Language and Communication Studies

Required Initial Competence

The purpose of the language studies included in the degree programme is to help the student communicate purposefully and skilfully in communication and interaction situations in the profession. This can be best achieved if the student has a sufficient starting level. Language and communication competence is detailed in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

The levels are as follows:

• basic user (A1 and A2)
• independent user (B1 and B2)
• proficient user (C1 and C2).

In Metropolia's Finnish-language degree programmes, achieving the Swedish and English professional communication levels requires the following minimum starting levels:

• second national language (Swedish) B1
• foreign language (English) B2.

In Metropolia's Finnish-language degree programmes, achieving the Finnish professional communication levels requires a starting level of B2.

Improvement of Competence

Students can improve their language skills in a number of ways either independently or in classroom study: Adult education centres in the Greater Helsinki Area  have plenty of courses of varying levels, the costs of which are paid by the students. 

If you want to study English on your own, go to the  BBC Learning English website that contains a variety of exercises, topical vocabulary, useful phrases, texts, listening exercises, pronunciation help and language quizzes from the very easy to more advanced ones (levels A2 to B2). Use Metropolia's own self-study material in Moodle, Improve Your English in Moodle, to brush up your English and to do plenty of exercises (levels A1 to A2).

You can study Swedish on your own online in Opinaika provided and maintained by Alfasoft Oy: Swedish grammar rules, examples and exercises. This is a clear set for practicing vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation (levels A1–A2) and texts, vocabulary and reading and listening comprehension (levels A1–B1). Metropolia students log in to the Opinaika service with their personal Metropolia credentials and the service is available until further notice. LearningSwedish contains online material to brush up your Swedish. The teaching languages are Swedish and English.

Finnish as a foreign language courses can be searched from  Search Finnish courses (levels A1–C). Aalto University's open test bank and level B2–C1 online material and Finnish for advanced learners provide open online study material for everyone. For more tips and self-study material for various levels, go to the  JobTeaser portal, available with a browser or the JobTeaser application.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

If a student has language and communication competence matching the curriculum acquired before the start of their studies, they may apply for recognition of prior learning, that is, official acceptance of them as part of either obligatory or elective studies. It does not matter how or when the prior learning was acquired. The competence may have been acquired through higher education studies, other training, working life or in one’s spare time or hobbies.

Language and communication teachers give a statement on RPL applications concerning language and communication studies. They may recommend that

• prior learning may be credited to replace courses in the curriculum
• competence must be demonstrated
• the competence must be complemented as a pedagogical solution
• the RPL application is rejected.

The degree programme confirms the statement, informs the student about the decision and records the courses credited, if any.

Language statement on degree certificate

The student's language competence is entered on the degree certificate's language statements, indicating the student's schooling language (Finnish, Swedish or a language other than Finnish or Swedish). Depending on the student's schooling language, the degree certificate includes

• the language of the student's maturity test
• language competence in the second national language (Finnish or Swedish)
• language competence in Finnish as a second language studies (in English-language degree programmes)
• language competence in a foreign language included in the degree programme
• any changes to language skill requirements.

The language statement indicates whether the student has fulfilled the language requirements in section 6 of the Act on the Knowledge of Languages Required of Personnel in Public Bodies (424/2003 and amendment 693/2016).

Further information and contact details 

For language and communication studies and any related matters, contact any Metropolia language and communication teachers and Metropolia's language coordinator Katja Hämäläinen, tel. 040 630 2601, email: katja.k.hamalainen [at] metropolia.fi (katja[dot]k[dot]hamalainen[at]metropolia[dot]fi).

See below the language and communication teachers in your school.