Diak English glossary

The abstract is the English-language summary of a thesis.

The period from August 1st to July 31st, consisting of two semesters.

A person who has graduated from the institution. The alumni community offers networking opportunities and events after graduation.

Your competence is assessed in relation to the learning outcomes set for the early, intermediate and final stages of your studies. The assessment criteria are always aligned with your stage of study and the objectives of the course.

In the assessment of a bachelor’s thesis at a university of applied sciences, attention is paid to the relevance and formulation of the topic, the justification of your choices, your independent thinking and actions, the structure of the thesis, as well as the publication and utilisation of the work.

The assessment criteria can be found in Diak’s CBPR Guide.

Degree education that combines in-person, distance, and independent study as well as group work. Studies begin with an intensive study week. Subsequently, studies include contact or a distance learning 2-3 days per week or 1–2 full weeks per month depending on the degree. Studies are work-oriented and include practical training. During the practical training, students follow the working hours and terms of employment of the specific field in the actual working life.

An implementation that includes both campus and online teaching as well as independent work. The structure may vary by implementation.

A supervised exam held on campus premises at a certain time.

A guide for completing learning assignments and the thesis. The CBPR Guide provides templates for learning assignments as well as instructions for, among other things, citations, reference lists and the maturity exam.

Teaching where students participate in the same session/teaching situation simultaneously, either on-campus or online.

See: Study unit.

The plan for a degree program describing learning outcomes, contents, and assessment criteria. It also includes course descriptions and serves as a basis for implementation plans and study progression.

Research-based and reliable information from different fields is compiled into databases and directories. They are maintained, for example, by libraries, research institutes and public authorities. Finna, for instance, provides access to a vast amount of peer‑reviewed and trustworthy information produced in Finland.

Degree education primarily occurring on weekdays. Contact teaching happens on campus 3–5 days a week. It also includes independent study, group work, and online teaching. After the first year, the amount of online teaching increases. Studies include practical training. During the practical training, students follow the working hours and terms of employment of the specific field in the actual working life.

An implementation of a study unit which has the teaching held on campus during weekdays, mainly during the day.

The set of guidelines governing studying and teaching.

The library and information services at Diak provide a search service called Diak Finna (for books, scientific articles, material and data etc.) as a part of nationwide Finna -services. Through Diak Finna you can find both printed collections and e-resources.

The online learning environment used at Diak. The study units have their own Diakle areas, where the course material, learning assignments and exams are found.

Teaching and learning situations attended online. See also: Online Teaching.

A reporting system used at Diak, through which students and staff can report any irregularities related to study and working spaces or to studying itself, in order to promote safety and well-being.

A first-year student. This is a common term used in higher education institutions.

The Finnish Student Health Service, providing healthcare for UAS and university students.

Each entry cohort of students is assigned its own group advisor as a group coordinator. Group advisors are teachers.

A trained support person from O’Diako whom students can contact in cases of harassment.

Hybrid teaching is an educational model in which some students attend teaching in-person on campus, while others join online.

Studying that is not tied to a specific time or place. The student works at their own pace while following the course schedule.

See Library and information services.

Guidance and support related to international affairs.

Technical support for using devices and software systems.

A reservation system for practical training workplaces. Jobiili covers all the health and social care students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences. Students use Jobiili to reserve a workplace for their practical training, which is then confirmed by a teacher at Diak.

The student’s own laptop. A laptop is required for teaching, examinations and the use of digital learning environments.

Descriptions of proficiency of what students are expected to have learnt after completing a a study unit/course.  Learning outcomes guide the learning and assessment.

Support for learning materials and information retrieval, including guidance on using sources.

Lukkarikone translates best as a schedule assistant tool. It is a tool for viewing student timetables, upcoming lessons, and assigned classrooms.

A Master’s degree from a university of applied sciences, aimed at experts with a degree and at least two years of work experience.

A cloud-based workspace for studies, including services such as Teams and OneDrive.

There are ready-made templates for thesis reports. The page settings have been pre-set in the template.

The student administration system for registrations, grades, and applications. Every student uses MyDiak for the management of their studies.

An implementation of a study unit that is completed independently online during a specified timeframe. The student can start and progress at their own pace. The study unit is available non-stop, around the academic year.

The Student Union of Diak. The purpose of O’Diako is to represent students and promote their interests.

Degree programme, which is mainly implemented online. Teaching takes place online via remote connection approximately two days a week and as independent study and group work. In online degree programme, all contact teaching takes place online. The exception is health care education, which begins with orientation days organised on campus and includes some days of classroom teaching during the semester (for example clinical studies and exams). The studies are work-oriented and include work placements at workplaces. The training follows the terms and conditions and working hours of the training location and field.

An implementation of a study unit that is completed entirely online.

Teaching and learning situations attended online. The teacher and students are in different locations but participate in the same session/learning situation simultaneously via the internet.

Studies at the Open University of Applied Sciences (Open UAS) without a right to complete a degree. The credits gained from studying at the Open UAS can later be transferred to a degree.

Additional guidance for learning, such as support for medication calculations, information retrieval, or languages.

An opponent is a peer reviewer who leads a session of constructive feedback.  

Opposition is a discussion session led by an opponent, during which constructive feedback is given to the author of the work or thesis.

Paid placements, officially referred to as employment-based placements, mean that the placement is completed under an employment contract. Such a placement is possible only if the learning objectives of the placement can be achieved at the workplace.

The principle of participatory development means that development work is carried out collaboratively with workplaces, organisations, clients, citizens and other stakeholders.

Open UAS studies through which one can later apply to become a degree student. The student completes some of the degree studies as Open UAS studies.

Studies aimed at secondary education students to facilitate admission as a degree student.

A final‑stage Bachelor of Social Services student at Diak who completes their last placement at Diak. They provide peer support for Diak students.

Student’s individual plan for the progression of their studies. The personal study plan is managed via the MyDiak system.

Time-limited research or development initiatives implemented with clear goals and separate funding. At Diak, projects are conducted with partners, and their content is based on the partners’ needs and Diak’s expertise. Students have the opportunity to complete study credits within a project. See also: RDI.

A module of Open UAS studies used to supplement a previous degree to meet specific professional qualification requirements.

Research, development and innovation (RDI) activities carried out at Diak alongside its educational provision, as is the case at other universities of applied sciences.

As a rule, you must apply for a research permit from the organisation or community that is the subject of your published research, collaborative project or research‑based thesis. Attach your thesis plan, or a summary of it, approved by your thesis supervisor to the permit application. Application procedures vary between organisations, so it is essential to check the specific guidelines and practices of your own partner organisation.

Recognition of Prior Learning. A student can have their previous studies or work experience accredited towards their degree.

Scientific articles are published in academic journals or periodicals. In these articles, researchers – for example doctoral candidates – describe the implementation and results of their studies or development projects. When searching for scientific articles, it is important to recognise the typical structure of an academic article. It is also essential to be able to identify the types of publications in which scientific articles are found.

Semester is an academic term referring to a division of the academic year, split into autumn and spring period. That is the autumn semester and the spring semester.

Senior Lecturer is the professional title for a teacher at a University of Applied Sciences.

Legislation that ensures students are suitable for their studies and future professional life regarding safety.

Support for learning disabilities, study skills, and challenges with neurodiversity. A special education teacher can provide recommendations for individual study arrangements.

Promoting students’ interests and addressing disadvantages related to studies. Advocacy is carried out to support student well-being and progression of studies. See also: O’Diako.

Support for study planning, progression, and well-being. Study counsellors help especially during transitions or changes.

Professional conversational support for students for well-being and for different situations in life. The service is confidential.

The process of converting workplace learning or other informal learning experiences into formal academic credits within a degree program, as agreed upon with teachers.

A unit of measurement for student workload. One credit corresponds to approximately 27 hours of student work.

Administrative support for study-related matters, such as certificates and enrollment.

An individual study unit, a course, of a degree or program with defined learning outcomes and assessment criteria. One study unit can be part of different study programme curricula and also therefore have multiple implementations.

A description of how a course is delivered, defining schedules, teaching methods, and assessment practices.

Services such as school welfare officers, special education teachers, and support workshops that promote student well-being.

In the university of applied sciences (UAS) the title of a teacher is Senior Lecturer.

According to Section 22 of Diak’s Degree Regulations, the thesis is completed as a pair work or in a small group.

Theseus is a service provided by Arene – the Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences. It gives you access to theses and publications from universities of applied sciences across Finland.

Thesis is an academic final project of a degree demonstrating professional expertise, completed independently with the support of a thesis supervisor.

An implementation of a study unit that includes scheduled lessons requiring attendance at specific times.

An official document of completed studies and grades.

Plagiarism detection software used for theses and other written assignments.

A mobile app for students that compiles information on services like timetables, and it contains e.g. the digital student card.

A confidential and anonymous channel provided by DIAK through which employees, students, or other relevant actors can report suspected illegal activities, misconduct, or violations of ethical principles.

A study module completed at a workplace in the working life under the guidance of a supervisor. The objectives and assessment are defined in the description of the study units. Students follow the working hours and terms of employment of the specific field in the actual working life.

A browser‑based application used at Diak during work placement. In Workseed, the student formulates the goals for the practical training period, completes the hour tracking, and conducts a self‑assessment.