Study Guide

#savoniaUAS

Curricula starting in 2022 and earlier

Savonia's new Study Guide (curriculum starting in 2023 and after) can be found here.

Degree Programme in Social Services

This curriculum is a translation of the curriculum of the Finnish degree program.

Methods and implementation

Savonia UAS provides education which is guided by OIS-thinking (Open Innovation Space). The objective is to combine high-quality learning and teaching with working -life -oriented research and development work. Students, teachers and RDI staff from different fields and working-life representatives together solve problems arising from practical work. OIS is a physical, social and virtual learning, research and development environment.

Study methods emphasise collaboration and being self-directed as required in social field professions. Exploratory learning is the underlying principle in the studies. When drafting the personal study and career plan (PSP), recognition of prior learning is part of this process. Various working-life based projects as well as practical training periods and guided and supervised internship in different work communities and thesis make the studies individualized. The student can take part of the studies abroad and choose internationalisation studies at his or her own school. Some courses are partly or fully web-based and the Moodle learning environment is also used in the working-life community to organise expert lectures and supervise internship. The material, instructions and forms to guide and support studying can also be found in Moodle. Instructions on the use of the learning environment will be provided at the beginning of the studies. The development of multi-professionalism is supported by organising part of the studies on Iisalmi Campus together with health care and natural resources students and/or in Kuopio together with students in different degree programmes at Savonia UAS.

At Savonia UAS the teaching staff provide learning opportunities and create possibilities to enhance learning in different learning environments. The Student Services Office, the Library and Information Services, the International Services and other supportive services help students in their studies. The studies are based on the principles of accessibility and sustainable development.

Internationalisation is part of studies. The student has an opportunity to learn internationality at different stages of the studies and improve his or her cultural competence by studying abroad through various exchange programmes. The student is required to complete at least 5 ECTS credits of studies in a foreign language (excluding language studies). The student can improve intercultural skills also by acting as a peer tutor student and help exchange students and by working e.g. in immigrant communities. The student can also choose international path studies, 60 ECTS, by taking 5-10 ECTS credits of the social services studies in English (Multicultural Work, SSMOKT, 5 ECTS and an alternative course, 5 ECTS, in English), by doing an internship abroad to develop professional skills and competence, 30 ECTS, and 20 ECTS credits of joint social and health care studies in the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Nursing. sekava

The student can choose child- and family-oriented or case management-oriented courses to the studies of an early childhood education expert and a case management expert. He or she gains skills in supporting and guiding a person’s growth in client work and learns to work in multi-professional teams as a social work specialist and develop his or her professional activities considering both individuals’ and families’ needs. Early childhood education and case management skills are needed when working with families in day-care, special education, youth work, family work, child protection or in rehabilitation and care for the disabled. The student can choose at least 60 ECTS credits of early childhood education and social pedagogy studies in order to be qualified for early childhood education work in day care. (Figure: Early Childhood Education Path Studies), Act on Qualification Requirements for Social Welfare Professionals (272/2005 § 6).

A student who wishes to become an entrepreneur may choose courses concerning the development of a business idea, business model and customer testing from joint study modules at Savonia UAS. The student then chooses to do his or her internship in care or other companies where he or she can become familiar with entrepreneurship in the social field. In addition to being an entrepreneur, the entrepreneurial studies aim at increasing awareness of entrepreneurial activities and at improving knowledge of entrepreneurship and business life.

We reserve the right to make changes to the curriculum due to the need to update the content being studied.