Algebra
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Field of studies
- Electrical and Automation Engineering
- Technology and Traffic
Type of education
- Open University
Academic level
- Bachelor Level Studies - EQF 6
Teaching language
- English
Campus
- Valkeakoski
Teaching format
- Contact Lessons
Objective
This course is part of the Working Methods in Electrical and Automation Engineering module.
Aims in this course are that you
- get to know the concepts and calculation techniques in algebra
- learn the basic concepts of functions and graphs
- are able to form necessary expressions and equations from a given problem and solve them
Content
Contents of the course are percentages, simplifying expressions, e.g. exponential and polynomial expressions, polynomial equations and functions, graphs of functions, solving systems of equations using matrices, exponential functions and equations.
Schedule
The course will be held from 27th October to 17th December 2025. Lessons take place twice a week on HAMK’s Valkeakoski campus, primarily on Wednesdays and Fridays. Detailed lesson schedules and session times are available in the student's personal timetable (lukkarit.hamk.fi, Tuudo, Pakki, or Moodle).
All practice assignments must be completed and submitted by 17th December 2025, the final day of the course.
The course assessment is based on practice assignments completed in Moodle as well as on midterm exams or a final exam.
The course includes two midterm exams, which will be organized on the Valkeakoski campus:
1st midterm exam: Friday 21st November, 2025
2nd midterm exam or final exam: Wednesday, 17th December 2025
Students may choose either to complete two midterm exams or only the final exam.
Retake Opportunities:
A passed exam may be retaken once to improve the grade.
A failed exam may be retaken twice.
Retake exams will be scheduled after the second midterm exam, and the exact dates will be announced in Moodle.
If a student fails to pass the course after two retake attempts, the entire course must be retaken, including all associated assignments.
Teaching methods
This course is meant for first-year students in the Electrical and Automation Engineering Degree Programme. A maximum of 10 seats are reserved for students from the Open University of Applied Sciences (Open UAS).
Lessons are delivered as in-person teaching on the Valkeakoski campus. There will be no remote lectures or recorded sessions. Classes are held twice a week. During the lessons, the lecturer will guide students through key example problems, after which students will work independently and/or collaboratively with peers on related practice exercises. The instructor will provide support as needed during the lessons.
Large amount of the practice assignments are automatically assessed STACK exercises, available through the Moodle learning platform. These STACK exercises form a part of the course assessment and must be completed and submitted by the end of the course.
The course follows a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy. Students are required to bring their own laptops to access course materials during lessons. Additionally, students should bring writing tools for taking notes and solving exercises.
Learning material
All materials required for the course are provided through HAMK’s Moodle learning platform (learn.hamk.fi). No separate course textbook is used.
All learning materials and assignments will be distributed via Moodle. Therefore, students must have their own laptops available during lessons, following the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) principle.
Class schedule
This course is equivalent to 3 ECTS credits, corresponding to approximately 81 hours of student work (1 ECTS credit = 27 hours).
Approximately 40 hours of instruction will be provided through in-person lessons on campus. The remaining workload consists of independent study, including solving practice exercises and reviewing course materials.
While some exercises will be completed during lessons, a portion must be solved independently outside of lesson hours. Therefore, students are expected to dedicate a few hours each week to studying outside of scheduled lessons.
The workload estimates provided above are indicative and may vary depending on the individual student's work habits and schedule.
Additional info
A maximum of 10 seats are reserved for Open UAS students. All students must register for the course within the designated registration period. HAMK degree students register via the Pakki system.
The Open UAS study fee is 15 euros per credit (ECTS), payable at the time of registration.
More information about Open UAS registration, fees, and studies is available at: https://www.hamk.fi/open-uas/
Lessons are given only in HAMK’s Valkeakoski campus. Lecture materials are provided in Moodle. There are no remote lessons or recorded sessions.
Schedules can be found in the timetable system at https://lukkarit.hamk.fi. You can search by the group code mentioned in the course description (e.g., BEEAP25A7) or by the course name.
The course's Moodle learning platform at learn.hamk.fi will open at the start of the implementation. Registered students will automatically gain access to the platform.
Give course feedback at the end of the course / module in Pakki. For more information, please visit the student feedback page: https://www.hamk.fi/en/student-pages/student-feedback/
Open University of Applied Sciences students can provide course feedback via a browser at https://pakki.hamk.fi/spark.
Evaluation criteria
1-5
Terms and conditions,
Open UAS
By registering for the training, you accept the cancellation policy.
- Cancellations must always be notified by email to studentservices@hamk.fi (Please note that during the summer and Christmas holidays, processing may be delayed).
- Cancellations can be made free of charge at least 14 days before the start of the course.
- No refund will be made if you are less than 14 days away from the start of your studies, fail to arrive for your studies or interrupt the studies you have started.
- If you are selected as a degree student before you start your open university studies, you may be entitled to a full or partial refund of the tuition fee. In this case, please make your withdrawal as soon as possible by e-mail to studentservices@hamk.fi.
- HAMK may cancel your studies, for example, due to low enrolment. Other changes (e.g. changes in timetable, teachers or places) are also possible.
Important to know
These are important things to know when considering studying at HAMK’s Open University of Applied Sciences:
A student studying in an open university of applied sciences cannot receive state-funded student financial aid or student discounts unless they are entitled to benefits based on other studies. Etuudet ja vakuutukset
A student studying in an open university of applied sciences cannot receive state-funded student financial aid or student discounts unless they are entitled to benefits based on other studies.
When registering for studies, it must be noted that there may be prerequisites for the studies. Open studies for Master’s degrees often require a previously completed Bachelor’s degree. The student must consider whether their own background knowledge and skills correspond to the prerequisites required for completing the course.
Studying in an open university of applied sciences requires having your own computer. Those starting their studies must acquire their own laptop if they do not already have one. For more information, see the rules and instructions of HAMK’s IT services page. Studies often take place online and can be independent of time and classroom space.
A student studying open studies at HAMK (with a credit-based fee) is granted the right to complete the studies for the duration of the specific study. Any completed credits after the end of the study right will not be accepted.
The information about your completed studies can be found in your own study path at the address https://opintopolku.fi/koski. If you also need an official signed transcript of records, please send a request to opiskelijapalvelut@hamk.fi.
Contact
Ask about registration and practical arrangements: openuas@hamk.fi
For more information on the content of the studies, please contact the course teacher. Staff email addresses are firstname.lastname(at)hamk.fi