The basic task of the Bachelor of Military Sciences Degree is to provide the Finnish Defence Forces and Border Guard with university-educated officers able to carry out their main tasks and to combine theory and practice comprehensively.
The graduating military sciences bachelors will possess the necessary skills for scientific thinking and master's studies. Officers who graduate with a bachelor's degree are professional and qualified. The officers have the special know-how needed for the tasks in their services and branches Their knowledge, skills and attitudes are developed consistently throughout and at all of the stages of the studies.
The areas of competence included in the studies include:
• Leadership: "The desire and ability to lead and take responsibility."
• Operation skills: "The desire and ability to win battles."
• Performance: ”The desire and ability to develop."
• Education: ”The desire and ability to learn and teach.”
• Research: "The desire and ability to understand."
Students studying for their bachelor of military sciences degree serve in the rank of cadet. Cadets who complete their bachelor's degree and begin working in the Finnish Defence Forces receive a fixed-term junior officer's commission and are promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
Degree Structure
The Bachelor of Military Sciences Degree (lower university degree) comprises 180 ECTS credits. In addition, bachelor's students complete professional studies worth of 30 ECTS credits to become qualified officers. The students complete their bachelor's degrees (210 credits) in three years.
The degree is divided into three entities:
• Obligatory tri-service studies (80 credits)
All cadets complete these tri-service studies, as they form the basis of a common set of skills and knowledge for all officers. These studies are completed at the National Defence University (NDU).
• Service-specific studies (minimum 40 credits)
The service-specific studies cater in particular for the needs of the Army, Navy and Air Force. The scope of the studies depends on the programmes. The National Defence University dispenses some of the teaching while most is done by the service schools (Army Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy).
• Branch studies (maximum 90 credits)
Branch studies have students specialising in their own branch. Again, the scope of the studies depends on the branch. Teaching takes place at service schools, branch schools and functional area schools (incl. the Logistics School of the Defence Forces Logistics Command and the Border Guard's Border and Coast Guard Academy).
Read more in the Study Guide (link to the Library website)
Programmes and specializations
There are four alternative study programmes within a military science bachelor's programme containing 19 specializations altogether:
Army Programme:
• Infantry and anti-armour
• Mortar
• Armour
• Reconnaissance
• Electronic Warfare
• Field Artillery
• Air Defence
• Military Engineer
• Army C5 Programme
• Logistics Programme
• Border Guard
Navy Programme:
• Naval Forces
• Coastal Forces
• Coast Guard (separates from the Naval Programme)
Air Force Programme:
• Aircraft and Weapons Systems
• Air Force C5
• Air Force Control and Reporting Centre Programme
Officer Pilots' Programme
• Air Force Officer Pilot Specialization
• Army Helicopter Pilot Programme
The primary task of the Master's Degree is to educate officers for the Defence Forces and the Border Guard, who possess the knowledge and skills required for tasks at mid-management level. The master's degree and the military professional studies that it includes aim to give students the prerequisites to serve as leaders within a battalion in emergency conditions, as commanding officers of a company-level unit in normal conditions and in staff positions within headquarters on international missions.
Degree Structure
The Master's Degree in Military Sciences is a higher university degree in military sciences comprising 120 ECTS credits. In addition to the degree studies, a total of 13 credits of military professional studies (excl. in the Executive Assistance Programme) are also completed. The degree is based on service-specific studies, and it contains the programmes of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Officer Pilots’ and Executive Assistance programmes.
Commissioned officers can complete their master's studies once they have served in the Defence Forces for five years. The master's studies take two years. Officers in the Officer Pilot's Programme begin their master's studies immediately after they have completed their bachelor's degrees. They complete their studies over the course of six years alongside their flight service. The degree is completed in a time frame determined by the Defence Command and Border Guard Headquarters.
The military science studies of the Master of Military Sciences Degree consists of the tri-service studies included in the Master’s Programme and advanced studies.
• The studies included in the tri-service studies provide the student with the key military scientific competence. Optional studies aimed at enhancing the students’ expertise serve to direct their competency according to their own needs, interests and foci. Language and communication studies are a part of the tri-services studies, and they aim at boosting the students’ language skills. As a part of their foreign language studies, the majority of students take the English language examination STANAG 6001.
• Advanced studies are studies that provide the students with the most central competence of their programme. The studies are mandatory to all and diverge according to programme. A master’s thesis and research method studies are a part of the advanced studies. Research studies are organized by department and type of research studies depending on the field of research. The topic of the master’s thesis determines which NDU department guides the student’s thesis writing. The Executive Assistance Programme advanced studies include a traineeship aimed at enhancing students’ expertise.
Civilian students from outside the Finnish Defence Forces can also be admitted in the Master of Military Sciences Programme. Anyone with a suitable bachelor's degree from a university of applied sciences or university may apply to the Executive Assistance Programme.
The aim of the programme is to produce an understanding in military sciences and promote overall security and safety and cooperation within the field. The objective is to train experts in national security and safety for the needs of comprehensive national defence and interagency cooperation. Military professional studies are not required in addition to the degree, nor does it lead to an officer’s position or career in the Defence Forces. The degree is completed in two years.
If a person who has been admitted to study for the Master of Military Sciences Degree has obtained a bachelor’s degree elsewhere, he or she may be required to complete supplementary studies to acquire the competencies needed for the Master’s. (Act on the National Defence University 30 December 2008/1121 Section 15). The supplementary studies must be completed during an orientation year which is the year preceding the actual studies.
The studies are mainly full time, so in principle, working while studying is not possible. In the Study Guide you can see in detail what courses are studied in which week. If needed, ask for more information about the study schedule contact information.
The objective of the Doctor of Military Sciences Degree is conducting research and science as well as producing new researched data to support teaching and decision-making and to develop military science.
The Doctor of Military Sciences degree is aimed primarily at officers who have completed the Master of Military Sciences or General Staff Officer Degree. For special reasons, a person who has completed a suitable Master's degree at the National Defence University or another university can be accepted to study towards this degree.
A doctoral degree in military sciences can be awarded in the following disciplines:
For justified reasons, the degree can be achieved also in another scientific field decided separately.
Degree Structure
The Doctor of Military Sciences degree is a postgraduate degree in military sciences. The scope of the Doctor of Military Sciences degree is 50 ECTS credits.
The degree consists of three entities:
• Common studies (minimum 10 credits)
• Studies in one's own field of research (maximum 40 credits)
• Doctoral Dissertation
If his or her previous degree is from a field other than military sciences, the student admitted may be required to complete a maximum of 15 credits of supplementary studies (so-called bridging studies). The supplementary studies are not included in the Doctor of Military Sciences Degree.
The students who have started their studies before the introduction of the 50-credit curriculum approved in June 2019 can finish, if they so desire, their Doctor of Military Sciences degree by the end of 2023 according to the 70-credit curriculum approved in December 2015.
Doctoral dissertations written in the National Defence University
The Bachelor of Military Sciences Degree is a lower university degree (European Qualifications Framework level 6). The Master of Military Sciences Degree is a higher university degree (EQF 7) and the Doctor of Military Sciences Degree is a doctoral degree (EQF 8). The General Staff Officer’s Course (first course started in 1994) is a continuing education programme and one of officers’ professional military education courses.
The officer training system has changed several times as changes have taken place in the national educational system. Comparability with especially previously achieved officer’s degrees may rouse questions. The key comparison data are described below.
Under-graduate and graduate degrees:
• There are several officer’s degrees completed before 1995 (Cadet Course 77/ Naval Cadet Course 60 and earlier degrees) that vary in scope. They were the lower university degrees of their time. Back then, the lower and higher university degree were often together named bachelor’s degree. Officer’s education was not equivalent to it in terms of duration, academic content or thesis.
Decree on Universities’ Degree System 203/1994 (This decree entered into force on 1 April 1994.)
• Starting from 1991 (Cadet Course 78/Naval Cadet Course 61), the basic education of these courses was extended to four years. At the same time, they attained the level of a higher university degree. The first course in this form graduated in 1995.
• Decree Amending the Decree on Military Educational Establishments and Degrees Achieved in Them (908/1991).
• Decree on the National Defence University (668/1992)
• Starting from 2001 (Cadet Course 88/Naval Cadet Course 71), officers’ basic education changed again. This time, the education was divided into three stages. The first stage included a one-year basic education course, after which some of the students entered service in brigade-level units as second lieutenants (so-called fixed-term reserve officers). Some continued their studies for 1.5 years and graduated as lieutenants having completed the Bachelor of Military Sciences Degree. The rest continued their studies for another 1.5 years and graduated as first lieutenants and masters of military sciences. In other words, the total length of the education of the last mentioned group was four years.
• Decree on the National Defence University (668/1992).
• Government Decree Amending the Decree on the National Defence University (Section 12, 612/2001)
• Starting from 2006 (Cadet Course 93/Naval Cadet Course76), officers’ degree education has followed the current two-stage degree system (according to the so-called Bologna Model). In this system, the Bachelor of Military Sciences Degree (lower university degree) is completed first, followed by the Master of Military Sciences Degree (higher university degree) at a later stage.
• Decree on the National Defence University (668/1992)
• Government Decree Amending the Decree on the National Defence University (735/2006)
As of 2009:
• Act on the National Defence University (1121/2008)
• Government Decree on the National Defence University (1124/2008)
Post-graduate degrees
• The postgraduate degree provided by the National Defence University is the Doctor of Military Sciences Degree.
• Decree on the National Defence University (668/1992)
• Government Decree Amending the Decree on the National Defence University (612/2001)
• Act on the National Defence University (1121/2008)
• Decree Amending the Decree on Military Educational Establishments and Degrees Achieved in Them (1320/1989).
• Decree on the National Defence University (668/1992)
• Decree on Universities’ Degree System (203/1994)
• Decree on Universities’ Degree System (464/1998)
General Staff Officer Course is part of the Defence Forces’ continuing education programme and one of officers’ professional military education courses. Its purpose is to train general staff officers for the Defence Forces and the Border Guard, with the required competence for leadership and expert duties in service and joint commands both at home and abroad during peacetime and wartime. In addition, the General Staff Officer Course prepares officers for the duties of a Commander.
Professional military education of general staff officers comprises a six-month Senior Staff Officer Course and the General Staff Officer Course, which takes one year. The General Staff Officer Course is aimed at Masters of Military Sciences, who typically apply for the course about five years after completing their Master's degree. For special reasons, applicants who have completed some other Master's degree and who are otherwise deemed to possess the necessary knowledge and skills for these studies can be accepted to the course.
Continuing Education
Competence development is essential for enhancing one’s skills and professional competence. In practice, competence development often means continuing education. It helps you keep up your competence, advance in your career, stay motived and get some change in your daily routines.
The National Defence University organizes continuing education in cooperation with the Defence Command and other military educational institutions. Our field of speciality is university-level continuing education which also includes career-related courses for officers. Our products also include many independently studied online courses. Personnel of the Defence Forces, Border Guard and Ministry of Defence and representatives of different interest groups are invited to participate in our training.
The Defence Forces continuing education and training calendar provides information about our courses. It is published annually on the Defence Forces intranet Torni portal.
