Last modified 15.3.2011 at 13:22

Freedom in selecting your studies

Text: Anne Aho Photo: Milan Kolarovic

Basic studies provide students with a good foundation of knowledge for their future profession. In the curriculum there are also alternative and free choice studies, which can be selected from a variety of subjects. They can then be fitted into one’s studies according to availability and study schedule.

Even though several courses are strongly content based, students can find one which offers a nice change and brings fun into their studies.

The elective study periods make it possible for the students to get acquainted with a range of courses offered by other schools. They can freely select courses from the selection of either the Oulu University of Applied Sciences or other universities of applied sciences in Finland. These give further support in your studies and the chance to learn about certain fields which you do not necessarily study.

For example, the School of Economics invites students to take up digital media and graphic design. They offer knowledge of how to create a webpage and what kind of visual image is needed for a publication.

The School of Healthcare in Oulainen offers practical knowledge even for everyday use. Their crisis management course dealing with safety, survival, and emergency responseis certainly useful as you never know when you will need it.

Choice of electives

Professional elective units are always decided per semester. These studies are part of the curriculum in each school, so the topics are in accordance with the various degree programmes. The subjects are very close to what the school offers, so the student can deepen and expand their knowledge base.

The field of renewable natural resources attracts students to choose horticulture as their elective studies, for example, and spend some period in the gardening store and doing advanced plant conservation. In the first option the student learns the basics in running a gardening store and the related legal regulations. While the advanced plant conservation course offers a good knowledge of current plant conservation methods.

Serious selecting and cheerful cherry-picking

Even though most study units are strong in content you can also find them as a nice change to your daily study routine. These electives are similar to basic studies in languages. In addition, if you are learning Spanish, French, or Japanese; the opportunity for taking part in student exchange on the basis of these elective studies is an extra advantage. There are certain courses which are available in the country in which you are interested.

On the other hand studying can be relaxing, so they are immediately associated with being a chore. ECTS credits can be collected, for example, from courses foundations in oratory or even in yoga. If your passion is photography, it too can be fed with studies in fashion photography.

There is no lack in the selection on offer even though it changes from year-to-year. To the contrary, there are more and more courses to choose from when you want to collect credits.