Study Guide

Descriptions

Objective of the programme

The environment in which art and culture professionals operate is in a constant state of flux. The students of the Master’s Degree Programme in Contemporary Contexts of Arts examine and produce art in different spaces, contexts, processes and among different practitioners or audiences. The objective is to expand the students’ core competences and to improve their communication and networking skills as well as their ability to work in and manage creative communities and projects.

The graduates of the programme are artistic professionals who are well-networked and innovative experts of teamwork and have the talent for recognising new earning opportunities in the changing operating environment. Strong development skills provided by the programme are a major asset when seeking employment in various expert roles. A Master’s degree gives eligibility both for public posts, which require a Master’s degree, and further postgraduate studies.

Contents of the programme

The programme is aimed at professionals in different fields of arts willing to improve and expand their skills and to find new locations, spaces, audiences, communities and contents for their work. The students will learn how to position their own competences in relation to new contexts and to utilise and apply their skills in new ways. The students will use their strong professional background in their respective fields of art and build their motivation to improve their skills sets as a response to current and future challenges.

Artistry and working life of today require professional skills in various contexts and a capacity to collaborate with different partners in different professional settings. There is a demand for experts who are able to develop and experiment with bold, new solutions. A multidisciplinary and multiprofessional approach plays a central role in the programme.

The programme emphasises network- and community-based working methods. An art professional operating as part of a network is an active practitioner with a good understanding of the world of work and an ability to coordinate and add value to multiprofessional teams. Collaboration takes place between different artistic disciplines as well as between different professional fields. Central themes in the studies include multidisciplinary networks, creative teams, new job descriptions in the field of art and the professional identities of innovators and developers in the field of art.

Structure of the programme

The Contemporary Contexts of Arts is a Master’s degree programme (60 ECTS) that takes an estimated three terms (1.5 years) to complete. The studies are organised as part-time studies and can be completed while working. The curriculum is flexible and the studies can be completed in as little as one year of full-time study.

A key element in the programme is the Thesis module (30 ECTS), which runs through the entire duration of the programme. The purpose of the Master’s thesis is to develop professional practices in the field of culture while meeting the requirements of the customer or other commissioning organisation. The thesis includes artistic and practical content in accordance with the objectives of the development task. The thesis work begins immediately at the start of the studies and continues throughout them.

Development work is always based on intensive research and analysis and it is carried out using methodologies and tools relevant to the development task. The thesis also involves documentation and reporting on the development process. The methodological skills required for development work and reporting are taught on the Research and development methods course (5 ECTS) in the Thesis module.

The student may link the development project with the topics and activities of the research groups of the Arts Academy or TUAS. The students can find support for their development project from their own networks or other networks operating within TUAS. The thesis may also be written as teamwork.

The Contemporary Contexts of Arts module (20 ECTS) covers the core competences required for professional development in the students’ own fields of art. The focus of the studies will be on 1) building the students’ own professional identity and identifying their personal strengths and development needs, 2) analysing and anticipating current and future operating environments, 3) examining the new contexts of art and placing their artistic and pedagogical work within the new framework, 4) producing art in different environments, spaces, contexts, processes and by various practitioners. The students will strengthen and expand their own artistic and methodological competences through topical themes in applied arts, contemporary art, community arts and multiprofessional teamwork.

The students may use elective studies (10 ECTS) to expand their competences in areas and methods relevant to their work. Courses may be selected from the offering of TUAS and other higher education institutions. The students may also complete project-based studies in the RDI projects at TUAS, in external projects or as their own working life projects

The students will set their personal learning objectives and build their competence track and further their professional development with the support of tutoring, the individual study plan and the professional autobiographical process, which forms a part of the module Contemporary Contexts of Arts. The professional autobiographical process supports students’ continuous reflection on their professional identity, strengths, skills and development needs and competence development during the studies. The process is influenced by changes in the professional field of art and the new job descriptions emerging in the fields of culture, such as cultural well-being and the collaboration between business life and art and science. While recognising their identities and strengths as artists, the students will develop their abilities to analyse and anticipate current and future operating environments and to build a more developmental approach.

The programme emphasises network- and community-based working methods. An art professional operating as part of a network is an active practitioner with a good understanding of the world of work and an ability to coordinate and add value to multiprofessional teams. Collaboration takes place between different artistic disciplines as well as between different professional fields. Central themes in the studies include multidisciplinary networks, creative teams, new job descriptions in the field of art and the professional identities of innovators and developers in the field of art.

Master's thesis

The purpose of the Master’s thesis is to develop professional practices in the field of culture while meeting the requirements of the customer or other commissioning organisation. The thesis includes artistic and practical content in accordance with the objectives of the development task. The thesis work begins immediately at the start of the studies and continues throughout them.

Development work is always based on intensive research and analysis and carried out using methodologies and tools relevant to the development task. The thesis also involves documentation and reporting on the development process. The methodological skills required for development work and reporting are taught on the Research and development methods course (5 ECTS) in the Thesis module.

The student may link the development project with the topics and activities of the other research groups of the Arts Academy or Turku UAS. The students can find support for their development project from their own networks or other networks operating within Turku UAS. The thesis may also be written as teamwork.


Qualifications and career opportunities

The programme leads to a Master’s Degree in Culture and Arts. Master’s programmes at Turku UAS Master School comply with the European Qualification Framework (EQF) and Finnish National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Learning outcomes of the Master’s programmes are at level 7, as in any other Finnish or European university.

A Master’s degree from Turku UAS Master School gives formal eligibility to pursue suitable postgraduate studies and for public posts that require a master level university degree.

Objective

• position his/her own competences in new professional contexts as well as use and apply his/her skills in new ways
• identify and analyse changes and opportunities for new earning models in his/her operating environment
• work creatively as part of a team simultaneously developing his/her problem solving skills
• develop his/her skills on the fringes and boundaries of their artistic field
• build and maintain collaboration as well as domestic and international networks to complement his/her own competences
• communicate about his/her own competences and development work to domestic and international networks

Development

The Contemporary Contexts of Arts programme is based on the blended learning approach and innovation pedagogy.

Most of the studying and learning takes place according to the student’s own schedule in the location of his/her own choice. The studies are completed mainly online, as independent studies and through different group and project assignments. Independent study alternates with and is supported by contact learning, which takes place usually in two consecutive days each month.

The study programme is by definition multidisciplinary, as its students come with a wide range of educational backgrounds, professional experience and skills sets in the field of arts and culture. The educational and professional diversity of the students is seen as a strength. When working as part of multiprofessional teams, students will have the opportunity to create fresh ideas, solutions and innovations.

Learning process supported by teachers

The teachers in the Contemporary Contexts of Arts programme support the students’ learning process and competence development, supervise the development projects carried out for the thesis and facilitate networking and team work across disciplinary boundaries. In addition to strong pedagogical qualifications, the teaching staff has high professional expertise in the fields of arts and culture, as well as education.

Our Master’s degree programme students and faculty form a learning community, in which peer learning from other arts and culture professionals plays a key part and in which teachers and students learn together and from each other.

Each student meets with the tutoring teacher at the beginning of his/her studies and during the second semester. The purpose of the tutoring meeting is to discuss the personal learning objectives and the individual study plan (ISP) of the student.

Student-centred learning and teaching methods

A professional autobiographical process is included in the studies of Masters students of Arts Academy. It supports the students’ continuous reflection on their professional choices and goals, strengths, skills and development needs, as well as professional identity and growth during the studies.

The courses of the study programme are planned and built around a student-centred learning process and authentic, motivating learning tasks. Many of the learning tasks are linked with the students’ own development projects for the thesis and support their thesis writing process. Learning tasks may also be based on real-life cases, problems and assignments provided by our working life partners.

The learning tasks are ideally carried out as part of the work in multiprofessional teams. As a rule, the independently completed learning tasks are also shared with the group through the online platform for discussion and learning. Peer assessment plays a key role in the completion of the learning tasks both for the courses and the development project.

Students' learning is assessed through a variety of methods. In addition to the assessment conducted by the teachers, self-assessment and peer assessment are systematically used. Learning is also assessed externally by working life partners, such as student mentors. The assessment covers the competences attained by the student as well as his/her competence development during the studies. The main purpose of the assessment is to support the students’ competence development. (See Assessment for more details.)

Diverse learning environments

In the Contemporary Contexts of Arts programme, the studies and learning take place in a variety of different learning environments. Some of the learning environments are used by all students together, while some environments are used by those who find the specific environment relevant and rewarding with regard to their learning objectives and competence track.

The campus environment: The students convene for a contact learning period usually once a month. Contact learning offers an important platform for learning guidance, peer support, team work and collective reflection. In addition, the contact learning periods include lectures and talks by visiting experts and the programme’s own lecturers and/or visits to local communities. During the contact learning period, the students may also meet and work together with students of other Master School programmes.

Online learning environment: The online learning management system (LMS) of Turku UAS, called itslearning, is the “homebase” for blended learning, providing the students with general information about the degree programme as well as the schedule, learning materials and instructions for each course as well as the tools used for completing, sharing and/or submitting the learning tasks. The tools of the LMS may also be complemented with other digital tools, such as Zoom, Teams and social media paltforms. Some of the learning activities take place online in interaction with the whole group or a smaller team of students.

Networks: The Contemporary Contexts of Arts programme is offered in close collaboration with working life networks, and students are encouraged to make active use of their own professional networks in their development projects and other studies and to build new networks. Students are encourage to participate in proefssionally relevant seminars and other events, and to include these learning experiences in their elective studies.

Research groups and RDI projects: The students also have the opportunity to complete the development project for their thesis as part of one of the research groups at the Arts Academy or other research, development and innovation projects at Turku UAS. The students may also include project-based studies in RDI projects as elective studies.

Feedback system

The Contemporary Contexts of Arts programme is based on continuous feedback: students meet their tutor teacher during each contact learning period to discuss matters related to their studies. One purpose of the tutor meetings is to facilitate giving feedback so that any issues can be addressed immediately. Feedback can also be given via itslearning or email. In addition, feedback on individual courses is collected using an online feedback questionnaire, and students are requested to give general feedback on their studies in a Student Barometer survey during the second semester.

The degree programme is constantly developed in dialogue with working life. Feedback will be received from, for example, the Arts Academy advisory council, project partners and working life partners.

Further information

The assessment of each course is based on competence goals detailed in the curriculum, which are in turn based on the competence goals set for the entire degree programme. The innovation competences of Turku UAS are taken into account in the competence goals for the degree. The scale of assessment is Approved/Failed, except for the development project for the thesis which is graded on a scale from 1 to 5.

The assessment of the development project is based on the common assessment criteria for Master’s degree theses at Turku UAS. The thesis is always evaluated by two examiners, one of whom also supervises the thesis work. The second examiner may be a teacher from Turku University of Applied Sciences or a working life representative. The students will receive a written statement on their thesis detailing the grounds for the grade awarded.

Prior to the summative assessment at the end of the thesis process, students will receive feedback from their thesis supervisor(s) with the purpose of helping students improve their final thesis. Process assessment takes place in a group situation in connection with the presentation of the research and development plan and at later stages of the development project, during individual supervisory discussions and following the submission of the draft thesis report.

Assessment by teachers: The course assessment by the teacher covers all learning assignments submitted during the course in accordance with the principle of continuous assessment. The focus of the assessment is on both the final product (such as a report or a presentation) demonstrating the student’s competences (learning outcomes) and the student’s learning process (competence development). The learning process is made visible in the online learning environment (by sharing draft versions of learning assignments in the discussion forum, by giving and receiving peer feedback and editing the work based on feedback), during face-to-face meetings, in which students may give progress reports on their projects, during supervisory meetings with the teacher and in the reports written by the student on their work.

Self-assessment: Self-assessment is essentially based on a professional autobiographical process that continues throughout the studies. It serves as a tool for reflection on the students’ own skills and their development and on their professional identity. In addition, the students are expected to reflect on the progress of their learning in all reports written during the studies, such as the project-based course reports in elective studies and the thesis report on the development project.

Peer assessment: Peer assessment is used in many learning tasks on the itslearning LMS platform, with students sharing drafts and final versions of their learning tasks with each other and giving feedback on their respective performance. The students will also have the opportunity to give peer feedback during the contact learning periods in the context of presentations on development projects and discussions on learning assignments. Peer assessment is an essential part of each course.

Assessment by working life partners: External working life partners may assess student performance during the thesis work, if the work was assigned by an external working life partner. The courses also include lectures and workshops by guest experts, who will give feedback on student performance during contact learning periods. The purpose of the assessment conducted by a working life partner is mainly to support the students’ competence development and achievement of goals, so it is provided primarily for the personal benefit of the student.