Tutkinnossa

Tutkinnossa is the inessive singular form of the Finnish noun tutkinto, meaning degree or qualification. The form is used to express location or state within a degree program or in relation to earning a degree. In English it is often rendered as “in the degree/program.”

Grammatically, tutkinto is a noun that forms its inessive via the stem used for the genitive. The genitive singular is tutkinnon, and adding the inessive suffix -ssa (or -ssä after front vowels) yields tutkinnossa. The spelling reflects Finnish phonology, including the double n that appears when the genitive stem is combined with the -ssa suffix. The result is a form that signals being inside or part of the degree or qualification process.

Usage notes and examples: The form is common in academic and formal writing when describing statuses or activities related to a degree program. Examples include phrases such as “Hän on tutkinnossa” (He/She is in the degree program) or “tutkinnossa suoritettavat opinnot” (studies to be completed within the degree). It can also appear in descriptions of requirements, progress, or components situated within the scope of a specific degree.

See also: tutkinto, inessive case, Finnish grammar. The form is primarily a grammatical tool for precise description in education-related contexts and is less common in casual speech, where other constructions may be used to convey similar ideas.