Insinööri (amk)

Insinööri (amk), 'amk' short for ammattikorkeakoulu, is a 4-year (240 ECTS) engineering degree, given by an institution roughly corresponding to a community college (called "University of Applied Sciences" and comparable to the German Fachhochschule). The Swedish language term is called ingenjör (YH), where "YH" is an abbreviation for "yrkeshögskola". In the Finnish system, it is not considered a lower university degree, so it is not accepted in full instead of a university B.Sc. Tech if you decide to go for further studies in a university. If compared internationally, the degree is rather extensive, and similar community college degrees are considered to be university level in other countries, so the comparison to a B.Sc. Tech. is entirely appropriate (while insinööri (amk) is by far longer in duration than Finnish University B.Sc. Tech, which is 180 ECTS - M. Sc. in both is 300 ECTS). Its goal is to include sufficient skills and knowledge to enter the workforce, not academic studies.

Usually the "insinööri (amk)" (240 ECTS) consist of basic studies, professional studies, free choice studies, practical training and final thesis. Quite often the selected degree programme (field of engineering) is divided into specialisation options, where the aforementioned fields are emphasised in different ways. Engineering students choose their degrees specialisation after first or second year.

"Insinööri (amk)" is not related, and has very little in common with the new (introduced 2005) university degree "tekniikan kandidaatti" or "TkK", since "TkK" includes very little practical education, and is in practice an intermediate step on the way to "diplomi-insinööri" (a Master's level degree). There is little interoperability between the two systems, i.e. if an "insinööri (amk)" wishes to enroll to a university, he is on par with the high school graduates; however, about 90 ECTS are compensated. The curricula of mathematics and theoretical studies is rather extensive in the DI degree, and much of it is not included in the AMK degree.

The "ylempi insinööri (amk)" degree

Traditionally, the "insinööri (amk)" is a terminal degree. However, in 2005, the degree of higher AMK engineer was introduced for two additional years of study (60 ECTS), so the higher AMK degree ("ylempi insinööri (amk)") is the new terminal degree. In contrast to Universities, you can not directly get a right to study for a higher AMK degree, because its applying qualifications include a minimum of three years work experience after Bachelors degree.

University advocates consider this an attempt by the AMK's to masquerade as universities, leading to a system of "good" and "bad" universities.

This degree is to be considered equal to traditional Master's degrees, according to the Finnish Law, and it qualifies the holder of such a degree to positions within public services, which previously had been reserved to holders of higher university or polytechnic degrees.