Study Guide

Descriptions

Experts and leaders for advanced expert roles and the reformers of the working life graduated from Master School of Turku University of Applied Sciences. The Master’s degree opens the door to the new career development. From the experts of the Master-level Finland gets more competitive knowledge. Educations in Master School is divided into two paths: in the Leadership Excellence path develop persons as a superior or leader and in the Professional Excellence path for an expert level that requires advanced knowledge.

Teaching is mainly in Finnish. The studies are also conducted in English and using English-language learning materials. The student has an opportunity to participate in the international research, development and innovation projects (RDI) in which working language is English.

An upper university degree produces the same eligibility for a public post or post as a university degree at a university. Education provide general competences in management and development tasks. In the social and health sector, besides the general eligibility conditions, there is also sector-specific regulation for management. Extensive development and substance expertise enables national and international mobility. The education follows the European Qualification Framework (EQF) proficiency level descriptions and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) proficiency descriptions. The level corresponding to the higher university of applied sciences degree is 7.

Students have the opportunity to complete part of their studies outside Finland at higher education institutions with which Turku University of Applied Sciences has signed a cooperation agreement. Students can also engage in internationalisation by participating in intensive events organised by international networks, as well as in international conferences, projects. Our Master School international seminar, organised once a year, is part of the master studies. Part of the studies can be implemented in English.

The cooperation with the working life organisations and networking are a part of the studies. In the RDI projects, the cooperation can reach also to the international universities and to the international working life partners. Students can apply for courses at other higher education institutions and include these in a degree. Students can also take advantage of CampusOnline's joint online study offer at the polytechnics of Finland. http://campusonline.fi/ Industry participates in the development of education.

The aim of the research group of Master School is to promote leadership, the evaluation and development of the social welfare and health care system through multidisciplinary expertise. Focus areas are knowledge-based management, customer-focused operational models and new solutions at interfaces, high-quality care and services for the older citizens, competence and expertise in the renewing and increasingly multicultural operational environment and additionally higher education, employment and career paths.

A Master’s degree awarded by a university of applied sciences provides eligibility for further academic studies as well as for applying for professional teacher education. Universities may set conditions on granting rights for further studies in the form of e.g. supplementary studies. The degree gives the competency to apply into the vocational teacher training.

MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE CARE

The Master's Degree Programme in Advanced Clinical Practice - Mental health and substance abuse care is part of the professional path. The School of Professional Excellence focuses on developing the skills and competences needed as a specialist in the selected discipline. During the studies, the students can focus on the challenges in their own field as well as on the environments of the future. After graduation, the student has developed and reformed working life, has created new networks and is capable of working in demanding expert and development task.

The main tuition language is Finnish. The studies are also conducted in English and using learning materials in English. The student has an opportunity to participate in the international research, development and innovation projects (RDI) in which the working language is English.

The Master’s degree composes of core competences, complementary competences and the Master’s thesis. Part of the mandatory core competence studies are common for all Professional programmes and part are specific for the Degree Programme in Advanced Clinical Practice - Mental Health and Substance Abuse Care. Complementary competence studies include elective studies that can be taken freely from the other TUAS Master’s programmes or from the Masters’ programmes of other universities. In most cases, the Master’s thesis is done as a working life development project.

The main contents of the core competence studies are:
-Human rights, social inclusion and recovery approach
-Dialogical collaboration
-Advanced clinical practice in mental health and substance abuse nursing
-Family-, network- and community-based approaches
Renewable and sustainable mental health and substance abuse care
- Advanced reflective expertise

The extent of the study programme is 90 ECTS.
The studies are composed of:
• Compulsory core competences 40 ECTS
• Elective complementary competences 20 ECTS
• Master’s thesis 30 ECTS.

The studies include e-learning, independent work and contact sessions. The contact sessions are arranged once a month during one or two day periods on average. However, the course selections may increase the number of contact days in an individual student’s case. The contact sessions consist of counselling, expert lectures and seminar work. The planned length of the studies is two (2) years

The Master's thesis solves a topical issue or problem related to working life. The topic of the thesis may be related to the development of a new product, service or process, for example. The thesis is carried out as a commission in research, development and innovation projects (RDI) of working life or Turku University of Applied Sciences. You can also acquire the topic from a variety of professional networks, third sector, wellbeing services counties or national research institutes. The thesis is done individually or in pairs. The completion of the thesis requires the ability to work independently and in expert work. In accordance with the tripartite model, the work is carried out in cooperation between the student, the teacher tutor and the working life mentor/contact person throughout the education. As a rule, the guidance is implemented as group guidance in ways agreed with the supervisor/teacher tutor of the thesis.

By the time the student graduates, she/he can work/act in different national or international expert tasks, development and management tasks and teaching tasks.

Possible titles after graduation: advanced practice nurse, head nurse, team manager, care coordinator, case manager

Objective

MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE CARE

After completing the programme, the student

-critically evaluates mental health and substance abuse work in accordance with international and national human rights recommendations and regulations
-evaluates and develops his/her own activities and the activities of the work community from the perspective of human rights, inclusion and recovery orientation
-critically examines mental health and mental health challenges from different theoretical perspectives
-develops and implements customer-oriented, inclusion-enhancing and stigma-reducing methods

-masters the theoretical foundations, key phenomena and methods of operation of the dialogic approach
-can evaluate and develop his/her competence in a therapeutic cooperative relationship based on the client's needs
-evaluates and develops the dialogic and reflective working method of the work community
-examines critically and knows how to develop cooperation practices from the perspective of cultural sensitivity and diversity

-masters theoretical foundations of evidence based practice
-critically evaluates and develops clinical practices and teamwork according to evidence based practice principles
-masters mental health needs assessment in cooperation with client and his/her network
-masters realization of nursing process in close co-operation with client
-critically evaluates and develops clinical practices to support clients interests and ethical sustainability

-masters theoretical foundations of the collaborative mental health and substance abuse care with families, networks and communities and is capable to critically evaluate and develop practices according to these foundations.
-is able to critically evaluate and develop practices to meet the needs of the client and in supporting client’s parenthood.
-is able to lead the collaborative processes together with clients in interdiscplinary and multiprofessional co-operation.
-is able to critically review and develop the different levels of mental health and substance abuse prevention

-examines mental health and substance abuse work critically in terms of sustainable development goals and ethical responsibility
-identifies and reflects on global and national phenomena affecting to mental health and in addition, societal and communal levels of influencing to them
-evaluates and develops current and new methods of mental health and substance abuse work in a future-oriented way and together with clients

-is capable to critically reflect and goal-orientated develop his/her own competence as advanced practice mental health nurse
-is able to utilize and share his/her knowledge and competence in different collaborative networks
-acknowledges the professional and ethical responsiilities in the development of mental health and substance abuse care
-continuously enhance his/her professional identity as advanced practice mental health nurse

Development

From a pedagogical perspective, teaching is based on a socio-cultural learning concept and on innovation-boosting learning and development practices by using innovation pedagogy. The students are encouraged to engage in active, critical thinking, to deepen their field-specific competence and to systematically build their fundamental knowledge regarding development. It is possible to complete the studies in addition to the work, but it requires careful planning of one's timetable. On average there are two contact days per a month. The teaching is carried out utilizing the innovative teaching and learning methods (Innopeda). The studying contains both the contact and the distance learning. The studies are performed in the network and in the multidisciplinary environments. The studies include independent work and working in the multidisciplinary teams. The development tasks from the working life are used.

Mental health and substance abuse care studies include independent work and working in the multidisciplinary teams. Core competence studies of Mental health and substance abuse care (30 ECTS credits) are implemented through a nationwide network in various cities (Oulu, Pori, Jyväskylä, Turku and Tampere). To carry out studies successfully, travelling to network cities, where study days are arranged, is required.

Further information

The objectives for skills levels in a Master’s Degree are based on the legislation on universities of applied sciences and the European Qualification Framework (EQF). The level corresponding to a Master’s Degree is level 7. Assessment focuses on competence and its development. The assessment criteria for each course are described in its implementation plan. The course assessment methods vary according to the objectives of the study module. Assessment may focus on the outcome (for instance, a report or a seminar presentation), on the process (the student’s own activity and actions during the course) or on both. Students receive regular feedback on their performance from their teachers. Peer- and self-assessment as well as client company feedback on performance are also utilized. The degree assessment framework is used as the basis for the assessment. The precondition for the acceptance of the study module is performing of the items which belong to it according to the curriculum. From the studies that have been acceptably completed grades are used, on a scale of 0 to 5 or accepted or completed.

The prerequisite for the approval of the study module is completing the parts which belong to it according to the curriculum. The studies that have been passed are graded on a scale of 1 to 5 or accepted or completed.