Insinööri (amk)

Insinööri (amk) ('amk' short for ammattikorkeakoulu) is a four-year (240 ECTS) Bachelor of Engineering degree, given by institutions called Universities of Applied Sciences in Finland (comparable to the German Fachhochschule). The Swedish language term is ingenjör (YH), where "YH" is an abbreviation for "yrkeshögskola". Because the degree is a more practically oriented degree compared to the degree offered by Universities in Finland, a holder of an Insinööri wishing to get a Master's degree in engineering from a Finnish university may have to complete 60 ETCS worth of mathematical and scientific studies in addition to normal Master's degree requirement. If compared internationally, the degree is rather extensive. Its goal is to include sufficient skills and knowledge to enter the workforce, not academic studies.

Usually the insinööri (amk) (240 ECTS) consists 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 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). The amount of practical training in Insinööri (amk) is ca. 45 ECTS, which is far more than the requirement for a comparable university degree. Due to this difference, university degrees and degrees received from Universities of Applied Sciences are not directly comparable. Unlike students in Universities of Applied Sciences, university students are supposed to gather relevant work experience independently as practical training is not such an integral part of the degree.

The insinööri (ylempi amk) or insinööri (yamk) 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 (insinööri (ylempi amk)) is the new terminal degree. In contrast to University degrees, one cannot directly apply a right to study for a higher AMK degree upon graduation, because the applying qualifications include a minimum of three years work experience after Bachelors degree.

In terms of education level, this degree is to be considered to be at par with traditional Master's degrees by Finnish Law, which considers the degree as equivalent to University Master's degrees in the context of public services.

However, Insinööri (ylempi amk) does not entitle the holder to apply directly for post-graduate studies, namely Licentiate's and Doctor's degrees, at a University. It is also widely disputed, whether the traditional Master's degrees in Technology (diplomi-insinööri) and the new Insinööri (ylempi amk) are comparable in terms of academic skills, as the former has a significantly broader base in natural sciences than the latter.