FAQ: Teaching arrangements
Questions frequently asked by teachers
The academic year is divided into two semesters: the fall semester begins annually on August 1st and ends on December 31st of the same year. The spring semester begins annually on January 1st and ends on July 31st of the same year.
A course unit is a part of studies within the curriculum that can be completed. In the curriculum, a course unit is defined by its name, scope, learning objectives, and key content, as well as other information valid for the entire curriculum period. In everyday language, course units are often referred to as courses. The completion method of a course unit is an individual occasion of organizing the unit. The completion methods of a study module may differ, for example, in teaching and assessment methods or languages.
One of the basic principles of well aligned teaching is that the teacher reserves enough time for the student to study and learn so that the student has the opportunity to gain understanding and reach the intended learning outcomes of the course. This is called study time allocation. Workload refers to a student’s sense of how studying burdens them.
To calculate the workload, you can use the workload estimation tool. Feedback collected from students during and after the course provides useful information about their experience regarding the course's workload.
Each course shall be assigned a teacher-in-charge (responsible teacher in Sisu) who is responsible for grading the course and organising it in accordance with the curriculum and academic timetable. The teacher-in-charge participates in preparing the curriculum and bears primary responsibility for ensuring both that the course implementations promote the intended learning outcomes and that the credits awarded correspond to the workload. In addition to the teacher-in-charge, several people may be involved teaching the course and grading its study attainments.
Teachers-in-charge may be professors, lecturers, university teachers and, on reasonable grounds, other members of staff who are in a contractual employment relationship with Aalto University.
Visiting teachers may teach course implementations, but not be designated as teachers-in-charge.
Open university students have the same rights and responsibilities as degree students, but see more information at this link.
A syllabus is created for each implementation of a study unit, if necessary, to specify the confirmed information of the study unit. The syllabus is entirely public and can be read without logging into MyCourses. It cannot conflict with the curriculum information.
The syllabus is published at least three weeks before the beginning of the implementation. It may specify, for example:
- Contact information for the implementation of the study module
- Assessment criteria and methods, and information on the assessment
- Content of the implementation
- Workload calculation
- Learning materials
- Schedule
- Any additional information.
Sisu
A teacher can log in to Sisu no earlier than 80 days before the start of teaching. If your employment contract is valid and you have upcoming teaching that begins within 80 days, please contact sisu@aalto.fi.
Teachers receive the teacher role in Sisu based on being designated as a teacher for a teaching implementation in Sisu. The teacher role becomes active 80 days before the teaching implementation begins. Check with the learning services of your school/unit to ensure that you are marked as a teacher in Sisu for the implementations you are teaching. If this has been done and there are fewer than 80 days until the start of your implementation, please contact sisu@aalto.fi.
Teachers cannot use the 'move to approved' function in Sisu with teacher rights; instead, participants must be confirmed using the 'Confirm participants' button. See the Sisu instructions. If you are unable to approve students using the 'Confirm participants' button, please contact sisu@aalto.fi.
Study achievements and assessments
A student can retake a course for which they do not have an accepted achievement as long as opportunities to complete the course are offered. A student can attempt to improve a grade by retaking an accepted course only once, as long as opportunities to complete the course are offered. The method of completion for a course retake may differ from the original method of completion.
A student who has participated in a course may retake a failed or accepted exam or other study achievement required by the course without re-enrolling if the course provides an opportunity to retake this study achievement.
A student cannot retake an accepted thesis or the associated accepted thesis seminar.
It is possible to both substitute and include study credits completed elsewhere in one’s degree. Read more on the page Substitution and inclusion of studies on Sisu | Aalto University.
Information on assessment at Aalto university:
Evaluation and study attainmentsAalto University’s recommendations for assessment
Individual study arrangements
Each Aalto student has a right to receive reasonable individual study arrangements for medical reasons. A medical reason may be dyslexia, a sensory impairment, mental health condition or learning difficulty. Individual study arrangements should not be seen as a reason to stop aiming for the set learning outcomes. Instead, they are a way of supporting the student in attaining the learning outcomes.
Examples of individual study arrangements include additional time for examinations (1 hour at Aalto), a private space or computer for examinations, or adjusted schedules. To receive individual study arrangements, the student must show the teacher a written recommendation and agree on the arrangements.
Since 2015, Aalto University and the Metropolitan Sports Academy Urhea have had a partnership agreement. Through this agreement, Aalto University is committed to supporting the combination of students' competitive sports and studies. In practice, this support means, for example, flexibility in assignment deadlines and submission channels, mandatory attendance, or exam completion methods, or the possibility of alternative methods of completion if the student is unable to complete the study module in the usual way due to competitive sports. The intended learning outcomes of the course unit are not intended to be compromised, and the decision-making power regarding flexibility always lies with the course's teacher-in-charge.
If necessary, you can contact Aalto University's Professor of Practice Sami Itani (sami.itani@aalto.fi) or the Urhea contact person at your school (contact information can be found via the link below) to discuss practical examples of flexibility opportunities for athlete students.
Read more on the subject: Combining an athletic career with studying at Aalto