Compile a personal study plan (PSP)

Published 29.6.2022 | Updated 11.12.2024

PSPs are compiled based on the curriculum and degree structure

PSPs are a central tool for planning your studies, goals and specialisation areas.

The curriculum and degree structure provide the framework and foundation for your PSP. The degree structure determines what studies are mandatory for you, what study units are elective i.e. studies between which you may choose, and what is the scope of optional studies in your degree. You can read the curriculum and degree structure in the Study Guide.

Compile your PSP at the beginning of your studies

You compile your first PSP at the beginning of your studies, and you will update your PSP on a yearly basis. Your academy will give you more detailed information on how and when you should compile and update your PSP.

PSPs are compiled with consideration to the normative durations and scopes for studies

PSPs are compiled separately for bachelor’s and master’s degrees. When compiling your PSP, you need to consider the academy-specific normative duration of studies leading to a degree as well as the scope of the degree.

Normative durations of studies for degrees:

• the normative duration of studies leading to a bachelor’s degree is 3 years at the Sibelius Academy and Theatre Academy and 3.5 years at the Academy of Fine Arts
• the normative duration of studies leading to a master’s degree is 2 years at the Theatre Academy and Academy of Fine Arts and either 2 or 2.5 years at the Sibelius Academy, depending on the target degree

Scopes of degrees:

• the scope of a bachelor’s degree is 180 credits at the Sibelius Academy and Theatre Academy, and 210 credits at the Academy of Fine Arts
• the scope of a master’s degree is 120 credits at the Theatre Academy and Academy of Fine Arts, and either 120 or 150 credits at the Sibelius Academy, depending on the target degree

In connection with your PSP guidance, you will receive information on how you will be able to complete 60 credits of studies within an academic year and your whole degree within the normative duration of studies.

Technical instructions for compiling a PSP

You compile your PSP in the student information system Peppi.

In the PSP view of Peppi, you can:

• see what your degree structure looks like and what mandatory and optional study modules and study units are included in it
• edit your PSP and select which elective and optional studies you wish to complete as part of your degree. You can browse the selection of optional studies in the Study Guide.
• register for studies (course units and one-to-one teaching)
• compile a timetable for completing studies and mark possible upcoming periods of absence
• make notes in your PSP and send messages to your PSP advisors

The studies that you have completed during your international exchange period are also added to your PSP.

Support and guidance

You can discuss your goals and plans for studies in PSP discussions with the planning officer or academic PSP advisor.

Approval for the PSP

Once you have compiled your PSP, you will send it for comments to the planning officer and/or the academic PSP advisor via Peppi.

PSP guidelines for Sibelius Academy students

Bachelor’s and master’s students at the Sibelius Academy study according to their personal study plan (PSP, or HOPS in Finnish). The PSP is based on the currently valid curriculum at the Sibelius Academy. It includes a plan of studies that you will complete within a certain schedule, helping you to achieve the intended learning outcomes in accordance with the curriculum in the normative duration of your degree. The PSP is compiled in the student information system Peppi.

Preparations for your PSP

You will receive guidance in drafting your PSP by the head, tutor teacher, professor and/or planning officer of your department/degree programme. The goal is to establish the kind of study path for you that best supports your studies and learning as well as your individual development as an artist, pedagogue, researcher and expert.

The university has been allocated educational resources according to the normative duration of studies for degrees, as stated in the Universities Act (L558/2009, section 40). In the degree-specific PSP that you compile, the number of credits should match the normative scope of your degree as closely as possible (180 cr, 150 cr and 120 cr). With the help of your PSP and the related guidance/counselling, you will acquire an overall picture of your studies and get an understanding on how you will be able to complete 60 credits of studies within an academic year and the whole degree within the normative duration of studies: a Bachelor of Music degree in 3 years, a Master of Music degree in 2.5 years or a Master of Arts (Art and Design) degree in 2 years.

At the beginning of your studies, you will compile a PSP consisting of all compulsory studies of your degree and schedule the timing of your compulsory studies by taking into consideration the normative duration of studies. As for elective and optional studies, you compile a PSP for each upcoming academic year and update the PSP on an annual basis.

Graduating as a Bachelor of Music

If you are studying in a 5.5-year degree programme and during your bachelor’s degree have already completed compulsory or elective studies or additional optional studies that belong to a master’s degree and that exceed the normative scope of a bachelor’s degree (180 cr), these studies will be carried over as part of your master’s degree in connection with your graduation as a bachelor.

Review of PSP implementation and PSP updates

You can review the implementation of your PSP with the head, tutor teacher, professor and/or planning officer of your department/degree programme and then make the necessary updates on the plan.

The academy follows students’ progress in studies and offers support for students who have had a delay in their studies.

Continuous learning

After graduation, you can choose to complement your professional skills by taking advantage of a continued right to study or by participating in e.g. studies organised by Uniarts Helsinki’s Open University or continuing education and specialisation programmes.

Student exchange abroad

Student exchange is part of a degree that is completed at the Sibelius Academy, and it must be included in your PSP.

It is recommended that you plan the timing and length of your student exchange together with the head, tutor teacher, professor and/or planning officer of your department/degree programme. The departments/degree programmes provide their own guidelines on the suitable timing of student exchange from the perspective of overall studies and graduation.

At the earliest, you can apply for an exchange period during the second year of your bachelor’s studies, in which case the exchange would take place on the third year of studies at the earliest.

If you are completing a bachelor’s degree, going on an exchange period requires that you

• have made progress in your studies in the planned schedule and
• have completed courses that are compulsory for your 1st- and 2nd-year major subject studies

If you are completing a master’s degree, going on an exchange period requires that you have made progress in your studies in the planned schedule.

You cannot be granted extra time for completing your degree on the basis of a student exchange.

The Sibelius Academy complies with agreements concerning student exchange, incl. the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education. This means that the Sibelius Academy’s AHOT (recognition and validation of prior learning) decision cannot be applied as is to the credit transfer concerning the studies that you completed during your student exchange, and instead, the academy primarily approves all studies that you completed in the partner institution and that are included in the approved Learning Agreement as part of your degree.

Study paths for the Acad­emy of Fine Arts

Plan your studies according to the study path. This ensures that you can complete all courses within the target time of the degree.