Minor studies

Minor studies may be compulsory in or you can study the minor as part of elective studies. Minors can make your degree look like you. Students are generally free to select a minor at the University of Oulu.

General information

Information on available minor studies is available at Peppi study guide. Please note that there are minors that have participation restrictions. Detailed information about application procedures and admission criteria for minor subjects that have a limited study right can be found from Peppi study guide. Take into consideration that also degree structure defines which minor subjects, and how many minors, can be included in the degree. If there are no limitations, you can freely choose a minor from the University of Oulu selection, or from another Finnish university by cross-institutional studies.

How to apply?

  1. See the degree structure of your programme. Find out how many minor studies (ECTS credits) can be included in your degree, and when (year/term/period) it is recommended to study minor studies.
  2. Take a look at Peppi study guide to see which minors studies are offered at the University of Oulu. You can also take minors from another Finnish university using the cross-institutional network, or during your exchange studies at foreign university.
  3. Discuss the minor studies that interest you with your tutor teacher, when making a personal study plan (PSP). You can also discuss your minor studies plan with your degree programme study advisor or with the programme director.
  4. Find out the application period and other instructions about the application process.
  5. Apply to the minor during the application period, and remember to follow the instructions. If you need to apply for minor subject studies (and there are no other instructions for applying), apply for the minor subject using the electronic form, which can be found on the Non-degree study right page.

Minor subjects offered in the faculties of the University of Oulu

Minor studies are presented in the Peppi study guide.

For you

Faculty of Education and Psychology

Minor Studies for students at the Faculty of Education and Psychology

Students at the Faculty of Education and Psychology have the possibility (depending on their degree structure) to complete minor studies and elective studies at their own faculty, other faculties at the University of Oulu, Oulu Open University studies, as well as The Summer University of Northern Ostrobothnia. You can also complete minor studies in other universities at your own expense and include the in your degree (if your degree structure allows this).

When choosing a minor, you should pay attention to
a) Degree structure – the number of free minors in your degree
b) Including your minor studies in your PSP

Minor studies info 2024 (in English) - material (pdf)

Webropol Form, spring 2024

1. Minor studies offered by the Faculty of Education and Psychology

You can find information on the minor studies offered by the faculty at Peppi.

  • Please note that some of these minors are so called open minors, which means you can complete the minors freely, and sign up to the courses in Peppi or Tuudo.
  • Other minors are only accessible via application during the Spring minor application round. Please follow your email and other communication, and remember to apply in the Spring application round! The application and selection criteria as well as the list of minor studies offered will be updated yearly.
  • Applications for minors are open 6.2. 8am - 1.3.2024 3pm for students at the Faculty of Education and Psychology. All applications must be submitted through a Webropol form.

Please note that the courses in Education in Transition, Digital Technologies in Teaching and Learning as well as Education for Intercultural Competences are in English, while the other subjects are mainly in Finnish.

2. Minor studies offered by other Faculties

You can find the minor studies offered by other faculties in Peppi. Notable possibilities can be found for example at the Faculty of Humanities and Oulu Business School. Applying: ask more information from the Academic Affairs Service Team.

3. Open University of Oulu

Studies at the Open University of Oulu are in principle free of charge to a degree student registered present at the University of Oulu. You may sign up for courses according to instructions of the Open university. Please note that some of the Open university courses offered by the Faculty of Education and Psychology are included in the Spring application round for minor studies. Please apply for health education and special education minor studies in the Spring application round, or in the additional application round in the Autumn. The Faculty will provide you with more specific instructions on how to sign up for those minor studies you apply for during the Spring application round.

Some studies offered at the Open University of Oulu may be on offer as other studies at the Faculty of Education and Psychology, and will not be free-of-charge for degree students.

If a study module on offer at the Open University is offered in the Summer University of Northern Ostrobothnia, please check any possible payment arrangements for these studies from the Academic Affairs Team.

Please note that the selection of studies offered in English is very limited.

4. The Summer University of Northern Ostrobothnia

A student registered present at the University of Oulu can complete studies included in their PSP at the Summer University of Northern Ostrobothnia. The courses provided by The Summer University during academic year 2022-2023 are free of charge for degree students, if the courses are included in their PSP. Please contact your degree programme’s education designer (the Academic Affairs Service Team) if you wish to update your PSP. If teaching is free, it will be separately mentioned in the course description of the courses. Please visit the website: The Summer University of Northern Ostrobothnia. Please note that the selection of studies offered in English is very limited.

If the PSP is approved and a student is thus given a payment agreement to studies, this study entity will be counted as minor studies paid by the Faculty of Education. The Faculty of Education and Psychology will not offer a payment agreement to additional minor studies, or free elective studies that do not fit in their degree’s minimum amount of ECTS credits. This payment agreement only applies to courses/study modules that are completed, so please take this into consideration when timing your studies.

5. Studies after graduation

Please note that you may complement your competencies at the University of Oulu after graduation.

a) You can apply for a complementary study right when you apply for graduation, and it allows you to

  • complete minor studies you have been given a study right to during your degree studies
  • study free minor studies at the University of Oulu, or
  • study other separate study modules offered by the University of Oulu

b) Later after graduation you may apply for a non-degree study right, which may be granted for valid reasons to single courses or a study module. These studies will cost a student 10€/ECTS credit and the study right will be granted if there are available seats at the course or study module.

c) You can also complement your competencies later via Open University as a fee-paying customer, or perhaps find interesting studies via continuing education.

Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine

As a student of the Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, you have the opportunity to study minor subjects and optional courses from your own or other faculties of the University of Oulu, the Open University of Oulu and the The Summer University of Northern Ostrobothnia. Paid studies that reasonably support the study plan must be approved in advance in PSP. You can also complete minor subjects at other universities at your own expense and include them in your degree.

Faculty of Humanities

Studying in the Faculty of Humanities is relatively free. In many fields of study the students can build up their degree depending on where their interests lay.

Minor subjects are important aspects of the student’s degree. They form a significant part of the Bachelor’s and the Master’s degree. Students familiarize themselves with the minor subject options when putting together their personal study plan (PSP).

When choosing a minor subject, sudents can use the university’s expert resources, i.e. teacher tutors, Education Designers and the university’s Student and Career Counselling services.

You can find the current list of minor subjects in the Faculty of Humanities in the Peppi study guide.

Entrance examinations for minor subjects at the Faculty of Humanities:

  • English

Entrance Examination for English is held simultaneously with the main subject entrance examination on Wednesday 31 May 2023 at 9-12 on Linnanmaa campus. The exact location will be informed later. Sign up for the examination through Peppi or Tuudo with HE00AF93-3002 Entrance Exam in English as a Minor Subject -realisation. The sign-up is open from 13 March to 14 May 2023.

The entrance examination consists of two parts

  • the first part includes at least one writing task (approx. 300-500 words)
  • the second part includes short tasks that assess the applicant’s analytical skills. These can include tasks that are related to linguistic structures, concepts and applications of those.

The entrance examination is in English. The maximum number of points in the written examination is 40. The entrance examination is based on materials delivered in the beginning of the exam. The materials may include short scientific texts, fiction, newspaper or magazine articles, or visual materials. The materials may pertain to language studies, language learning, and the cultures and literature of the Anglophone world.

  • Finnish Language

  • French Language

The entrance examination for French language is held on Thursday 27 April at 9 on Linnanmaa campus. Sign up for the examination by contacting heli.heinonen-aho@oulu.fi by 25 April at 16. The entrance examination is in French.

  • German Language and Culture

Entrance Examination for German language and culture is held simultaneously with the main subject entrance examination on Monday 5 June 2023 at 9-12 on Linnanmaa campus. The exact location will be informed later. Sign up for the examination through Peppi or Tuudo with HG00AF89-3002 Entrance Exam, German Language and Culture as a Minor Subject -realisation by 22 May 2023. The entrance examination is in German.

  • History and History of Science and Ideas
  • Information Studies
  • North Sami

  • Swedish Language

Entrance Examination for Swedish language is held simultaneously with the main subject entrance examination on Monday 29 May 2023 at 14-17 on Linnanmaan campus. The exact location will be informed later. Sign up for the examination through Peppi or Tuudo with HR00AG02-3002 Entrance Exam, Swedish Language as a Minor Subject -realisation by 16 May 2023. The entrance examination is in Swedish.

Oulu Business School

More information about minor studies could be found at Peppi study guide.

Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering

The students who have registered in the University of Oulu are not required apply for a study right in minor studies in the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering. It is possible to choose minor studies in the following Degree Programmes: Information Processing Sciences, Computer Science and Engineering and Electronics and Communications Engineering. You can join freely to courses in minor studies but please take into consideration the possible participation restrictions.

Faculty of Science

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Faculty of Technology

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Information Processing Science

Please find current Information Processing Science minor from Peppi. If you have further questions please sent them to the study.itee@oulu.fi

Health Sciences

Minor studies in health sciences: university level study modules of at least 25 ECTS credits, according to the degree programme curriculum and the student's Personal Study Plan. For further advice on minor study requirements, see the course catalog of your degree programme.

Computer Science and Engineering

Minor subject studies in Computer Science and Engineering are 25 ECTS cr (approbatur) or 60 ECTS cr (cum laude approbatur) studies. Student of University of Oulu don’t need to apply separately for Minor subjects studies. Courses of Minor subject studies can participated freely. However students should take into account limited number of participants.

Minor subject studies in Computer Science and Engineering have 15 ECTS cr compulsory studies. The remaining studies are optional.

MINOR STUDIES COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Compulsory Studies Laajuus/ECTS cr Period
521141P Elementary Programming 5 1
521160P Artificial Intelligence 5 4
521287A Introduction to Computer Systems 5 1 ja 2
Valinnaiset opinnot
521145A Human Computr Interaction 5 2
521150A Introduction to Internet 5 4
521151A

Applied Computing Project I

10 1- 4
521157A Introduction to Social Network Analysis 5 2
521159P Principles of Digital Fabrication 5 4
521337A Digital Filters 5 3
521467A

Digital Image Processing

5 1
521484A Statistical Signal Processing (no longer held) 5 4
521495A Artificial Intelligence 5 3
521453A Operating Systems 5 4
521457A Software Engineering 5 3
521275A Embedded Software Project 8 2,3 ja 4
031023P Mathematical Structures for Computer Science 5 1
521040A 3D Virtual Environments and Applications 5 4
521293A Introduction to XR Systems 5 3

Electronics and Communications Engineering

You can choose 25 ECTS cr. or 60 ECTS cr. minor studies in the field of Electronics and Communications Engineering. The students who have registered in the University of Oulu are not required apply for a study right in minor studies. You can join freely to courses in minor studies but please take into consideration the possible participation restrictions.

Compulsory Studies

521077P Introduction to Electronics, 5 ECTS cr
521109A Electrical Measurement Principles, 5 op
521301A Digital Techniques 1, 8 op
521330A Telecommunication Engineering, 5 op

Optional

521329A Hands-on Course in Wireless Communication, 5 ECTS cr
521302A Circuit Theory 1, 5 ECTS cr
521104P Introduction to Material Physics, 5 ECTS cr
521071A Principles of Semiconductor Devices, 5 ECTS cr
521431A Principles of Electronics Design, 5 ECTS cr
521070A Introduction to Microfabrication Techniques, 5 ECTS cr
521307A Laboratory Exercises on Analogue Electronics, 5 ECTS cr
521384A Basics in Radio Engineering , 5 ECTS cr
521432A Electronics Design I, 5 ECTS cr
521092A Electronic Measurement Techniques, 5 ECTS cr

If you are planning to accomplish personal Minor studies please contact educational designer .

Applied and Computational Mathematics, Minor Studies

Minor studies are 25 ECTS credits or 60 ECTS credits.

For 25 and 60 Credits, compulsory courses:

031010P Calculus I, 5 ECTS cr
031075P Calculus II, 5 ECTS cr
031078P Matrix Algebra, 5 ECTS cr
031076P Differential Equations, 5 ECTS cr
031021P Probability and Mathematical Statistics, 5 ECTS cr

and in addition in 60 ECTS credits Minor studies:

Compulsory Studies:
031022P Numerical Analysis, 5 ECTS cr

and optional studies in 60 ECTS credits Minor studies (take 30 ECTS credits of these):

031077P Complex Analysis, 5 ECTS cr
031023P Mathematical Structures for Computer Science, 5 ECTS cr
031025A Introduction to Optimization, 5 ECTS cr
031080A Signal Analysis ,5 ECTS cr
031079S Mathematical Signal Processing, 5 ECTS cr
031051S Numerical Matrix Analysis, 5 ECTS cr
031084S Graph Theory, 5 ECTS cr
031085S Special course on differential equations, 5 ECTS cr

Biochemistry

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Geography

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Biology

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Physical Sciences

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Subject Teacher training, FSci

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Computational biology and data-analysis

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Mathematical Sciences

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Process and Environmental Engineering

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Industrial Engineering and Management

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Subject Teacher training, Chemistry

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Architecture

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Geosciences

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Mining engineering and mineral processing

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Chemistry

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Mechanical Engineering

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Civil Engineering

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Subject Teacher training, FHum

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Archeology

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English

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History

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Information Studies

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Literature

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Cultural Anthropology

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Logopedics

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German language and culture

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Swedish Language

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Finnish Language

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Saami Culture

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Science Communication, MA

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Saami Language

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History of Sciences and Ideas

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Subject Teacher training

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Learning Sciences

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Primary Teacher Education

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Psychology

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Learning, Education and Technology

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Music Education

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Special Education

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Intercultural Teacher Education

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Early Childhood Education

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Education Science and Educational Psychology

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Education and Globalisation

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Business Analytics MSc (Tech)

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Digitalisation, Computing and Electronics

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Biomedical Engineering MSc (Tech)

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Epidemiology and Biomedical Data Science

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Dentistry

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Medical and Wellness Technology

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Medicine

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Biomedical Engineering MHSc

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Economics and Business Administration BSc

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International Business Management (BSc EBA)

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International Business Management (MSc EBA)

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Financial and Management Accounting (MSc EBA)

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Business Analytics (MSc EBA)

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Marketing (MSc EBA)

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Finance (MSc EBA)

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Economics (MSc EBA)

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Economics and Business Administration MSc

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