Humak’s guidance and coaching principles have been prepared on the basis of the National Board of Education’s publication Good Criteria for Guidance and the quality criteria for digital guidance prepared in the eUAS project. 

1. Planning, purpose, and timelines: You will receive guidance and coaching that meets your needs at all stages of your studies as part of the Professional Development 5 ECTS course. You know how to seek guidance and who to contact in different situations. 

2. Accessibility: Accessibility refers to the realization of the physical, mental and social environment so that everyone, regardless of their characteristics, can function on an equal footing with others. Accessibility also includes linguistic accessibility. You are entitled to individual support based on, for example, learning difficulties, disability, illness, or cultural background. Guidance is available in different ways (individual and group guidance) and with different tools. 

3. Supporting professional development, lifelong learning, and career planning: Throughout your studies, you will receive support for your studies, the identification and description of your own skills, and your professional development. You identify different job, employment, and postgraduate study opportunities in relation to your own skills. You will be able to make plans and choices for your future career and proceed accordingly. 

4. Activity, inclusion, and responsibility: You have an active role in advancing your own studies. You plan your own study and career path with the support of guidance and coaching. You set goals for your own competencies through a competency-based curriculum. 

5. Ethics, confidentiality, and safety: Guidance and coaching take into account the general ethical principles of study guidance. There is an atmosphere of trust, and the space provides undisturbed concentration and protection of privacy. The guidance situation meets the requirements set for data security and protection. 

Well-being: You are offered services and activities that support your studies and everyday life. Your life situation and resources are taken into account in your guidance and personal study plan (PSP).

The Bachelor’s and Master’s degree student guidance infographic shows what guidance and coaching is offered to degree students throughout their studies.

Explore the content by clicking on the tags. You can listen to the text box content in your preferred voice and language. Click Fullscreen below the image for a larger view, or access the image directly here.

The guidance infographic for Open UAS students shows what guidance and coaching is offered to open education students throughout their studies.

Explore the content by clicking on the tags. You can listen to the text box content in your preferred voice and language. Click Fullscreen below the image for a larger view, or access the image directly here.

Every degree student at Humak is assigned a personal coach who supports you professionally throughout your studies. You can find your PSP Coach’s name on Peppi’s Student Desktop under the Study Information tab (top right corner Settings > Study Information).

Your PSP (Personal Study Plan) is created together with your coach at the beginning of your studies and updated throughout. The PSP Coach’s role is to support you in completing your degree, developing professional and working life skills, and finding your career path while taking into account your life situation and resources.

The PSP Coach’s role includes:

Individual and group coaching

PSP group coaching addresses matters and competencies related to your field and facilitates group bonding. Individual coaching focuses on personal professional growth and career prospects.

Your PSP Coach supports and encourages you throughout your studies. Guidance and coaching are based on the curriculum as well as your personal goals and career plans. Your PSP Coach monitors your professional development through an annual coaching discussion, based on a coaching discussion form you complete. The form takes into account general and field-specific competencies.

Creating a Personal Study Plan (PSP) together with the student

You create your PSP at the beginning of your studies together with your PSP Coach and update it throughout your studies. The PSP helps you plan and schedule your studies and monitor your progress.

You can find your PSP on Peppi’s Student Desktop. For more detailed PSP instructions, see the Student Guide.

RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) procedure

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is conducted at the beginning of your studies together with your PSP Coach. You can apply for credit transfers using Peppi’s eRPL tool, where your application will be processed.

Competencies acquired before the start of your studies are recognized during the first semester. This facilitates creating your PSP and understanding your studies as a whole. Remember to show all your eRPL applications to your PSP Coach, except for language studies.

For more detailed instructions on the RPL procedure, see the Student Guide here.

Monitoring study progress

You are responsible for the progress of your studies. Your annual study credits should be at least 60 to graduate on time. Your PSP Coach monitors your study progress regularly and will contact you if necessary.

If your studies are delayed, you will receive additional support from your region’s Study Counsellor. Your PSP Coach may also refer you to the Study Counsellor. You can participate in the Study Counsellor’s workshop sessions, arrange an individual meeting, or participate in the Better Study Skills 2 ECTS course (VAPHU9), which addresses topics such as time management, motivation, and resources.

Supporting career planning

Your PSP Coach helps you explore professions and roles you can pursue with your degree. They support you in identifying your competencies and development needs in relation to working life requirements and guide you in achieving your goals on your chosen career path. Career planning is included in the Career Planning 5 ECTS course (KATO2).

Referring students onwards when necessary

Your PSP Coach will refer you to the appropriate service when needed, such as to a Study Counsellor or healthcare professionals. You can also contact these parties directly.

Humak’s degree programme curricula consist of courses, with one or more implementations organized during the academic year. Each implementation has a designated responsible lecturer whose responsibilities and duties are described below. An implementation may have several lecturers with coaching responsibilities. Internship supervisors and thesis supervisors are also lecturers responsible for implementations. The lecturer’s role includes:

Managing course content, completion instructions, and assessment criteria

The lecturer responsible for the implementation manages the course content, completion instructions, and assessment criteria. These can be found in Hoodle, Humak’s online learning environment. If you wish to complete the course through work-based learning, discuss this with the responsible lecturer if the implementation is starting or ongoing. Otherwise, contact your PSP Coach.

Note: If you are completing studies in a Humak RDI project, the project manager or project worker is responsible for supervising your work tasks. The lecturer responsible for the implementation is responsible for coaching related to the course completion.

Coaching related to course content

The lecturer responsible for the implementation provides professional coaching related to the course content and objectives. Humak uses coaching pedagogy, where studying is carried out in purposeful groups according to the course and stage of studies. Students work on workplace-oriented projects, acquiring information themselves and building new understanding. The lecturer responsible for the implementation supports your learning and you can contact them as needed. The lecturer will indicate in the course’s Hoodle environment how best to reach them.

Course coaching takes place as contact teaching on campuses and/or online. Teaching times can be found in Lukkarikone.

Monitoring activity during the course implementation

The lecturer responsible for the implementation monitors your activity and progress during the implementation. Most online implementations use progress tracking, which allows you to monitor your own progress. Humak also uses the PLD tool (personalized learning design), through which you receive messages from lecturers, for example, about assignments, approaching deadlines, or the end of the implementation.

Assessing student performance, providing feedback, and recording completions

Course assessment criteria and forms are described implementation-specifically in Hoodle. You receive clear information about what is assessed, what the assessment is based on, and how it is conducted. The implementation may include lecturer assessment and feedback as well as self- and peer assessment. Qualitative feedback is recorded in the Hoodle online learning environment and grades in Peppi.

Collecting and processing student feedback

Student feedback on courses is collected implementation-specifically using an electronic feedback form at the end of the implementation. The lecturer responsible for the implementation processes the feedback and implements necessary development measures for the next implementation.

If you encounter challenges during your studies related to, for example, study skills, ability, or study progress, you can contact your Study Counsellor. You can arrange an individual meeting face-to-face or online, or participate in workshops, study days, or drop-in sessions organized by Study Counsellors. Additional support is also available by participating in the freely selectable course Better Study Skills 2 ECTS (VAPHU9).

The Study Counsellor’s role includes:

Guidance on study skills and strengthening study ability

The Study Counsellor supports you in study skills required in higher education, such as information retrieval, producing expert texts, time management, and self-direction. You receive help and tips for completing learning assignments and systematically advancing your studies. The Study Counsellor helps you identify your strengths, development needs, and competencies, and strengthen your study ability and motivation.

Support related to learning difficulties and obstacles

The Study Counsellor supports you with difficulties related to study progress. If your studies have been delayed or are not progressing as planned due to psychological, physical, or social reasons, contact your Study Counsellor. You can participate in workshop sessions, arrange an individual meeting, or participate in the Better Study Skills 2 ECTS course (VAPHU9), which addresses topics such as time management, motivation, and resources.

Individual arrangements and consideration of accessibility

As a student, you often know best what kind of arrangements you need. If you have learning difficulties, a health condition affecting your studies, or support needs related to cultural and language background, contact the Study Counsellor at the beginning of your studies.

Possible individual arrangements are agreed upon with the Study Counsellor (for example, extra time in exams, assignment submissions, or alternative completion methods). Present any certificates and statements related to the arrangements to the Study Counsellor. The agreed arrangements are recorded in Peppi’s agreement bank, and the Study Counsellor and your PSP Coach are added as parties to the agreement. This way, the arrangements can be taken into account implementation-specifically in coaching. You can discuss with the lecturer responsible for the implementation what the arrangements mean for that specific implementation.

Intensive study guidance and career planning

If your studies are not progressing on schedule or you have many unfinished assignments, you can arrange a meeting with the Study Counsellor. In the meeting, you will seek solutions to your situation together. Your PSP Coach may also refer you to the Study Counsellor. In spring, the Better Study Skills 2 ECTS course (VAPHU9) is organized, covering topics such as time management, motivation, and resources. Participate if needed.

Career paths and planning skills are addressed in the Career Planning 5 ECTS course (KATO2) and in coaching discussions. If you need additional support in finding your career path, you can turn to the Study Counsellor.

Student wellbeing

The Study Counsellor organizes student wellbeing support measures in the region, such as theme days and early intervention model practices. The Study Counsellor supports you in problematic situations that make studying difficult.

Referring students onwards

The Study Counsellor will refer you to the appropriate service when needed, for example, to healthcare professionals for health matters. You can also contact student health services or other support services directly. Familiarize yourself with services on the Student Wellbeing and Health page in the Student Guide.

Study Counsellor contact details

Cultural Management degree programmes and Interpreting degree programmes, as well as Development of Interpreting Services (Master’s) and European Master in Sign Language Interpreting (EUMASLI)

• Hanna Putkonen, email: hanna.putkonen@humak.fi

Community Educator NGO and Youth Work degree programmes

• Tarja Jukkala, email: janu-opo@humak.fi
• Katja Munter, email: janu-opo@humak.fi

Master’s degree programmes (Community Educator and Cultural Management), Community Educator Workplace Development programme, and Community Educator Adventure Education programme

• Anna-Maija Riutta, email: anna-maija.riutta@humak.fi

You can turn to the Student Welfare Officer if you need support with mental, social and everyday wellbeing. The Student Welfare Officer provides low-threshold conversational support and responds to crisis situations, supporting you through them. They support you with mental health and coping challenges, promote social relationships and sense of community, and help with everyday life management (e.g. housing, finances, accessing services). The Student Welfare Officer also identifies and supports you with neuropsychiatric challenges.

What matters can you contact the school welfare officer about?

• Stalled studies
• Returning to studies after a long break
• Study skills
• Time management and daily life management
• Issues related to academic self-esteem
• Coping and stress
• Studying with an illness or other challenging life situation

Number of Appointments

You can book 1–5 appointments with the school welfare officer during the academic year. In crisis situations and particularly challenging cases, I will use my discretion. We will plan together an appointment schedule that best supports your studies.

Limitations of the Student Welfare Service

If you are in intensive therapy (e.g., 2x per week) or in Oma väylä rehabilitation, I will generally allocate the student welfare service resources to other students, so that as many as possible receive the support they need. However, we can agree on lighter follow-up (e.g., check-up meetings at the beginning of each semester), or I will direct you to other support services if necessary.

Client Information System

The student welfare service uses the MinduuPro client information system, where key client information is stored. Information is stored to ensure the quality of service, to safeguard the legal protection and interests of both the client and the school welfare officer, and to collect anonymous statistical data. Conversations with the school welfare officer are confidential, as is the information collected in the system. Only the school welfare officer can see the information they have recorded in MinduuPro. You have the right to review information about yourself recorded in the system.

How do I book an appointment with the Student Welfare Officer?

Appointments with the Student Welfare Officer can be easily booked through the Bookings website. You can see available times directly and book a time that suits you whenever it’s convenient for you – booking is possible at any time of day.

The booking site can be found here: Bookings – Outlook

New appointments are added to the site regularly. If all times appear to be booked, check back again later.

You can also contact the Student Welfare Officer by email or Teams message. However, please make appointments primarily through the Bookings website.

Important: If you cannot make your booked appointment, remember to cancel it through Bookings (or by email at kuraattori@humak.fi)! This way, another student can book that time slot. A non-cancelled appointment will count as one visit.

Student Welfare Officer contact details

– Tiia Herala, kuraattori@humak.fi, tel. 050 453 5040