Study Guide

Descriptions

DESCRIPTION OF THE DEGREE PROGRAMME AND COMPETENCIES

Expertise in the social aspects of individual people's everyday life in the community and society lies at the heart of the Degree Programme. It means that students learn to understand an individual's life, along with the individual's resources and needs and to perceive her or his life situation in a broader context of social and cultural life. The degree programme provides students with competence to promote the welfare, social function and social engagement of people by means of psychosocial, activity-based and empowering methods and by appropriate management practices.

In his work, the Bachelor of Social Work (BA) encounters people of different ages and goes alongside them, supporting growth, development and social functioning. Work includes not only the provision of services, but also social influence, guidance on services and the development of work together with customers.

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY PROFILE

Taking the degree guarantees broad and high-quality professional social work competence and it enables employment with various client groups. The degree programme does not include specialisation In his work, the Bachelor of Social Work (BA) encounters people of different ages and goes alongside them, supporting growth, development and social functioning. They provide a strong theoretical basis for work in the social field and the studies include a wealth of learning environments in working life as well as practical learning methods. Sociology's work includes not only the provision of services, but also social influence, guidance on services and the development of work together with customers.
Students have a possibility to choose studies that represent different methods and work life settings. The study module Empowerment in Social Work can be studied in english language.

In the study as a whole, professional competencies have been taken into account, which have been developed in co-operation with all polytechnics offering sociology education in Finland. Competences: ethical competence, customer work competence, social service system competence, critical and inclusive society competence, research development and innovation competence, and work community, management and entrepreneurship competence.

PEDAGOGICAL ACTION MODELS

The Bachelor of Sociology degree program uses the concept of socio-constructivist learning as a pedagogical background theory. Different student-centered and experiential as well as individual and collaborative as well as exploratory learning learning methods promote student learning. Learning methods are used in many ways: theory studies as lectures, digital learning environments, small group exercises, simulation exercises and practice of different methods. Some of the studies can be carried out as online studies, distance learning and contact teaching. There is also independent study in the studies. Studies can also be completed in an exchange abroad according to a personal study plan. Students can also complete their studies in SeAMK's multidisciplinary SeAMKPro learning environment in accordance with a personal study plan.

The curriculum has five transversal strands that run through the studies. They are based on SeAMK's reports, studies and strategy, as well as national and international recommendations and regulations for polytechnics:

The information acquisition plot strengthens the student's professional and sectoral information acquisition skills through studies and is part of working life skills. Finding and using knowledge is an integral part of learning in all studies in the degree program.


The internationality plot ensures the development of the student's international competence during their studies. The Bachelor of Sociology works in multicultural and internationalizing work environments and encounters clients from many different cultures. Due to this, the contents of the education include multiculturalism, meeting people from different cultural backgrounds, teaching and learning materials in foreign languages, international exchanges, acting as an international tutor and internationalization at home.

Studies according to the Entrepreneurship plot help the student to understand the central and growing role of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship in society. Being entrepreneurial is an important part of social work. The content of the studies includes internal and external entrepreneurship as well as financial thinking and management studies. In the reform of service structures, the private sector and the 3rd sector will be large service providers in the future and this will be taken into account in the content of studies.

Sustainable development as a strand helps the student to become aware of social responsibility and to understand the diversity of sustainable development as a working life skill. In the content of education, sustainable development emerges from different perspectives at different stages of education.


Career guidance as a thread helps the student to identify their own skills as well as their own strengths. Studies include reflecting on one's own professional growth and recognizing the meanings of multidisciplinary work. Topics for the development of one's own professional image also include knowledge of working life, job search skills and lifelong learning.
Career guidance, interprofessional and interdisciplinary co-operation are clearly present at different stages of education and are used in a variety of ways by alumni and professionals.

Development

The curriculum is being continuously developed based on current development challenges, evidence-based knowledge and competence requirements expressed by the practice of social work and health care. National reports on competence needs and other information about competence needs produced through research and development are also used in curriculum development.

Further information

The aim is to bring full-time day studies and studies based on multiple learning methods closer to one another. This means that elective studies are offered to both groups of students simultaneously. Students of both groups also have a possibility to participate in other studies offered within the Degree Programme. Students can also include elective studies of the Degree Programme in their free-choice studies, if these elective studies are not already included in their professional studies.

Objective

Learning Outcomes are based on the General Competences of UAS Studies and on the Spesific Competences of Bachelor Degree in Social Services, Sosionomi (AMK) in Finnish. Learning Outcomes in detail are introduced in the Study Course describtions.