Study Guide

Descriptions

Study objectives:

The Master’s Degree Programme in Sustainable Circular Economy of Turku University of Applied Sciences is directed to people from different spheres of engineering, qualified in working life and willing to develop circular business, contribute to implementing sustainability change, and create systemic change and sustainable circular business in companies and society. You will gain a master’s in business administration. The master’s degree programme in Sustainable Circular Economy is part of the Turku University of Applied Sciences (TUAS) Master School and the School of Professional Excellence.

During the Sustainable Circular Economy programme, you will learn about the development of circular business, systemic change, the possibilities and challenges of circular economy, analytical thinking, and project management skills. After graduating, you can work in the field of circular economy diversely, for example in managerial or developing positions. Your work may include innovation, process, product development, managing, customer relationships, or networking.

Working during the studies and combining the assignments and working with thesis work, enables the development of your employer organization’s activities in the course of your studies. The education fits perfectly for someone who’s planning on renewing their career path. The circular economy is multidisciplinary, and it affects all of society and occupational fields. Hence, there is great cooperation between professionals from different fields during the studies.

The programme will prepare you for developing and creating sustainable circular economy. You will learn the basics of circular economy and its business models, and gain knowledge of the prospects of circular economy in different fields, the possibilities and challenges of circular economy, and circular ecosystems. You will learn to manage and lead projects concerning sustainability challenges, digital competence and measuring of the efficiency of the circular economy. In addition, you will learn to renew and develop organizational activities by applying appropriate methods and research.

Structure of studies:

The extent of the Master’s degree in Sustainable Circular Economy is 90 ECTS and the duration is 2 years. The degree title is a Master of Business Administration

Studies consist of
• advanced studies (core competence) 40 ECTS
• elective studies (complementary competence) 20 ECTS
• Master’s thesis 30 ECTS

The core competence includes studies common to all and advanced sustainable circular economy studies. During the studies common to all, you will gain tools for predicting future competence needs and systemic change. In addition, you will learn to do your own research and gain methods knowledge such as data collection methods, and research ethics, and broaden your understanding of the sufficiency of natural resources and sustainable development. During the advanced studies, you will go deeper into developing sustainable development, business models, prospects of different fields, circular ecosystems, digital competence, project work and measuring sustainability and efficiency.
During the optional studies, you can broaden your knowledge in the sustainable circular economy by including studies from your own or other study programmes or schools. There are totally virtual implementations on optional studies.

The thesis will be carried out as development projects, which have a researchful take and tight link to practical work. The thesis will often be carried out in the student’s own organization as development or research work. The circular business models research group in Turku UAS offers a wide range of topics from its projects and partners that are suitable for the thesis.

You will formulate a personal learning plan with a tutor, which you can use to direct your studies according to your own needs and interests. These studies will be realized as online studies, independent work and contact teaching. Contact teaching will be arranged on average once a month from one to two days periods during weekdays. Contact teaching may increase as a result of your personal study choices. Contact teaching will consist of guidance, group work, professional lectures, and seminar work.

Internationalization:

Internationalization begins with students’ needs and interests. You have a possibility to perform part of the studies in higher education institutions abroad with which the UAS has a contract. Forms of internationalization are for example participating in Turku UAS’ international networks intensive week, international conferences, and projects. Most of the study periods and learning tasks are performed in English. The Sustainable circular economy programme has its own international partners with which different studying modes through which internationalization will happen naturally and support competence during studies. The master’s students will have a chance at getting into international research and development projects.

Qualification:

The Master's degree awarded by a university of applied sciences is a university degree that gives the same eligibility for public positions as a Master’s degree awarded by a university

Career opportunities:

After graduating, you can perform in various national and international expert, development, and managerial positions in both the public and private sectors. The degree enables you to also work in teaching positions if you go through pedagogical studies.

After you graduate, you can work with innovations, processes, product development, managing, customer relationships, or networking.

Postgraduate study opportunities:

A Master’s degree awarded by a university of applied sciences provides eligibility for further academic studies (Licentiate, Doctor) as well as for applying for professional teacher education. However, the receiving faculty always determines its own admission criteria and may require e.g. supplementary studies. Their purpose is to ensure that the student's starting level meets the requirements specified for academic research.

Co-operation with other parties:

Sustainable Circular Economy education will be carried out in cooperation with work and business life. The connection to work life is formed first and foremost between the student, their workplace, research group, networks, and degree. The interaction between the students working in different positions has a great part in developing professionalism and networks for cooperation.

The Circular business models research group has an important role in this education and it will be carried out in cooperation with the team. The research group already has over 10 years of experience in developing circular businesses and ecosystems in cooperation with national and international partners.

Engineering (master’s degree) students of the sustainable circular economy programme will cooperate a lot with business administration students of the sustainable circular economy programme.

The core element of this degree is the development project which services work life and based on which the thesis will be made. The thesis will increase students’ expertise and knowledge and will address the developmental needs of work life. The local, national, and international actors will be part of the research and development work also.

Research focus:

In the Sustainable circular economy programme, research and development work will occur in training and project work connected to students’ work tasks and their employers’ development. The thesis will be carried out as a development work. Research and development work might also occur as part of Turku UAS’ Circular business models research group’s and their partners’ projects.

Objective

After the studies, the student can
• develop and create sustainable circular economy via business studies knowhow in cooperation with experts from other fields
• bring business studies knowhow into the development projects in a suitable way
• renew and develop circular economy using suitable and impactful methods and using research-based knowledge
• knows the framework of sustainable circular business models
• anticipate and create systemic change
• recognize and use possibilities in circular economy
• make and lead development projects and project work
• knows analytical thinking and dialogical competencies i.e. communication and cooperation skills
• measure the impact of circular economy
• know about developing and leading circular ecosystems

Development

Studies include a variety of theoretical and laboratory work on contact teaching days, as well as online studies, exercises, projects, and internships as distance learning.

Further information

The objectives for skill levels in a master’s degree are based on the legislation concerning universities of applied sciences and the European Qualification Framework (EQF). The level corresponding to a master’s degree is level 7. The study evaluation criteria are described in the implementation plan of each course. Criteria are varying depending on different objectives, contents, and implementation models.