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.

Social services is a growing service sector in the future. 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, private companies or third sector organisations and work as a specialist in social counselling and education. There will be new jobs available for experts in social services in local education and culture, in employment and economic services and in the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (KELA). In addition, some task areas in social work will be redefined and this is expected to increase the graduates’ possibilities to make use of their new kind of skills and expertise in practical work. 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 social welfare and social security systems, early childhood education environments as well as the ways to produce social and health care services.

A Bachelor of Social Services is able to forecast future changes and is prepared to participate in service production and development and work in digital environments. In the future the lines between different service sectors will be blurred and the service production will be more client-oriented and based on contracts and cooperation between different service providers. Seamless service chains and networking service production assumes new skills and competence, coordination of activities, division of work and efficiency. Future experts in the social field are expected to have abilities to reform welfare services within the limits of existing resources, to adopt information and communication technology and to 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.

The degree title earned at UAS is Bachelor of Social Services (UAS) and, according to the Act on Qualification Requirements for Social Welfare Professionals (272/2005 § 6), the corresponding job title is social instructor. A student can also gain eligibility for a profession of a kindergarten teacher during the studies if he or she wishes to do so. The professional skills of a Bachelor of Social Services can be described in 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 expertise. 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 of 5 ECTS form extensive study entities. The degree studies are built on semester themes and learning objectives which are described in the specific competences of a Bachelor of Social Services (UAS). The working-life oriented UAS studies combine theoretical studies with practice. Thus theoretical studies are not separate but support the student’s learning and the development of his or her professional expertise. This also enables combining teaching with the working-life-oriented research and development activities.

Social constructivist learning theory and integrative pedagogy form the basis of teaching in the degree programme. 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 must be in close contact with real life. The best learning outcomes are achieved in an environment where the gained knowledge is applied to practice. The student works in the social field during the internship and other training periods and becomes familiar with professional expertise culture.

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. Both teachers and peer groups support in planning the student’s personal study path and career development. 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. A peer group supporting professional growth led by the teacher tutor meets every semester. At the final stage of studies the student creates a blog into personal learning environment (PLE) and prepares a virtual CV for entering working life.
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 the professional growth develops.

After completing the degree programme studies a Bachelor of Social Services (UAS) is familiar with the service system providing safety and welfare and with the forms of producing social and health care services. A Bachelor of Social Services is able to forecast future changes as well as provide and develop social services. 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 and families in various 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

Savonia UAS provides education which is guided by OIS-thinking (Open Innovation Space). The objective is to combine high-quality learning and teaching with working -life -oriented research and development work. Students, teachers and RDI staff from different fields and working-life representatives together solve problems arising from practical work. OIS is a physical, social and virtual learning, research and development environment.

Study methods emphasise collaboration and being self-directed as required in social field professions. Exploratory learning is the underlying principle in the studies. When drafting the personal study and career plan (PSP), recognition of prior learning is part of this process. Various working-life based projects as well as practical training periods and guided and supervised internship in different work communities and thesis make the studies individualized. The student can take part of the studies abroad and choose internationalisation studies at his or her own school. Some courses are partly or fully web-based and the Moodle learning environment is also used in the working-life community to organise expert lectures and supervise internship. The material, instructions and forms to guide and support studying can also be found in Moodle. Instructions on the use of the learning environment will be provided at the beginning of the studies. The development of multi-professionalism is supported by organising part of the studies on Iisalmi Campus together with health care and natural resources students and/or in Kuopio together with students in different degree programmes at Savonia UAS.

At Savonia UAS the teaching staff provide learning opportunities and create possibilities to enhance learning in different learning environments. The Student Services Office, the Library and Information Services, the International Services and other supportive services help students in their studies. The studies are based on the principles of accessibility and sustainable development.

Internationalisation is part of studies. The student has an opportunity to learn 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 e.g. in immigrant communities. The student can also choose international path studies, 60 ECTS, by taking 5-10 ECTS credits of the social services studies in English (Multicultural Work, SSMOKT, 5 ECTS and an alternative course, 5 ECTS, in English), by doing an internship abroad to develop professional skills and competence, 30 ECTS, and 20 ECTS credits of joint social and health care studies in the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Nursing. sekava

The student can choose child- and family-oriented or case management-oriented courses to the studies of an early childhood education expert and a case management expert. He or she gains skills in supporting and guiding a person’s growth in client work and learns to work in multi-professional teams as a social work specialist and develop his or her professional activities considering both individuals’ and families’ needs. Early childhood education and case management skills are needed when working with families in day-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 in day care. (Figure: Early Childhood Education Path Studies), Act on Qualification Requirements for Social Welfare Professionals (272/2005 § 6).

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 care or other companies where he or she can become familiar with entrepreneurship in the social field. 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.