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Recognition of learning means that the knowledge and skills gained earlier will be recognized as a part of the student's current studies. The recognition of learning is documented on a course or an implementation.

Recognition of learning might be gained from for example

earlier studies
participation in student exchange program
internship
working experience.

These can be documented as a part of the degree, module or course both to obligatory and mandatory studies.

Applying the recognition of learning is recommendable to be done as soon as possible when student starts their studies or as soon as the recognizable studies have been performed or other knowledge and skills have been gained. The prior learning to be recognized must comply with the learning objectives of the degree curriculum or one of its modules or courses. Recognition of learning might require supplementing ones knowledge or skills.

Students cannot apply for accreditation of courses that they have already completed. The grade of the accredited course can be raised by repeating the whole course.

More information about the policies for Recognition of Learning at the University of Oulu on the Recognition of learning page.

Note things below before filling in the application:

Check what kind of application you need to do. You can apply:

Replacement means that the previous studies or learning demonstrated in other ways corresponds to the competences of a course that is in the PSP. Replacement requires correspondence in terms of contents with the learning competencies of a course or study module in the personal study plan. The studies can be completed at another Finnish or foreign university.

A student can apply for full replacement of a course when they have completed enough studies so that the shortfall is no more than one credit between the course attainment to be replaced in full and the already completed course attainment, if the learning competencies of the course attainments match each other.

The replacement is recorded in accordance with the number of credits of the course or study module being replaced.[1]

[1] For example, if a student has completed a course attainment of 4 credits and they want to replace a course attainment of 5 credits, the student’s accredited course attainment is recorded as having a scope of 5 credits. Correspondingly, the replacement cannot exceed the scope indicated in the curriculum for the course attainment being replaced. For example, if a student has completed a course attainment of 6 credits and they apply for a replacement of a course attainment of 5 credits, the replacement is recorded with a scope of 5 credits. Transfer students are an exception to this. It is recommended that all their credits be transferred in full.

The process of replacement

A student applies for replacement if the previous studies or learning demonstrated in other ways corresponds to the competences of a course that is in the PSP. Student sends the application to Responsible Person of the course. Please check the name of the Responsible Person of a course from Peppi or from study guide: https://opas.peppi.oulu.fi/ Sending the application to the correct person makes the process faster.
Responsible Person of the course makes a proposal and forwards the application to Programme Director.
Programme Director or Director of the Centre for Languages and Communication makes a decision. They forward the application to Academic Affairs Education Assistant.
Education Assistant registers the decision to Peppi.

Opiskelijan Peppi > Before making the application > image-2024-2-2_14-13-9.png

Inclusion refers to the inclusion of studies completed at another Finnish or foreign university as an integral part of a degree programme, in which case equivalence of contents is not required but the studies must be at a level¹ that complies with the curriculum and they must correspond to the learning competencies required in the degree programme. A course or study module completed elsewhere is accepted into the degree programme as it is.

¹The level of studies refers to the requirement level of university studies, such as basic, subject or advanced studies as per the requirement level of the qualification structure.

The process of inclusion

Student applies for inclusion for pre-recognition, exchange studies, a whole previous degree, or a study module (that has been graded and locked, or there is a certificate). Application is done in Peppi. Student sends the application to own Degree Programme Director. Please check the name of your Degree Programme Director from Patio: https://patio.oulu.fi/fi/palvelut-ja-ohjeet/koulutuksen-palvelut/koulutuksen-suunnittelu/tutkinto-ohjelmaportfolio (login with your O365 account). The process runs faster if the application is sent to the correct person.
Student's own Programme's Director makes a decision, and forwards the application to Academic Affairs Education Assistant.
Education Assistant the decision to Peppi.

Exemption[1] applies to certain language studies. A student may be exempted from the language proficiency requirement of the second national language if they have completed their schooling in a language other than Finnish or Swedish, completed their schooling abroad or if the student has been exempted from studying the second national language at lower levels of education (certificate of exemption). In addition, a student, for whom Finnish or Swedish is defined as the schooling language, may be exempted from the demonstration of skills in the second national language if they have, in view of the starting level requirement, a clearly insufficient number of successfully completed general upper secondary school studies in the second national language.

In such a case, the student is exempted from completing the studies in the second national language altogether, and the curriculum defines what studies the student needs to complete instead of these studies in order to achieve the degree requirement. The student must be informed that a person who lacks the course attainment on the knowledge of languages required of personnel in public bodies[2] is not qualified for governmental/municipal posts in Finland.

In addition, exemption from the completion of the language studies included in the degree can be recommended for special reasons and organised through individual study arrangements. Such recommendations are based on the opinions of health care experts and an assessment by the study psychologist. The curriculum defines what studies the student needs to complete instead of these studies in order to achieve the degree requirement. The exemption is granted by Languages and Communication.

[1] Government Decree on University Degrees (794/2004, Section 6).

[2] Act on the Knowledge of Languages Required of Personnel in Public Bodies (424/2003).

The process of exemption

Student applies for exemption of language studies in Peppi. Exemption applies to certain language studies (read more from below).
Student sends the application to the Responsible Person of the course (application handler), who makes a proposal. Please check the name of the Responsible Person of a course from Peppi or from the study guide: https://opas.peppi.oulu.fi/ Sending the application to the correct person makes the process run faster.
Director of the Centre for Languages and Communication makes a decision.
Education Assistant the decision to Peppi.

Verify that your gained skills follow the study aims.
Discuss the recognition of learning with your PSP counselor, degree programme's Education designer, Tutor teacher or other person in charge from your Faculty if necessary.
Fill in the application in Peppi. Before filling in the application, check that you log in to Peppi with the right study right. You can change your study right from the top right corner of the page. A list of study rights opens under your name. Choose the study right you want the credit transfers to be registered.
Verify that you have copy of the required attachments. You will need the attachments when filling in the application. If asked, you need to be able to show the original certificates.
Note that you might be asked for more evidence or you might be invented to a hearing for proving the state of earlier gained knowledge and skills.

Attachments required on the recognition for studies performed in another University:

Certificate of the performed studies
- For example: transcript of records (PDF-copy).
- The name of the studies, courses or modules also need to be provide in English (Note: official translation from the University).
Studies performed or knowledge gained abroad require that student delivers a report about the extent of the studied as study points or the amount of work required and the assessment scale used.
Information about the study aims of the performed studies (learning goals, content, technique, literacy and study points.
- If the information is not in Finnish, Swedish or English, the information must be delivered also in English.
Students who have performed a degree deliver the degree certification
- a PDF-copy and at least the name of the degree in English.
- If the degree certification is in another language than Finnish, Swedish or English, it must be delivered also in English.
Certificate about the module, if the recognition or learning is applied based on a certain module (for example Basic Studies of Psychology, 25 ECTS).

Attachments required on the recognition for knowledge or skills gained in other way:

Attachments, which prove the knowledge and skills gained earlier for example
- work certificate
- course certificate
- publication
- learning diary
- certificate of a position of responsibility

Transferring or copying studies from one study right to another

In Peppi, the completed studies are shown on the study right with which you have completed your studies. Studies can be transferred or copied from one study right to another within limits. Check from below can your studies be transferred or copied or should you make a recognition of learning application.

Transferring completed studies

Transferring studies is possible between bachelor’s and master’s study rights within a study right entity.
If you want to transfer your studies, please contact Academic Affairs services

Copying completed studies

Completed studies/modules can be copied from one study right to another if the studies are same as in your current PSP/faculty’s curriculum. For example: You have a study named Financial Mathematics in your PSP and you have completed a study named Financial Mathematics on another study right. In this case, you can ask the study to be copied to your current study right. Contact the Academic Affairs Services and inform your current study right and the study right with which you have completed the study.

Studies that can be copied are for example

studies completed in another degree programme
studies completed with a non-degree study right
studies completed with an exchange student study right (You were previously an exchange student in University of Oulu and you are currently a degree student)
studies and minor studies completed in the Open University of University of Oulu (if the studies are same as in faculty’s curriculum)

Recognition of learning should be applied for in the following situations

If you want to replace a study in your PSP with a study completed with another study right, you should apply replacement.
If you want to include a completed study for example to free choice studies, you should apply inclusion.
If you want to include a minor study module, you should apply inclusion.

Note! There are faculty-specific differences in the free choice studies and the minor studies. Studies can be copied according to the faculty’s curriculum. Ask from the Academic Affairs Services if your completed studies can be copied or should you submit a recognition of learning application.