in-charge shall be nominated for the doctoral student if the first supervisor discontinues the task. In addition, each student pursuing a doctoral degree shall have a follow-up group nominated by the faculty.

§ 37 Recognition of prior learning

At the University of Jyväskylä, 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 studies can be made at any point during studies for a student who has registered for attendance and has a study right at the University of Jyväskylä.

From an earlier degree of the same level, only studies that comply with the curriculum of the degree pursued at the University of Jyväskylä 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.

§ 38 Monitoring of study progress

Faculties shall ensure that the monitoring of study progress is systematic. Delays in reaching the target times defined in the Universities Act should be addressed through the means of guidance and counselling. 

7. Completed study units, assessment and theses 

§ 39 Completed study units

The competence required in a curriculum is demonstrated with studies completed in the manner defined in the curriculum. The extent of each completed study unit is indicated in ECTS credits, excluding doctoral dissertations and licentiate theses. A completed course may require the completion of smaller parts of the course.

§ 40 Completing study units

Study units can be completed only by degree students who have registered for attendance and have the required study rights, as well as by students or exchange students who pursue open university studies or separate studies, specialisation education or continuing education and have valid entitlement for the studies. A student has the right to resit a failed study unit at least once. The resitting opportunity must be arranged so that students have sufficient time to prepare for a resit examination.

The student has the right to attempt to raise the grade of a completed study unit twice. The raise attempts must take place within a year from the original completion date. It is not possible to rewrite or raise a graded and approved thesis or dissertation.

All completion modes must follow the curriculum. If the completion mode changes between different completion attempts, the work amount expected from the student should not change essentially.

§ 41 Scales and grades used in the assessment of studies

The grading scale used in the assessment of studies is 0–5, in which the meaning of the grades is as follows: 5 = excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = satisfactory, 1 = sufficient, 0 = fail. Upon the decision of the faculty council or the board of the independent institute, it is possible to use the grades pass – fail when assessing internship and practical courses as well as other similar study units.

The written and oral skills in the second national language are assessed with the grades good – satisfactory – fail.

Bachelor’s theses are assessed with the grades 0–5 or pass – fail.

Master’s theses are assessed with the grades 0–5.

In the assessment of licentiate theses and doctoral dissertations, it is possible to use the grades 0–5, their verbal equivalents 5 = excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = satisfactory, 1 = sufficient, 0 = fail, or the scale pass with distinction – pass – fail. The faculty council decides on the grading scale used in the faculty.

The assessment criteria of completed study units and theses are decided as part of curricula. Assessment must be based on the learning outcomes defined in curricula.

§ 42 Assessment of study modules (preparation in progress)

Study modules are assessed separately using the grades 0–5 or their verbal equivalents.

The overall grades for the study modules are given as grade point averages of numeric course grades, weighted by the number of credits, rounded to the closest integer, or, if the grade point average is exactly between two integers, to the higher integer.

Courses without numeric grades are not counted when calculating the grade of a study module.

The content or grade of a study module within a degree cannot be changed after the degree has been awarded.

In accordance with sections 9 and 15 of the Government Decree on University Degrees, the grading of the theses included in bachelor’s and master’s degrees is considered similar to that of other study units. The grade of the thesis is taken into account in the same way as the grades of other study units are when giving the overall grade of intermediate and advanced studies.

§ 43 Notification of results

The results of completed study units (excluding theses and dissertations) shall be announced by entering them into the register within two weeks of the examination date, or from the date by which an essay, lecture journal or equivalent written assignment was due to be submitted to the examiner for assessment. The assessment of a bachelor's thesis shall be announced by entering it into the register within three weeks of the submission of the thesis. The time limit does not include periods during which, upon the decision by the Rector, teaching is not arranged.

For a specific reason, the dean, the director of independent institute or the head of department may grant an exception to the time limit. However, the study results shall be announced within a month of the examination date.

The date marked as the completion date of a study unit is the date on which the student has submitted the examination (excluding final theses) for assessment.

If a student has retaken a study unit and received different grades for it, the best grade is final.

§ 44 Feedback on completed study units

In addition to the actual results, students are entitled to get information on how the published assessment criteria were applied in the assessment of their work and feedback on the quality of the study attainment. They must also be provided access to the assessed study performance, available either in writing or in other recorded form. In addition, they have the right to receive a copy of the performance.

§ 45 Master’s thesis

A master’s thesis can have an individual author or two authors working as a pair. It can also be completed as part of a larger research project. In a thesis of two students or in a research project, it must be possible to specify each student’s share of work so that the shares can be assessed independently. Master’s theses are public documents and they are saved in the JYX publication archive. The supervisor-in-charge of a master’s thesis must hold a doctoral degree and have an employment relationship with the University of Jyväskylä.

For a master’s thesis, the dean nominates two examiners, of whom at least one must have a doctoral degree. The second examiner may be the thesis supervisor.

The examiners shall be nominated as soon as possible after the student has submitted the final version of the master’s thesis for examination.

The thesis examiners may give a joint statement or separate statements of evaluation, including a proposal for the grade. If they disagree on the grade, each examiner shall prepare a separate statement. The statement of evaluation must be given within one month of the date on which the finalised thesis was submitted for assessment.

The author of the thesis shall have an opportunity to respond to the examiners’ statements of evaluation before the final grade is given. The student is sent a written decision on the thesis assessment.

The thesis author has the right to interrupt the thesis assessment process before the decision on the final grade is taken. The student may interrupt the thesis assessment process once. After that the student may submit the thesis for re-examination, provided that the student has rewritten the thesis at least partly. This is evaluated by the thesis supervisor. If the thesis is not accepted for examination, a decision with the right to an appeal is given on this.

The student is responsible for the originality of the thesis.

The dean grades master’s theses on the basis of the statements of the examiners.

§ 46 Maturity essays 

A student must complete a maturity essay for both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree.

With the maturity essay, students demonstrate their in-depth familiarity with the topic of their thesis and their mastery of academic writing conventions. In addition, students whose school language has been Finnish or Swedish demonstrate in the maturity essay that their proficiency in either language is at the level of excellent.

A student does not need to demonstrate proficiency in Finnish or Swedish for the master’s degree if the language skills have already been demonstrated in the maturity essay for the bachelor’s degree.

As a rule, in English-medium degree programmes, the maturity essay is written in English. Exceptions to this rule are students whose school language has been Finnish or Swedish but who have not demonstrated their language proficiency in a maturity essay for the bachelor’s degree. In this case, the maturity essay is written in the language of the student’s school education.

§ 47 Assessment and grading of maturity essays 

The content of the maturity essay is evaluated by a representative of the discipline in question and its language quality by a language specialist approved by the Centre for Multilingual Academic Communication. If the student has demonstrated their proficiency in Finnish or Swedish with the maturity essay for the bachelor’s degree, a representative of the discipline can evaluate both the content and the language of the maturity essay for the master’s degree.

In cases where students write the maturity essay in a language other than their native language or school language, the familiarity with the thesis topic and the mastery of academic writing conventions are emphasised in the evaluation.

The maturity essay is graded on a two-level scale of pass/fail, and both the content and language quality must be at an acceptable level in order to receive the passing grade.

§ 48 Examination and grading of licentiate theses

At least two examiners are nominated for a licentiate thesis. The examiners must have completed a doctoral degree. The supervisor of the licentiate thesis may not act as the examiner of the thesis. The examiners shall be from outside of the University of Jyväskylä.

Within a month of the date on which they received the assignment, licentiate thesis examiners shall, either jointly or separately, give a written and substantiated statement of evaluation, including a proposal for a grade. If they disagree on the grade, each examiner shall prepare a separate statement. For a justified reason, the dean of the faculty, or a person designated by the dean, may define a period longer than one month for the examination.

The author of the thesis shall have an opportunity to respond to the examiners’ statements of evaluation before the final grade is given.

§ 49 Cancellation of a licentiate thesis examination

As long as the examination of a licentiate thesis is incomplete, the student may request in writing for the interruption of the examination process. In such a case, the examination procedure is cancelled.

§ 50 Preliminary examination of doctoral dissertations

When the student, after hearing the supervisor, decides to submit the dissertation manuscript for preliminary examination, at least two preliminary examiners with doctoral degrees and sufficient academic merits are nominated for the dissertation. The supervisor of the dissertation cannot act as an preliminary examiner. The preliminary examiners shall be from outside of the University of Jyväskylä.

The doctoral candidate shall be given an opportunity to comment on the selection of the preliminary examiners.

The preliminary examiners shall, within a month of being designated, either jointly or separately give a substantiated written statement on whether permission should be granted or rejected for the public examination of the dissertation. The preliminary examiner’s proposal for permission cannot be conditional. For a justified reason, the dean of the faculty, or a person designated by the dean, may define a longer period than one month for the preliminary examination.

The doctoral candidate shall be provided with the opportunity to comment on the preliminary examiners’ statements before a decision on the permission for public examination is taken.

The doctoral candidate has the right to interrupt the preliminary examination process before the faculty council handles the permission for the public examination.

If the candidate is not granted the permission for a public examination of the dissertation, the preliminary examination procedure ends.

Having received permission for the public examination, the doctoral candidate must ensure that the dissertation will be publicly available either in the JYX publication archive, or some other form, at least five days before the public examination.

§ 51 Public examination of doctoral dissertations

One or more opponents shall be appointed for the public examination of the dissertation. Opponents must be professors or doctoral degree holders with sufficient academic merits. The main post of the opponents must be outside of the University of Jyväskylä. The supervisor of the dissertation cannot act as an opponent. The doctoral candidate shall be given an opportunity to comment on the selection of the opponents.

A custos (chair) shall be appointed for the public examination. The custos must have an employment relationship with the University of Jyväskylä. The custos introduces the faculty instructions of the public examination to the opponents and ensures that particularly international opponents become familiar with the dissertation practices of the University of Jyväskylä as well as the grading scales.

The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, decides in more detail on general policies related to the public examination of a doctoral dissertation. Information about the arrangements and formalities of the public examination is given in separate faculty instructions.

§ 52 Assessment and grading of doctoral dissertations

Within two weeks of the public examination, the opponents must give, either jointly or separately, a substantiated written statement of evaluation on the dissertation to the faculty council. The statement must include a proposal for the grade. The proposal must take into consideration the candidate’s ability to defend the dissertation in the public examination. To support the assessment of a dissertation, a special assessment board may be appointed to make a proposal to the faculty council for the grade of the dissertation. The supervisor of the dissertation cannot participate in the assessment and grading of the dissertation and cannot be appointed to the assessment board.

Before the final grade of the dissertation is awarded, the candidate shall be provided with the opportunity to respond to the opponents’ statements of evaluation and to the proposed grade by a potential assessment board.

8. Certificates 

§ 53 Degree certificates

For a completed degree, the faculty issues a degree certificate with attachments. The Rector, or a person designated by the Rector, decides on the general guidelines for degree certificates.

9. Appeal procedures

§ 54 Requests for rectification addressed to the University

If not addressed directly to a teacher, any requests for rectification are submitted to the Registry Office of the University. A request for rectification must specify in detail the part of the decision and the grounds on which the request is based.

§ 55 The Appeals Board of the University 

The University has a centralised Appeals Board which handles the requests for rectification. The Rector appoints the Appeals Board for four years.

The Appeals Board comprises the chair and eight members, who each have a personal deputy. The chair and their deputy must be professors. At least half of the other members must be teachers at the University and at least one must be a student. All members, excluding the student members, must hold doctoral degrees.

The Appeals Board must give, in writing, justified decisions on handled issues.

§ 56 Appeal procedure against an admission decision

A party dissatisfied with student admission or the selection of students to participate in instruction may appeal by submitting a request for rectification to the Appeals Board. 

Rectification must be requested in writing within 14 days from publishing the selection results.

§ 57 Appeal procedure against losing the right to study

A student may, within 14 days from receiving information on the decision, appeal in writing to the Appeals Board for a review of the decision on losing the right to study.

§ 58 Appeal procedure against the assessment of a thesis

A student dissatisfied with the evaluation of a dissertation, licentiate thesis, master’s thesis or bachelor’s thesis may submit a rectification request to the Appeals Board within 14 days from being informed of the decision.

§ 59 Grade appeal procedure for study units 

A student who is dissatisfied with the grading of a study unit or with the recognition of studies completed elsewhere or competence demonstrated by other means may appeal orally or in writing to the teacher or the maker of the decision and make a request for re-assessment. The teacher’s dated decision regarding the request for re-assessment is recorded in the examination papers, or a separate decision is taken. The request for the re-assessment of a study unit must be made within 14 days of the date on which the student first had access to the grading results and information on how the assessment criteria were applied in their case. The request for re-assessment of the recognition of prior learning must be made within 14 days from receiving information on the decision. A student who is dissatisfied with a decision on a re-assessment request referred to in this section may request rectification from the Appeals Board within 14 days from the date they were informed of the decision.

§ 60 Appeal procedure against admission to a degree programme or specialisation

A student may, within 14 days from receiving information on the decision, appeal in writing to the Appeals Board for a review of the decision on admission to a degree programme or specialisation.

§ 61 Appeal on a decision

In accordance with Section 84 of the Universities Act, it is possible to request re-assessment of a decision given in the appeal process of the University by appealing to an administrative court (hallinto-oikeus). No appeal may be lodged against a ruling on a rectification request concerning the grading of a study attainment and the recognition of prior studies.

10. Entry into force and transitional provisions 

These degree regulations entered into force on 1 August 2019.

Changes concerning the assessment of master’s theses and the calculation of the grade of advanced studies in sections 41 and 42 entered into force on 1 August 2020.

In compliance with the decision of the University Board on 17 March 2023, the changes concerning the alumni study right in Section 11 will enter into force on 1 August 2023 for those students whose degree is completed on 1 August 2023 or thereafter. Other changes enter into force immediately.