Bachelor's Degree Programme in Social Sciences

Improve your understanding of the rapidly changing world. Social scientists examine the dynamics of societal change and seek answers to questions such as what creates wellbeing or a lack of it, what causes alienation, what is happening in education and the labour market, and what is the role of culture in shaping our relationships with each other.

The Bachelor of Social Sciences degree consists of studies in sociology and social and public policy. Teaching covers key social scientific theories and methods for collecting and analysing data. These are applied to key topics in social sciences, such as labour, education, care, multiculturalism, and information and communication technology, and how they interlink with each other.

This programme is offered by the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland. The staff in the department are experts in their field and enthusiastically welcome new students from all backgrounds into the social sciences community. The programme is completely online and does not require in-person participation on the campus.

For instructions on how to apply and a direct link to the application form on Studyinfo, please scroll down. The application period is open until 18 January 2023.

Key information

Level of degree: Bachelor's degree
Programme duration: 3 years / 180 ECTS credits
Language of instruction: English
Programme start: September 2023
Tuition fee: EU/EEA nationals no tuition fee, non-EU/EEA nationals 10 000 €/academic year. Tuition waiver scholarship 50%/year
Tuition waivers available for everyone. Note that also permanent residents are exempted from the tuition fee under certain conditions.
Study campus: Entirely online

Why study with us?

This is the only Bachelor's programme in Social Science in Finland that is taught in English. Online tuition also allows a high degree of flexibility.
The programme provides tools for understanding society and its policy processes. It develops critical thinking in social sciences.

Studies

Structure of studies

The Bachelor of Social Sciences degree familiarises students with key concepts and methods in social sciences. You will learn to gather information, organise it, and apply existing information in a range of tasks. During the three years of studies, you will take a combination of required and optional courses to total 180 ECTS.

The programme consists of basic and intermediate studies in social sciences, language and communication studies, general studies, and minor studies.

Basic studies in Social Sciences 25 ECTS
Intermediate studies in Social Sciences 60 ECTS
Language and communication 12 ECTS
General studies 18 ECTS
Minor subjects 65 ECTS

Teaching emphasises the dynamics of contemporary society and the changing labour market, as well as the needs of everyday welfare. Teaching and learning take place online in lectures, seminars, and reading groups. Tasks range from learning journals to essays and exams. In the final year of your studies, you will choose either sociology or social and public policy as your main subject.

How to apply?

Admission requirements

Application and documents

In order to check the eligibility of an applicant for the programme, the applicant has to submit an application and the following application documents:

Certification of completed secondary education degree
Certification of English language skills

Secondary education certification

Eligible applicants hold an upper-secondary education certificate:

Finnish matriculation examination
International Baccalaureate degree (IB) - European Baccalaureate degree (EB)
Deutsches Internationales Abitur degree (DIA) or Reifeprüfung degree (RP) in Finland
A Finnish vocational upper-secondary qualification, further vocational qualification, or specialist vocational qualification as set in the Vocational Education Act (531/2017)
Any other comparable upper-secondary educational qualification that provides eligibility for university-level Bachelor’s studies in the country in question.
Advanced International Certificate of Education degree (AICE) in Finland, or the right to study towards a university degree in Finland, or a degree conferred by a Finnish higher education institution, or at least a Bachelor-level degree conferred by a foreign institution.

Applicants who are in the final semester of their upper-secondary education are also eligible to apply.

Language requirements

Applicants must either (1) meet the language proficiency criteria (see below), or (2) reach the minimum required language test results to be considered eligible for the University of Eastern Finland. No exceptions will be made.

(1) Applicants who hold one of the following do not have to take an English language test:

Proof of completed secondary or tertiary education taught exclusively in English
Finnish matriculation examination in English language, minimum grade of magna cum laude approbatur (M)
International Baccalaureate degree (diploma completed in English, satisfactory completion of A level English exam (literature / language and literature / literature and performance), satisfactory completion of B level English exam, minimum grade of 5 (good)
EB degree:

L1, mother tongue (English) completed successfully.

L2 or L3 language (English) completed with a minimum score of 7.

Reifeprüfung (RP) degree (German School of Helsinki), with satisfactory completion of English A (or a similar expected grade from an upcoming DIA degree)

Written scores are at a satisfactory level.

Oral score is a minimum of 8.

The language of instruction in secondary education must be proven with the degree certificate, diploma, or transcript. Please note that all teaching and assessments must be entirely in English. Online studies or studies completed on offshore campuses outside the accepted countries/area cannot be used to indicate language skills, even if the degree-awarding institution is in one of the accepted countries.

(2) All other applicants have to take one of the following language tests:

TOEFL: minimum score 78 (IBT test)
IELTS (academic) test, minimum score 6.0
PTE (academic) test, minimum score 54
C1 Advanced score C
C2 Proficiency, minimum score Level C1
National Certificate of Language Proficiency (YKI) (English) of the Finnish National Agency for Education, done at level 4 in all different areas
TOEFL iBT Home Edition
TOEFL Essentials

Some test organisers give an expiration date on the tests. The language test results must be verifiable from the online verification service of the organiser. Language test scores are valid for two years from the day they are issued.

Application process

Applicants have to submit their application within the application period (4-18 January 2023). After submitting the application with the required documents, the selection process proceeds with an entrance exam.

Selection process

A maximum of 20 students are admitted into the programme in 2023. Admission is based on the scores the applicant has received in the entrance exam.

Applicants must upload copies of diplomas (with translations) in the online application form by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 25 January 2023. Applicants receiving their diplomas in 2023 must meet the following deadlines:

Any other comparable upper-secondary educational qualification that provides eligibility for University-level Bachelor’s studies in the country in question must be submitted with the most recent grades, with translation, by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 25 January 2023.
The most recent transcript of a Bachelor-level degree conferred by a foreign institution, with translation, by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 25 January 2023.
International Baccalaureate diploma (IB) and European Baccalaureate diploma (EB) predicted grades by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 6 April 2023.
Deutsches Internationales Abitur diploma (DIA) final grades by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 6 April 2023.
International Baccalaureate diploma (IB) and European Baccalaureate diploma (EB) final grades by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 14 July 2023.*
Any other comparable upper-secondary educational qualification that provides eligibility for University-level Bachelor’s studies in the country in question with final grades, with translation, by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 14 July 2023.
Bachelor-level degree final certificate conferred by a foreign institution, with translation, by 29 July 2023.

*Applicants receiving an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma in spring 2023 must apply for a Transcript of Grades from the IB organisation, to be submitted electronically directly to the University of Eastern Finland by 15:00 (UTC +2) on 14 July 2023. The IB organisation will submit the final grades electronically.

Originals of certificates and diplomas will need to be presented and verified when students begin their studies at the University of Eastern Finland. This is a requirement for all applicants, regardless of nationality or place of residence. You will receive further information on this upon selection. The only exceptions are students who have completed their Finnish matriculation examination in or after 1990, or a vocational qualification in Finland in or after 2017, as these are electronically available through Studyinfo.fi.

Admission is based on the scores the applicant has received in the entrance exam. The entrance exam must be completed online using the university’s DigiCampus platform between 29 March 2023 and 30 April 2023. All applicants are required to complete all sections of the exam.

Final results

Results from the entrance examination are published on 3 June 2023 at the latest. Applicants must confirm their places by 14 July 2023 at the latest. Admissions from the waiting list close on 1 August 2023.

Tuition fees and waivers

Students who are not citizens of EU/EEA countries are required to pay a tuition of € 10 000 per academic year. New students admitted in 2023 are granted a partial tuition waiver that will cover 50% (€ 5000) of the tuition fee per year. There is no tuition fee for EU/EEA nationals. Note that also permanent residents are exempted from the tuition fee under certain conditions.