Kaj Sotala, writer, longtime LW contributor, MIRI visitor/researcher.
Background: BA (Cognitive Science, minor in Computer Science), University of Helsinki; working on MSc (Computer Science, minor in Mathematics), University of Helsinki. Personal website.
I notice you’re getting a masters with a minor attached. I didn’t know that you could do that, I thought you just got a masters in a single subject. Is that unique to Finish universities or is it a common thing?
It’s very common in Finnish universities, but I don’t know about elsewhere.
ETA: I think our minors are smaller than in other countries, though—Wikipedia says that “To obtain an academic minor, two years of study at university in a selected subject is the usual requirement”, but here you can obtain it with the equivalent of half a year to a full year worth of studies.
ETA2: Wait, that two years requirement fails a basic sanity check. Bachelor’s degrees are typically 3-4 years, right? So then a minor would constitute at least full half of your degree? That can’t be right.
I never had a minor, but it’s usually just a handful of classes scattered throughout the course offerings. I’ve known people to complete minors in three semesters, and it may be possible to do it in less if you have some of the prereqs out of the way.
Background: BA (Cognitive Science, minor in Computer Science), University of Helsinki; working on MSc (Computer Science, minor in Mathematics), University of Helsinki. Personal website.
Excellent, you’ll be added :)
I notice you’re getting a masters with a minor attached. I didn’t know that you could do that, I thought you just got a masters in a single subject. Is that unique to Finish universities or is it a common thing?
It’s very common in Finnish universities, but I don’t know about elsewhere.
ETA: I think our minors are smaller than in other countries, though—Wikipedia says that “To obtain an academic minor, two years of study at university in a selected subject is the usual requirement”, but here you can obtain it with the equivalent of half a year to a full year worth of studies.
ETA2: Wait, that two years requirement fails a basic sanity check. Bachelor’s degrees are typically 3-4 years, right? So then a minor would constitute at least full half of your degree? That can’t be right.
I never had a minor, but it’s usually just a handful of classes scattered throughout the course offerings. I’ve known people to complete minors in three semesters, and it may be possible to do it in less if you have some of the prereqs out of the way.