Planning your studies

Student Guide

Master's Programme in Life Science Technologies

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Planning of studies is an integral and necessary part of university studies. and the Degree Regulations of Aalto University School of Science determine the boundary conditions for the content and extent of the degree. Within the limits of these boundaries you have the possibility to make choices that support your own interests, goals, and life situation in different phases of your studies, e.g.:

which major to choose
should I study a minor or individual courses to elective studies
should I go on exchange
should I do an internship

Start planning your studies by familiarizing yourself with the curriculum.

Instructions for planning your studies

The most important planning tool is your personal study plan (HOPS). In your HOPS, you draw up a plan for the content of your degree and the schedule for completing your studies. The planning is based on the curriculum of the programme.

It is important to understand the studies as a whole, because if you intend to apply for for example a student exchange, you must have room for exchange studies in your degree. In many cases, exchange studies take place as elective studies or as an international studies minor, so it is not advisable to fill these components of your study plan fully with other courses if you intend to go on exchange.

The academic year is divided into two semesters:

Autumn semester 1 August – 31 December
Spring semester 1 January – 31 July
Summer teaching takes place at the turn of the spring and autumn semesters, and teaching is offered in early and late summer. Courses ending by 31 July are counted towards the spring semester accumulation and courses ending after 31 July are counted towards the autumn semester. More information about teaching periods can be found in the Academic Year Calendar.

The student services of your programme will help you in matters such as:

Study planning and HOPS
Exchange studies
Credit transfer
Master's thesis (administrative process)
Graduation
Accessibility of studies (different learners, URHEA)
Applying for study right extension

Contact information for student services of your programme can be found on the programme page under the heading Contact.

If you have questions related to for example student well-being or career choices, check out the main page on guidance and support.

When you create a new study plan, you must choose a curriculum period as the basis of your plan. Choose the curriculum period according to the academic year in which you started your master's studies. If you wish, you can also follow a newer curriculum. If you return to studies after a long break, choose the newest curriculum.

If you have the right to pursue both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, the studies required for both degrees must be included in the same study plan. In order to have both degree’s in the same study plan, please follow the instructions for master’s level study plan.

It is likely that you created your bachelor’s-level study plan according to the curriculum period of when you started your studies. However, when you begin master’s-level studies, you need to update the curriculum period of your master’s-level study plan to a newer curriculum period, i.e. the period of the year when you have graduated as bachelor and officially start pursuing master’s-level studies. Follow the instructions to change the curriculum period of master’s level studies.

Three illustrated characters below 'Plan with Sisu' text; first with a laptop, second in red, third in white lab coat.

The front page of Sisu instructions for students

Applications, instructions and guidelines

Three characters under 'Plan with Sisu' text. One holds a laptop, another wears a jumper, and the third has a shirt.

How to create a personal study plan (HOPS) on Sisu

Applications, instructions and guidelines

Studies completed elsewhere and credit transfer

At Aalto University, you can complete studies outside your own school and field. Outside your own university, you can take individual courses or an entire minor. Check with your major beforehand, whether you can include the courses you are planning to include in your degree.

If you are thinking about exchange studies, a comprehensive information package on exchange destinations and application instructions has been compiled on the Exchange studies page.

Planning exchange studies in your study plan

You can create several personal study plans in Sisu. Create a separate personal study plan for exchange studies. If you are applying for more than one exchange destination, make a separate personal study plan for each destination.

Create a new personal study plan and name it after the exchange university (eg. Technische Universiteit Eindhoven).
Add exchange courses to the personal study plan as individual study drafts: Select the study module to which you want to add the course and click the “Add a study draft” button.
If you wish to complete a minor during your exchange, add the study module SCI3041 International Studies Minor as your minor in the study plan. Add the exchange courses as study drafts under the module.
Make a study plan for the entire degree, i.e. add all the courses that you intend to include as part of your degree in the exchange study plan.

You must apply separately for the exchange. Adding the International Studies Minor to the personal study plan does not equal applying for the exchange.

Once you have completed the courses, apply for credit transfer according to the Sisu instructions. Remember to add the official course descriptions and the official transcript to your credit transfer applications.

If you have completed or are completing higher education studies outside Aalto University or you have otherwise acquired competence suitable for your degree, you might be able to count these towards your degree. Check the suitability of the course from the study coordinator or planning officer of your programme. The actual credit transfer is done when the course has been completed. N.B. the above mentioned guidelines regarding MOOC studies.

See Aalto University's instructions for credit transfer of studies. The page also contains instructions for those completing two degrees at Aalto.

Cross-institutional studies mean that you can complete studies at another Finnish Higher Education Institution. If your programme belongs to a cross-institutional study network, you can take courses agreed in the agreement at another Finnish Higher Education Institution. Aalto University has several cross-institutional networks, and for some of the agreed courses in network, you can now enroll through the cross-institutional study functionalities in Sisu. These instructions apply �� University students whose degree programmes include the right to participate in one of the cross-institutional study networks.

New cross-institutional networks are added to the RIPA system throughout the year. You can find all current networks in the student guide.

Elective studies

Below you will find tips for the elective studies mentioned in the curriculum. These guidelines supplement the information provided in the curriculum. The scope of the elective studies depends on the scope of the major and minor studies. The scope of the degree is 120 ECTS. No additional courses can be placed in the degree.

Studies supporting your major

All courses listed in the major curriculum studies that are not already included in your major are good choices for elective studies.

Elective minor

You can take an elective minor, if there is room in your degree. Please note that elective minors follow the same guidelines as the regular minor, i.e. you must follow the curriculum of the minor.

Courses from other LifeTech majors

If you want to broaden your knowledge of the programme, you can choose courses from othe majors.

Courses from other master’s programmes at the school of Science

Courses from the Department of Computer Science (beginning with CS)
Courses from the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management (beginning with TU)
Courses from the Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis (beginning with MS)
Courses from the Department of Applied Physics (beginning with PHYS)
Courses from the Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering (beginning with NBE)

Courses offered by other Aalto schools

You can take courses offered by other Aalto schools. All courses offered at Aalto can be found in .

International studies

Language Centre studies

The Language Centre's teaching offering includes language studies in many different languages as well as various communication and interaction studies. In addition to traditional language courses, the selection includes courses that develop interaction skills, intercultural communication or help manage performance anxiety. The Language Centre also offers students individual learning and support services in English and Swedish.

Bioinformatics and Digital Health

For the elective studies to accompany the Bioinformatics and Digital Health major, it is recommended to take a minor subject or an international mobility period or an internship. The autumn period of second year is the recommended time period for elective studies.

Life Science Technologies programme minors:

Biomedical engineering
Biosensing and Biolectronics
Complex systems
Human Neuroscience and Technology

Computer, Communications, and Information Science programme minors:

Machine Learning, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence

An international mobility period of approximately one semester is recommended. The suitable timing for mobility is Autumn period of the second study year.

University of Helsinki () offers courses suitable for elective studies in

Algorithmic bioinformatics
Molecular biosciences
Biomedicine

Courses offered by University of Helsinki can be taken through the Flexible Study Rights (JOO) agreement. Further information on JOO studies is available on .

Biomedical Engineering

For the elective studies to accompany the biomedical engineering major, we recommend to take a minor subject, an international mobility period or an internship. The autumn term of second year is the recommended time for international mobility. For students interested in health technology innovation and industry, we recommend applying to HealthTech Linkage program offered by Department of Industrial Engineering and Management.

Life Science Technologies programme minors:

Bioinformatics and Digital Health
Biosensing and Bioelectronics
Biosystems and Biomaterials Engineering
Complex Systems
Human Neuroscience and Technology

Other majors:

Engineering Physics
Mathematics

An international mobility period of approximately one term is recommended. The suitable timing for mobility is the autumn term of the second study year.

Biosystems and Biomaterials Engineering

For the elective studies to accompany the major, it is recommended to take a minor subject.

Life Science Technologies programme minors:

Bioinformatics
Biosensing and Bioelectronics
Complex Systems
Human Neuroscience and Technology
Biomedical engineering.

Suitable elective courses can be found from the list of elective specialization courses and selected courses from Bioinformatics or other majors in Life Science Technologies program.

Complex Systems

In their elective studies, the students are encouraged to take courses from other majors of the LifeTech programme, according to their interests. Courses in the field of information and computer science are also recommended. Internship and exchange are also recommended in elective studies.

Human Neuroscience and Engineering

Students are encouraged to take courses from other Majors of the Life Sciences Technologies programme, depending on own interests. Those who are especially interested in neurotechnologies, can extend their knowledge profile by taking courses from Biomedical Engineering major and Biosensing and Bioelectronics major.

Elective studies must be university-level, primarily part of a university degree studies that meet the objectives of the degree.

Many universities offer studies aimed at wider audiences (massive open online course, MOOC). The suitability of these courses is assessed by each programme against the objectives of the degree. As a rule, self-study online courses aimed at the general public are not suitable as part of elective studies. Always check the suitability of a course with your programmes coordinator or planning officer before taking the course.

The School of Science has passed a few guidelines regarding online courses that are applied to all credit transfer applications:

Elements of AI/Ethics of AI/Building AI
- The Education Management Team of School of Science has outlined the following policies in meetings held 23.10.2019 and 10.5.2021: In the future, online courses The Elements of AI (2 ECTS, offered by University of Helsinki) and Ethics of AI (2 ECTS, offered by University of Helsinki) can be recognized as part of only the degree of Bachelor of Science (Technology), and only 1 ECTS can be counted towards the degree. This policy applies to credit transfer applications submitted.
Full Stack Web Development
- The course Full Stack Web Development (offered by the University of Helsinki) can be included in the degree with maximum of 5-7 ECTS.

General information about course registration and exams

Aalto's curriculum period is two years. The courses are valid for two years at a time, according to the information available in Sisu. The course and exam schedules for the upcoming academic year are published annually in June.

As a rule, course registration also serves as registration for the course exam and intermediate exams. However, there are exceptions for electronic exam room "Exam" exams, retake exams, and the exams for large computer science courses. Due to practical arrangements, for large computer science courses (over 300 students), you may need to register separately for the course exam. Further details can be found in the abbreviations of the educational events below.

Aalto University rules and instructions for exams and course attainments can be found here: Academic policies and regulations | Aalto University

Code	Meaning
L01, L02, L1, L2...	Lecture
S	Seminar
H01, H02, H1, H2...	Exercise group
A01, A02, A1, ATK1...	Computer exercise, usually in an IT classroom
VK1, VK2	Mid-term exam
KT	Course exam. First exam after the course. You should not register for this exam if you have registered for a course that has just ended. The exception is the biggest exams in computer science.
ET	A separate exam on courses that can be completed with an exam only, without participating, for example, in lectures or practice groups or without submitting assignments.
T01, T02, T1, T2...	Re-exam
T0	Parallel exam held at the same time as the course exam. It is intended for those students who have participated in the previous implementation of the course or parallel course. Students must register for this exam. Before enrolling, the student must check on the course homepage what is required to complete the course and whether it is possible to take this exam.

As a rule, only register for courses that you are able to complete to completion. This allows as many people as possible to attend the courses and complete them on time.

However, if you have to drop out of a course for a special reason, interrupt the course in Sisu according to the Sisu instructions. If the course includes participation in teaching, always notify the teacher of the discontinuation of the course as early as possible.

You can attempt to improve the grade of a course that you have already passed by retaking it only once. It is not possible to change the version of completed courses in HOPS, so see the instructions "Registering to raise your grade" here: Detailed instructions on registering for courses in Sisu.

You can renew a failed course as long as there are opportunities to complete the course.

As a current student, you can choose whether to continue your studies according to the current curriculum or to follow a new curriculum. If you wish to continue your studies according to the curriculum, create a new study plan for yourself in Sisu once the updated study plan template is available.

When the curriculum changes and you register in Sisu for courses for the next academic year, change the versions of all the courses in your study plan that are already in it but that you have not yet attended. If you encounter a course that does not have a new version of the academic year, the course will no longer be organised.

You can change the version by clicking on the course code and under the title of the course brochure "Version: 202X-202X".
Select the current academic year from the list that opens.
Click "Enable this version" in the banner that opens on the course brochure.

More information in the Sisu instructions: Detailed instructions on registering for courses in Sisu

Work experience (practical training)

Career planning

Graduates of the Life Science Technologies programme have traditionally found a wide variety of careers both in the private sector, industry, and in the public sector ranging from research to consulting and management positions. Majors offered within the Life Science Technologies programme provide the graduates with cutting-edge scientific knowledge and skills enabling them to integrate into the international life science technologies job market or to pursue doctoral studies in specialist fields.

Here are some companies where students of LifeTech programme have done their master's thesis:

Evolva
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
GE Healthcare Finland
Nokia Technologies
Polar Electro
Verto Analytics
HUS Medical Imaging
Neste Oy
Philips Medical Systems MR Technologies Finland
SciLifeLab
FIMM Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland
Haartman Institute (University of Helsinki)
HIIT Helsinki Institute of Information Technology
ZenRobotics
BABACenter
Orion
Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
Sooma
Varian Medical Systems
HUS Diagnostic Center
MEGIN Oy
Nexstim Oy
ICEYE Oy
Disior Oy
Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy

is an industry association and part of Technology Industries of Finland.

Changing majors in LifeTech programme

(Decision of the Degree Programme Committee of LifeTech on 18 June 2018)

Changing majors within the programme is possible for the following groups of students:

Students that have completed a BSc degree at Aalto and fulfil the requirements of the new major.
Students that have been admitted to the LifeTech programme in 2018 or later.

If you wish to change your major, you must prepare a free-form application and a study plan (HOPS). In the application, clearly state your intention to change your major and provide a justification for this change. Additionally, confirm that you have familiarized yourself with the prerequisites for the new major and possess the required knowledge. Submit the application via email to the planning officer of the new major.

After your application has been reviewed, the planning officer will inform you of the decision and make any necessary changes to the study register.

Note: If you wish to change your major to Biosystems and Biomaterials Engineering, you must follow the instructions and timetable provided by CHEM. You can change majors to Biosystems and Biomaterials Engineering only until the end of the academic year 2025-2026 (by 31 July 2026), and you can study this major until the end of the academic year 2027-2028 (by 31 July 2028).

Please note that changing majors is not recommended as it may delay your studies and graduation.

The normative duration of studies is three years for a bachelor's degree, and two years for a master’s degree. If you were admitted to a master’s degree, you have four years to complete the degree. If you were admitted to both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, you have a total of seven years to complete both degrees.

The duration of studies is counted from the time the you enrol as present (attending) at the university. Students have a right to certain absences that do not expend their duration of studies. Absence refers to time when the student has enrolled as non-attending.

If you have not completed your degree within this target schedule, but still want to complete it, you may apply for an extension to your right to study.

Before applying for an extension to your right to study, please familiarise yourself with:

Aalto University policy on extension to duration of studies
instructions on applying for extension

Aalto University policy on extension to duration of studies

Student Guide illustration, applications, instructions and guidelines

Applying for extension to the study time (SCI)

Here you will find instructions on how to apply for extension.

Applying for extension to the right to study at the School of Chemical Engineering

Below you will find instructions on what to do both when your right to study is due to expire at the end of the current term, and when your right to study has already expired. Please also take a look at Aalto's joint instructions on the page Application for extension to the right to study.

Extensions are approved expressly for the purpose of completing a degree. This means that you should apply for an extension only if you have the intention and the possibility to complete your remaining studies as well as your thesis.

Applications for extension to the right to study are processed twice every year. Submit your application between 15.3.-15.5. if your study right ends on 31.7. or between 15.10.-15.11. if your study right ends 31.12. Applications submitted before are during the application period are processed within a month of the end of the application period. You will receive the decision in Sisu (application in Sisu) or by email (Sisu not available).

If you submit the application after the deadline, please let the student services know by emailing studies-chem@aalto.fi.

If your study right is currently valid, submit your application in Sisu. Also in Sisu, make sure your study plan is in order (if applicable, for both bachelor and master level) and set a timetable for your studies. You can get help in the Sisu instructions and from the CHEM student advisors.

If your study right is no longer valid and you have no access to Sisu, please contact student services at studies-chem@aalto.fi for further instructions. In this case, the study plan and timetable can be free-form. Please make sure you list all the courses you plan to take along with the period and year during which you plan to take them.

If you wish to submit other attachments alongside your application, please follow Aalto's joint instructions.

Required attachments

An explanation of the reasons why you have not completed your studies in time. In Sisu, this is part of the application form. Otherwise it needs to be part of your free-form attachments.
A goal-oriented and feasible study plan for completing your studies. The approved personal study plan (HOPS) should specify which courses you have completed and which you still need to complete, and a detailed schedule (year and period) for taking the missing courses. In Sisu, you can do these on the tabs Structure of studies and Timeline, respectively. Outside Sisu, it needs to be part of your free-form attachments.
If you’re working on your master’s thesis, include a statement from your supervisor. The statement should include information on how the thesis is progressing and the estimated time of completion. The supervisor may also send the statement directly to the planning officer of your major. Your application should also state when you have applied for the thesis topic and the name of your supervisor (in Sisu, on the application form; outside Sisu, as part of your free-form attachments).

Applying for extension to the right to study in the School of Electrical Engineering

Students majoring in Biosensing and Bioelectronics follow the instructions and schedule of School of Science.

Student newsletters

Scuuppi is a newsletter for students of School of Science. Scuuppi comes out at the end of each teaching period.

Updated: 24.10.2025
Published: 23.5.2022

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Student Guide

Master's Programme in Life Science Technologies