The first students have graduated from the Bachelor's Degree Programme in Social Sciences offered in English at the University of Eastern Finland. This is the first Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Social Sciences in Finland with English as the language of instruction.
The Bachelor's Degree Programme in Social Sciences offered in English was launched at the University of Eastern Finland in autumn 2022. Each year, around 25 new students start their studies in the programme. The degree programme consists of studies in sociology and social policy.
“This degree programme is a general bachelor’s degree programme in social sciences. The aim is to enable students who complete the programme to continue their studies on several different master’s programme paths”, says Teppo Eskelinen, University Lecturer responsible for the bachelor’s programme.
The education presents key social science theories as well as data collection and analysis methods. These are applied to key themes in social science, such as work, education, care, multiculturalism and information and communication technology and their interconnections.
“The programme is intended for anyone interested in social science themes. A particular target group is foreigners already living in Finland, for whom studying in Finnish is not an option.”
Inspiring atmosphere encouraged further studies
Drashtiben Bhatt completed her bachelor’s degree faster than the three-year target. She explains that this was possible thanks to excellent and inspiring teachers.
“The academic level of difficulty of the bachelor’s programme and the collaborative atmosphere gave me a path forward to interesting education, and I was able to get admitted to the University of Helsinki’s Master’s Programme in Changing Education.
Bhatt has previously trained as a biologist, and as an immigrant mother, she was interested in exploring how literacy in Finnish society has developed to the top international level. She was also fascinated by the question of how education can promote significant societal changes. The studies included an in-depth examination of the opportunities and challenges of welfare states.
“The bachelor’s programme in social sciences at the University of Eastern Finland was an excellent place to examine global social structures in depth. Insightful discussions with my fellow students and staff significantly enriched the studies.
Path towards a new career
One of the graduates of the bachelor’s programme is Kerttu Summanen, from Kuopio, who has worked as a construction architect and has always been interested in society and the way it operates.
“I felt that my current field was lacking the joy and fulfilment that I needed from work. I applied to study in the programme because I wanted to learn more and feel that a degree in social sciences will help me find employment in public administration tasks, for example.
Summanen feels that her recent bachelor’s degree has given her a lot of courage to seek work in a new career.
“In addition to my previous education and working life experience, the degree has given me the capabilities to work, for example, as a consultant, research assistant and project assistant or manager.
Summanen intends to continue her studies at the Open University of the University of Eastern Finland and apply for a master’s degree programme next year.
International student group brings enrichment
The instruction in the bachelor’s programme has been implemented partly remotely, and hybrid learning has been utilised to some extent. The aim is to increase the hybrid learning solution in the future.
For Kerttu Summanen, the opportunity to complete studies remotely and in English was a key factor in applying for the degree programme.
“Distance learning made it possible for me to combine my studies with full-time work and family life. Of course, the studies required a lot of planning and scheduling. However, it was fairly easy, as many of the courses included self-learning. What I particularly liked in my studies was that they enabled me to select courses based on my interests, and there were students from different parts of the world, which made the discussions in the courses enlightening and eye-opening.
The students in the bachelor's programme come from a variety of backgrounds. The students include foreigners already living in Finland, those moving to study in Finland, those studying remotely from abroad, and Finns interested in studying in English.
“Having students with diverse backgrounds definitely enriches the programme. Every year, we have attracted a good group of highly motivated students who have performed well in their studies. Some of them even graduate before the target date set for the degree”, says Teppo Eskelinen.
Enquiries:
Teppo Eskelinen, University Lecturer, Coordinator of the Bachelor of Social Science Programme, teppo.eskelinen(at)uef.fi, tel. +358 50 428 9317
Website of the Bachelor's Degree Programme in Social Sciences https://www.uef.fi/en/degree-programme/bachelors-degree-programme-in-social-sciences