Courses and study modules

The degree consists of 100 ECTS of advanced studies and 20 ECTS of optional studies from this or other programmes. With your choices of courses, you can tailor your degree depending on your aspirations.
About the courses and study modules

The extent of the Master's Programme in Integrative Plant Sciences is 120 credits (ECTS), to be completed in two years of full-time studies. The degree consists of 100 ECTS of advanced studies and 20 ECTS of optional studies from this or other programmes. The advanced studies consist of joint courses (30 ECTS), two alternative study modules (40 ECTS) and the Master's thesis (30 ECTS).

With your choices of courses, you can deepen your expertise in particular areas of integrative plant sciences. Your degree can thus be tailored depending on your aspirations, whether you want to be a university researcher, entrepreneur, or environmental/agricultural consultant. You can also pick individual courses from any module for your elective studies. However, each module is a coherent entity so we recommend taking all the courses in a module.

The joint courses, study modules and examples of other available courses are presented on this page.
Joint stud­ies

Joint studies in the MSc Programme in Integrative Plant Sciences, 60 cr       

  • IPS-001 Personal Study Plan (PSP), 0 cr
  • IPS-113  Advanced Plant Physiology, 5 cr
  • IPS-002 Plants in a Changing World, 5 cr                    
  • IPS-003 Design and Planning of Biological Experiments, 5 cr
  • IPS-004A Master’s Thesis Seminar, 5 cr
  • IPS-004B Master’s Thesis Seminar part 2, 5 cr
  • IPS-005 Literature Examination, 5 cr
  • IPS-006 Master’s Thesis, 30 cr
  • VIIKB-001 Maturity Essay, 0 cr
Mod­ule in Plant Mo­lecu­lar Bio­logy

IPS-300 Plant Molecular Biology, 20 cr

  • IPS-122 Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, 5 cr
  • IPS-123 Laboratory Course in Plant Biotechnology, 5 cr
  • IPS-111 Plant Developmental Biology, 5 cr
  • IPS-121 Plant Biochemistry, 5 cr
Mod­ule in Plants, Genomes and Future Environments

IPS-400 Plants, Genomes and Future Environments, 20 cr

  • IPS-125 Plant Genetics and Environmental Responses, 5 cr
  • AGRI-285 Translational Plant Biology, 5 cr

Alternative, choose 10 cr:

  • FOR-279 Forest Tree Genomics, Evolution and Adaptation, 5 cr
  • IPS-124 Laboratory Course in Plant Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, 5 cr
  • IPS-008 Advanced Training in a Research Group, 5 cr
  • EEB-003 Statistical methods in Ecology, 5 cr
Mod­ule in Plant and Fungal Diversity

IPS-500 Plant and Fungal Diversity, 20 cr

Alternative, choose 20 cr

  • IPS-173 Mapping Plant Distributions, 5 cr
  • IPS-177 Fennoscandian Flora, 5 cr (web)
  • IPS-153 Flora of Subarctic Europe, 5 cr (web)
  • IPS-171 Boreal Bryophytes and Lichens, 5 cr (web or at museum)
  • IPS-178 Threatened Vascular Plants of Finland, 5 cr (web) 
  • IPS-174 Temperate and Tropical Flora, 5 cr (web)
  • EKOL4311 Tropical Plant Families, 5 op  (web + botanical garden)
  • IPS-181 Field Course on Botany I, 5 cr (any field course)
  • IPS-182 Field Course on Botany II, 5 cr (any field course)
Mod­ule in Changing Vegetation

IPS-600 Changing Vegetation, 20 cr

Alternative, choose 20 cr

  • IPS-183 Vegetation Analysis, 5 cr (web)
  • IPS-181 Field Course on Botany I, 5 cr (any field course)
  • IPS-182 Field Course on Botany II, 5 cr (any field course)
  • IPS-010 Learning by Doing in Scientific Natural History Collections, 5 cr
  • EEB-301 Fundamentals of Conservation Biology, 5 cr (web)
  • ECGS-907 Urban Biodiversity, 5 cr
  • ECGS-903 Urban Ecosystem Ecology, 5 cr
  • AGRI-247 Tropical Plants of Economic Importance, 5 cr (web)
  • EEB-003 Statistical methods in Ecology, 5 cr
Field courses

The Master's Programme in Integrative Plant Sciences offers some alternative field courses that can be included in your studies:

  • IPS-173 Mapping Plant Distributions, 5 cr (summer, EVEN years)
  • IPS-181 Field Course on Botany I, 5 cr (any field course) (periods I, IV or summer)
  • IPS-182 Field Course on Botany II, 5 cr (any field course) (periods I, IV or summer)

The courses above are located at following research stations:

Read more about the Research stations at the University of Helsinki.

Some of the field courses can be accomplished remotely – be in touch with the responsible teacher to find out more.
Ca­reer ori­ent­a­tion and pro­fes­sional skills train­ing (ex­amples)

Career orientation and professional skills training (examples)

  • IPS-008 Advanced Training in a Research Group, 5-10 cr
  • IPS-009 Practical Training, 5-10 cr
  • IPS-011 Project Work, 5 cr
  • IPS-012 Plant Biology Journal Club, 5 cr
  • IPS-013 Symposia and Seminars, 1-5 cr
  • IPS-014 Learning by Teaching, 2-5 cr
  • VIIKB-002 Tutoring , 5 cr
  • VIIKB-005 Demanding Participation in Administrative Bodies and Student Organisations, 2-5 cr
Other op­tional stud­ies (ex­amples)

Optional studies from student’s own programme or from other programmes (examples):
IPS courses offered to ex­change and visiting stu­dents

IPS programme also welcomes exchange and visiting students.

Please find here the list of IPS courses 2023-2024 open for exchange and visiting students
IPS courses and modules offered to other degree programmes

IPS modules and courses offered to other degree programmes 2023-2026

Search the course descriptions in Sisu by code or name

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IPS-350 Plant Molecular Biology, 15 cr

  • IPS-122 Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, 5 cr (period II)
  • IPS-111 Plant Developmental Biology, 5 cr (period II, EVEN years)
  • IPS-121 Plant Biochemistry, 5 cr (period II, ODD years)

IPS-450 Plants, Genomes and Future Environments, 15 cr

  • IPS-125 Plant Genetics and Environmental Responses, 5 cr (period IV)
  • AGRI-285 Translational Plant Biology, 5 cr (period III)
  • FOR-279 Forest Tree Genomics, Evolution and Adaptation, 5 cr (period III, ODD years)

IPS-550 Plant and Fungal Diversity, 15 cr

Alternative, choose 15 cr

  • IPS-177 Fennoscandian Flora, 5 cr (web) (any periods)
  • IPS-153 Flora of Subarctic Europe, 5 cr (web) (any periods)
  • IPS-171 Boreal Bryophytes and Lichens, 5 cr (web or at museum) (any periods)
  • IPS-178 Threatened Vascular Plants of Finland, 5 cr (web) (any periods)
  • IPS-174 Temperate and Tropical Flora, 5 cr (web) (any periods)
More about the programme