Study Guide

Descriptions

The Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Social Services is a 3.5-year, 210 ECTS programme which leads to a Bachelor of Social Services (UAS) degree. The skills and expertise gained through this programme are in compliance with the requirements of the EU in view of the level of higher education enabling free movement of labour and experts.

The Bachelor of Social Services (UAS) degree responds to changing needs in society. The education provides the student with professional skills and competences to meet the needs of working life. A Bachelor of Social Services (UAS) can be employed by municipalities, wellbeing services counties, private companies or third sector organisations and work as a specialist in social guidance and/or early childhood education / correctional services or work as a self-employed person in those fields. After graduation, a Bachelor of Social Services can work in various tasks in, for example, municipal education and culture, disability services, immigration work, child welfare, labour administration, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (KELA) and criminal sanctions.

The graduate of Bachelor of Social Services (UAS) is an expert in the social sector, whose work emphasizes interaction and group work skills, guidance skills, competence in work methods in the social field as well as network skills. After graduation, the student will have abilities to renew welfare services and develop cooperative and inclusive work and support methods for clients in different life situations. A Bachelor of Social Services knows the legislation concerning the social field, the social welfare and social security systems, the operating environments of social and health care sector, as well as various ways to produce social and health care services. A Bachelor of Social Services is able to anticipate social changes and is willing to be involved in providing and developing client-oriented social services. Service integration and digitalization are changing service systems. With the degree, you can use different digital platforms and develop client-oriented electronic services. You recognize the possibilities of wellness technology, robotics, artificial intelligence, etc. in the field. Future experts in the social field are expected to have abilities to reform social and welfare services within the limits of existing resources, use information and communication technology at work and develop cooperative and inclusive forms of support for clients in various life situations.

The aim of the UAS education is to provide higher education based on research and science that prepares the student for specialist jobs and supports professional growth. Another aim is to carry out applied research, development and innovation activities to serve the UAS education and the needs of working life and to promote regional development. The aim of Savonia UAS is to serve the Northern Savo region and the eastern Finland area where the regional vitality is influenced by the constantly changing and internationalising operational environment.

According to the Act on Qualification Requirements for Social Welfare Professionals (272/2005 § 6), the job title corresponding to the title of Bachelor of Social Services (UAS) is social instructor.

The Act on Early Childhood Education and Care 13.7.2018/540 27 determines the qualification of a Bachelor of Social Services in Early Childhood Education as follows: The qualification requirement for the tasks of a Bachelor of Social Services in Early Childhood Education is at least a university of applied sciences degree in social and health care, which includes studies of at least 60 credits focused on early childhood education and social pedagogy, which can be regulated in more detail by a government decree, or a Bachelor of Social Services degree, which has been supplemented by the mentioned studies.

The professional skills of a Bachelor of Social Services can be described by both generic and specific competences of a Bachelor of Social Services (competence areas). The generic competences are common to all UAS degree programmes, but their special features and importance may vary in different professions and jobs. The generic competences provide a good basis for working life skills, collaboration and developing professional skills. The student can develop desired skills and competences by content and pedagogical choices during the studies.

Licensing Social Welfare Professionals:
The National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) grants licensing, upon application and upon the announcement of the UAS, the right to act as a licensed social welfare professional. Completed social services studies, 210 ECTS, and their content according to the curriculum are the prerequisites for licensing. The UAS must verify that the graduating social welfare professional possesses the required skills and competences.

Professional development

In the curricula at Savonia UAS the study modules form extensive study entities. Thus they support the development of the student’s professional expertise and the student’s development as a whole. This also enables the combination of teaching with the working-life-oriented research and development activities.

Social constructivist learning theory and integrative pedagogy form the basis of teaching. According to the social constructivist learning theory, the student searches information actively and independently, evaluates it critically and is a knowledge constructor in interaction with others. The student builds knowledge based on his or her experiences and links that to his or her prior knowledge and views by using reflection. This way the student develops awareness of his or her own learning. According to integrative pedagogy, the student combines sociocultural, practical and theoretical knowledge. The student reflects on his or her own activities and learning in the light of integrated knowledge and based on phenomena.

The Bachelor of Social Services curriculum has been planned so that the
- the degree programme provides the student with the knowledge, skills and competence required in the working life
- the studies ensure the development of the student’s professional expertise

The student
- drafts a personal study and career plan (PSP) including the recognition of prior learning (RPL)
- is responsible for the progress of his or her studies

The teachers and other personnel at Savonia UAS guide and support the students in defining and achieving the personal learning goals. Each student has his or her personal teacher tutor to support professional growth throughout the studies. Students conduct self-evaluation of their professional growth annually.

The student’s professional growth is described in the annual objectives and semester themes. The annual objectives help students, teachers and working-life representatives understand the stages through which professional growth develops.

After completing the degree, a Bachelor of Social Services (UAS) is familiar with the service systems providing and strengthening participation, safety and welfare and with the forms of producing them in social and health care services and education. A Bachelor of Social Services is able to anticipate future changes as well as provide and develop social services and guidance. He or she is able to guide and support different people and clients at various stages of growth, development and learning. He or she is also able to support and engage children, young people, families and different groups of people in changing life situations and with challenges in everyday life. A Bachelor of Social Services is able to work as a specialist in multi-professional social and health care environments as well as in development and managerial jobs. In his or her work a Bachelor of Social Services follows the ethical guidelines in the social field.

Implementation

During studies, theory and practice are extensively and interestingly integrated into student learning and development of organisations. Education is typically multiform and multidisciplinary with no ties to time and place.

In an online degree programme, you mainly study online based on the social constructivist concept of learning and integrative pedagogy. The studies include real-time online meetings, time-bound participatory teaching online, and independent or interactive group work online. During the studies, the students often work in small groups and interact with other students and teachers. This requires a strong sense of self-direction, planning and commitment to active and independent studying. The studies include three internships (3 x 10 weeks), which require full-time attendance at the place of the internship. 1 ECTS means about 27 hours of work, which is good to remember when planning your studies, work and other life.

Various online learning environments are used in online studies. Savonia uses Moodle online learning environment, Microsoft 365 tools, and Zoom as an online conferencing tool. Most teaching and guidance sessions are organized on Zoom. Online studying requires a working Internet connection, adequate hardware, basic IT skills as well as motivation to start using a variety of online platforms.

At the beginning of the studies, there are two orientation days online where participation is compulsory for all students. There are time-bound participatory teaching and meetings online every other week on Mondays and Tuesdays for about 6 hours between 8 am and 4 pm.

The student’s professional growth is supported by professional guidance throughout the studies. Personalised education enables alternative study methods and individual study paths in accordance with the student’s own goals. Speeding up of studies is possible, but it may require participation in the teaching of different groups, in which case the teaching days can be held at different Savonia campuses or online.

Savonia makes extensive use of the recognition of prior learning and learning in the workplace as part of the student's personal study plan. The student can deepen or expand his or her knowledge and skills by selecting courses from the offerings of Savonia's national and international higher education partners.

The multiform networking of the teaching staff enables the working- life -oriented education at Savonia UAS. These networks also guarantee the continuous development of substance expertise. The personnel provide learning opportunities and supports the student’s learning. The Student Services Office, the Library and Information Services, the International Services and other supportive services help the students in their studies. The studies take into account social responsibility, accessibility, sustainable development and global challenges.

Internationalisation is part of studies. The student has an opportunity to learn about internationality at different stages of the studies and improve his or her cultural competence by studying abroad through various exchange programmes. The student is required to complete at least 5 ECTS credits of studies in a foreign language (excluding language studies). The student can improve intercultural skills also by acting as a peer tutor student and help exchange students and by working for example with immigrants.

The student has an opportunity to complete at least 60 ECTS of studies in English. The studies could include, for example, the following: the course Multicultural Work SSMOCUW 5 ECTS and optional 5-10 ECTS course in English, professional training 30 ECTS abroad, and 20 ECTS from the joint studies for social services and health care in the international Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Nursing. Any course can be taught in English if other than Finnish speaking students participate in the course or for some other strong reason. Every student completes at least 5 ECTS Swedish language studies. The student can also include alternative language studies into his or her personal study and career plan.

Finnish language and communication studies are integrated into the social services courses so that the student achieves the communication and interaction skills necessary for studying, practicing the profession, professional development, as well as for postgraduate studies.

The student can choose child- and family-oriented or guidance-focused courses in the optional professional study paths of an early childhood education expert and a social guidance expert. He or she gains skills in supporting and guiding a person’s growth in client work, learns to work in multi-professional teams as a social work and education specialist and develop his or her professional practices considering the needs of individuals and families. Early childhood education and social guidance skills are needed when working with families in early childhood education and care, special education, youth work, family work, child protection or in rehabilitation and care for the disabled. The student can choose at least 60 ECTS credits of early childhood education and social pedagogy studies in order to be qualified for early childhood education work (Bachelor of Social Services in Early Childhood Education).

A student who wishes to become an entrepreneur may choose courses concerning the development of a business idea, business model and customer testing from joint study modules at Savonia UAS. The student then chooses to do his or her internship in different companies where he or she can become familiar with entrepreneurship in social and health care. In addition to being an entrepreneur, the entrepreneurial studies aim at increasing awareness of entrepreneurial activities and at improving knowledge of entrepreneurship and business life.