Support from study psychologists

Study psychologists have accumulated plenty of knowledge on study-related problems and facing and overcoming them. Our goal is to work with the other members of the university staff to ensure that the university can offer students the best possible environment for learning and studying. We participate in pedagogical development work and conduct research on learning.

Forms of collaboration between study psychologists and university staff

• personal consultation and discussion
• staff training
• cooperation courses and training events
• research cooperation
• materials to support teaching and supervision

Study Psychologists meet students and doctoral researchers when they need special support for their studies. To enable as many bachelor’s and master’s students as possible to receive support from study psychologists and from each other, the focus has to an increasing degree shifted from individual guidance to small group sessions, which are organized several times during the semesters. Individual guidance is available on a very limited basis for those bachelor’s and master’s students for whom small groups are not suitable for one reason or another. Doctoral researchers can independently book individual guidance sessions. Instructions on how to access the services of study psychologists can be found in the student guidelines. You can also familiarize yourself with the teaching guidelines regarding individual arrangements and challenging supervision situations.

• Are you worried about a student?
• Do you feel you have reached the limit of your skills as a supervisor?
• Have you encountered students with a learning disability?
• Does the student need individual arrangements?
• Are you looking for materials or tasks that you could use to support the students’ learning?
• Would you like to conduct research on topics related to study psychology?

As an employee of the University of Helsinki, you can call or send an e-mail to a study psychologist if you want to discuss your students’ problems. We have divided the faculties and campuses among the study psychologists so that each psychologist has a faculty that they collaborate more closely with. The division of responsibilities can be found at the end of this page. You can contact your faculty’s appointed study psychologist or the study psychologist you are used to dealing with, or whichever of us happens to be available.

If you encounter a student who needs individual guidance, you can contact the study psychologists by phone. The study psychologists each have assigned “mentor” faculties with which we collaborate more closely. The division of responsibilities can be found at the bottom of this page. You can contact the mentor study psychologist of your faculty, the study psychologist you are used to working with, or whoever is easiest for you to reach. You can also send an email to the study psychologists’ shared service address at opintopsykologi@helsinki.fi. Please note! If your message contains any confidential or identifiable information, use the encrypted e-mail.

The job description of study psychologists includes individual arrangements for learning. Our objective is to participate in developing accessible learning environments and pedagogical solutions that prevent the need for individual arrangements. If individual arrangements are needed, you can consult the study psychologists and direct to us students who need the arrangements.

Study psychologists participate in university-wide staff training events, such as the training on challenging supervision and guidance situations, which we organise annually with other experts at the university. We also take part in courses in university pedagogy. Study psychologists can be invited to participate in staff training sessions or workshops on topics such as supervising and encountering students, accomplishing things, motivation, stress, anxiety, or learning difficulties and their relation to teaching arrangements. Training events should be agreed on well in advance, as a large part of the study psychologists’ job is directed at counselling students and consulting teachers.

Study psychologists have produced videos that you can watch together with students as an introduction to the services provided by study psychologists or in various settings where the theme is student well-being and learning. If necessary, please ask for more directions on how to use the videos.   

SMART - a tool for breaking down study tasks and assignments

Problems in studying for a doctorate? Study psychologist services for doctoral researchers

You can contact the study psychologists by phone or by e-mail, either to the psychologists’ personal addresses or the joint study psychologists’ e-mail at opintopsykologi@helsinki.fi. Please note! If your message contains any confidential or identifiable information, use the encrypted e-mail.

City centre campus

Faculty of Humanities: Johanna Mikkonen

Faculty of Educational Sciences: Johanna Björklund

Faculty of Law: Seppo Hiltunen

Faculty of Theology: Emma Vilppo 

Faculty of Social Sciences: Johanna Björklund

Swedish School of Social Sciences: Johanna Björklund

Kumpula campus

Faculty of Science: Emma Vilppo 

Viikki campus

Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry: Janna Pöntinen

Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences: Janna Pöntinen

Faculty of Pharmacy: Seppo Hiltunen

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine: Janna Pöntinen

Meilahti campus

Faculty of Medicine: Jasmin Kurkaa

Doctoral researchers

Johanna Mikkonen

Other division of responsibilities

Chief Study Psychologist: Anu Lehtinen

Individual arrangements: Anu Lehtinen ja Johanna Mikkonen and faculty’s appointed study psychologist