Studies After Graduation

Doctoral (Postgraduate) Studies

Doctoral studies (third cycle) in Finland consist of two degrees: Licentiate’s and Doctoral, the lower of these being the Licentiate’s degree. A Doctoral degree can be obtained without first becoming a Licentiate. The requirements for a Doctor’s degree include writing an extensive doctoral dissertation and defending it in a public debate. Doctoral studies can be pursued only after completion of a Master’s degree. The Doctoral degree takes a minimum of 4 years and is worth 240 ECTS credits.

Information for applicants is available on the website of University of Tampere Doctoral School.

Extension Studies

Those who have completed a Master's Degree at the University of Tampere are entitled to apply for extension studies.

In addition to subjects of your own school, you can apply for studies organised by other shools too, if you have completed a minimum of 15-25 credits in the subject you apply for. The requirements vary according to the school, so please contact the school in question for further information.

Extension studies are free of charge until the end of the academic year following your graduation. The application form is only available in Finnish at the monent.

If you are not eligible for extension studies in a certain subject, you can apply for the right to study as a non-degree student. Non-degree studies are intended for those who are pursuing further studies in order to improve their professional competence or to supplement earlier studies. Such students participate in the teaching intended for degree students of the university, e.g. in lectures and seminars, most of which are arranged in the daytime. Non-degree students pay fees according to the level of the courses. As non-degree students are not fulltime students, it may be difficult to obtain a visa/residence permit for this purpose. Therefore, non-degree studies are recommended only for applicants residing in Finland or in other EU/EEA countries. Further information and fees can be found on the application form available during the application period on our Admissions site.

It is also possible to supplement your studies and skills at the Open University but the information and studies are available in Finnish.