Study Guide

Descriptions

Study objectives:
In your studies you will learn about knowledge management, financial management, self-management and industrial engineering and management in social and healthcare settings. After the studies you will be able to process data to support the information needs of social and healthcare services and business and estimate the costs, profits and profitability of such services and business.

After completing your studies you can work, for instance, in development and managerial positions or as an expert in private or public organizations or as an entrepreneur.

Working while studying and combining the learning assignments and final thesis for your own organization makes it possible to develop your own organization during the studies. You can also find a thesis topic from outside your own organization to expand your knowledge and networks.

The programme gives you the skills to analyze and develop yourself as a leader. You will be able to effectively lead organizations towards well-being. As part of your studies, you will learn how to apply knowledge-based management and change management to renew social and healthcare services. You will be able to lead social and health care with knowledge and understand how service systems and service delivery systems are structured.

More about the language of instruction:
The main tuition language Finnish, but some of the studies are conducted in English and English-language learning materials are used. Students have the opportunity to participate in international research, development and innovation (RDI) projects where the working language is English.

Study contents:
The Master’s degree composes of core competences, complementary competences, and Master’s thesis. Part of the mandatory core competence studies is common for all MBA programmes and part are specific for the Management of Social and Health Services and Business (MBA). In the common studies you will get tools for future competence need and future research. Moreover, you will develop your competencies in research and development methods such as data collection, research ethics and process modelling and analyzing.

The core competences of Social and Health Services and Business Management include social and health service system, knowledge management in social and health services, accounting in the social and health sector, industrial engineering in social and health services, change management and the change in leadership. Complementary competence studies include elective studies that can be taken freely from the other Turku UAS 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.

Structure of studies:
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 take place through e-learning, self-study and contact teaching. Contact teaching is organized on average once a month for one or two days. Due to the individual course selections, a student may have more contact days. Contact teaching consists of guidance, group work, expert lectures, and seminar work.

The studies consist of 5 credit study units, which typically each include two contact days. With the elective studies, the student extends his / her skills by incorporating studies from his / her own or the other Turku UAS Master’s programmes or from other higher education institutions. Some elective studies are implemented completely online.

Final project:
Master´s thesis is usually conducted as a development project for an organization. Master´s thesis is practice-oriented project where students are using research and development methods. Master´s thesis is often executed in student´s own employer organization or in Turku UAS research and development projects.

Career opportunities:
After completing your studies you can work, for instance, in private or public organizations in development and managerial positions or as an expert or as an entrepreneur. You can work for instance as a specialist, researcher or development manager.

Qualification:
A Master’s degree awarded by a university of applied sciences provides the same eligibility for public posts as a degree awarded by a university. The education provides general competence for management and development tasks. In the social and health sector, besides the general eligibility conditions, there is also sector-specific regulation for the eligibility for management tasks. Extensive development and expertise in the field make national and international mobility possible. The education follows the European Qualification Framework (EQF) proficiency level descriptions and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) proficiency descriptions. The level corresponding to the Master’s degree is 7.

Possible jobtitles after graduation:
Head nurse, chief, manager, developer

Internationalisation:
Internationalization starts with the student's own needs and interests. Turku University of Applied Sciences is an international higher education institution with dozens of partner universities, with whom we develop our courses. Master students can participate in international exchange programmes and other international study opportunities. Students also have the opportunity to participate in international research and development projects as part of their studies.

Much of the source material for courses and learning assignments is from international professional and scientific sources. Some of the teaching can be carried out in English.

Co-operation with other parties:
The studies are designed and implemented in collaboration with working life. The working life connection is primarily built around the student, the student's workplace, networks, and education. The interaction between the students working in different positions plays an important role in the development of professional skills and creation of collaborative networks.

The most important element of the degree is the Master’s thesis, which is usually done as a development project that serves the working life. The thesis increases the student's professional skills and competence and serves the development needs of working life. Local, national and international actors are also involved in the research and development activities.

Students can apply for courses at other higher education institutions and include these in their degree. Students can also take advantage of the joint online study offering at CampusOnline provided by the Finnish universities of applied sciences.

Research focus:
Research and development activities in the training in the Management of Social and Health Services and Business are carried out in the students' project work related to the development of employer organizations and in the thesis carried out as a development project. You will also have the opportunity to study in the UAS's own research groups in various research, development and innovation projects involving local, national and international actors.

Postgraduate study opportunities:
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.

Objective

After completing the programme, the student is able to:
• develop his/her own leadership identity towards becoming a motivating and capable executive/manager
• manage people and change in a result-oriented and sustainable way towards a thriving work community
• create and communicate a new image of social and health care expert at regional, national and international level
• create systematic, customer-oriented (service-driven) and efficient (business-driven, production-driven) management and service systems and service concepts
• apply data-driven interventions for change to topical and significant changes and measures to reform social and health services

Development

The pedagogical approach applied in the leadership (MBA) studies is Innovation pedagogy that refers to an approach of constructivist and problem-based learning. Master's students study alongside their work and want to broaden and deepen their theoretical knowledge and gain models for applying theory to their own work.

Studying is part-time and involves both contact and distant learning. In addition to individual learning, collaborative learning in teams is applied to meet the needs of working life. Integration between studies and applied RDI activities and working life orientation play an important role in the studies. Learning takes place partly in virtual and in multi-disciplinary environments. On average, there are two consecutive contact teaching days in a month.

A central part of Management of Social and Health Services and Business (MBA) studies is the Master´s thesis in which the student will not only develop the knowledge and skills in a certain study field and specific topic but will also have the possibility to develop his/her work and workplace.

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. The assessment criteria for each course are described in its implementation plan. Performance requirements vary depending on the objectives, content and the method of implementation.

The courses and the thesis are assessed on a scale of 0 to 5. Assessment focuses on competence and its development. 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. The 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 Degree programme is developed according to the principles of continuous improvement. In the development work, feedback from the students and working life, as well as their initiatives, play a key role. Feedback is collected with, for instance, student questionnaires and group development discussions.