14.1.4 JOINT STUDIES IN ALL PROGRAMMES

HB1000 Introduction to Polytechnic Studies 2 CR / 3 ECTS Credits
HB1001 Professional Skills, Information Technology 1 CR / 1.5 ECTS Credits
HB1002 Professional Skills, Introduction to Statistical Methods 1 CR / 1.5 ECTS Credits
HB1003 Professional Skills, Communication 1 CR / 1.5 ECTS Credits
HB1004 Professional Skills, Project Work 1 CR / 1.5 ECTS Credits
HB1005 Adapting to Change in the Professional World 3 CR / 4.5 ECTS Credits
HB1006 Professional Growth and Self-evaluation 1 CR / 1.5 ECTS Credits

Objectives of the Study Unit

Joint studies help the student to appreciate social and international changes and to perceive the main aims of the polytechnic. These aims are based on the belief that people are active learners and can be influential forces in the professional world. The overall aim of the study unit is to provide the student with an introduction to the polytechnic itself and to polytechnic studies, to equip them with professional skills, and to give them an understanding of the foundations on which professional growth is built.

Objective
The student will become familiar with how his or her institute works, with the study programme, and with the Laurea Polytechnic as a whole. The intention of this is to encourage and enable the student to become a self-motivated learner and to make use of the opportunities available at Laurea.

Content
Familiarisation with the workings of the institute 1 CR / 1.5 ECTS: The main features of polytechnic studies, general information about the institute and studies at Laurea, to develop students’ understanding of how it works.

Familiarisation with the workings of the Laurea Polytechnic 1 CR / 1.5 ECTS: The philosophy of a multidisciplinary polytechnic, close contacts between Laurea and the professional world, regional development, the organisational structure of Laurea, methods and practices, services, Laureamko Association (Laureamko Ry).

Literature and Source Material
Study Guide, Study Plan
Student Guide
Internet/Forum, etc.
Multi-media Show
FAQ

Evaluation
pass/fail

Objective
The student will improve his or her ability to carry out various operations using the computer. The student will learn to produce documents and written material using Windows.

Content
Windows, utility programs, the basics of word processing, and how to manipulate and edit files

Teaching Method
Appropriate exercises, an exam

Literature Used
Teaching material hand-outs, literature of the field

Evaluation
Excellent (5) - Sufficient (1), fail

Objective
The student will learn about statistical methods.

Content
The main principles of a statistical study, statistical dependency, statistical decision-making, a short introduction of statistics programs.

Teaching Method
Appropriate exercises, an exam

Literature Used
Teaching material hand-outs, statistics literature

Evaluation
Excellent (5) - Sufficient (1), fail

Objective
The student will improve his or her oral and written communication skills.

Content
Carrying out practical exercises and assignments, producing written and oral reports, revision of linguistic norms.

Learning Methods
Lectures and practical exercises

Literature Used
Teaching material hand-outs, communication literature

Evaluation
Excellent (5) - Sufficient (1), fail

Objective
The student will learn about project work.

Content
Planning, executing and completing a project, tools and methods to use

Learning Methods
Lectures, an exercise on how to plan a project

Literature Used
Literature of the field

Evaluation
Excellent (5) - Sufficient (1), fail

Objective
The student will gain an insight into the rapid changes taking place in the professional world and in work ethics. The student will learn to analyse the direction in which his or her business or profession is moving, and to appreciate the impact changes have on how the organisation operates. The student will develop an investigative and flexible approach to work.

Content
The changing nature of work and the professional world /
The economic and social impact of globalisation and changes in the structure of the society./ Changes in business practice: Values and ethics of the professional world, the principle of putting a client first, internal entrepreneurship, the emphasis on quality./ An investigative approach to work: An investigative and flexible approach to work, being in control of knowledge and realising the value of knowledge, life-long learning, learning to be a part of a team, information gathering skills.

Learning Methods
An exam, a practical exercise or exercises

Literature Used
Literature, materials and articles on the subject

Evaluation
Excellent (5) - Sufficient (1), fail

Objective
The student will come to see learning as a process. His or her professional expertise and ability to make a critical assessment of theoretical and practical knowledge will improve. The student will learn to explain his or her points of view in written form.

Teaching Method
The student must write an essay on the course, and participate in evaluating the paper at a feedback discussion.

Literature Used
Literature, materials and articles on the subject

Evaluation
Excellent (5) - Sufficient (1), fail

SW1100 The Basis of Professional Action in Health Care and Social Welfare Work 3 CR / 4.5 ECTS Cr
SW1101 Research and Development of Health Care and Social Welfare Work 3 CR / 4.5 ECTS Cr
SW1102 Swedish 2 CR / 3 ECTS Cr
SW1103 English 2 CR / 3 ECTS Cr

Objective

The student will construct a health care and social welfare work knowledge foundation of the functioning, development and interaction between the individual, family, community and environment. The student will familiarize himself / herself with the social, cultural and societal environment of health care and social welfare work and the values directing multi-professional action. The student will familiarize himself / herself with research methods and is able to apply them as a part of researching and developing work method. The student will be able to use his /her language skills in professional interactive situations.

Objective and content
The student will familiarize himself / herself with the values and legislation directing health care and social welfare work and with professional decision making. The student will familiarize himself / herself with the organization of health care and social welfare work. The student will learn the fundamentals of community analysis.
Legislation, organizations, values, regional mapping / community analysis.

Objective and content
The student will understand the progress of qualitative and quantitative research process. The student will familiarize himself / herself with the methodological questions of the research, especially with gathering the evidence and analysis. The student will develop his / her abilities to apply the research methods for acquiring information. The student will understand the meaning of research work as part of professional developmental action. Methodology of quantitative and qualitative research, statistical mathematics.

Objective and content
The student will be able to cope with different demanding situations requiring language skills. He/She will be able to cope especially in situations requiring the use of professional vocabulary and reading professional materials. The student will achieve a Swedish level which is comparable to that required of a university graduated government official working in a bi-lingual office area.

Objective and content
The student will attain both general and professional language skills. He / she learns to communicate in different kinds of situations connected to his / her professional field. He / she is able to understand the written material within his / her professional field and familiarizes him/herself with the specific features in academic writing.

Objective and content
During the thesis process, the student progresses towards expertise in his / her professional development. Researching way of working will become a part of student’s action. The student will develop his / her abilities to systematically acquire information and to critically evaluate it.

The student will learn seminar work, planning his / her own thesis and evaluating plans critically. The student clarifies the topic and the point of view of his / her own thesis.

The student will learn to classify theoretical knowledge and to apply it on the research and development project of work life. The student will learn argumentative discussion. The student will make a thesis plan.

The student will have practice in purposeful, patient, independent and problematic way of working. Based on prior research and professional discussion, the student will build an argumentative view point of the topic of his / her thesis. The student will have sufficient knowledge of research and evaluation processes so that he / she is capable of acquiring reliable information for professional purposes. The student will gain readiness in written reports. The student will have practice in presenting and justifying his / her choices and conclusions. The student will be able to evaluate his / her own thesis and his / her professional development during the thesis process. The student’s professional-ethical orientation becomes stronger.

The student shows familiarization with the field of the thesis and Finnish or Swedish skills. The student deepens the knowledge formed during the thesis process either through self-evaluation or by crystallizing central conclusions of his / her thesis in comparison to earlier research and professional discussion.

Social Welfare Work
SW7000 Work and Functional Capacity, 3 CR
SW7001 Sociodrama, 1 CR
SW7002 Refugees in Finland, 2 CR
SW7003 Intercultural Communication, 2 CR

Health Care
SN7000 Death with Dignity, 2 CR
SN7001 Multiprofessional Support for Families, 2 CR
SN7002 Current Issues in Mental Health among Youth, 2 CR

Physiotherapy
SP7000 Massage, 2 CR
SP7001 SPSS - Processing Thesis Forward, 1 CR