Master’s Degree Programme in Health Care and Social Services

Key learning outcomes

Master's degree programme in Health Care and Social Services has four professional expertise areas: Health Care and Social Services Management, Advanced Nursing Practice, Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation and Health Promotion. Graduates will have extensive and in-depth knowledge and the necessary theoretical knowledge to serve as developers of working life in demanding expert and managerial positions and as an entrepreneur. Graduates of the degree programme are able to develop and direct, according to their chosen study path, social and health care services utilising applied research and evidence-based knowledge. As an advanced-level expert, graduates will possess the capabilities for innovative, proactive and evaluative development duties. In multidisciplinary groups, the students will have opportunities to network with experts from different fields.

The Health Promotion Learning Path (Master's Degree Programme in Health Promotion) has received the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) organization’s global accreditation recognition 2015-2025. Anyone who graduates from the study path can apply for personal registration as a Health Promotion Practitioner from IUHPE.

Education content and professional growth and know-how

The content and structure of the Master’s Degree Programme in Health Care and Social Services (90 cr) is as follows:

The Shared Master Competence module consists of two study modules, Management and Research and Development. Studies in this module are shared master’s-level studies at JAMK for all students in the master's degree programmes. The scope of the studies in ECTS credits will be planned in more detail in connection with the personal learning plan discussions held with each student. For students pursuing specialisation studies in health care and social services management, the scope of these common leadership studies is at least 10 cr and for students in other expert specialisation options, at least 5 cr. The minimum scope of studies in research and development activities is 10 cr for all students.

The Expert Core Competence module consists of the specialisation option studies chosen by the student (20 credits) and the Master’s thesis (30 credits). According to the Degree Regulations, the Master’s thesis is a professional development assignment aimed at developing and demonstrating the student’s capability to apply research and use selected methods to analyse and solve problems arising in working life, and the capability for independent and demanding specialist work.

The Complementary Competence module will broaden or deepen the student’s competencies. The student’s elective studies that are suitable to their personal learning plan will support the development of their competence according to their career plan. The student may also choose studies from the online course offering of other Finnish universities of applied sciences (CampusOnline), from the courses offered by EduJyväskylä, which are implemented by JAMK, the University of Jyväskylä and the Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia, as well as from JAMK’s own master’s degree offerings.

Additionally, the students may enhance their internationalisation and entrepreneurship competence by choosing studies from the courses offered in English and by participating in international intensive training programmes. The student may also promote their own business activities by completing studies that develop entrepreneurship. JAMK University of Applied Sciences will also offer basic studies in educational science as elective studies.

The complementary competence module also includes a course in clinical expertise in palliative care, planned in collaboration with universities of applied sciences as part of the EduPal project, which aims at B and C level competence in palliative care. Additionally, the offerings include studies related to the prescription of medicines by a nurse and specialist studies in mental health and substance abuse work that are implemented on a collaborative basis by the UAS network.

Flexible studies

Students have a choice of alternative or elective studies offered by partner universities in Finland and abroad, such as other universities of applied sciences (CampusOnline), universities and educational institutions involved in the EduJyväskylä collaboration (University of Jyväskylä and Gradia). Higher level studies completed elsewhere may be accredited as part of your degree. The student must have a certificate or some other document to prove that they have completed the studies. Skills acquired elsewhere can also be described and demonstrated to enable accreditation. Further information is available on the web pages for students.

Working life oriented learning

The learning assignments included in the courses can be completed in the student’s own work community. Many work community development tasks can also be taken up to be planned, refined and resolved as learning assignments.

It is possible to build a personal study path for the studies through studification of work and a wide utilisation of the courses offered by Jamk’s master’s degree programmes, CampusOnline and EduJyväskylä.

In the field of social services and health care, the thesis is usually completed in the form of a research-based working life development assignment or applied research. It makes up one-third of the credits required for the degree and provides opportunities to develop one’s own competence and further one’s personal career goals. The thesis is a research and development project that constructively develops the activities of your organisation, creates new insights and generates new solutions and development. The thesis can also be targeted at activities other than current ones, which makes it possible to obtain competence for a new sector or expertise in new kinds of work duties.

Career opportunities and employment

Graduates from the degree programme of Master in Health Care have found employment in different types of expert, manager, development and coordination positions in the field of social services and health care organisations in the public, private and third sectors, and as project managers and experts in various development projects. The graduates also possess the skills needed to work as an entrepreneur in the wellness sector, or as experts in international and multicultural development tasks.

Qualifications

A master’s degree from the university of applied sciences opens up new career opportunities as it qualifies you to apply for a public office or position to which a higher post-secondary degree is required.

Further studies

The graduate may apply to continue on to postgraduate studies in science or arts at universities (Act 558/2009, Section 37) and in the school of professional teacher education. Studies can be continued by applying for corresponding post-degree education at universities abroad, for example. A university of applied sciences also provides opportunities for continuing education in the form of specialisation studies, open studies, an online study portal (CampusOnline) and working life based continuing education.

Education planning

The views of the representatives of working life, the materials related to predicting competence needs, as well as the views of the students and alumni who have participated in the education have been taken into account in drawing up the curriculum. In the planning of the degree programme, due consideration has been given to the views of national and international partners on competence development in the field, which have been taken up in the various network cooperation meetings of the personnel. The information on future competence development needs provided by the advisory board of the sector has also been taken into account in the planning.

Contact Information

Järvinen Sari
Coordinator of Master's Degree Programmes
School of Health and Social Studies, Health studies
+358404861080
firstname.lastname@jamk.fi