The Regulation is established on the basis of clause 5 (3) 1) of the Tallinn University of Technology Act.

Chapter 1
GENERAL PROVISIONS

§ 1. Purpose

The Study Programme Statute (hereinafter “the Statute”) lays down the structure of degree study programmes at Tallinn University of Technology (hereinafter “the university”) and the conditions and procedures for their preparation, opening, evaluation, amendment and closure.

§ 2. A study programme and its structure

(1) Studies shall be conducted according to a study programme.

(2) A study programme serves as the basis for higher education studies and lays down the objectives, learning outcomes, nominal duration and workload of studies, the language of instruction, admission requirements, the list of courses, specialisation opportunities, and the conditions for completing the programme.

(3) The study programmes offered under a cooperation agreement include joint study programmes and double degree study programmes. The cooperation agreement shall specify, at a minimum, the degree title to be awarded to graduates and arrangements for managing and financing the study programme (e.g. tuition fees and the distribution of costs and income between the partners), admitting and selecting students, student and staff mobility, and organisational matters (such as examination procedures, assessment, recognition of credits and the awarding of degrees).

1) A joint study programme is a study programme jointly developed and managed by the university and one or more higher education institutions under a cooperation agreement. The modules and workload of a joint study programme may differ from the modules and minimum course workload specified in subsection 3 (3) of the Statute. Joint study programmes are opened, amended and closed in accordance with the Statute, unless the cooperation agreement between the parties provides otherwise.

2) A person who has completed a joint study programme in full shall be awarded a joint diploma if the programme is offered by the university in cooperation with another Estonian higher education institution. If the programme is offered by the university and a foreign higher education institution, the graduate shall receive separate graduation documents from the university and the foreign partner institution.

3) A double degree study programme is a study programme that may be offered based on a cooperation agreement between two or more higher education institutions. A prerequisite for concluding a cooperation agreement is that the participating institutions offer study programmes with similar courses, the full completion of which leads to the award of two or more graduation documents officially recognised in the countries where the respective higher education institutions are located. [entry into force 01.01.2026]

(4) The nominal duration of a study programme is the designated period of time required to complete the programme.

(5) A study programme consists of courses arranged into modules. A module may comprise several courses forming a coherent whole or a single course.

(6) The workload of a study programme, module or course shall be measured in academic workload units, i.e. European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System credits (hereinafter referred to as “ECTS credits”). One ECTS credit corresponds to 26 hours of student work.

(7) As a rule, the workload of a course is 6 ECTS credits.

(8) A study programme may include one or more main fields of study, i.e. areas of specialisation. “Main field of study” means a set of professional knowledge, skills and attitudes acquired through studies that enable a graduate to enter employment in the relevant field or to continue their studies in the next cycle of higher education on the same or a related study programme. [entry into force 01.01.2026]

(9) One or more minor fields of study may be formed from the courses within a study programme. “Minor field of study” means a set of professional knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable students who select this field of study to acquire additional knowledge and develop competencies to enter employment in the relevant field or continue their studies in the next cycle of higher education. The workload of a minor field of study in the first or second cycle of higher education shall be at least 45 ECTS credits. If a minor field of study includes courses that are part of the student’s study programme, those courses shall count towards the completion of both the minor field of study and the study programme. [entry into force 01.01.2026]

(10) The study programmes, their nominal duration and workload are as follows:

*In doctoral studies, the workload  is measured in hours.

Chapter 2
BACHELOR’S, PROFESSIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION,
MASTER’S  AND INTEGRATED BACHELOR’S AND MASTER’S STUDY PROGRAMMES

§ 3. Requirements for bachelor’s, professional higher education, master’s and integrated bachelor’s and master’s (hereinafter referred to as “integrated”) study programmes

(1) A study programme consists of the following modules:
1) general studies, the goal of which is to develop transversal knowledge and skills;
2) core studies, the goal of which is to provide a foundation in the relevant broad group of studies and field of study;
3) specialised studies, including an internship, the goal of which is to acquire the knowledge and skills directly related to the field of study described in the study programme and to enter employment in the relevant field or continue studies in the next cycle of higher education;
4) free-choice studies, the goal of which is to acquire competencies through courses that are not included in the study programme and that the student may choose freely;
5) a graduation thesis or final exam, a study programme version may offer both as alternatives.

(2) A study programme version is the version of a study programme entered in the study information system for students admitted in the relevant academic year.

(3) Minimum workload of study programme modules (ECTS credits) [entry into force 01.01.2026]

¹Specialised studies and a graduation thesis/final exam are mandatory modules of master’s degree programmes with a nominal duration of one year. General, core and free-choice study modules may be included as necessary.
² In master’s programmes with a nominal duration of 1.5 years (90 ECTS credits), the workload of core and specialised studies is proportionally smaller.
³In master’s studies, an internship is required where it is necessary to achieve the learning outcomes.
⁴In a professional higher education programme, an internship shall account for at least 15% of the total workload of the programme.
⁵In professional higher education programmes with a nominal duration of 3.5 years (210 ECTS credits), the workload of specialised studies is proportionally smaller.

(4) Elective courses shall account for at least 15% of the workload of a study programme. In each module containing elective courses, the total workload of the elective courses offered shall be at least 1.3 times the workload of elective courses required for completion of the module.

(5) Bachelor’s, professional higher education and integrated study programmes shall comprise, among other things:
1) discipline-specific skills, including entrepreneurial, sustainable development, mathematical, digital and engineering skills, as well as transversal skills, including self-management, learning, critical thinking, collaboration, communication and ethical skills, with the requirements for these skills established by the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs;
2) courses that incorporate interdisciplinary learning as well as problem- and project-based learning;
3) English-language courses in study programmes taught in Estonian;
4) Estonian language and culture courses with a total workload of at least 6 ECTS credits in study programmes taught in English.

(6) Master’s study programmes shall include, among other things:
1) a compulsory or elective entrepreneurship course with a workload of 6 ECTS credits;
2) courses that incorporate interdisciplinary learning  as well as problem- and project-based learning;
3) English-language courses in study programmes taught in Estonian;
4) Estonian language and culture courses with a total workload of at least 6 ECTS credits in study programmes taught in English.

(7) Clauses (6) 1) and 3) of this section need not be applied to one-year master’s study programmes.

(8) The procedure for preparing syllabuses and study programmes shall be established by the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs.

(9) The conditions and procedure for calculating the teaching workload of academic units shall be established by the Rector.

(10) E-learning support shall be provided for all compulsory courses.

Chapter 3
DOCTORAL STUDY PROGRAMMES

§ 4. Requirements for doctoral study programmes

(1) Doctoral studies consist of coursework with a workload of 30 ECTS credits, corresponding to 780 hours, and research, development and creative activities, including a doctoral thesis, with a workload of 5,460 hours, accounting for 87.5% of the total workload of doctoral studies.

(2) A doctoral study programme comprises the following modules:
1) the transferable skills module with a minimum workload of 12 ECTS credits;
2) the professional proficiency module with a minimum workload of 12 ECTS credits;
3) the research module.

(3) The transferable skills taught to doctoral students include the philosophy of science, research ethics, the organisation of research and education, higher education didactics, career planning, research proposal writing and project management, entrepreneurial behaviour and innovation, and written and oral communication skills.

(4) In the professional proficiency module, a doctoral student shall choose discipline-specific courses based on the topic of his/her doctoral thesis.

(5) The research module includes the following research, development and creative activities: seminars, teaching and supervision, publishing, presentations at research conferences, science communication activities and work on the doctoral thesis.

Chapter 4
OPENING, AMENDING AND CLOSING STUDY PROGRAMMES

§ 5. Opening a study programme

(1) The prerequisites for opening a study programme are societal demand for professionals in the relevant field and the availability of adequate academic and material resources.

(2) The Dean or a person authorised by the Dean shall submit a pre-application to the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs (or to the Vice-Rector for Research in the case of doctoral studies) no later than 1 March of the calendar year preceding the opening of the programme. The pre-application shall include at least the following: [entry into force 01.01.2026]
1) the rationale for opening the study programme, including its relevance and alignment with societal developments and needs;
2) a draft of the study programme, including its preliminary module structure;
3) the objectives and learning outcomes of the study programme , together with a comparison of those learning outcomes with the requirements laid down in the Standard of Higher Education and, where applicable, with the relevant occupational qualification standard;
4) the relationship between the proposed study programme and existing study programmes, a description of cooperation within the university, and a description of the programme’s competitive advantages over study programmes offered at Tallinn University of Technology and other higher education institutions in Estonia and abroad;
5) a description of the target group and an analysis of graduates’ potential labour market prospects;
6) the planned number of students to be admitted;
7) a description of the resources required for the study programme, including funding sources, the need to develop new courses, the tuition fee, academic staff and potential cooperation partners.

(3) To open a joint study programme, the consent of the partner university/universities shall be submitted, together with an agreement on the funding arrangements and student admission procedures, in addition to the pre-application. If external funding is sought to open a study programme, the pre-application and the consent of the partner or partners shall be submitted to the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs before the funding application is submitted. [entry into force 01.01.2026]

(4) The Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs (or the Vice-Rector for Research in the case of doctoral studies) shall organise the evaluation of the pre-application within two months, during which:
1) the Office of Academic Affairs shall review the pre-application for compliance with the requirements and provide initial feedback to the person who prepared the study programme;
2) where necessary, the person who prepared the study programme shall revise the pre-application based on the feedback received and resubmit it to the Office of Academic Affairs;
3) the Office of Academic Affairs shall submit a compliant pre-application to the Committee for Academic Affairs (or to the Committee for Research in the case of doctoral studies);
4) the Committee for Academic Affairs (or the Committee for Research in the case of doctoral studies) shall review the pre-application, make proposals and recommendations, and provide reasons for its decision on whether the programme should be approved for opening; [ entry into force 01.01.2026]
5) the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs (or the Vice-Rector for Research in the case of doctoral studies) shall make the final decision on whether to proceed with developing the study programme after considering the opinion of the Committee for Academic Affairs (and that of the Committee for Research in the case of doctoral studies).

(5) On the basis of a favourably evaluated pre-application, the Dean shall submit a proposal to the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs (or to the Vice-Rector for Research in the case of doctoral studies) by 5 September for the appointment of the members of the Programme Advisory Board and the Programme Director. The Programme Director’s responsibilities shall include preparing the study programme in the study information system, coordinating the programme’s launch, and submitting the admission requirements.

(6) The Programme Director shall coordinate the courses included in the study programme with the heads of the structural units responsible for teaching the courses. The Programme Director shall ensure that the necessary approvals are obtained and documented in a form that can be reproduced in writing. [entry into force 01.01.2026]

(7) The Programme Director shall submit the draft study programme to the Office of Academic Affairs by 1 October, together with the following: [entry into force 01.01.2026]
1) a list of the lecturers responsible for teaching the courses, including information on their qualifications;
2) a comparison of the learning outcomes of the study programme with the learning outcomes laid down in the Standard of Higher Education for the corresponding level of higher education;
3) an explanatory note setting out the rationale for opening the new study programme, together with an overview of the additional resources required to launch it and the planned number of students to be admitted;
4) at least two expert evaluations of the study programme from professional associations and/or employers;
5) in the case of a joint study programme, a draft cooperation agreement that complies with the requirements set out in the Higher Education Act.

(8) The Office of Academic Affairs shall verify that the study programme complies with the requirements.

(9) The School Council shall decide whether to approve a study programme that meets the requirements and shall submit its decision to the Office of Academic Affairs. The Office of Academic Affairs shall submit the compliant study programme, together with the documents specified in subsection (7) of this section, to the Senate. [entry into force 01.01.2026]

(10) The University Senate shall approve the study programme no later than nine months before the start of the academic year, after considering the opinion of the Committee for Academic Affairs (and that of the Committee for Research in the case of doctoral studies).

(11) [repealed – entry into force 01.01.2026]

§ 6. Amending a study programme

(1) A new study programme shall be opened in accordance with § 5 of the Study Programme Statute if the language of instruction, the nominal duration of studies, or the workload of the study programme is changed or if any substantial changes are made to the objectives and learning outcomes of the study programme.

(2) A new version of each first- and second-cycle study programme open for admission shall be prepared for each academic year.

(3) To create a new version of a study programme, the Programme Director shall enter the draft new version into the study information system and submit the proposed amendments, together with the reasons for them, to the Office of Academic Affairs for approval.

(4) The University Senate shall approve amendments to a study programme version submitted by the Office of Academic Affairs in the following cases: [entry into force 01.01.2026]
1) when a main field of study is added or discontinued;
2) when the name of the study programme is changed;
3) when the title of the degree awarded is changed;
4) when the study programme classification is changed;
5) when the structural unit managing the study programme changes.

(5) Amendments not specified in subsection (4) of this section shall be approved by the School Council on the proposal of the Programme Director. Approval is not required if the modules and list of courses in the new version of the study programme remain unchanged from the previous version.

(6) If a new main field of study is added, the Programme Director shall provide additional information on the required resources and the planned number of students. The University Senate shall decide whether to add a main field of study on the proposal of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs (or the Vice-Rector for Research in the case of doctoral studies) and after considering the opinion of the School Council.

(7) In previous versions of a study programme in which students have been enrolled for less than the programme’s nominal duration plus two years, individual courses may be replaced by other courses with the same workload, new elective courses may be added and elective courses may cease to be offered.

(8) The Programme Director shall submit the amendments listed in subsection (7) of this section, together with the reasons for them, to the Office of Academic Affairs for approval.

(9) The Programme Director shall coordinate all changes relating to courses, including their rearrangement in the standard study plan, with the heads of the structural units responsible for teaching the courses. The Programme Director shall ensure that the necessary approvals are obtained and documented in a form that can be reproduced in writing. [entry into force 01.01.2026]

(10) The deadlines submitting and approving amendments to study programmes are as follows: [entry into force 01.01.2026]

*Materials comprise an explanatory note, the draft new version and/or new syllabuses in the study information system

§ 7. Closing a study programme

(1) Closing a study programme means terminating studies under that programme. The university shall not issue graduation documents on the basis of a closed study programme.

(2) The University Senate shall decide whether to close a study programme on the proposal of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs (or from the Vice-Rector for Research in the case of doctoral studies) and after considering the opinion of the School Council.

(3) Admission to a study programme shall be terminated before the programme is closed. The Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs shall make a proposal to terminate admission if, over the preceding three years:
1) fewer than 15 students have been admitted per main field of study in the case of first-cycle study programmes, and fewer than 10 students have been admitted per main field of study in the case of second-cycle study programmes;
2) the proportion of graduates relative to the total number of students admitted to the study programme one nominal study period earlier has been below 25%, except in the case of doctoral study programmes.

(4) Teaching in accordance with the standard study plan of the study programme shall cease once a period equal to the programme’s nominal duration has elapsed since the last admission. Students shall be provided with an opportunity to continue their studies under a study programme in a similar field of study.

§ 8. Exceptions to the requirements laid down in the Statute

In justified cases, the University Senate may, when amending study programmes, allow exceptions to the requirements laid down in the Statute.

Chapter 5
IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

§ 9. Implementing provisions

(1) This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 2025.

(2) Study programmes shall be brought into compliance with clauses 3 (5) 1) and 2) and clause 3 (6) 2) of this Regulation by the 2028/2029 academic year.

(3) Regulation No 2 of the Senate of 19 April 2016 “Curriculum Statute” is repealed.

(4) The directors of Kuressaare College and Virumaa College shall exercise the powers and perform the duties of a dean within the structural units they manage to the extent provided for in this Regulation. [entry into force 01.08.2026]