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Joint Master's Degree Programme in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare, M.Soc.Sc.
University of Tampere
School of Social Sciences and Humanities
| Application Deadline: | 15 February 2012 | ||
| Annual Tuition Fee: | Free | ||
| Location: | Tampere / Finland / View location on map ▾ Hide location on map ▴ | ||
| Duration: | 24 months | Start Date: | August |
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| Credits (ECTS): | 120 | ||
| Languages: | English | ||
Location of University of Tampere
The joint Master's Degree Programme in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare (COSOPO) is organized in cooperation with Johannes Kepler Universität (Linz, Austria) and Mykolos Romeris University (Vilnius, Lithuania).
The programme aims in improving students' academic credentials and enhancing their career prospects as highly qualified analysts and applied researchers in national, European and international organizations. Graduates are expected to work in the areas of welfare management and social policy development and they will be able to apply their skills in creating, developing and evaluating social programmes and projects.
The programme will provide the graduates with competence in understanding theories of social policy and welfare as well as an ability to engage in an open and critical examination of these fields. They will also gain knowledge and understanding of comparative and interdisciplinary welfare and social policy research. In addition, they will acquire skills in intercultural communication and the capability to use and accomplish research in the fields of social policy and welfare in countries representing different welfare models.
Contents
Master's Degree Programme in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare 2010-2012
Changes for the academic year 2012-2014 are possible.
Introduction to Master's studies 3 ectsSPOICI1 Introduction to Scientific Work and Writing 3 ects
European Welfare Regimes and Comparative Social Policy 18 ects
SPOICT1 Theories of Welfare States - Basic Module 4 ects
SPOICT2 Theories of Welfare States - Extension Module 5 ects
SPOICSP1 Comparative European Social Policy - Basic Module 4 ects
SPOICSP2 Comparative European Social Policy - Extension Module 5 ects
National Systems of Work and Welfare 15 ectsSPOICNS1 Eastern European Model: Lithuanian System of Work and Social Security 5 ects
SPOICNS2 Continental Model: Austrian System of Work and Social Security 5 ects
SPOICNS3 Nordic Model: Nordic Welfare Societies 5 ects
SPOICS Synthesis of Welfare Regimes and Comparative Social Policy Including Case Studies 5 ects
Reseach Areas of Social Policy: Comparative Analysis 12 ectsSPOICR1 Social Demography 4 ects
SPOICR2 Family Policy 4 ects
SPOICR3 History of Social Policy and Social Reform 4 ects
SPOICR4 Gender and Social Policy 4 ects
SPOICR5 Social Policy and Economy 4 ects
SPOICR6 Work, Employment and Welfare 4 ects
Empirical Research Methodology and Methods 18 ectsSPOICM1 Methodology of Social Research 4 ects
SPOICM2 Quantitative Research Methods 6 ects
SPOICM3 Qualitative Research Methods 6 ects
SPOICM4 Comparative Data Sources 2 ects
SPOICP Practicum 9 ects
Master's Thesis Seminar and Master's Thesis 40 ectsSPOICMTS Masters Thesis Course
SPOICMT Thesis 40 ects
Accreditation
Quality Enhancement System in the University of Tampere
The quality enhancement system in the University of Tampere consists of the methods for continuous improvement of education, research, management, leadership and supporting services. Basically, the quality system of the University consists of the same elements as in most Finnish or even European universities. The quality enhancement methods are usually seen as a cycle of planning, doing, checking and acting.
Compared with other Finnish universities the University of Tampere has focused more in developing the self-steering of the faculties and departments instead of controlling them. At the beginning of 2011. the University of Tampere conducted a thorough overhaul of its organization. Instead of six faculties and over 20 departments there are nine schools to take care of all research and education in the University. The services and administration have been rearranged, too. The steering processes, eg. the quality system as a tool for management, was renewed at the same time. Most of the improvements to the quality system were due to the clear organisation structure and strong preconditions of the strategic management. The administration has two levels instead of three. This has made the responsibilities in quality enhancement clearer than before.
The quality systems in Finnish universities are regularly externally audited. The next external audit in the University of Tampere will be in 2011.
What do quality assurance and enhancement mean?
Quality assurance means the procedures, processes and systems used to safeguard and improve the quality. Quality enhancement implies especially to the methods of continuous improvement. The quality system is usually considered as a tool of strategic management and leadership. The word system implies to the university level construction, whereas the procedures and methods imply to the separate practices used in and by the university.
Since Finnish higher education institutions have a strong autonomy, they are responsible for their own quality methods and systems. There are however certain methods on the national level to assure the continous improvement of the university level systems. The Ministry of Education and Research steers the universities with several reporting and assessment methods. Eg. the volume and quality of higher education institutes are annually measured by certain indicators. The Finnish Higher Education Council supports the universities to improve the quality systems by organizing external audits and developing the national audit model.
The University uses assessments and evaluations to monitor if the improvement methods exist and if they are good enough. The strategy process usually produces changes to the internal steering system and to the methods of continous improvement.
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You can contact Eveliina Permi to ask a question about Joint Master's Degree Programme in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare, M.Soc.Sc. at University of Tampere.
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