GUIDE FOR APPLICANTS. INTERNATIONAL DEGREE PROGRAMMES :: OULU UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES :: oamk.fi

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1 GUIDE FOR APPLICANTS INTERNATIONAL DEGREE PROGRAMMES :: OULU UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES :: oamk.fi 2012

2 CONTENTS 3 welcome TO OULU UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES 4 TIMETABLE FOR APPLICANTS 8 OULU UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES 10 OULU UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES GENERAL ADMISSION CRITERIA 16 Formal education in Finland 17 INTERNATIONAL DEGREE PROGRAMMES LEADING TO A BACHELOR S DEGREE 20 Degree Programme in Business Information Technology 26 Degree Programme in Information Technology 32 Degree Programme in International business 36 MASTER S DEGREES TAUGHT IN ENGLISH 37 Degree Programme in Industrial Management 38 Degree Programme in Information Technology 40 INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS BY COUNTRY 45 ADMISSIONS OFFICES OF UNIVERSITIES OF APPLIED SCIENCES IN JOINT APPLICATION I knew Finland is cold during winter, but in summer, I never thought that it can be so hot. I was also really surprised with the lightness of summer nights. You experience what it is like to work with people from different cultures. You got to work with different kinds of people from the beginning. Three reasons to choose Finland page Applicant s Checklist Different cultures and viewpoints page 30

3 Welcome to Oulu University of Applied Sciences With great excitement I welcome you to a remarkable city. It was a great experience for me when I joined the University in autumn 2007 and got introduced to the city and the people of Oulu. For sure I had a nice time and graduated quite early. I believe studying should be a thing of fun and conduciveness, which Oulu as a city provides. We had entertaining times with fellow students, the sauna parties, etc. We were also involved in interesting academic activities that helped to develop our professional life. I hope that as a student of this university you will take advantage of the structures and facilities provided by the school authorities that will help you mold the future you into the professional and attractive individual that you should be. Regular interaction with your teachers is vital, taking part in all assignments and classes is also compulsory. As a student of information technology, I wanted to be as skillful as the big names, but it had to start from somewhere, and as the saying goes a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. Oulu UAS provides you the tutoring and guidance you need to complete the thousand miles. I took advantage of the lectures I have received as a student and I applied for a job position as a software engineer. During the recruitment process I was given a project to implement and to return it in few days. I went home, locked my doors and started using the skills I have gained to implement the project. I completed the project on time and I was recruited. I later realised that it was not only the skills I learnt from the university, but also the determination to complete my responsibilities: the course assignments I was involved in taught me to be prompt in finishing my tasks. I am encouraging you as a student to take advantage of all the structures being provided by the university, get involved in activities and be prompt to complete course assignments. It builds up your professional skills and determination to succeed. Always remember that we are willing to help you at any time you only need to ask. Have a wonderful stay in Oulu, I am wishing you all the best in your studies. Cheers. Bob (B.Eng). P.S. Extra Ezine offers a varied insight into the studies at Oulu University of Applied Sciences, the life of international students and Oulu as a student city. Articles and stories are mainly written by present and former students of Oulu UAS: 3

4 TIMETABLE FOR APPLICANTS 9 Jan 14 Feb 2012 at 4.15 pm Finnish time The application period for the degree programmes taught in English starting in the academic year Online application can be found on the web site 24 Feb 2012 Deadline for attachments at 4.15 pm Finnish time. All attachments must be delivered by post to the Admissions Office. Any attachments that arrive late will not be considered. 2 Apr 4 May 2012 Entrance exams The exact details for entrance exams for each degree programme will be stated in the invitation letter. 4

5 31 July 2012 Acceptance of the study place at 4.15 pm Finnish time 29 May 17 July 2012 Results of the student selection 14 August 2012 Deadline for placement of name on waiting list 18 May 2012 Changes to the upper secondary school certificate and predicted grades in IB examination/ Reifeprüfung examination in Finland. The Admissions Office must be informed of any changes made to Finnish upper secondary school leaving certificates and predicted grades in the IB examination/reifeprüfung examination in spring

6 Four in One Text: Susanna Siironen, Photo: Kaisa Tiri In this article I could tell you that Oulu is a seaside city, its population is 141,025 and it was founded in But because you may find that information on the internet I m going to tell you about four different cities you may find in one. Autumn One word: café. I could spend all my free time in cafés drinking hot chocolate, eating cinnamon buns and just watching people passing by. In Oulu there are many nice cafés to be found both in the city centre and a bit further away. If you are keen on documentaries, this is for you: Doc Lounge Oulu presents newly produced documentaries with a mix of local, national and international documentaries. Doc Lounge is held in a club environment and the whole evening is a symbiosis between music and documentaries. At Oulu s market place you may see the Winter Winter in Oulu might feel long, cold and dark. Darkness is something that foreigners are amazed but also overwhelmed by. So to survive we have to find some nice things to do. One of the most extraordinary events in Oulu at the winter time is Poro Feria, where Europe s northernmost and southernmost cultures unite. At Oulu s market place you may see the passion of flamenco, the warmth of Sámi culture and the heat of reindeer race. Of course, the best thing in winter is snow. I remember one Polish girl who told me that she came to Oulu because she loves winter sports especially ice-skating. The dozens of sports fields in Oulu offer a great opportunity for anybody to lace up those skates for some skating. And how about ice swimming! You must try that at Tuira beach on the Oulu River. passion of flamenco and the heat of reindeer race. International Degree students Maja Terning from Norway and Sara Perniss fom Germany enjoying Oulu s colourful autumn 6

7 Spring An Australian guy who spent his student exchange in Oulu told me that he was surprised by how the city and people changed as soon as the snow started to melt. There is more light everyday and people wake up from hibernation. Especially in the spring you might notice that people in Oulu are biking everywhere. Oulu has the most extensive bike and walkway network in Finland. You can basically get everywhere by bike, and the distances aren t too bad either. Summer At the summer time there is so much to do in Oulu, but luckily midnight sun gives you extra time. If you only have time for one summer event, my recommendation is The Air Guitar World Championships. As the organisation declares: Wars end, global warming stops, and all the other bad things disappear if everybody in the world plays air guitar. Sources:

8 OULU UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oulu UAS) is one of the most attractive universities of applied sciences in Finland. Located over 600 km north of Helsinki, the Oulu region is one of the fastest growing areas in the country. The region, with its 200,000 inhabitants, is a major centre of innovative high tech industries, academia, science, services and culture in northern Finland. With two higher education institutions, Oulu UAS and the University of Oulu, this is one of Finland s most popular student cities. These are just a few of the reasons why Oulu is often referred to as the Capital of Northern Finland. Excellent study and teaching facilities with a wide variety of free time activities, make Oulu and its surroundings an interesting, vibrant and dynamic destination for students, lecturers and experts, both from Finland and abroad. Since its year of foundation in 1992, Oulu University of Applied Sciences has been responding to the business and employment needs of northern Finland by arranging and developing professionally oriented training at the higher education level. Oulu University of Applied Sciences is a multi-disciplinary university and operates on seven campuses in Oulu, Oulainen and Raahe. Oulainen is situated 100 km south of Oulu, and Raahe 75 km. Innovator of northern Finland creating wellbeing The focus areas of Oulu University of Applied Sciences are the following: Internet and technology-based innovations and services Sustainable living environment and energy solutions Creative solutions promoting health and well-being New cultural content and experiences VARIED STUDIES Over 9,000 students, along with 1,400 students in adult education, including 230 international degree students, and a total of 800 teachers and other staff members ensure that Oulu University of Applied Sciences is a vital and innovative place to study. The first-year enrolment is nearly students each year and nearly 1200 degrees are completed annually. The objective of the studies is to provide the students with higher educational qualifications and skills required in working life. Students work as trainees and prepare their Bachelor s theses in the university s partner enterprises and organisations. Oulu University of Applied Sciences offers degree programmes in the following study fields: Culture Natural Resources and the Environment Natural Sciences Social Sciences, Business and Administration Social Services, Health and Sport Technology, Communications and Transport STUDIES IN ENGLISH Oulu University of Applied Sciences is an internationally oriented higher education institution. All its degree programmes are approved by the Ministry of Education and Culture. International student and staff exchange are strongly encouraged by the administration. Each year, almost 160 teachers and experts from Oulu UAS take part in the teacher and expert exchange programmes abroad. Around 100 international teachers and experts come from partner institutions to teach at Oulu University of Applied Sciences. In 2010, Oulu University of Applied Sciences was once again among the universities of excellence that received the Diploma Supplement for from the European Commission. More information on the Diploma Supplement can be found on the European Commission s web site at recognition/diploma_en.html. There are three Bachelor s degree programmes leading to a higher professional degree (BSc Hons) that are taught entirely in English at Oulu University of Applied Sciences: the Degree Programme in International Business, the Degree Programme in Business Information Technology and the Degree Programme in Information Technology. Bachelor s degrees instructed in English are also offered as adult education. This means that a student may study whilst working. Adult education has its own admission criteria and application system, and is mainly targeted at applicants already living in Finland. Second cycle or Master s degrees, were established in Finnish universities of applied sciences in all fields of study in Ten Master s degree programmes are offered at Oulu University of Applied Sciences and two of them are conducted entirely in English: the Degree Programme in Industrial Management and the Degree Programme in Information Technology. 8

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10 OULU UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES GENERAL ADMISSION CRITERIA GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF APPLICATION Applications for the programmes are submitted through the Finnish joint application system. An applicant may choose up to four application options. Student admissions follow the admission criteria decided on by the UASs in the joint application system, and the order of application preference options chosen by the applicant. The application form must be submitted before the end of the application period. The admission is conditional until the UAS has checked the applicant s school certificates and other relevant documents. The UAS may withdraw the admission if the applicant has given false information ADMISSION GROUPS Of the accepted applicants, 50 per cent will be admitted on the basis of the entrance examination only, and 50 per cent on the basis of the combined points for previous school performance and the entrance examination. If study places become available later, applicants on the waiting list will be admitted in the order indicated by their admission points. 1. Admission on the basis of total of points for school performance and the entrance examination This selection group contains those applicants who have completed or who are completing the Finnish matriculation examination, IB examination in a Finnish upper secondary school or the Reifeprüfung examination in Finland or the European Baccalaureate examination of European Schools in the spring of the year of their application. The maximum number of admission points is 100, of which a maximum of 30 can be awarded for school performance and 70 from the entrance examination. 2. Admission on the basis of the entrance examination The selection group, where admission is solely made on the basis of the entrance examination, includes applicants with Finnish vocational degrees, or whose eligibility to apply is based on non-finnish qualifications, and are not mentioned in section 1 above. The admission of those completing a European Baccalaureate examination in the spring of the year of application is also based on this method only. The maximum entrance examination points total is 100. CERTIFICATES If you are applying with a Finnish qualification giving eligibility for higher education studies, you do not need to send your certificates to your first-choice university of applied sciences. The information given by the applicant during the application period will be used in the selection. However, if you are applying through the discretionary admission process used by some universities of applied sciences, certificates are required during the application process. For more information about discretionary admission, please see page 14. N.B. Applicants with a Finnish competencebased vocational qualification or competence-based further vocational qualification must provide a copy of the original certificate to the admissions office of their first-choice university of applied sciences before the end of the application period. The selection is not final until the original certificates have been checked. The educational qualification used in the joint application during the spring must be completed by 31 July at the latest, and a certificate used in the autumn by 31 December at the latest. The educational qualification must be completed by the end of the application period if the applicant is applying with: A specialist vocational qualification A further vocational qualification A degree completed in a foreign country, if the applicant is not a citizen of an EU/EEA country POINTS AWARDED FOR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE 1. Finnish upper secondary education and Finnish matriculation examination (Act on the Organisation of the Matriculation Examination (672/2005)) Applicants who are applying on the basis of their upper secondary school leaving certificate and the Finnish matriculation examination certificate are awarded points for three grades on their matriculation examination certificate: mother tongue, English, and the best of either general studies or mathematics. In the field of technology applicants are awarded points for three grades on their matriculation examination certificate: mother tongue, English and the best of mathematics, general studies chemistry or general studies physics. 10

11 oulu university of applied sciences general admission criteria When completing the online application form, please give grades from both certificates, if available. Candidates for the Finnish matriculation examination, graduating in spring 2012, should apply with their latest upper secondary school certificate. The polytechnics/uass will receive results of the matriculation examination directly from the Matriculation Examination Board. N.B. Applicants must inform the admissions office of their final grade before 18 May Applicants completing their IB examination at a Finnish upper secondary school or those completing the European Baccalaureate examination in spring 2012 should apply with their predicted grades. These applicants must provide a copy of their predicted grades to the admissions office of their first choice UAS by 18 May Applicants completing their Reifeprüfung examination in spring 2012 must provide a copy of the final certificate no later than 18 May 2012 to the admissions office of their first choice UAS. Applicants completing their European Baccalaureate examination in spring 2012 must provide a copy of the temporary certificate no later than 18 May 2012 to the admissions office of their first choice UAS. The admission of an applicant who will complete their education in a Finnish upper secondary school during the application process is conditional until the applicant s final certificate has been checked. Upper Secondary Education Leaving Certificate Grade Point Average > 8,00 > 7,50 > 7,00 > 6,50 > 6,00 Points Awarded Degree Programme in Business Information Technology / Degree Programme in International Business Finnish Matriculation Examination Grades L/E M CL B A Mother Tongue English, Advanced Level or English, Basic Level Mathematics or Best General Studies Test* (*General Studies if the exam was taken before 2006) Degree Programme in Information Technology Finnish Matriculation Examination Grades L/E M CL B A Mother Tongue English, Advanced Level or English, Basic Level Mathematics or General Studies Chemistry/Physics

12 oulu university of applied sciences general admission criteria Applicants, who have completed the IB examination in a Finnish upper secondary school, or a European Baccalaureate examination of European schools or Reifeprüfung examination in Finland, should first convert the grades on their certificates according to the following charts and then use the tables on previous page. Conversion Chart for EB, IB and Reifeprüfung Examinations Finnish Matriculation Examination Reifeprüfung Examination IB Examination EB Examination Mathematics Other Subject Specific Tests Laudatur points 7 (Excellent) 9,50 10,00 9,00 10,00 Eximia cum laude points 6 (Very good) 8,50 9,45 8,00 8,95 approbatur Magna cum laude 8 9 points 5 (Good) 7,00 8,45 7,00 7,95 approbatur Cum laude 7 points 4 (Satisfactory) 6,00 6,95 6,00 6,95 approbatur Lubenter approbatur 5 6 points 3 (Mediocre) 5,00 5,95 5,00 5,95 Approbatur 4 points 2 (Poor) 4,00 4,95 4,00 4,95 Conversion Chart for the Grades on Leaving Certificates Finnish Upper Secondary School Leaving Certificate Reifeprüfung* Programme Leaving Certificate IB Programme Leaving Certificate EB Programme Leaving Certificate points 7 (Excellent) points 6 (Very good) points 5 (Good) points 4 (Satisfactory) points 3 (Mediocre) points 2 (Poor) 3 4 * The average grade of the Reifeprüfung examination is converted by dividing the total of points by 60, and then converting them according to the chart (e.g. 520: 60 ~ 8,67 thus converted to 8.) 2. Vocational upper secondary diploma/higher vocational diploma/vocational qualification in adult education/ further vocational qualification/ specialist vocational qualification These qualifications give general eligibility for the programmes. Eligibility for applying for a corresponding field of study is given by: a vocational qualification of less than three years in duration, completed in vocational upper secondary education and training, referred to in the Vocational Education and Training Act (630/98), or a corresponding earlier qualification; combined education programmes of less than three years in duration, referred to in the Act on Youth-level Education and the Universities of Applied Sciences experiment (391/91); vocational qualifications or further vocational qualifications in adult education of less than three years duration, referred to in the Vocational Adult Education Act (631/98). Eligibility for university of applied sciences studies in a corresponding field of study on the basis specified above may be broadened into general eligibility for university of applied sciences studies by: 1. Additionally completing general or vocational studies that extend the post-basic education studies to three years in duration; 2. Gaining at least three years of work experience in a corresponding field after completing the qualification. 12

13 oulu university of applied sciences general admission criteria The corresponding field of study is defined according to the following fields of vocational education and training: Humanities and Education; Culture; Natural Sciences; Natural Resources and the Environment; Tourism, Catering and Domestic Services; Social Services, Health and Sports; Technology, Communications and Transport; Social Sciences, Business and Administration. A university of applied sciences can take into consideration a vocational qualification or school-level vocational education that does not fall into the fields of education and training specified above as studies in a corresponding field, if its content is close to the study programme specialisation. Applicants with a Finnish competence-based vocational qualification or competence-based further vocational qualification must provide a copy of the original certificate to the admissions office of their first-choice university of applied sciences by 24 February Finnish matriculation examination and vocational qualification If you have taken the matriculation examination and have a vocational college diploma, you can choose, which certificate you use for your application. 4. Applicable foreign degrees or qualifications which give eligibility for higher education in the awarding country International Baccalaureate and Reifeprüfung examinations completed in countries other than Finland (applicants applying with European Baccalaureate, belong to the admission group 1) In order to demonstrate eligibility for university of applied sciences studies, an applicant applying with a non-finnish qualification must provide a copy of the original certificate to the admissions office of their first-choice university of applied sciences by 24 February 2012 at 4.15 pm Finnish time at the latest. The UAS will then decide on the applicant s eligibility for all options stated in the application. Those applying with a non-finnish qualification must have completed the education they are using for their application before the end of the application period. This does not apply to those applicants who are citizens of an EU/EEA country and who are completing their qualification in the spring of the year of application. They can use their temporary certificate to apply. However, the upper secondary education they are using when applying must be finished by 31 July 2012 at the latest. The admission of an EU/EEA applicant who is completing his/her upper secondary school education during the application process is conditional until the applicant s final certificate has been checked 1. Universities of applied sciences only accept final certificates awarded by a national or regional body granting educational certificates. Therefore, various other documents such as testimonials, statements of results, examination results, provisional certificates, mark sheets or result slips are not considered official certificates. In addition, a copy of an official Finnish, Swedish or English translation of the certificate must be provided if the certificate is not written in one of these languages. The translation must include the translator s signature and stamp. All copies and authorised translations of certificates must be delivered by post to the Admissions Office by 24 February 2012 at 4.15 pm Finnish time. Scanned or faxed copies will not be accepted. Language Skills requirements An applicant who is applying with a non-finnish qualification and is not a citizen of an EU/EEA country must provide proof of their English language skills, by 24 February 2012 at 4.15 pm Finnish time at the latest, to the admissions office of their first choice UAS. In order to prove their English language skills, he or she must provide one of the following minimum requirements: IELTS score academic level 6.0 or TOEFL score 550 paper-based test/79 80 Internetbased test or skills level 4 in English in the National Certificate of Language Proficiency. Both TOEFL and IELTS test results are valid for two years. The National Certificate of Language Proficiency does not have a set date of validity. TOEFL score results are only accepted if they are delivered directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). In addition, upper secondary level school education in English completed in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand or a Bachelor s or Master s degree completed in English in one of these countries is also accepted 1 Admission is conditional until the final certificate and the official translation of the certificate into Finnish, Swedish or English have been checked. 13

14 oulu university of applied sciences general admission criteria as demonstration of sufficient English language skills. A Bachelor s or Master s degree conducted in English in a European Union/European Economic Area country is also accepted as demonstration of sufficient English language skills. The certificate copies must be delivered by post to the UAS by 24 February 2012, 4.15 pm Finnish time (+2 hrs GMT); scanned or faxed copies will not be accepted. Certificate copies delivered after the deadline will not be considered. All applicants who have demonstrated their eligibility and language skills will be invited to the entrance examinations. The applicants language skills will be evaluated in the language test included in the entrance examination on a pass/fail basis. Any applicant who fails the language test will be withdrawn from admission. EXEMPTION FROM THE LANGUAGE TEST An applicant (citizen of an EU/EEA country), who is not obliged to send proof of their language skills can be exempted from the language test if they have provided a certificate of language skills to their first choice UAS by 24 February 2012, 4.15 pm Finnish time at the latest. The minimum English language skill requirement is IELTS score academic level 6.0 or TOEFL score 550 paper-based test/79 80 Internet-based test, or grade C in the Finnish matriculation examination in advanced level English (IB examination grade 4 completed in Finland, Reifeprüfung examination grade 7 completed in Finland or EB examination grade ), or skills level 4 in English in the National Certificate of Language Proficiency. Both TOEFL and IELTS test results are valid for two years. The National Certificate of Language Proficiency does not have a set date of validity. TOEFL score results are only accepted if they are delivered directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Grades in the Finnish matriculation examination are received from the matriculation examination register for applicants who have completed their matriculation examination in 1990 or after. Only those applicants who have completed their Finnish matriculation examination before 1990 must provide a certificate of language skills. Applicants applying with a Finnish vocational qualification who have also completed the Finnish matriculation examination must provide a copy of their certificate. In addition, upper secondary school education in English completed in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand or a Bachelor s or Master s degree completed in English in one of these countries is also accepted as demonstration of sufficient English language skills. A Bachelor s or Master s degree conducted in English in a European Union/European Economic Area country is also accepted as a demonstration of sufficient English language skills. Please note that in some entrance examinations the applicant must take part in a compulsory language test. 5. University of applied sciences and/or university degree Applicants cannot apply for degree programmes at universities of applied sciences with a university of applied sciences or university degree. Applicants must use their upper secondary school leaving certificate to apply to higher education institutions. SELECTION BETWEEN APPLICANTS WITH EQUAL SELECTION POINTS In case there is a tie in admission points, the applicants to UAS s will be ranked based on the following criteria: The order of preference of the options indicated by the applicant The result of the entrance examination The grade point average in all subjects Points awarded for school performance If the admission points are still tied after ranking applicants based on these criteria, the application system will automatically draw an applicant for selection. DISCRETIONARY ADMISSION In Finland, universities of applied sciences can use discretion in their admissions procedures if the skills and knowledge of an ineligible applicant are sufficient. Oulu University of Applied Sciences uses discretionary admission only in the Degree Programme in Business Information Technology and the Degree Programme in Information Technology, as far as the language skills of the applicants are concerned. 14

15 oulu university of applied sciences general admission criteria Formal eligibility for higher education studies is required, but applicants do not have to demonstrate their language skills in advance when applying to these two degree programmes. If an applicant to Oulu UAS wishes to be taken into consideration through discretionary admission, he/ she must send certificates of his/her completed upper secondary education with their official translations to the Admissions Office of Oulu University of Applied Sciences by the end of the application period, even if Oulu UAS is the applicant s second, third or fourth choice. Language certificates are not required from these applicants during the application period. First choice applicants must always send their certificates showing eligibility to their first choice UAS. Universities of applied sciences using discretionary admission will be announced at fi. > Application Practicalities. Please contact them directly. USE OF EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES The Finnish National Board of Education, the Finnish polytechnics/universities of applied sciences and the Finnish embassies are co-operating in informing foreign applicants that it is not recommended to use feecharging educational consultants to make applications to Finnish polytechnics. Charging a fee for helping someone to complete the application to Bachelor degree programmes conducted in English at Finnish UASs is against the very principles of the joint application. If an applicant wants help, e.g. in completing the application or something else relating to the application process, it is recommended that the applicant contacts the UAS, the Finnish National Board of Education and/or their local Finnish Embassy. These are the only reliable sources of information. No local agency has been accredited as an official representative of Finnish UASs, and therefore, this kind of an agency cannot give the applicant reliable advice. Furthermore, an applicant should always fill in the application him/herself and use his/her own contact details. This ensures that the applicant receives all important information directly from the UAS. cost generated by the use of the Embassy s premises and personnel. No other fee is charged during the application process. APPEAL Applicants not satisfied with the results of the student selection process should in the first instance contact the Admissions Office at admissions@oamk.fi or tel If the matter is not thus resolved, the applicant may appeal in writing to the Board of Oulu University of Applied Sciences. Such an appeal must be made within 14 days from the time it is deemed possible that the applicant should have received information on student selection (Act on Universities of Applied Sciences 351/ ). The Admissions Office will provide applicants with instructions on how to appeal on request. The appeal must be directed to the Board of Oulu University of Applied Sciences and sent by post to the following address: Oulu University of Applied Sciences Admissions Office PO BOX 405 FI OULU, FINLAND The appeal must be signed by the applicant and sent to the Admissions Office by post. Faxed or scanned appeals or appeals sent as attachments are not sufficient. Oulu University of Applied Sciences takes no responsibility for delays caused by the postal delivery services. CANCELLATION OF THE STUDY RIGHT Oulu University of Applied Sciences is entitled to cancel the study right of a student if the information the student has given is false, the student is a danger to him/herself or any other student or staff member, or if any other relevant legal provisions are applicable. More information is available at Oulu University of Applied Sciences reserves the right to make changes. The arrangements for the entrance examinations are in all cases arranged by the UASs in co-operation with reliable partners such as the Finnish Embassy, and the fee charged of the applicants at this point is due to the 15

16 Formal education in Finland ISCED-classification 1997 Second stage of tertiary education First stage of tertiary education 6 5 A Duration in years Doctoral degrees Licenciate degrees Universities Master s degrees UAS master s degrees Universities of applied sciences 4 5 Work experience 3 years Bachelor s degrees Universities UAS bachelor s degrees Universities of applied sciences Post-secondary non-tertiary education 4 Special vocational qualifications* Upper secondary education Matriculation examination General upper secondary schools Vocational qualifications* Further vocational qualifications* Vocational upper seconday schools *Also available as apprenticeship training Primary education or lower secondary education 2 & Basic education, 7 16-year-olds Comprehensive schools Pre-primary education 0 Pre-primary education, 6-year-olds 16

17 INTERNATIONAL DEGREE PROGRAMMES LEADING TO A BACHELOR S DEGREE HOW TO APPLY You can apply for all international degree programmes by completing the online application form. Online applications for International Degree Programmes will available at during the application period 9 January 14 February By completing one online form, the applicant can apply for a maximum of four different degree programmes at 24 Finnish universities. THE STRUCTURE OF STUDIES FOR A BACHELOR S DEGREE Basic Studies Language proficiency Theoretical basis in the field of study Professional Studies Expertise in the field Development task Enterpreneurship Bachelor s Thesis Practical Training Free-choice Studies Research and development projects related to the profession Enhancing professional skills and familiarisation with practical duties (30 85 credits) Advancing and extending professional skills and personal development 17

18 Three reasons to choose Finland Text: Heikki Ylipaavalniemi Photo: Pekka Kallasaari Tien Dung Hoang studies in the Degree Programme in Business Information Technology. TIen Dung had three important reasons for choosing Oulu University of Applied ScienceS as his study place. Tien Dung had researched different countries before deciding to come to Finland. The first reason for choosing Finland is the peacefulness. I searched for information about Finland and I think Finland is a very beautiful country. One of the ten countries in the world, in which people have a good life. 18

19 business information technology The second reason is the Finnish people, who Tien Dung describes as very friendly, only a bit shy and quiet. In my country, I am a volunteer in a nongovernment organisation. I also have a Finnish friend in that organisation. When I came to Finland, she met me in Helsinki and I stayed with her family s house for two days. I think Finnish people are very kind. Thirdly, Tien Dung compliments the Finnish education system, health care and other services. From these three main reasons and some other smaller ones, I think Finland is a good country for me to study and develop. So far the studies in Oulu have gone well. Tien Dung feels that he has benefitted a lot from studying in the Degree Programme in Business Information Technology. My skills, such as communication, presentation, working in a group, thinking and I understand more clearly about other cultures, and also other people from other countries. finding solutions, self-study and some other things are better. Also, I understand more clearly about other cultures, and also other people from other countries. When a foreigner comes to Finland, one of the biggest surprises is the weather. The fact that Finland has four very different seasons. Tien Dung is no exception. I knew Finland is cold during winter, but I didn t know how it is always dark the whole day. Also, in summer, I never thought that it can be so hot. I was also really surprised with lightness of nights during summer. Tien Dung Hoang chose to come to Finland for its peacefulness, the friendliness of its people and the Finnish education system, health care and other services. 19

20 DEGREE PROGRAMME IN BUSINESS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Degree title Scope of degree Duration of studies Language of instruction Application period Date of entrance exam Study places in 2012 Beginning of studies Number of applicants in spring 2011 Bachelor of Business Administration 210 ECTS credits 3.5 years English 9 January 14 February April autumn , of which 255 primary applicants and 285 eligible applicants Objectives of the programme The objective of the Degree Programme in Business Information Technology is to educate internationally oriented experts for business and software development as well as other positions in the field of information technology, i.e. digital media and IT support. Content of the programme and career opportunities The degree programme provides solid competence for different careers in the field of information technology. It is oriented towards software development and software business, with an emphasis on international business skills and entrepreneurship. Career opportunities include positions such as software analyst, software designer, programmer, product manager, IT support officer, computer systems expert, webmaster and different marketing and customer service assignments in the field of information technology. Implementation of the Degree Programme The curriculum includes studies in software development, programming, digital media, network, web and mobile technologies as well as international business skills. Aspects of developing software products are emphasised in the curriculum. Teamwork and problem solving in a multicultural learning environment are used as methods of instruction. Practical training, Bachelor s theses and projects are carried out in cooperation with companies and organisations. Students are encouraged to take part in international student exchange programmes. A cooperation agreement with Neu-Ulm University in Germany provides double degree possibilities. Structure of the degree: ects credits Basic studies 60 Professional studies 90 Free-choice studies 15 Practical training 30 Bachelor s thesis 15 Studies total 210 For further information about the content of the studies, please see the online study guide in Finnish at or in English at www. oamk. fi/english/exchange_opportunities/ects/ curricula/bachelor/ SELECTION CRITERIA Admission groups 1. Admission on the basis of the total of points for school performance and the entrance examination Eligible applicants in this group are those who have completed or are completing the Finnish upper secondary education or the Finnish matriculation examination, the International Baccalaureate examination in a Finnish upper secondary school or the Reifeprüfung examination in Finland in spring 2012, or applicants who have completed or will complete the European Baccalaureate examination of European schools. Applicants who are completing thier Finnish matriculation, International Baccalaureate or 20

21 business information technology Reifeprüfung in Finland or the European Baccalaureate examinations during the application period, should apply with their latest upper secondary school certificate. In this case, applicants must inform the Admissions Office about the possible changes in their final grades by 18 May Grades for the matriculation examination are received from the matriculation examination register. The maximum total for admission points is 100, out of which a maximum of 30 can be awarded for school performance and 70 for the entrance examination. Selection points max School performance 30 Entrance examination in English, 70 (minimum requirement 21 points) Part A: Reading and essay 30 Part B. Logical thinking 50 Part C: Motivation (written) 20 Part D: Language from parts A and C pass/fail Total points (maximum) 100 Language skills will be evaluated on the basis of the entrance examination parts A and C only from applicants who have not demonstrated their language skills in advance. The examination is the same as for group 2, but the points for the entrance examination (max. 100) will be scaled down to 70 per cent, for a maximum of 70 points. More information on the points awarded for school performance can be found on page Admission on the basis of the entrance examination Applicants with Finnish vocational degrees, or whose eligibility to apply is based on non-finnish qualifications, and are not mentioned in section 1 above, apply to universities of applied sciences solely on the basis of points awarded for the entrance examination. Applicants applying in this admission group must send a copy of their upper secondary school certificate together with an English, Swedish or Finnish translation of it to the Admissions Office by 24 February The admission of those applicants who are applying with a non-finnish qualification, and are citizens of EU/EEA countries and who are completing their qualifications during spring 2012 is based on the points awarded for the entrance examination only. No points will be awarded for school performance. The maximum total for entrance examination points is 100. N.B. Applicants who are applying with a non-finnish qualification and are not citizens of a EU/EEA country must have finished their upper secondary education before the end of the application period. Selection points max Entrance examination in English, 100 (minimum requirement is 30 points) Part A: Reading and essay 30 Part B. Logical thinking 50 Part C: Motivation for study (written) 20 Part D: Language from parts A and C pass/fail Total points (maximum) 100 Language skills will be evaluated on the basis of the entrance examination parts A and C only from those applicants who have not demonstrated their language skills in advance. Student selection is based on an entrance examination. An applicant must score a minimum of 30 points in the entrance examination in order to be selected. ENTRANCE EXAMINATION Time and place All eligible applicants will be invited to take the entrance examination that will be in English and will take place on 27 April 2012 between 12 pm and 3 pm at Oulu University of Applied Sciences, School of Business and Information Management in Oulu, Finland. Oulu University of Applied Sciences accepts entrance examination results that applicants have obtained in the same field of study (Natural Sciences) at another Finnish university of applied sciences. However, this must be agreed with the Admissions Office beforehand. The applicant should check whether the result gained at Oulu University of Applied Sciences can be accepted in another Finnish university of applied sciences by contacting the admissions office of the other university of applied sciences. Detailed instructions about the entrance examination will be given in the invitation letter. 21

22 business information technology Entrance exams abroad Oulu University of Applied Sciences takes part in the entrance examination co-operation of the FINNIPS network (Finnish Network for International Programmes). Applicants for the Degree Programme in Business Information Technology who have been assessed as eligible for higher education studies will be invited to the entrance examinations that will be held in April 2012 at least in the following countries if there are enough eligible applicants per degree programme and per country: Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Kenya, Latvia, Nepal, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Changes are possible. Detailed information on exam venues and dates will be sent to applicants in the invitation letter. In exceptional cases the entrance examination may be taken on the same day as in Finland at Finnish Embassies ( > Diplomatic Missions ) or at Finnish Cultural and Academic Institutes (www. institute.fi) that are located in Europe, Asia or America. Entrance examinations can be carried out in these locations only if exams of the FINNIPS network are not arranged in the respective countries. Exam arrangements will have to be agreed with Oulu University of Applied Sciences. International applicants will receive detailed instructions for procedures that need to be undertaken in the invitation letter. Please contact the Admissions Office (tel or admissions@oamk.fi) for further information. The structure of the entrance examination in Finland and abroad The questions and the reading material in the entrance examination will be in English. An applicant must score at least 30 points in the entrance examination in order to be admitted to the programme. The entrance examination includes an essay and multiple-choice questions which test the applicant s ability to study Business Information Technology, and their English language proficiency. The entrance examination is a written test based on the material made available on the day of the entrance examination. No material needs to be acquired in advance. The examination tests the applicant s motivation, logical thinking and reading comprehension skills as well as writing skills. The entrance examination result cannot be used for other selection rounds. LANGUAGE TEST In the Degree Programme in Business Information Technology, applicants language skills are evaluated in a language test included in the entrance examination. The grading scale is pass/fail. Any applicant who fails the language test will be withdrawn from admission. An applicant can be exempted from the language test of the entrance examination if they have provided a certificate of his/her English language skills to the admissions office of their first-choice university of applied sciences by the end of the application period, or by 24 February 2012 at 4.15 pm Finnish time at the latest. The minimum language skills requirement is one of the following: IELTS score academic level 6.0 TOEFL score 550 for the paper-based test TOEFL score for the Internet-based test grade C in the Finnish matriculation examination in advanced level English (IB examination grade 4 completed in Finland, Reifeprüfung examination grade 7 completed in Finland or EB examination grade ) skills level 4 in English in the Finnish National Language Proficiency examination ( english/mobility/testing_language_skills) An applicant applying with the Finnish matriculation examination has to provide a copy of his/her certificate to prove his/her English language skills only if the examination was completed before Additionally, those applying with vocational qualifications and who have also completed matriculation examination must provide a copy of the matriculation examination certificate to prove their English language skills. In addition, secondary school education in English completed in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, or a Bachelor s or Master s degree completed in English in one of these countries, is also accepted as demonstration of sufficient English language skills. A Bachelor s or Master s degree conducted in English in a European Union/European Economic Area country is also accepted as demonstration of sufficient English language skills. 22

23 business information technology Both TOEFL and IELTS test results are valid for two years. The Finnish National Language Proficiency examination does not have a set date of validity. TOEFL score results are only accepted directly from the Educational Testing Service. Other language certificates or certified copies of them must be delivered to the Admissions Office by 24 February 2012 at 4.15 pm Finnish time. Selection between applicants with equal selection points In cases where there is a tie in selection points, applicants are ranked on the following basis: 1. order of preference of the options 2. result of the entrance examination 3. grade point average in all subjects 4. points awarded for school performance DISCRETIONARY ADMISSION In the Degree Programme in Business Information Technology, the discretionary admission is used only when assessing the language skills of the applicants. All applicants must still have the formal eligibility for higher education studies. Applicants applying for discretionary admission must inform the Admissions Office at Oulu UAS and send a copy of their upper secondary school certificate together with an English, Swedish or Finnish translation of it to the Admissions Office at Oulu UAS even if Oulu UAS is not their first choice. The deadline for attachments is 24 February 2012 at 4.15 pm Finnish time. 23

24 Internationalising yourself Text: Heikki Ylipaavalniemi, Photos: Shutterstock Pengfei zhang chose TO study in the Degree Programme in Information Technology because of a long time interest in electronics and computers, but also because of Finland s advanced IT industry. Pengfei Zhang came to Finland from China to study in the Degree Programme in Information Technology. He has studied in Oulu now for three years in the bachelor s degree programme. He still has one year left in the bachelor s degree and after that he is planning to continue to a master s degree. Pengfei says that the best part in working in a multi-cultural environment is making friends across the world and also improving his English skills and opening his mind. I am internationalising myself. Pengfei chose to study in the Degree Programme in Information Technology because of a long time interest in electronics and computers, but also because of Finland s advanced IT industry. The best part of my degree program is that almost all courses have projects and lab exercises. We learn theory from books and teachers, but in real working life practical skills are more important. Because we learn both theory and practice, we are more competitive. Pengfei says that it is not easy but you feel great afterwards when having lived in a multicultural environment. The best part in these years is that I have made really good friends. We are always in touch and travel to visit each other. Pengfei thinks that it is important also to learn at least some Finnish. 24

25 information technology According to Pengfei Zhang the Finns drink coffee like water. With Finnish language it is easier to understand people and the culture. I can survive with English, but can t really fit in the Finnish culture. Anyway, when we come here we should of course speak the local language and not feel uncomfortable when people will not speak English to us. The usual day for Pengfei starts with a morning coffee with friends. When asked what has surprised him the most in Finland, he mentions the amount of coffee people drink. Finnish people drink coffee like water, Pengfei laughs. Pengfei came to Finland because of the free education and because information technology is a strong industry in Finland and especially in Oulu. Pengfei has already done practical training in Finland, but says that finding a job can be a bit difficult. You need to learn at least some Finnish before you are able to get a job. According to Pengfei Finns have the right attitude towards work. It is easy for me to work in a Finnish work culture because everything is done according to the rules. Everybody knows how to work and nothing gets personal. There are also a lot of holidays. Pengfei says that if he would take something back from the Finnish culture it would be the independency. Less talking and more working. Action proves all. 25

26 DEGREE PROGRAMME IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Degree title Scope of degree Duration of studies Language of instruction Application period Date of entrance exam Study places in 2012 Beginning of studies Number of applicants in spring 2011 Bachelor of Engineering 240 ECTS credits 4 years English 9 January 14 February April autumn of which 260 primary and 193 eligible applicants Objectives of the programme The objective of the programme is to educate bachelor s of engineering with good programming skills. A graduate will be able to design and program Internet services and applications for PC, Linux and mobile environments. Students will have essential web development skills related to current Internet technologies and protocols, web graphics and multimedia, web authoring and design and web programming. The courses cover the major server frameworks, databases and associated development environments. They also include clientside technologies together with user experience competence. Technical expertise focuses on the technology, applications and future trends of Internet service development. Students will learn to document their work and to manage in different communicative and interactive situations and apply international knowledge and competences in their own field. Non-native Finnish speakers will learn the basics of the Finnish language. Studies in mathematics and physics support the usage of multimedia tools. Software development skills and business knowledge are gained in real life projects in companies. Content of the programme and career possibilities Professional studies consist mainly of software development, web technologies, user experience and business studies. This programme encompasses the major frameworks and software architectures on the Internet today. Coursework provides comprehensive training for professionals working in e-commerce, enterprise applications and on interactive web sites. First year students will get a basic knowledge of programming, databases, teamwork and communication, after which they will be able to utilise their knowledge on a software project. Basic studies are followed by advanced programming, and students can deepen their knowledge in server programming, mobile application features, different mobile systems, development environments, and mobile technologies. Students also learn about game development, design and tools. After graduation, students will have professional skills to work as members of a software development team, or as designers, programmers and managers. Graduates may enter careers in the computing industry or set up their own businesses. They may find employment in companies of all sizes. Typically, as they enter working life they will work as web developers/ programmers/designers, web application developers or GUI designers. Implementation of the Degree Programme The practical teaching consists of lessons, workshops, projects, assignments, presentations, remote studies and company visits. Students learn mainly by doing. Practically oriented teaching methods and facilities corresponding to those of industry enable students to find and apply information as well as providing them with the skills for using professional tools and equipment. There are three large projects in the curriculum. Project proposals are given by the enterprises in the Oulu and Raahe region and can include tasks such as software design, implementation and testing. These projects, together with the practical training and the 26

27 information technology thesis, provide students with the possibility to work in a company for more than a year during their studies. This path is a good start to a professional career. Through project-based learning, students can improve their problem solving, research and social skills. The evaluation is based on written exams, project and assignment reports and workshop presentations. Multiculturalism and English as a working language have been adopted on our international campus. Students can also study abroad at Oulu UAS partner universities and include completed studies in the degree. Structure of the degree: ects credits Basic Studies and Professional Studies 180 Free-choice studies 15 Practical training 30 Bachelor s thesis 15 Studies total 240 For further information about the content of the studies, please see the online study guide in Finnish at or in English at www. oamk. fi/english/exchange_opportunities/ects/ curricula/bachelor/ SELECTION CRITERIA apply with their latest upper secondary school certificate. In that case applicants must inform the Admissions Office about the possible changes in their final grades by 18 May Grades for the matriculation examination are received from the matriculation examination register. The maximum total for admission points is 100, out of which at most 30 can be awarded for school performance and 70 for the entrance examination. Selection points max School performance 30 Entrance examination in English 70 (minimum requirement 21 points) Scientific knowledge 70 Language test pass/fail Total points (maximum) 100 The language skills of those applicants who have not demonstrated them in advance will be evaluated. The language test will include a written part and reading comprehension The examination is the same as for group 2, but the points for the entrance examination (max. 100) will be scaled down to 70 per cent, for a maximum of 70 points. More information on the points awarded for school performance is on page 11. Admission groups 1. Admission on the basis of the total of points for school performance and the entrance examination Eligible applicants in this group are those who have completed or who are completing the Finnish upper secondary education or the Finnish matriculation examination, the International Baccalaureate examination in a Finnish upper secondary school or the Reifeprüfung examination in Finland in spring 2012, or applicants who have completed or will complete the European Baccalaureate examination of European schools. Applicants who are completing their Finnish matriculation, International Baccalaureate or Reifeprüfung in Finland or the European Baccalaureate examinations during the application period, should 2. Admission on the basis of the entrance examination Applicants with Finnish vocational degrees, or whose eligibility to apply is based on non-finnish qualifications, and are not mentioned in section 1 above, apply to universities of applied sciences solely on the basis of points awarded for the entrance examination. Applicants applying in this admission group must send a copy of his/her upper secondary school certificate together with an English, Swedish or Finnish translation of it to the Admissions Office by 24 February The admission of those applicants who are applying with a non-finnish qualification, are citizens of EU/EEA countries and who are completing their qualifications during spring 2012 is based only on the points awarded for the entrance examination. No points will be awarded for school performance. The maximum total for entrance examination points is

28 information technology Selection points max Entrance examination in English 100 (minimum requirement 30 points) Scientific knowledge 100 (minimum requirement 30 points) English language test pass/fail Total points (maximum) 100 Students are selected on the basis of an entrance examination. An applicant must score a minimum of 30 points in the entrance examination in order to be selected. Applicants English language skills are evaluated in a language test that is taken as part of the entrance examination. The grading scale is pass/fail. Any applicant who fails the language test will be withdrawn from admission. ENTRANCE EXAMINATION Time and place All eligible applicants will be invited to take the entrance examination that will be in English and will take place on 26 April 2012 between 9 am and 1 pm at Oulu University of Applied Sciences, School of Engineering, Oulu, Finland. The Degree Programme in Information Technology cooperates in the national entrance examination that is common for all programmes within the study field of Technology, Communications and Transport. Detailed instructions concerning the entrance examination will be provided in the invitation letter. Entrance exams abroad Oulu University of Applied Sciences takes part in the entrance examination co-operation of the FINNIPS network (Finnish Network for International Programmes). Applicants for the Degree Programme in Information Technology who have been assessed as eligible for higher education studies will be invited to the entrance examinations that will be held in April 2012 at least in the following countries, if there are enough eligible applicants per degree programme and per country: Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Nepal, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Changes are possible. Detailed information on exam venues and dates will be sent to the applicants in the invitation letter. In exceptional cases the entrance examination may be taken on the same day as in Finland at Finnish Embassies ( > Diplomatic Missions ) or at Finnish Cultural and Academic Institutes (www. institute.fi) that are located in Europe, Asia or America. Entrance examinations can be carried out in these locations only if exams of the FINNIPS network are not arranged in the respective countries. Exam arrangements will have to be agreed on with Oulu University of Applied Sciences beforehand. International applicants will receive detailed instructions for procedures that need to be undertaken in the invitation letter. The structure of the entrance examination in Finland and abroad The entrance examination is a written test in English. No material needs to be acquired in advance. The entrance examination contains a scientific knowledge part and a separate English language test. The scientific knowledge part tests the applicants in mathematics, physics and logical decision-making. In this part, applicants in the group that will be selected on the basis of the total of points for school performance and the entrance examination must score a minimum of 21 points, and 30 points in the group that will be selected solely on the basis of entrance examination. The maximum is 70 in the first mentioned group and 100 points in the second group. The English language part of the entrance examination tests the skills of the candidate in the English language (reading comprehension and writing) and their ability to study information technology in English. The grading scale is pass/fail. Any applicant who fails the language test will be withdrawn from admission. Oulu University of Applied Sciences accepts entrance examination results that applicants have obtained in the same field of study (Technology, Communications and Transport) at another Finnish university of applied sciences. This, however, will have to be agreed with the Admissions Office. The applicant should check whether the result gained at Oulu University of Applied Sciences can be accepted at another Finnish university of applied sciences by contacting the admissions office of the other university of applied sciences. The entrance examination result cannot be used for other selection rounds. 28

29 information technology LANGUAGE TEST The applicants English language skills are evaluated in a language test included in the entrance examination. The grading scale is pass/fail. Any applicant who fails the language test will be withdrawn from admission. An applicant can be exempted from the language test of the entrance examination if he or she has provided a certificate of his/her English language skills to the admissions office of his/her first-choice university of applied sciences by the end of the application period, or by 24 February 2012 at 4.15 pm Finnish time at the latest. The minimum language skills requirement is one of the following: IELTS score academic level 6.0 TOEFL score 550 for the paper-based test TOEFL score for the Internet-based test grade C in the Finnish matriculation examination in advanced level English (IB examination grade 4 completed in Finland, Reifeprüfung examination grade 7 completed in Finland or EB examination grade ) skills level 4 in English in the Finnish National Language Proficiency examination ( english/mobility/testing_language_skills) SELECTION BETWEEN APPLICANTS WITH EQUAL SELECTION POINTS In cases where there is a tie in selection points, applicants are ranked on the following basis: 1. order of preference of the options 2. result of the entrance examination 3. grade point average in all subjects 4. points awarded for school performance DISCRETIONARY ADMISSION In the Degree Programme in Information Technology, the discretionary admission is used only when assessing the language skills of the applicants. All applicants must still have the formal eligibility for higher education studies. Applicants applying for discretionary admission must inform the Admissions Office at Oulu UAS and send a copy of their upper secondary school certificate and an English, Swedish or Finnish translation of it to the Admissions Office at Oulu UAS, even if Oulu UAS is not their first choice. The deadline for attachments is 24 February 2012 at 4.15 pm Finnish time. In addition, secondary school education in English completed only in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, or a Bachelor s or Master s degree completed in English in one of these countries, is accepted as demonstration of sufficient English language skills. A Bachelor s or Master s degree conducted in English in a European Union/European Economic Area country is also accepted as a demonstration of sufficient English language skills. Both TOEFL and IELTS test results are valid for two years. The Finnish National Language Proficiency examination does not have a set date of validity. TOEFL score results are only accepted directly from the Educational Testing Service. Other language certificates or signed copies of them must be delivered to the Admissions Office by 24 February 2012 at 4.15 pm Finnish time. 29

30 Different cultures and viewpoints Text: Heikki Ylipaavalniemi, Photo: Pekka Kallasaari Heidi Hietala completed the Degree Programme in International Business during According to Heidi the degree gave her an excellent starting point for her career. It was clear from the start that Heidi wanted to study in her hometown Oulu. Before starting her studies at Oulu UAS, she was pondering between studies in the university and in the university of applied sciences. When I was reading for the entrance examination I noticed how much cultural aspect there was in the degree in addition to the business part. That attracted me personally. And, of course, the fact that the studies were in English. Heidi says that the studies had a good and broad combination of different aspects of the business field. The international part of the degree was the most important for her. It is an extremely large benefit in this field of work. You use English on a daily basis and can get a lot of confidence. The multicultural study environment also helps the move from the school world to the working life. You experience what it is like to work with people from different cultures. I value the fact that the study groups had half Finns and half foreign students. You got to work with different kinds of people from the beginning. When asked about the challenges faced during the studies Heidi mentions the Finnish way of working. In Finland there is very strict work morale and usually when things are agreed upon, the agreements are kept. That is not always the case with people from other cultures. It can be very challenging when other people are not doing things as agreed. But it s an important thing when you can understand why someone does things in a certain way. You can then see upfront what kind of a problems you might be facing. Then they won t come as a surprise. Heidi also has a clear picture on what kind of a person would benefit from studying in the degree programme. I would definitely recommend this degree if you are a Finn and interested in working in an international company and you want to interact with people across borders. For a foreign student this is a useful degree if you want to stay and work in Finland. It is easy because you don t need to know Finnish but you can still get to know Finnish people and learn their point of view. 30

31 international business It is an extremely large benefit in this field of work. You use English on a daily base and can get a lot of confidence. 31

32 DEGREE PROGRAMME IN international business Degree title Scope of degree Duration of studies Language of instruction Application period Date of entrance exam Study places in 2012 Beginning of studies Number of applicants in spring 2011 Bachelor of Business Administration 210 ECTS credits 3.5 years English 9 January 14 February April autumn , of which primary 232 applicants and 153 eligible applicants Objectives of the programme The Degree Programme in International Business has been designed to meet the requirements of internationally oriented small and medium-sized enterprises. It is intended for both Finnish and international students wishing to seek employment in international business and marketing. Content of the programme and career possibilities The programme takes 3.5 years to complete and it consists of basic studies, professional studies, practical training, free-choice studies and the Bachelor s thesis. The programme leads to the degree of Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA). Studies include courses in marketing, international business, negotiation skills, management, languages and computing. Practical training is carried out during the autumn term of the third year, either in Finland or abroad, in the field of international business. After graduation, students typically work in international marketing and sales, international co-operation, logistics and controlling. Implementation of the degree programme The programme emphasises interaction within a multicultural setting and it comprises lectures, discussions, group work, presentations, projects, case studies and company visits. Students have access to up-to-date computer facilities. Many of the courses are delivered in co-operation with visiting lecturers from foreign partner universities. Students are encouraged to complete a part of their degree, including practical training, in partner institutions in Europe, Asia and the USA. A student s special needs can be taken into consideration in their personal study plan. Structure of the degree: ECTS credits Basic Studies 60 Professional Studies 90 Free-choice Studies 15 Practical Training 30 Bachelor s Thesis 15 Studies total 210 For further information about the content of the studies, please see the online study guide in Finnish at or in English at www. oamk. fi/english/exchange_opportunities/ects/ curricula/bachelor/ SELECTION CRITERIA Admission groups 1. Admission on the basis of the total of points for school performance and the entrance examination: Eligible applicants are those who have completed or are completing the Finnish upper secondary education or the Finnish matriculation examination, the International Baccalaureate examination in a Finnish upper secondary school or the Reifeprüfung examination in Finland, or applicants who have completed or will complete the European Baccalaureate examination of European schools. Applicants who are completing their Finnish matriculation, International Baccalaureate or Reifeprüfung in Finland or the European Baccalaureate 32

33 international business examinations during the application period, should apply with their latest upper secondary school certificate. In that case applicants must inform the Admissions Office about the possible changes in their final grades by 18 May 2012.Grades for the matriculation examination are received from the matriculation examination register. The maximum total for admission points is 100, out of which at most 30 can be awarded for school performance and 70 for the entrance examination. Selection points max School performance 30 Entrance examination in English (min 21 points) 70 Written part: 60 Essay (min 8/25 points) Multiple-choice questions based on the pre-reading material (min 5/15 points) Mathematics and Logic (min 7/20 points) Spoken part: 40 Group discussion based on the pre-reading material (min 10 points pass/fail) Total points (maximum) 100 NOTE! In an entrance examination outside Finland, the oral part of the entrance examination may be compensated for by a written part testing the language skills of the applicants, if the interview cannot be carried out. The examination is the same as for group 2, but the points for the entrance examination (max 100) will be scaled down to 70 per cent, for a maximum of 70 points. More information on the points awarded for school performance can be found on page Admission on the basis of the entrance examination Applicants with Finnish vocational degrees, or whose eligibility to apply is based on non-finnish qualifications, and are not mentioned in section 1 above, apply to universities of applied sciences solely on the basis of points awarded for the entrance examination. Applicants applying in this admission group must send a copy of his/her upper secondary school certificate together with a English, Swedish or Finnish translation of it to the Admissions Office by 24 February countries and who are completing their qualifications during the spring of applying is based only on the points awarded for the entrance examination. No points will be awarded for school performance. The maximum total for entrance examination points is 100. Selection points max Entrance examination in English (min 30 points) 100 Written part: 60 Essay (min 8/25 points) Multiple-choice questions based on the pre-reading material (min 5/15 points) Mathematics and Logic (min 7/20 points) Spoken part: 40 Group discussion based on the pre-reading material (min 10 points pass/fail) Total points (maximum) 100 NOTE! In an entrance examination outside Finland the oral part of the entrance examination may be compensated for by a written part testing the language skills of the applicants, if the interview cannot be carried out. Student selection is based on an entrance examination. An applicant must score a minimum of 30 points in the entrance examination in order to be selected. In addition, an applicant must score at least the minimum points in the individual exam parts in order to be selected. ENTRANCE EXAMINATION Time and place All eligible applicants will be invited to take the entrance examination that will be conducted in English and will take place on 25 April 2012 at Oulu University of Applied Sciences, School of Business and Information Management in Oulu, Finland. The registration for the exam takes places from 8.30 am to am. The exam starts at am. The written part of the exam takes three hours and the interviews start at 1.30 pm, ending in the late afternoon depending on the number of applicants to be interviewed. Detailed instructions about the entrance examination will be provided in the invitation letter. The admission of those applicants who are applying with a non-finnish qualification, are citizens of EU/EEA 33

34 international business Entrance exams abroad Oulu University of Applied Sciences takes part in the entrance examination co-operation of the FINNIPS network (Finnish Network for International Programmes). Applicants for the Degree Programme in International Business who have been assessed as eligible for higher education studies will be invited to the entrance examinations that will be held in April 2012 at least in the following countries, if there are enough eligible applicants per degree programme and per country: Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Nepal, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Changes are possible. Detailed information on exam venues and dates will be sent to applicants in the invitation letter. The structure of the entrance examination in Finland and abroad Pre-reading material will be available on the web site of the degree programme during the application period. The entrance examination as well as the examination s reading material will be in English. An applicant must score at least 30 points in the entrance examination in order to be admitted to the programme. The entrance examination s written part includes a structured motivation letter, essay and multiple-choice questions which test both the applicant s motivation and ability to study, the mastering of the subject matter and English language proficiency. The language skills of the applicant are also evaluated in the spoken part of the examination. The applicants will be interviewed individually or in groups. The grading scale is pass/fail. The written part is based on the pre-reading material. The applicant must study the material carefully before coming to the entrance exam. The applicant cannot take this material to the actual entrance exam and the material is not available for the applicant during the actual entrance exam. The Degree Programme in International Business at Oulu University of Applied Sciences accepts entrance examination results that applicants have obtained in an equivalent degree programme of a university of applied sciences that takes part in the entrance examination co-operation of FINNIPS (Finnish Network for International Programmes). However, this will have to be agreed on with the Admissions Office. The applicant should check whether the result gained at Oulu University of Applied Sciences can be accepted in another Finnish university of applied sciences by contacting the admissions office of the other university of applied sciences. The entrance examination result cannot be used for other selection rounds. LANGUAGE TEST Please note that an applicant for the Degree Programme in International Business who is not a citizen of an EU/EEA country must demonstrate sufficient English language skills in advance. Applicants cannot be exempted from the language skill requirement. However, evaluation of the applicants English language skills is also included in the entrance examination. The English language proficiency of the applicants will be evaluated with the grading scale pass/fail. Any applicant who fails the evaluation will be withdrawn from admission. An applicant for the Degree Programme in International Business who is not a citizen of an EU/ EEA country must provide proof of their English language skills by the end of the application period or by 24 February 2012 at 4.15 pm Finnish time at the latest to the admissions office of their first choice university of applied sciences. The minimum language skills requirement is one of the following: IELTS score academic level 6.0 TOEFL score 550 for the paper-based test TOEFL score for the Internet-based test grade C in the Finnish matriculation examination in advanced level English (IB examination grade 4 completed in Finland, Reifeprüfung examination grade 7 completed in Finland or EB examination grade ) skills level 4 in English in the Finnish National Language Proficiency examination ( english/mobility/testing_language_skills) In addition, secondary school education in English completed in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand or a Bachelor s or Master s degree completed in 34

35 international business English in one of these countries, is also accepted as a demonstration of sufficient English language skills. A Bachelor s or Master s degree conducted in English in a European Union/European Economic Area country is also accepted as a demonstration of sufficient English language skills. Both TOEFL and IELTS test results are valid for two years. The Finnish National Language Proficiency examination does not have a set date of validity. TOEFL score results are only accepted directly from the Educational Testing Service. Other language certificates or signed copies of them must be delivered to the Admissions Office by 24 February 2012 at 4.15 pm Finnish time. The language skills of all applicants will be evaluated in the entrance examination. The applicants cannot be exempted from the language part of the examination. Any applicant who fails the evaluation will be withdrawn from admission. SELECTION BETWEEN APPLICANTS WITH EQUAL SELECTION POINTS In cases where there is a tie in selection points, applicants are ranked on the following basis: 1. order of preference of the options 2. result of the entrance examination 3. grade point average in all subjects 4. points awarded for school performance DISCRETIONARY ADMISSION In the Degree Programme in International Business, discretionary admission is not used. 35

36 MASTER S DEGREES TAUGHT IN ENGLISH How to apply You can apply for our international degree programmes leading to a Master s degree by completing the online application. The application is not within the joint application system. The online application for International Degree Programmes will be available at applicants/masters during the application period 5 March to 3 April All attachments must be delivered by post to the Admissions Office before 3 April 2012 at 4.15 pm Finnish time. Master s degree programmes at universities of applied sciences are strongly oriented towards working life. They deepen and widen student s professional skills. Their scope is ECTS credits in the field of study. The minimum eligibility criteria for these programmes are a suitable Bachelor s degree and a minimum of three years work experience after graduation within the field of the degree studied. 36

37 DEGREE PROGRAMME IN INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT Degree title Scope of degree Duration of studies Language of instruction Beginning of studies Master of Engineering (MEng) 60 ECTS cr 1 2 years English Autumn 2012 The Degree Programme in Industrial Management is strongly oriented towards working life. It deepens and widens student s professional skills. The degree consists of 30 credits of theoretical studies and a Master s thesis of 30 credits. The Master s thesis is a research or development project carried out in relation to working life. Theoretical studies are divided into general and advanced professional studies. General studies consist of studies of research and development methods, as well as management operations skills and industrial management skills. Studies can be completed partly according to a personal study plan. Preliminary plan for the Master s Thesis Applicants are required to draw up and submit a preliminary plan for their Master s thesis in English (1 2 pages) to the Admissions Office by the end of the application deadline by post. The Master s thesis is a research or development project carried out in relation to working life in the field of industrial management. Applicants must score a minimum of one point (max 3 points) in order to be accepted on the programme. Admission criteria Required basic education For enrolment, students must hold a relevant firstcycle/ Bachelor s degree in civil engineering (in Finnish insinööri AMK or higher), or other applicable higher education degree, with at least three years of relevant work experience post-graduation in the same field of study. The work experience required to meet the eligibility criteria to apply for Degree Programme in Industrial Management must be acquired by 31 July Language skills All applicants must have sufficient English language proficiency. Finnish applicants English language proficiency will be evaluated according to the preliminary plan for the Master s thesis. For international applicants, language requirements are those mentioned in the general admission criteria. Please see the criteria for language skills on page

38 DEGREE PROGRAMME IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Degree title Scope of degree Duration of studies Language of instruction Beginning of studies Master of Engineering (MEng) 60 ECTS cr 1 2 years English Autumn 2012 The Degree Programme in Information Technology is strongly oriented towards working life. It deepens and widens the professional skills of the students. The degree consists of 30 credits of theoretical studies and a Master s thesis of 30 credits. The Master s thesis is a research or development project carried out in relation to working life. Theoretical studies are divided into general and advanced professional studies. General studies include courses in mathematics and studies on research and development methods. Advanced professional studies focus on subjects related to software technologies. Studies can be completed partly according to a personal study plan. Admission criteria Language skills All applicants must have sufficient English language proficiency. Finnish applicants English language proficiency will be evaluated according to the preliminary plan for the Master s thesis. For international applicants, language requirements are those mentioned in the general admission criteria. Please see the criteria for language skills on page 13. Preliminary plan for the Master s Thesis Applicants are required to draw up and submit a preliminary plan for their Master s thesis in English (1 2 pages) to the Admissions Office by the end of the application deadline by post. The Master s thesis is a research or development project carried out in relation to working life. Applicants must score a minimum of one point (max 3 points) in order to be accepted on the programme. Required basic education For enrolment, students must hold a relevant firstcycle/ Bachelor s degree (in Finnish insinööri AMK or higher) in communications engineering or an engineering degree in a closely related area (e.g. embedded systems, software engineering, automation or medical engineering) In addition, applicants must have at least three years of relevant work experience after graduation in the same field of study. The work experience required to meet the eligibility criteria to apply for the Degree Programme in Information Technology must be acquired by 31 July

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