1 INTRODUCTIONS

Let me first draw your attention to some changes concerning this fourth edition of our ECTS Guide. As of August 1, 2001, Espoo-Vantaa Polytechnic will have changed its name into Laurea Polytechnic. The name Laurea bears a reference to academic laurels and the cultivation of high spiritual values, thus obliging us to constantly strive for a high quality in the learning services we offer.

The Laurea study offer is now more versatile than ever. We have introduced a new discipline, Culture and Media with the first student intake within Communication Studies in 2001.

Another key difference from earlier editions is the target audience which from exchange students and partner university staff has been extended to cover our increasing numbers of foreign degree students.

Like always, Laurea Polytechnic welcomes foreign students to join the Laurea learning experience. As Finland's third largest polytechnic, Laurea provides students, whether Finnish or foreign, a multitude of options with regard to what and where to study. Within some twenty Degree Programmes in six fields of study, Laurea offers a great variety of study modules also in English. The Laurea curricula are designed so as to reflect the state-of-the-art in professional life within the national and international contexts, providing students with a critical, cooperative and developmental work approach.

Foreign students are regarded as growing resources of cultural and professional insight for our institution, an ingredient that gives the necessary finishing touch to the Laurea learning environment. In return, we expect our foreign students to observe the professional ethos of Laurea. We look forward to all our students playing an active positive part in their new work community, even if they as exchangees stay only for a few weeks or months.

This handbook is Laurea’s fourth comprehensive Student Information and ECTS Guide in English. I hope the Guide together with our tutor teachers and international tutor students will help both our degree students with non-Finnish background as well as our incoming Erasmus students in tayloring an optimal study path from among the English language study offer of our Institutes. I believe the Guide will also serve the Academic Staff of Partner Universities as a more in-depth orientation into Laurea and its learning strategies.

Laureamko (reg.) – the Student Union of Laurea Polytechnic - welcomes you to commence your studies at Laurea Polytechnic. The academic year 2001-2002 contains a great deal of events and happenings at Laurea as well as at the national level. Past and future parties will be discussed in and outside the School. Just for example the biggest and best parties of the semester, like the Freshmen Party 2001, which will be held in Helsinki on 12 September. We hope that all our new students will participate in this unforgettable Event in which you will have the best possibilities of making new friends at your school. Make sure you acquire your tickets in time, as during the previous years the tickets have always been sold out. Other student parties will be held during the autumn at Latour Nightclub Premier in Helsinki. There is more information available for example on our Web pages www.laureamko.net.

The main task of Laureamko is to promote and secure the common interests and rights of the students at Laurea Polytechnic. Watching interests is an ongoing process, which is enhanced by having student representation in all major working groups within Laurea Polytechnic. This is the way we get our voice heard just where the decisions are made. However, even we are not perfect and cannot always see and hear everything. That is why we also need your help. If you think that you have been treated in an inappropriate way, call or e-mail us! This way we can correct the mistakes and ensure that no one else will face the same situation again. Remember that things will not get better if you only let them be instead of improving them yourself.

Laureamko is a member of SAMOK – the Union of Finnish Polytechnic Students. When you join your Student Union, you will automatically become a member of SAMOK. It really is worth joining as you will get the Student Card that will entitle you to several benefits and discounts. You can print out the Student Card order form from our Web pages.

The task of SAMOK is to promote the interests and to secure the rights of polytechnic students at the national level. Laureamko is working with the same tasks inside Laurea Polytechnic and its sections within each Institute are dealing with the local activities. In Laureamko, matters are taken care of by the Board, which includes a member from every Institute. We also have a Secretariat working full-time for the members of the Student Union. So in most cases, there is someone who you can reach and who can answer your questions. Our Secretary General is together with the Chairperson responsible for contacts with Laurea administration and other contacts plus the financing of the Student Union. As our Secretary General is extremely busy, we wish that you would also contact the Members of the Board and our new Secretary of Student Affairs, who are pleased to help with problems concerning studying and for example the Student Cards.

We have thousands of members, and we believe that among them there are experts from several fields and lots of active students. If you are interested in improving Student Union activity for example in form of different clubs, bands, floorball league or something else or you wish to become a Member of the Board in the Student Union, feel free to contact Laureamko or the section operating in your Institute. You can call, send an e-mail or leave feedback via our Web pages. The new Board for the Student Union will be elected in November, so be active and stay tuned for the information. Active participation in student activities is fun and it may also be useful for you in your future career.

We wish you a happy, interesting and eventful study time at Laurea Polytechnic. Grasp on to challenges that are offered, they may take you further than you ever imagined…

Anneka Rantonen, Chairperson
Mobile +358 40 760 5476
anneka.rantonen@laurea.fi

LAUREAMKO Office Contact Details:
Karsikkokuja 15, 01360 Vantaa
tel. +358 20 578 7313, fax. +358 20 578 7318
laureamko@laurea.fi
www.laureamko.net

The Laurea Polytechnic Student Information and ECTS Guide has been edited not only for the use of the European students who join the Polytechnic on a Socrates/Erasmus exchange but, for the first time, also to serve our non-Finnish speaking degree students. Thus the Guide contains more detailed information on the educational policies and services of the Polytechnic than the previous editions.

Except for students, it is our hope that the teaching and administrative personnel in our Partner Universities and other interested institutions will find this document a useful guide into LAUREA and its internationally oriented Programmes.

The Editors would like to point out that this document only enlists the LAUREA Degree Programmes and course modules that are provided in the English language plus a few courses in Swedish and German.

The Editors will be grateful for comments and suggestions that may help us improve this Guide.

The Editors:
Paula Mattila (Ms) Director International Activities
ECTS Institutional Coordinator
Tel / fax +358 20 5787 215 / 358 20 5787 200
Email paula.mattila@laurea.fi

Maarit Pirttineva-Muukari Senior Lecturer
(Ms) Business Management Studies
Tel / fax +358 20 5787 428 / 358 20 5787 401
Email maarit.pirttineva-muukari@laurea.fi

Mari Syrjäpalo (Ms) International Coordinator
Studies in Tourism, Catering and Institutional Management
Tel / fax +358 20 5787 913 / 358 20 5787 901
Email mari.syrjapalo@laurea.fi

Arja Majakulma (Ms) Head of International Activities
Studies in Health Care, Physiotherapy and Social Services
Tel / fax +358 20 5787 534 / 358 20 5787 501
Email arja.majakulma@laurea.fi

Mailing Address: Laurea Polytechnic
Laurea Building
Lummetie 2
FIN-01300 Vantaa, Finland