Curriculum (Curriculum for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes at the Sibelius Academy)

The curriculum describes the structure and content of the education provided by the Sibelius Academy leading to a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.

Opsu, meaning ‘curriculum’, is a shorthand term derived from the Finnish word opetussuunnitelma (‘curriculum’).

Tuition offering (tuition programme) = the tuition provided for students each year

Learning outcomes are things that the student is expected to know, understand or be able to do as a result of completing the unit in question. Learning outcomes must be defined so that they are achievable by the student.

Hours

Tuition is measured in hours in the curriculum, but in this context one hour (h) is equal to 45 minutes of actual tuition.

Unit and course

The basic building block for tuition given under degree programmes is the unit. One unit may consist of one or more courses. A course is the practical provision and giving of tuition.

Credit

The credit (also known as the ‘ECTS credit’) is a unit for measuring study achievement defined in the Government Decree on University Degrees. “The measure for the extent of studies shall be a credit unit. Courses shall be quantified according to the work load required. The average input of 1600 working hours needed for studies of one academic year shall correspond to 60 credits.” (Government Decree 794/2004)

1 cr = about 27 h of work by the student. 

The credit score given for any particular course includes both tuition given and independent work by the student. The time required for a student to complete any particular studies is evaluated assuming an average student.

Module

A module is a group of one or more units within the larger framework of main subject studies. Each module is a thematic entity and has its own overall learning outcomes.

For instance, in the Jazz degree programme the main subject studies include the modules Instrument performance and expression, Ensemble skills, Structural awareness and writing of music, History and aesthetics of jazz, Pedagogical skills, Career knowledge and skills, and Proficiency demonstration (instrument and voice main subjects).

VOCABULARY (Finnish-English)