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Digital Health

Master of Health Care, online studies

Study the Online Master’s programme in Digital Health!

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Degree programme: Digital Health
Degree title: Master of Health Care
Duration: 90 ECTS, 2-3 years
Study mode: Part-time studies, all studies are online
Language: English
Annual intake: 25

Digitalisation challenges social and health care activities as well as the way of thinking. A new approach to social and health care services means that the client/patient receives all information about him or her and is equally involved in the decision-making about his or her own care. Digitalisation does not, however, develop by itself but it requires multidisciplinary expertise to achieve commitment to change in the working life and to promote digitalisation actively. Digitalisation also offers possibilities for business intelligence. Health services in all EU countries have been available since the beginning of 2014, and digitalisation is introduced to add value to the cross-border services.

The Master’s Degree in Digital Health provide the graduates with skills needed for innovative development of digital social and health care services, service production, expert organisation management and for the development of service quality and management. The studies also prepare the students for planning, implementing and evaluating the social welfare and health care reform in different operational environments.

The studies are working-life focused and when choosing your thesis topic, you can take the development needs in your own work and work community into account and base your topic choice accordingly. It is also possible to do the thesis research to serve the needs of different partner organisations. In all assignment you are expected to use proven knowledge and apply the theory you learned into practice.

All studies are online and the student makes a personal study plan in collaboration with his/her tutoring teacher.

If you have any questions about the programme, you can contact:

Liisa Klemola
Lecturer, PhD
liisa.klemola@savonia.fi
+358 44 785 6203

Complete this form and the student recruitment team will reply to you

Programme Highlights

Opiskelija kirjastossa opinnäytetyö kädessään.

Thesis

An opportunity to explore on a deeper level a topic of your interest. The thesis is also the last project to complete before graduation!

Opiskelijoita tekemässä ryhmätöitä.

Study in an interdisciplinary group

The Digital Health programme is  interdisciplinary and students can have different background training: Social- and Healthcare, Technical or Business Background.

Eligibility

You can apply to Savonia’s Master degree programme in Digital Health if you have completed a Bachelor’s degree in the field of social services or healthcare, or another appropriate Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree. You can also apply if you have completed an old vocational degree in Finland (vanhamuotoinen opistoasteen tutkinto tai ammatillisen korkea-asteen tutkinto). In addition, you must have at least two years (24 months) of work experience from the field of social services and/or healthcare, after graduation. 

Studies are conducted in English and therefore students must have sufficient English skills to accomplish studies. However, a separate proof of English skills is not needed.

 

Work experience requirements

The work experience must be accumulated as from the date of award of the final Bachelor’s or Master’s degree certificate and obtained no later than 31 July 2024.

Work experience should be indicated in the application form in full months. When converting part-time work into its full-time equivalent, 150 hours or 20 working days lasting at least 7 hours per day correspond to one month of work. Work experience does not have to be continuous or obtained working for the same employer. Military or non-military national service, women’s voluntary military service or child-care leave will not be counted towards work experience. 

Work experience must be verified with an employment certificate provided by the employer. An employment certificate must indicate details such as the name of the company, the exact start and end dates of employment, the employer’s contact information, work duties, as well as working hours for part-time work. If the employment continues, the applicant should request a temporary employment certificate from the employer. Employment certificate must include the signature of the employer or the representative of the company and the date when the certificate was issued. Employment contracts or appointment letters are not accepted. 

Fulltime entrepreneurship will be accepted as work experience if an applicant can provide a certificate attesting that he or she is or has been covered under the statutory YEL pension scheme (YEL = statutory pension scheme for entrepreneurs). In addition, a notification from the Trade Register must be submitted. The notification must show details such as the name of the company, field of the operation and the period of time the company has been valid. Enterprising activities abroad should be substantiated with comparable official document. 

 

Copies of the certificates

Copies of the certificates must be uploaded on the application form by 24 January 2024 at 3:00 p.m. Finnish time. Copies of certificates are required from everyone whose education information is not available electronically: those degrees completed Finland, which are not available electronically, and all Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees completed outside Finland. Moreover, all Master’s degree applicants must also upload copies of their employment certificates on the application form by the set date.

If a certificate was issued in a language other than English, Finnish or Swedish, the applicant must also submit a copy of the translation of the certificate. The translation must be done into English, Finnish or Swedish by an official (authorised) translator.

Savonia will check the applicant’s eligibility before the student selection. After the student selection, Savonia may request the applicant to submit original certificates. Student selection is conditional if the applicant has not fulfilled the work experience requirement during the application period. The student must submit the required certificates by the set date. Savonia may cancel the admission if the person fails to submit the required certificates by the set date, or has provided false information.

Student selection

Student selection is based on an admission course.

All applicants will be invited to take part in the admission course. The admission course is 5 credits course included in the degree and it corresponds to approximately 135 hours of the student’s work. Each applicant completes the admission course independently according to the given schedule and instructions.

The admission course is organized during 7 February – 13 March 2024 in Savonia’s online teaching platform. The admission course closes on 13 March 2024 at 11 pm Finnish time.

The maximum score for the admission course is 100 points. The applicant must pass the admission course in order to be selected. Successful completion of the elective course requires the applicant to obtain at least 40% of the maximum points in each section of the admission course.

The admission course is the same for both Master’s degree programmes in Digital Health. All applicants who have successfully completed the admission course will receive a certificate from the open university of applied sciences.

How to apply and tuition fee

Joint Application spring 2024 timetable and instructions on how to apply can be found from Savonia UAS website.

Savonia UAS collects tuition fee from non-EU/EEA students. The tuition fee is 9000 euros per academic year. More information on the tuition fee, the Early Bird price and who is exempted from paying the tuition fee can be found from Savonia UAS website/Master tuition fee.

Study contents

The degree consists of 90 ECTS including 30 ECTS of common studies, 30 ECTS of field-specific professional studies and a thesis, 30 ECTs. 

Professional studies include e.g.: Leadership and Technology in Supporting Staff and Client Participation, Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Entrepreneurship, Integration of Mobile and IoT Applications, Cases and Personalised Technology/ Interactive Process Development, Managing Digitalised Health Services, Procurement Contracts, Protocols, Certified Devices and International Health Care Law, Security and Ethical Approaches in Digitalised Health Services 

Common studies include e.g.: A Successful Organisation, Digitalised Operating Environments, Innovation, E-services and Business, Research-based Development 

Main subjects and fields of specialisation

At the beginning of your studies, you will choose 30 ECTS from common and field-specific professional studies in accordance with your personal study and career plan. You will receive guidance and counselling from the responsible teacher of the programme as well as from other members of Savonia staff in view of defining and achieving your personal goals. 

Structure of studies

The studies contain 90 ECTS and they can be completed in 2–3 years.

At the beginning of the studies you will choose 30 ECTS from common and field-specific professional studies in accordance with your personal study and career plan. You will receive guidance and counselling from the responsible teacher of the programme as well as from other members of Savonia staff in view of defining and achieving your personal goals. 

You can familiarize yourself with the content of the degree program by using the curriculum.

Thesis

At Savonia, your thesis work will be working-life related. This gives you a possibility to network with the experts and employers in your own field as well as in other fields during your studies. You will prove to be able to recognise, evaluate and solve working-life related challenges independently. 

The thesis research focuses on the digitalisation of social and health care services and contributes to the strategic goals of your workplace or a partner organisation. The thesis work can be e.g. development work, a developmental research, a project. 

Career opportunities

After completing the studies, you will be able to work in expert and managerial positions in the field in multi professional workplaces. The Master’s degree at a university of applied sciences qualifies you for working in a public sector post. The qualifications are equivalent to those attained at a university. 

Job Titles 

  • Digital Services Specialist 
  • Project Manager 
  • Service Manager 
  • Service Designer and Trainer 

Qualification

A Master’s degree completed at a university of applied sciences qualifies you for working in a public sector post. The qualifications equal those attained at a university. 

Internationalisation

Savonia is a multicultural and international community and there are foreign exchange and degree students on the campus. You can also take part of your studies abroad. The student group can also attend possible international seminars, conferences and fairs.

Research focus

The research and development work in the social and health care field at Savonia is focused on the development work in the Applied Welfare Technology focus area. 

Postgraduate study opportunities

The possible postgraduate studies are licentiate and doctoral studies at a university.