PreDP

During the pre-year, students are expected to pass a minimum of 25 courses. This means that the average minimum workload is five courses/term.

All of the compulsory pre-year courses listed below must be completed.

Subject - Number of compulsory courses

• Finnish* - 3 (4 for students planning to choose DP Finnish A literature)

• English A - 4 (5 for students not studying Finnish as a mother tongue)

• Swedish B* - 2 (5 for students taking the matriculation examination test)

• Foreign languages* - Compulsory for those students who choose French, German ab initio or Finnish B in DP: French 1 course, German 1 course,  Finnish 3 courses.

• Economics 1-2 (2 for students planning to choose DP Economics)

• History - 1 (2 for students planning to choose DP History)

• Psychology - 1-2 (2 for students planning to choose DP Psychology)

• Biology - 1 (2 for students planning to choose DP Biology)

• ESS - 1 for the students planning to choose DP ESS

• Chemistry - 1 (2 for students planning to choose DP Chemistry)

• Physics - 1 (2 for students planning to choose DP Physics)

• Mathematics - 4 (5 for students planning to choose DP HL Math)

• preScience course - 1

*Finnish, Swedish and French are not compulsory for students who have no previous studies in them.

All of the above-mentioned compulsory courses must be studied during the pre-DP year. In addition, students choose other courses so that their total is at least 25 courses. 

Extra subjects particularly recommended for study include Physical Education, Music, Art and foreign languages. Please note that the courses taught in the national section are taught in Finnish!

The first 2 Swedish courses are compulsory for students who have previously studied Swedish. However, we recommend that students take all 5 Swedish courses on offer, which will make it possible, for those who so wish, to take the Swedish test of the Finnish matriculation examination during their second year.

Course 1 in subjects Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Economics, History and Psychology is compulsory. Those who are planning to continue with these subjects in the DP must also take the 2nd course (preBI2, prePHY2, preCH2, preEC2, preHI2, prePS2). Students are encouraged to take these optional courses even if they don’t plan to continue with the subject.

Course 1 in ESS is compulsory only if you are planning to study ESS in the DP programme.  

Students who don't have any previous studies in Finnish take course PreSU8.