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.

The Master’s degree composes of core competences, complementary competences and thesis work. Part of the mandatory core competence studies are common for all Professional programmes and part are specific for the name of the program. 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 thesis work is done as a working life development project.

The thesis is a development project which is done in cooperation with working life and projects and in which the student acts as the project manager. The thesis can be carried out in the research projects, development projects and innovation projects of TUAS or in the environment of the working life. Other studies can be connected to the development project where applicable. The thesis is implemented according to the tripartite model. This means collaboration between the student, the teacher tutor and the work life coach throughout the training. The financier also cooperates when necessary. A development and project team representing a wide range of expertise will be established for the development project to support the implementation of the development project.

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. It is possible for the student to apply for the right to complete JOO-studies (JOO-opinto), the University of Turku, Åbo Akademi, Diakonia and Yrkeshögskolan Novian and studies from study supply of Humanistinen University of Applied Sciences.

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 WORK

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:

· Developing expertise in The Mental Health and Substance Abuse care
· Evidence based mental health promotion
· Advanced person-centered care process in mental health and substance abuse care I
· Advanced person-centered care process in mental health and substance abuse care II
· Mental health and substance abuse care in international context
· Special issues in mental health and substance abuse care

The extent of the study programme is 90 ECTS.
The studies are composed of:
• Compulsory core competences 20/40 ECTS
• Elective complementary competences 10/20 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 thesis is a development project which is done in cooperation with working life and projects and in which the student acts as the project manager. The thesis work can be carried out in the research projects, development projects and innovation projects of TUAS or in the working life environment. Other studies can be connected to the development project where applicable. The thesis is implemented according to the tripartite model. This means collaboration between the student, the teacher tutor and the working life coach throughout the studies. The financier also cooperates when necessary. A steering and project team representing a wide range of expertise will be established for the development project to support its implementation.

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

The cooperation with the working life organisations and networking are an essential part of the studies. In RDI projects, the cooperation can also be extended to international universities and to the international working life partners. It is possible for the student to apply for the right to complete so called JOO-studies (JOO-opinto) from the offerings of the University of Turku, Åbo Akademi as well as Diakonia, Novia and Humak Universities of Applied Sciences.

Supporting Self-Care and Care of Non-communicable Disease

The Master’s degree composes of core competences, complementary competences and Master’s thesis. Part of the mandatory core competence studies are common for all Professional programmes and part are specific for the Advanced Practice – Supporting Self-Care and Care of Non-communicable Diseases . Complementary competence studies include elective studies that can be taken freely from the other TUAS Master’s programmes or from the Master’s programmes of other universities. In most cases, the thesis is done as a working life development project. The main contents of the advanced professional studies in Advanced Practice – Supporting Self-Care and Care of Non-communicable Diseases are clinical expertise and decision making in the prevention and care of non-communicable diseases, client counselling, digital services, utilisation of technology and competence development of work communities. Prevention of non-communicable diseases through different methods at the individual, the community and the population levels is the core of an advanced practice nurse’s work. Other core competencies of an advanced practice nurse are the comprehensive assessment and clinical examination of the client’s health and both medical and non-medical treatments. Medication of non-communicable diseases is studied also from the point of view of clinical pharmacology. Promotion of adherence to care, supporting self-care and rehabilitation as well as patient-/client counselling with different methods and dialogic communication are emphasised. Collaboration with the third sector and people with experiential knowledge is emphasised as well. Technology, data systems and digital services that support the care are explored from different points of view and at different levels; they are also connected to knowledge management. Additionally, strategy-based development of the staff’s competence and work community dynamics are included in the contents of the education.

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.

Objective

MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE WORK

After completing the programme, the student is able to:

· critically evaluate and develop one’s own identity of expertise, work, working community in the field of mental health and substance abuse care
· analyse profoundly service system of mental health and substance abuse care
· critically evaluate national and international perspectives, special issues and best practices related to promotion of mental health
· analyse functioning of service system, development challenges and future prospects in perspective of mental health promotion
· independently evaluate care needs in co-operation with client and his family members and develop mental health and substance abuse care processes utilizing evidence based knowledge
· based on clinical and ethical principles, critically evaluate and develop skills of decision-making in the field of mental health and substance abuse care
· utilize widely and in client- centred way evidence based treatment methods known in mental health and substance abuse care
· critically evaluate and develop guidance of client and families , and practices of case management in mental health and substance abuse care
· describe essential international and European directives, agreements and programmes related to mental health and substance abuse care, and is able to critically examine them in relation of Finnish mental health practices
· examine critically current international trends, special issues and best practices in mental health and substance abuse care in relation to Finnish mental health care system
· evaluate critically one’s own specific field of expertise (for ex. child psychiatry, forensic psychiatry) in relation to directives, legislation, and recommendations and recognize targets of development related to that speciality

Supporting Self-Care and Care of Non-communicable Disease

After completing the programme, the student is able to:
· practise as an advanced practitioner in the care and prevention of non-communicable diseases in
accordance with the legislation demonstrating accountability, professional integrity and ethical conduct
· identify the needs and services of patients with non-communicable diseases and master the principles of case management / service counselling in addressing the patient’s and his/her close relatives’ needs
· strengthen the involvement of a patient in planning and carrying out self-care
· renew and develop person-centred and evidence-based services in order to support the care, self-care and rehabilitation of the patients with non-communicable diseases
· utilise widely versatile digital services, technology and electronic systems as a support in patient care and counselling
· develop organisational modes of action that support multi-professional co-operation and well-being and professional development of the employees
· enhance dissemination and exploitation of evidence-base

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. 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 utilised. Core competence studies of bioanalytics (20 ECTS credits) are implemented through a nationwide network.

Core competence studies of radiography (20 ECTS credits) are implemented through a nationwide network.

Mental health and substance abuse care studies include independent work and working in the multidisciplinary teams. The development tasks from the working life are utilised. Core competence studies of Mental health and substance abuse care (30 ECTS credits) are implemented through a nationwide network in various cities (Pori, Jyväskylä, Turku and Tampere).


Supporting Self-Care and Care of Non-communicable Disease

The advanced professional studies (30 credits) in Advanced Practice – Supporting Self-Care and Care of Non-communicable Diseases education are implemented in co-operation with a network, mainly as online studies in collaboration with Tampere and SAVONIA University of Applied Sciences. Each university is responsible for two 5 ECTS study units. The studies may require travelling to different cities. Travelling expenses must be paid by the student herself/himself.

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.

Supporting Self-Care and Care of Non-communicable Disease

The objectives for the 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 organisation feedback on performance are also utilised. The degree assessment framework is used as the basis for the assessment.

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.