Curriculum 2007 – SSB07SAA (in English)

LAUREA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

Degree Programme in Social Services (Laurea Hyvinkää, sote), SSB07SAA

CURRICULUMS AT LAUREA

Learning Concept at Laurea

Universities of applied sciences have three tasks set by law: research and development, regional development, and
pedagogy. The integration of these tasks has led Laurea to seek solutions that optimise our ability to respond to
challenges. The aim is to produce graduates and who are investigative developers of their work and of the
workplace. We also hope to produce research-based development initiatives for the competence required at work,
with visible effects in our operating environments.
As members of an information society, we are caught in a flood of information. Information no longer has to be
provided; the most important thing is to learn to process and filter it to obtain important data to use and apply to
one’s own learning and development projects. Laurea also places importance on ensuring that students grow into
skilled experts. Participation in development projects allows students to handle real work processes and to learn to
use tools as concepts and skills. The work-oriented development projects provide learning for individuals and for the
target community. They also generate new knowledge for developing and reforming the labour market.


As members of an information society, we are caught in a flood of information. Information no longer has to be
provided; the most important thing is to learn to process and filter it to obtain important data to use and apply to
one’s own learning and development projects. Laurea also places importance on ensuring that students grow into
skilled experts. Participation in development projects allows students to handle real work processes and to learn to
use tools as concepts and skills. The work-oriented development projects provide learning for individuals and for the
target community. They also generate new knowledge for developing and reforming the labour market.

Learning environment

Laurea’s learning environment facilitates competence development for learners, organizations, region and partners.
The learning environment is a physical and psychological space that expresses the current culture, nature, time,
community and practices of development work. Thus, it forms a comprehensive operating environment for
competence development. The aim of the learning environment is to facilitate the achievement of learning results
while supporting the generation of new know-how and interaction within the operating environment. The learning
environment is an implementation of Laurea’s target-oriented development.
The learning environment utilizes internal and external networks and is in constant interaction with the world of work.
New knowledge and skills are acquired in authentic problem-solving and development tasks, which make the
complexity of the real world an object for competence development. Regional influence increases through enriching
communities and the networks that they form. Students use projects to learn the basics of networking, social skills
and communication with experts in the field. The meeting points between the industry and the study units are
significant in terms of the growth of expertise and competence development. Students grow into developers by
carrying out development tasks and by interacting in competence networks.


Students make use of diverse information sources and tools in their studies. Interactive learning environments are
used to create a framework for structuring learning so that it offers situations, challenges and tools that help learners
to utilize their own thought resources. The learning process becomes a continuous problem-solving process, with a
focus on research, development and generating new competence. Conscious and systematic development work is
used to formulate ideas and practices that boost development, and to generate new know-how. The result is a
creation, a new operating method, a model or a product.

The creation of innovative processes is easier in structures that allow space for informal creativity, innovation and
the promotion of things that motivate different participants internally. This work is characterised by communality and
a socio-cultural environment for learning. It is important to create a spirit of development.
Development work takes place in projects that combine competences from various fields of study. Project teams
consist of students, trainees, lecturers and workplace experts whose competences interact at the practical level.
Students use projects to complete study units, job placements or theses. Lecturers do not organize and set targets
for the project teams’ activities in advance; instead, the team members take joint responsibility for this. Students
receive experience of the culture of expertise and of working as equal experts. They increase their self-management
and set their own targets. Thus projects facilitate an unlimited learning process, where no glass ceilings are set by
curricula, textbooks or instruction. Learning by Developing enables individuality in learning.
Practical applications of innovative learning environments include initiatives and projects carried out as innovative
environments in networks, as well as various operating spaces designed for learning and development, skill hubs
and development labs. Work consists of collaboration based on shared expertise, which is supported by methods of
sharing competence, such as tutoring, lecturing sessions, demonstrations, team meetings, feedback events and
seminars.


Students

In Laurea’s work-oriented research and development projects, the concept of partnership implies cooperation
between lecturers, experts from the labour market and students. The cooperation is based on responsible
commitment to the project. All participants are seen as learners, because the development projects aim to produce
change and generate new things. Partnership also means mutual respect and appreciation for diverse skills. The
progress of the development project depends on sharing competence and building new competence out of different
areas of expertise. Students participate as partners who increase their competence by learning how to use new
tools and by taking part in various research and development initiatives. Competence is founded on research-based
knowledge, understanding the professional context, handling the necessary tasks and managing various workplace
situations, to the extent that these skills are needed for each student’s degree. In the development projects,
students learn as individuals while also participating in shared learning and in producing new know-how.

Lecturers

The role of lecturers in development projects can be described as that of an expert, a participant and a pedagogical
leader, who facilitates the students’ growth and development into experts in their fields. Laurea’s lecturers are in
other words researchers and developers, influential players in regional development and teachers.

Published reports by those teachers that work as researchers demonstrate the effectiveness of development
projects as reformers and developers of competence in the labour market. Some teacher act as developer and are
responsible for identifying and refining the processes of development projects. The third role of lecturers is in
workshops, which transmit and share cultural knowledge, and provide students with tools. Lecturership also involves
partnerships with the labour market. The industry experts participating in development projects contribute the
knowledge contained in workplace competence, while lecturers ensure that evidence-based data are available for
explaining this competence. They join forces to produce new know-how for developing and reforming the labour
market.

Competence evaluation

The evaluation of competence in Learning by Developing directs future choices and demonstrates how well targets
have been met. Competence is seen on the one hand as knowledge of information, skills and values, and on the
other hand as experiential competence, which includes individuals’ and their community’s know-how. Evaluation in a
development project looks at individuals’ and the project community’s learning, the progress and significance of
different processes, and the results achieved.
Evaluation is based on the objectives provided in the competence-based curriculum. These objectives define the
requirements that students have to meet to achieve their degrees. The generic competences describe the
competences shared by all Laurea students as meta-competence placed in a professional context. Themes, on the
other hand, define the substance of subject-specific competence, which is deepened by the generic competences.
The generic competences build a level of education needed at a higher education institution and at work;
meanwhile, the themes build competence needed for employment. The generic competences are defined on three
levels. Students choose the level they wish to achieve in each generic competence together with their tutors, and
these desired levels are used as a basis for the study plan. Progress in the generic competences is measured
qualitatively through portfolios. The study units are graded on a scale of 1 to 5. These grades are shown on the
students’ degree certificates.


LAUREA´S GENERIC COMPETENCES
Laurea´s generic competences

In addition to core competence in the field, five general areas have been defined at Laurea which are important for
professionals in all areas to master. These are called generic competences. The generic competences are
developed during the studies, and the level of competence is also evaluated. The curriculum’s generic competences
have been determined by analysing shared competences needed in different employment sectors in the future.
The shared generic competences for all degree programmes are:
· ethical competence
· globalisation competence
· innovative competence
· reflective competence
· network competence


Generic competences are closely linked to the contents of the study units.

The generic competences are structured through levels. Each competence has been categorized further, comprising
the personal competence level, organisational competence level and social reform level. The targeted generic
competence levels have been defined in the curriculum for each degree programme. All Laurea BA students must
reach at least the personal competence level in all generic competences. In the case of many generic competences,
the social reform level cannot be achieved until in connection with a Master’s degree.

Ethical competence

Morals refers to an individual’s conception of right and wrong, whereas ethics refers to moral choices to which the
individual is consciously committed. Ethics is a systematic attempt to understand moral conceptions. It consists of
ethical rules and principles, virtues and values. In the generic competence of ethical competence, morals and ethics
are fundamentally linked together, because students’ moral competence forms a basis for their ethical competence.
Ethical competence consists of four components: (1) ethical sensitivity; (2) ethical motivation; (3) moral-ethical
problem-solving; and (4) ethical implementation skills.

In order for student activities to be ethical, they must be sensitive to ethical problems contained in different
situations. Ethical sensitivity refers to the ability to recognise the special characteristics, needs, rights and
responsibilities of each party. It includes awareness of how one’s own actions affect other people’s well-being, and
involves envisaging and anticipating various action plans and their consequences for each party. Empathy and the
ability to put oneself in another’s position form the core of ethical sensitivity. Students also need knowledge of the
special characteristics of major customer groups and ethical problems in the sector. Ethical sensitivity is
characterised by professional interaction skills, which are a target for active development throughout each degree.

Ethical motivation refers to committing to moral-ethical values and taking responsibility for one’s own actions. The
students’ responsibility grows from the personal level to the communal and social levels. In order to develop their
ethical motivation, they must also know the value bases of their fields and participate in discussions on values.

Moral-ethical problem-solving refers to the ability to solve ethical problems through critical argumentation. It requires
consideration of various possible solutions, as well as knowledge and application of the ethical norms and
approaches of the field. Continuously developing competence includes the skill to solve problems in interpersonal
relationships, work communities, communities and the global environment, and the ability to justify these solutions.

Moral implementation skills refer to the ability to take target-oriented action to solve ethical problems (negotiation
and conflict-solving skills), as well as the courage to act in accordance with ethical values, even in complex
situations. In order for professional activities to be ethically sustainable, competence must be developed in all these
areas of ethical competence..

Levels of ethical competence

At the personal competence level, students are able to:
•    reflect on their own values and the consequences of their actions on other people’s well-being
•    work with a basis in the profession’s values, following ethical principles
•    apply the field’s ethical norms to problem-solving
•   examine situations from different parties’ perspectives
•   work in a tolerant and understanding way in multicultural networks
•   apply ethical principles to R&D projects


At the organisational development level, students are able to:
•    take into account the special characteristics, needs and rights of major customer groups in their work
•    build customer-oriented interactions and work dialogically
•    assume responsibility for the welfare of the community and the ethics of the work done
•    examine ethical issues from the point of view of the organisation and the community
•    develop fair methods of proceeding in their work


At the social reform level, students are able to:
•    critically reflect on their own attitudes and prejudices
•    actively participate in social debates on values
•    assume responsibility at social and global levels
•    make arguments in favour of fair social and global changes
•    solve conflicts and influence issues


Globalisation competence

Globalisation refers to series of events and processes that cause the world to merge into a single, all-encompassing
social system. In other words, globalisation refers to the processes by which things acquire worldwide scope.
‘Globalised’ refers to worldwide phenomena and the results of the globalisation process: a fully integrated world.
Sustainable development in relation to globalisation is a globalised political programme, whose aim is to increase
welfare with environmental responsibility, within the limits of environmental capacity.

Global interaction can be classified as financial, cultural, political or social interaction. The science of
globalisation also includes questions of ecology and biology. Sustainable development brings all these dimensions
together, with the aim of observing economic growth, cultural diversity, social welfare and ecology in politics and
practice.

Levels of globalisation competence:

At the personal competence level, students are able to:
•    make use of international sources of information in the field
•    take into account the effects and opportunities of multiculturalism and internationalisation on their fields
•    recognise the significance of their professional actions in relation to global interactions and sustainable
     development
•    evaluate their own value bases from the point of view of sustainable development and globalisation, and apply
     them to their work


At the organisational development level, students are able to:
•    take into account the effects of their own sector and its organisations on sustainable development, responsibility
     and international connections
•    promote the values of environmental and social responsibility in organisations in the sector, taking into account
     global interactions
•    apply responsibility for sustainable development to an organisation in the sector
•    work in international networks


At the social reform level, students are able to:
•    recognise the global nature of social issues and the characteristics of sustainable development
•    critically evaluate social values and practices from the point of view of sustainable development, taking into
     account global interactions
•   make arguments at social level, applying the principles of sustainable development and taking into account
    global effects


Innovative competence

All of the processes of our modern society are undergoing constant changes. Laurea has followed the examples of
the EU and Finland in choosing a positive attitude towards change as one of its strategic operating methods. The
aim is not just to cope with change but also to see it as an opportunity, which requires constant innovation in order
to be embraced. According to these strategies, future professionals must have abilities in innovation, so it is
essential to include innovative competence in Laurea’s generic competences.

Innovation refers to a novelty that is implemented to generate added value productively. There are three separate
elements to this definition: 1) novelty; 2) implementation; and 3) added value. In other words, an idea by itself is not
an innovation, nor does a wealth of ideas make a person an innovator.

The innovation process can be divided into three stages: continuous evaluation of the situation; generating
innovative ideas; and carrying out an implementation project. Innovation can take place on five levels: individual,
team, organisation, network and societal level.

At the personal innovation competence level, students learn to be innovative reformers at individual and
professional group levels. In addition, they should be able to participate in the implementation of change initiatives in
their immediate work environments.

At the organisational innovator level, students can start up innovation work in their own teams and use all the
innovation tools that exist in the organisation’s framework. In the increasingly network-oriented operating models of
the future, organisational innovators should also support active reforms as part of an informal network.

At the social innovator level, students can complete the tasks of the previous levels as well as continuously monitor
and analyse the operation of networks and the society. They can take larger frameworks into account in all change
processes and motivate people to work towards shared goals.

Levels of innovative competence:

At the personal competence level, students are able to:
•    analyse their own thought processes, knowledge and actions
•    plan, organise and develop their own work
•    set targets and turn them into appropriate, concrete actions
•    come up with new ideas, working creatively, expressing their thoughts and convincing others to participate in
     developing them
•    use various ideation methods
•    manage themselves, work during change and in diverse projects
•    conduct intermediate and final evaluations of a project


At the organisational development level, students are able to:
•    monitor and analyse an organisation’s work processes and results
•    use benchmarking in developing their work
•    use diverse teamwork methods
•    lead projects, processes and networks or participate in leading them in ways that inspire commitment in others
•    link innovation to an organisation’s strategic targets
•    take into account the nature and demands of innovation work


At the social reform level, students are able to:
•    gather ideas from a network, convince others of them and link them to the social framework
•    ensure that participants in innovation work are sufficiently committed (guidance, encouragement)
•    create and commercialise innovations
•    participate productively in innovation networks, and identify and investigate innovation mechanisms
Reflective competence




Reflection constitutes critical analysis of the principles, starting points and consequences of one’s actions.
Reflection can target the present moment or the past.

In the reflection of earlier experiences, an individual gives meaning to events. A new meaning makes development
possible. As cognitive skills and concepts develop, an individual is able to deal with broader entities, differentiate
phenomena and observe new ones more clearly.

In reflection of the present moment, simple, previously unconscious routine actions become conscious activity. In
critical reflection, an individual’s whole meaning-producing perspective changes as tacit knowledge becomes visible,
transforming learned matters into action. Critical reflection implies a relationship with communities, concepts and
theories.

Thus reflection is a thought process. Reflection is dialogue and problem-solving based on proven arguments. In
open dialogue between people, different perspectives provide new challenges. Learners participating in dialogue
can look at different perspectives in order to create shared meanings. Deep thought gives time and space for
solving encountered problems by examining and investigating them using research methods.

In order to extend their understanding of themselves in relation to other students, customers, work communities or
writers, students need skills in self-examination, critical peer evaluation and analysis of their own resources. Self-
management emphasises communality and shared participation. Critical awareness helps students to identify their
own learning opportunities and the factors that affect them. Shared reflection on their own activities allows students
to test their thoughts and share them with others. Reflection means professional growth and competence led by
human metacognitive abilities. In the process of becoming an expert, reflection forms part of an investigative and
developmental approach towards work.

Levels of reflective competence:

At the personal competence level, students are able to:
•    evaluate their own learning and competence and formulate a personal development plan
•    identify development challenges and understand problems
•    develop their competence independently and with others, and share what they have learnt in a work community
•    assume a role in a group/team
•    acquire and analyse information systematically


At the organisational development level, students are able to:
•    work dialogically, collaboratively and with self-evaluation
•    evaluate their self-management and professional competence as part of a community
•    evaluate their own work as part of a group, community or professional field
•    work during change, identifying and making use of various opportunities for learning and action
•    critically justify the principles of their work
•    apply the concepts of development challenges appropriately


At the social reform level, students are able to:
•    analyse their own actions in relation to social and historical backgrounds
•    evaluate and develop the functionality of regional operating methods and models
•    evaluate systematic information that has been structured, produced and written, and develop social activities on
     the basis of it


Network competence
The generic competence of network competence encompasses a broad range of competences, from individual
communication skills to organisation networking and strategic network leadership. Communication is essential to
communality and a functioning society. Only with communication can we create shared meanings. Networking and
the development of network processes are fuelled by interpersonal and interorganisational communication. In order
for social and economic structures to become networked, new kinds of skills and attitudes are needed in the
network’s participants. Dialogue and interaction are essential resources of a networked society. Laurea’s aim is to
promote and develop its students’ network competence in diverse ways, creating innovative network competence
models.

Network competence refers to time-based management of internal and external efficiency in order to significantly
increase the efficiency of common practices. Network competence can include networking and network leadership.
Network competence and strategic networks are often synonymous. Networking, on the other hand, is a
cooperation model for companies and organisations, and may involve operators from various fields. Network
leadership is the model used to manage a network.

Network competence is largely based on the communication skills of the people participating in the networks in
question. Without communication and interaction, there can be no functioning networks. Organisations must be able
to operate flexibly in a changing operating environment and also to influence the development of the environment. A
learning organisation has communication and interaction skills as a central tool for creating functioning networks and
developing network competence.

The generic competence examines network competence on three levels. The personal competence level (basic
level) focuses on developing communication skills and participation in networks. This is the basic level of network
competence, which must be mastered by all Laurea students. It is important for students to obtain good
communication skills in order to communicate effectively in various situations. Students must also be able to take on
active, target-oriented roles in networks.

The organisational developer level (intermediate level) centres on understanding the strategic significance of
network competence and partnerships, as well as on analysing and reflecting on his or her own actions from the
point of view of the company. Graduates must be able to identify strategic partnerships, promote the organisation’s
networking with their actions and create new network relationships. The most important thing is a proactive,
developmental approach towards network operations.

The social reformer level (advanced level) requires the ability to analyse the operation of entire strategic networks
in relation to their environment. This level is achieved by top experts in network competence. Graduates have the
ability to lead strategic networks (orchestration) and to anticipate complex social development trends (visioning).

Levels of network competence:

At the personal competence level, students are able to:
•    present things in writing, verbally and visually using various communication styles
•    act in situations requiring professional communication and interaction
•    identify various team work models and work in teams
•    participate collaboratively and actively in a network
•    take into account cultural differences and work with people with different cultural backgrounds


At the organisational development level, students are able to:
•    participate in and manage negotiations
•    participate in group communications
•    communicate on topics related to their specialist fields to a lay audience
•    develop the networked operations of a professional organisation
•    take initiatives in developing a network


At the social reform level, students are able to:
•    work as experts in communication situations
•    plan communications from a strategic point of view, and work with the media
•   initiate networked operations and lead a strategic network
•   adopt a developmental and predictive approach to work, and influence the work environment
•   monitor and analyse networks’ operating models


European higher education area

LAUREA´S COMPETENCE-BASED CURRICULUM FORMS PART OF THE EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION
AREA

Finnish higher education institutions have reformed their curricula in accordance with the Bologna Process, i.e., the
creation of the European Higher Education Area. The EU’s strategic targets for education also apply to Finnish
education. Each country has its own education system; this diversity is still taken into account, but cooperation and
mobility are also needed to allow the citizens of different countries to benefit from the diversity, rather than turning it
into a restriction. The Bologna Process started in 1999 at a conference of ministers responsible for higher education.
After that, Ministerial Conferences have been arranged regularly, with the latest one in Leuven in 2009. Currently
the process involves 46 countries, some from outside the EU. The aim of the Bologna Process is to establish a
consistent, compatible and attractive Higher Education Area in Europe by 2010.

The objectives of the process are:
• adoption of easily readable degree structures
• adoption of comparable degree structures
• establishment of a system of credits
• promotion of European cooperation in quality assurance
• increasing mobility
• participation of higher education and students
• lifelong learning
• promotion of European dimensions in higher education
• cooperation between higher education and research


To promote the adoption of easily readable, comparable degrees, the process has created a system based on two
main cycles: undergraduate (Bachelor level) and graduate (Master level). Finland has adapted its degree structure
to align it with this European objective. In universities of applied sciences, the two-cycle degree is implemented in a
way that students obtain a Bachelor’s degree, after which they have the opportunity of obtaining a Master’s degree.
The requirement for Master’s degrees is an undergraduate degree plus three years’ work experience. The long-term
objective is that approximately 20 per cent of Bachelor’s-degree graduates will take a Master’s degree.

The establishment of a system of credits refers to the ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System).
Most European countries are adopting this credit system based on the amount of work in each academic year. In
the ECTS, one year of study produces 60 credits. The ECTS was adopted more than ten years ago; initially it
applied primarily to student exchanges, but now all credit accumulation (previously transfer) measurements are
made according to the system. Finnish universities of applied sciences adopted ECTS credits in 2005.

The ECTS is a student-centric system, based on the student workload needed to achieve the targets set for each
degree. The students’ learning process is intended to be the focal point of curricula, which define learning outcomes
and competences. Curricula should move away from a focus on individual subjects and the starting points of
teaching towards a model that observes the holistic development of students and supports professional growth. This
model is referred to as the competence-based curriculum.

From the point of view of promoting mobility, curricula must be internationally understandable. The aim of
standardising the structures and learning targets of degrees is to improve the conditions for mobility within and
between higher education institutions during the studies, and also in the workplace, after graduation. In terms of the
recognition and comparability of degrees taken in different countries, it is important to link learning outcomes to
concrete competence requirements and definitions in the labour market. These are the objectives of the “Tuning
Educational Structures in Europe” project. It has defined a number of shared generic competences that are
independent of subjects and fields of study, as well as subject-specific (professional) competences for certain
degrees.
Laurea’s competence-based curriculum takes into account the demands of the Common European Framework.
Studies are accumulated in the form of credits, while study units are larger entities. Competence is defined in terms
of the students’ learning outcomes. The generic competences defined at Laurea correspond with the national and
European learning outcomes considering the generic competencies and the objectives set for Bachelor-level
degrees in the “Joint Quality Initiative” -network. Comparisons have shown globalisation and innovative competence
in particular to be unique, so they are well suited to describing the competence produced at Laurea from the point of
view of an international university of applied sciences specialising in service innovations. Laurea’s innovative efforts
in relation to the competence-based core curriculum are a proactive response to the challenges of international
competitiveness in the Helsinki metropolitan area. Currently resources are being directed towards further enhancing
the quality of the curriculum’s implementations in generating new competence and innovations for Laura’s operating
environment.

Bologna Process
http://www.minedu.fi/OPM/Koulutus/artikkelit/bologna/index.html

Tuning Educational Structures in Europe
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/educ/tuning/tuning_en.html

Operating environment

The social services operating environment changes constantly. Globalisation, changes in the economy and industry,
and technological advances are reflected in the lives of individuals, families and communities. Some of the main
challenges faced by the social services are the aging of the population, multiculturalism and increasing socio-
economic differences. The welfare service structure is shifting from being system- and sector-focused to providing
customer-oriented, networked services. The significance of immediate communities and private services is growing
in welfare service production. Welfare technology will continue to open new doors, although interpersonal work is
also increasing in importance. Service innovations are required in order to respond to the challenges faced by the
welfare sector.

Laurea’s area of operation, the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, is highly dynamic. The area is characterised by
population growth, strong economic and technological development, internationalisation and multiculturalism. The
lifestyles of people in Uusimaa vary from typical urban cultures to rural small-community cultures. The aging of the
population will be the single biggest challenge faced by welfare services in Uusimaa in coming years. Other
challenges are related to supporting the everyday lives of families with children living in widely different conditions,
to various social problems and to factors that cause social marginalisation, such as unemployment, homelessness,
addiction and mental health problems and crime.

Bachelors of Social Services graduating from the Degree Programme in Social Services find employment in a wide
variety of positions in social services, most commonly as social welfare workers, counsellors, senior counsellors,
kindergarten teachers, family workers or project managers. Bachelors of Social Services can assume various
positions requiring expertise in planning, implementing, evaluating, coordinating and developing work.

Expertise

The aim of the Degree Programme in Social Services is to educate experts in social services. This means providing
education in issues related to education, rehabilitation, prevention and the maintenance of abilities, from the points
of view of relationships between people, social situations and the society as a whole. The value base of social
services is founded in respect for people and social justice. Bachelors of Social Services are experts in everyday
life, supporters of ordinary people in various situations and problems that they encounter.

The field of social services and health care consists of working with people. Skills in interpersonal work, interaction,
empathy, responsibility, individual and group management, and holistic encounters with people form the core of
competence in the field. Social services also emphasise the societal nature of problems, resources and support.
Work in the field is closely linked to the structures of the welfare society. The operating environments of the sector
are built on the basis of social policy decisions. Bachelors of Social Services must be prepared to work in the public,
private and third sectors alike. The relationships of an expert in social services with the society are twofold: on the
one hand, Bachelors of Social Services are executors of social policy decisions, providing guidance to customers in
the use of welfare services; on the other hand, their core competence includes providing social influence and
supporting citizens through social change processes.
The Degree Programme in Social Services trains experts for the broad field of social services. Different areas of the
field require different skills; challenges and opportunities related to population, legislative, technological and
methodological developments create a need for specialist skills. The main areas of specialisation are related to the
aging population, supporting children and families, marginalisation, social rehabilitation and increasing participation.

Competence in existing social service methodology and a deep understanding of the social viewpoint form an
essential part of expertise in social services. However, work with customers living in different conditions and with
changing social situations emphasises the need for an investigative and developmental approach instead of one
where ready-made solutions are adopted. Also needed is a constant self-evaluation of one’s own work and learning,
i.e. reflective professionalism. Social efficiency requirements and a focus on citizens’ rights and the effectiveness of
social service work have brought about an emphasis on evaluating services and work methods, on quality and on
leadership.

Competences

The competence of a Bachelor of Social Services is based on social and behavioural science theory. The main
methodological foundations are related to social work, social pedagogy, and a creative and functional orientation.
The core competences of a Bachelor of Social Services are:
• professional ethics in social services
• work with customers
• knowledge of the service systems in social services
• social analysis
• reflective development and leadership
• community competence and social influence

Competence development process

Education in social services is founded on a conception of humanity that emphasises development opportunities,
activity and resources. Learning situations promote active information processing and focus on a creative,
experiential and interactive approach. The starting points for learning lie in reflecting on forms of interaction and
experience and critically examining one’s own experiences and information structures built during life. Throughout
their studies, students are encouraged to adopt an investigative and developmental approach, to increase their
ethical awareness and to assume critical ethical reasoning and responsibility.

Students start by looking at the learning methods needed at the university of applied sciences and become familiar
with the multidisciplinary framework of the social service sector. This stage stresses the importance of self-
evaluation, of defining one’s self-image, and of improving customer interaction skills. Students learn the ethical
principles of social services and adopt a customer-oriented and respectful way of working. As their studies progress,
the students begin to focus increasingly on work, processes and methods in social services. They evaluate their
activities in relation to the general practices and methods of the sector. Questions of equality in welfare service
provision are addressed. The later stage of studies emphasises social awareness. Students look at their own
activities and the work they carry out in the workplace in relation to social trends and values. An investigative
approach and skills in developing work methods are particularly important in later studies.

Descripition of the Degree Programme

The scope of the Degree Programme in Social Services is 210 credits (cr) and includes compulsory themes (135
cr), optional advanced themes (45 cr) and elective studies (20 cr). Students can use optional and elective studies as
well as various kinds of projects to build their own learning paths to career development.

Studying in the Degree Programme

At Laurea, learning is based on participation in development projects for actual employers. Learning springs from
partnerships between lecturers, students and experts from the sector. Development projects and workshops allow
individual and social learning, the generation of new learning data, as well as the production of innovations in the
form of new products, operating models and work cultures. Students acquire methods in R&D and project work, and
learn how to operate in development projects throughout their training. Guidance and self-evaluation are used to
support the personal, ethical and professional growth needed for the field. International operations form an important
part of the degree programme.

The degree includes 45 credits in practical work to further professional development. There are three job placement
periods during the degree:
• Customer Work Practice (15 cr) is included in the Encountering the Customer theme, and is generally completed in
the first year.
• Professional Work Methods Practice (15 cr) is included in optional advanced studies and is generally completed in
the second year.
• Professional and Service Innovation Development Practice (15 cr) is included in the Managing and Developing
Work in Social Services theme, and is generally completed in the third year.

During the degree, students focus their competence on one of the following specialisations:
• Supporting the Well-Being of Children and Families (all units)
• Creativity to Support Participation (Vantaa)
• Marginalisation and Social Rehabilitation (all units)
• Supporting the Well-Being of Senior Citizens and the Elderly (Espoo and Central and Northern Uusimaa)
Students must complete 45 credits in an area of expertise of their choice.

Bachelors of Social Services can become qualified kindergarten teachers (Act 272, Section 7 and Decree 608/2005
on the qualification requirements for social service professionals) by completing 60 credits of studies in early
childhood education and social pedagogy. This can be done for instance by completing the theme on Supporting the
Well-Being of Children and Families (30+15 cr), which includes practical work in an early childhood education
environment, and by completing a thesis (15 cr) related to early childhood education or social pedagogy. The
qualification to be a kindergarten teacher is mentioned separately on the degree certificate.

Elective studies (20 cr) can be used to deepen or broaden the students’ competence. Students may complete
elective studies from their own or from external degree programme selections. Particularly suitable as elective
studies are the study units Developing Service Innovations, Service Innovations in Business Development,
Innoplaza and Student Tutoring, as well as elective and preparatory language studies. Elective studies from external
degree programmes can be either whole themes or individual study units. Students can also complete elective
studies from other advanced themes in the Degree Programme in Social Services.

The degree includes 15 credits in a thesis. During the thesis process, students grow professionally towards
expertise, acquiring an investigative and developmental approach. The thesis and the developmental studies
chosen in the final year are related in content to optional advanced themes and linked to the research and
development directions of each unit.

The duration of the Degree Programme in Social Services is 3.5 years. Studies progress in accordance with each
student’s personal study plan. The table contains an example of how studies can be scheduled.
                                                              1. year       2. year       3. year       4. year
OP      STUDIES                                                     60            60            60            30
011     FOUNDATIONS OF WORK IN SOCIAL
        SERVICES
00021   Becoming a Social Service Professional                      10
012     ENCOUNTERING THE CUSTOMER
00022   Interaction in Customer Work                                10
00023   Diverse and Multicultural Customer Relationships            10
00024   Methodical Customer Work                                    10
00025   Customer Work Practice                                      15
00026   Swedish in Social Services                                                    5
013     WELFARE SERVICES AND SOCIAL
        INFLUENCE
00027   Changes in the Welfare Society                                  5
00028   Producing Welfare                                                         10
00029   Social Influence and Social Ethics                                                      10
014     SUPPORTING THE WELL-BEING OF
        CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
00030   Child-Focused Work and Supporting Parenthood                              10
00031   Early Childhood Education and Child Welfare                               20
00398   Supporting the Well-Being of Children and                                 15
        Families, Practice
016     MARGINALISATION AND PARTICIPATION
00034   Rehabilitating Social Work                                                10
00035   Marginalisation and Supporting Participation                              20
00399   Marginalisation and Social Rehabilitation, Practice                       15
015     CREATIVITY TO SUPPORT PARTICIPATION
00032   Becoming an Inspirer                                                      10
00033   Participatory Creative Activities                                         20
00400   Creativity To Support Participation, Practice                             15
018     MANAGING AND DEVELOPING WORK IN
        SOCIAL SERVICES
00039   Research and Development Methods                                                        10
00041   English in Social Services I                                                                5
00040   Group Work and Teamwork                                                                     5
00007   Responsible Leadership in a Work Community                                              10
00273   Professional and Service Innovation                                                     15
        Development Practice
00043   Thesis                                                                                                15
125     ELECTIVE STUDIES
00501   Management in Problem Situations
00202   Initial Test in English Skills                                  0
00203   Initial Test in Swedish Skills                                  0
00453   Initial Test in Finnish language                                0
00493   Finnish as Second Language-Initial test                         0
00194   Preparatory Studies in English                                  3
00195   Preparatory Studies in Swedish                                  3
00388        Preparatory Studies in Finnish (as Mother tongue)             3
00522        Preparatory Studies in Finnish                                3
                                                                          60       60          60          30

Annual themes and competences
Study                                                            Extent        Competences
00031              Early Childhood Education and Child Welfare 20              Reflektio-osaamisen kuvaus (O)
H - Personal competence level
O - Organisational development level
Y - Social reform level
011 FOUNDATIONS OF WORK IN SOCIAL SERVICES, 10 cr

Description:
Opiskelija osaa korkeakoulumaisen opiskelutavan ja perehtyy sosiaalialan työn lähtökohtiin.

The student will be able to:
laatia henkilökohtaisen oppimissuunnitelman, käyttää keskeisiä opiskelun välineitä ja tekniikoita sekä opiskella
erilaisissa oppimisympäristöissä
• hahmottaa oman opiskelunsa sosiaali- ja terveysalan työn ydinosaamisen ja sosiaalisen asiantuntijuuden
suunnassa

Content:
Teema on opintojen alkuun sijoittuvia perusopintoja.


00021 Becoming a Social Service Professional, 10 cr

The student is able to:
arvioida oman oppimisensa lähtökohtia
• hahmottaa tutkivan ja kehittävän toiminnan merkityksen oppimisessa sekä oppimisen arvioinnin merkityksen ja
välineet
• hahmottaa sosiaalialan muuttuvaa toimintaympäristöä ja sosiaalisen asiantuntijuutta
• sosiaalialan työtä ohjaavat arvot ja eettiset periaatteet sekä osaa reflektoida omia arvojaan suhteessa niihin
• käyttää keskeisiä tietoteknisiä sovelluksia ja hakea tietoa erilaisista tietokannoista
• viestiä sekä kirjallisesti että suullisesti työ- ja arkielämän tilanteissa sekä tuottaa kirjallisia raportteja
• toimia kokouksissa ja neuvotteluissa ammatillisesti ja vuorovaikutteisesti

Contents of the study unit:
oma oppiminen, tutkiva oppiminen, hankkeissa oppiminen, kehittämispohjainen oppiminen
• ammatillinen kehittyminen ja sen arviointi
• sosiaalialan arvot ja eettiset periaatteet
• sosiaalialan työn edellyttämät valmiudet
• sosiaalisen asiantuntijuus
• sosiaalialan työn yhteiskunnalliset kontekstit
• tietotekninen osaaminen, tiedonhankinta
• kirjallinen ja suullinen viestintä


012 ENCOUNTERING THE CUSTOMER, 50 cr

Description:
Students know how to encounter and provide guidance to various customers and customer groups, always
respecting customers and following the ethical principles of social services.

The student will be able to:
• recognise different circumstances and resources in customers and create relationships based on professional
interaction
• evaluate and apply various theoretical approaches and methods to customer interaction situations
• support and guide various kinds of customers and customer groups (and families) at different stages of growth and
development, and in different circumstances.

Content:
The theme contains core competences needed by all students of the degree. The theme emphasises customer
interaction and the methodologies of customer work.

Learning process:
In terms of professional growth, the theme is situated towards the beginning of the process, where the students’
professional development is apparent as the growth of ethical awareness, a consideration of values and an increase
in professional interaction and customer work skills with regard to individuals and groups.
00022 Interaction in Customer Work, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• consider the values that underlie their own thoughts and actions
• specify the emotions caused by various customer situations and the underlying personal beliefs
• recognise the special characteristics of customer relationships in social services
• create customer-oriented and empathetic interaction when working with individuals and groups
• participate in a group and recognise the legal aspects of group interaction and development

Contents of the study unit:
• customer-oriented interaction and encountering a customer
• processes and dynamics of customer work
• group processes
• creativity and functionality in customer work


00023 Diverse and Multicultural Customer Relationships, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• know the legal aspects of human growth and development
• take into account the significance of culture in customer work
• know the principles of anti-oppressive social work
• understand the diversity of the social services clientele
• specify the emotions caused by various customer groups, and the underlying personal beliefs and values
• know the most common mental health problems and the dynamics of dependence

Contents of the study unit:
• human growth and development, and special support needs
• identity, life style and culture
• multiculturalism and anti-oppressive work
• the family as a cultural, social and educational phenomenon and environment
• addiction and mental health problems as special challenges to customer work
• principles of the physical care


00024 Methodical Customer Work, 10 cr

The student is able to:
hyödyntää erilaisia sosiaalialan teoreettisia lähestymistapoja ja
metodisuutta toimiessaan asiakastilanteissa yksilöiden ja ryhmien kanssa
• valita, käyttää ja arvioida asiakastyön menetelmiä suunnitelmallisesti ja tavoitteellisesti
• tukea ja ohjata erilaisia asiakkaita ja asiakasryhmiä kasvun ja kehityksen eri vaiheissa ja elämäntilanteissa

Contents of the study unit:
asiakastyön tutkimukselliset ja tiedolliset lähtökohdat
• sosiaalialan asiakastyön teoreettiset lähestymistavat ja metodit
• sosiaalityön metodisuuden luonne ja sosiaalityön menetelmälliset perinteet
• luovat ja toiminnalliset menetelmät
• yksilön, ryhmän ja yhteisön ohjauksen perusteet


00025 Customer Work Practice, 15 cr

The student is able to:
• kohdata ja ohjata erilaisia asiakkaita ja asiakasryhmiä
• rakentaa asiakaslähtöisen vuorovaikutussuhteen
• hahmottaa työyhteisön ja organisaation perustehtävän
• osallistua aktiivisesti ja vastuullisesti työyhteisön toimintaan
• asettaa itselleen ammatillisia osaamistavoitteita ja arvioida omaa ammatillista kasvuaan sekä vahvuuksiaan ja
kehittymistarpeitaan asiakastyössä
• toimia sosiaalialan eettisten periaatteiden mukaisesti

Contents of the study unit:
• asiakastyön perusvalmiuksien käytännöllinen opiskelu harjoittelupaikassa

Previous studies:
Opintojakso Vuorovaikutus asiakastyössä (00022)opintojakso tai vastaavat tiedot.


00026 Swedish in Social Services, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• communicate in Swedish in his/her work community
• participate in a community of experts, effectively using acquired communication skills
• communicate on the topics of his /her field of expertise using various channels
• apply information gathered from sources in a foreign language

Contents of the study unit:
• oral and written professional communication
• key concepts in social welfare,health care and physiotherapy terminology
• job application, introducing oneself, one´s educational background and work experience

Study unit description:
Students attain at least skill level B1.2, as defined in the Commmon European Framework. In addition, students
receive grades of good or satisfactory in oral and written language skills in accordance with the languge skill
requirements of civil servants.


013 WELFARE SERVICES AND SOCIAL INFLUENCE, 25 cr

Description:
Students become familiar with the Finnish social security and welfare service system. Students understand the
multifaceted nature of welfare and various different ways of implementing welfare policies. Students learn to work in
service management, networks and multidisciplinary partnerships.

The student will be able to:
• recognise social change
• see the Finnish social security system as a whole and know the legislation and service structure that determine the
services offered
• guide various types of customer groups in the use of services and benefits
• participate in multidisciplinary teams and networks
• apply the methods and work processes of structural social work and relate them to the social and socio-ethical
frameworks
• understand the changes to social policy caused by integration into the EU, and the challenges to the social security
system and to customer work brought by globalisation

Content:
Central to the theme is the recognition of changes in the welfare society and the effects these changes have had on
demand and supply of welfare services. The theme looks at the basic principles of social policy, and at social
change from the point of view of citizens’ communities and the society. The theme provides basic knowledge of
social security and social law. Also important are networking, multidisciplinary cooperation, service management
and a critical look at professional ethics in social services.


00027 Changes in the Welfare Society, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• examine social changes from the points of view of the economy, labour, education, housing and
internationalisation
• recognise the social viewpoint and apply the basic concepts of social science
• outline the development policies of the Finnish social service system
• read and interpret social science studies • examine social changes from the points of view of the economy, labour,
education, housing and internationalisation
• recognise the social viewpoint and apply the basic concepts of social science
• outline the development policies of the Finnish social service system
• read and interpret social science studies

Contents of the study unit:
• welfare, the economy and social policy
• changes in Finnish society and globalisation
• development of the Finnish social service system
• social work as a social activity and a subject of research
• future forecasting and scenarios of the welfare society


00028 Producing Welfare, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• know the structure of the Finnish social security system
• know the benefits awarded by national insurance and the Social Welfare Act
• know the principles of social legislation
• work in multidisciplinary networks
• know the principles of service management
• analyse their own work and their choices as part of social action and development
• analyse the ethical problems related to the use and production of welfare services
• principles of entrepreneurial practices

Contents of the study unit:
• value base of the welfare society and ethical issues behind welfare services
• Finnish social services and social security
• principles of social legislation
• networking and multidisciplinary cooperation
• service management and coordination, and service plans as tools
• welfare entrepreneurship
• welfare technology


00029 Social Influence and Social Ethics, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• analysoida huono-osaisuutta luovia ja ylläpitäviä yhteiskunnallisia rakenteita ja prosesseja sekä keinoja vaikuttaa
niihin
• toimia vaikuttajana eri sidosryhmissä halliten erilaisia vaikuttamisen keinoja ja välineitä
• toimia aktivoijana ja toimijana erilaisissa verkostoissa, yhteisöllisissä hankkeissa ja projekteissa
• ottaa huomioon kestävän kehityksen näkökulman työssään ja toimia sen mukaisesti
• argumentoida sosiaalisten, yhteiskunnallisten ja globaalien muutosten puolesta
• käynnistää arvokeskustelua erilaisissa yhteisöllisissä hankkeissa ja projekteissa

Contents of the study unit:
• kansalaisvaikuttaminen ja tiedottaminen
• yhdyskunta-, alue- ja yhteisötyö
• sosiaalisten ongelmien rakentuminen ja rakenteellinen sosiaalityö
• yhteiskunnallinen ja poliittinen vaikuttaminen
• sosiaalietiikka, etiikan teoriat ja lähestymistavat
• oikeudenmukaisuus moraalisena ja eettisenä ilmiönä


014 SUPPORTING THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, 45 cr
Description:
Students can support the well-being of children, adolescents and families. They can act as educators and promoters
of well-being for children and adolescents, and as supporters of family rehabilitation.

The student will be able to:
• analyse demands and ethical principles related to the field, and affect their implementation and development
through dialogue with communities and networks
• critically evaluate their own values, emotions, personal work methods and professional growth
• act as critically reflective, continuously developing educators, carers, and learning and growth counsellors for
children
• appreciate and give strength to families
• plan, evaluate and implement regional development for children, adolescents and families
• evaluate and develop social and cultural innovations for the well-being of families with children, as part of their
project work and continuous development
• act as experts to promote the interests of children, and continuously evaluate and develop expertise

Content:
This theme forms a learning module in which students learn to act as experts and active developers in early and
special education, family work and child welfare environments. The aim is to deepen child- and family-centred,
creative and collaborative professional competence.


00030 Child-Focused Work and Supporting Parenthood, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• arvioida perheen voimavaroja ja tuen tarpeita edistääkseen lapsen, nuoren ja perheen hyvinvointia
• vahvistaa lasten, nuorten ja perheiden kulttuurisia ja sosiaalisia voimavaroja yhteisöissä ja yhteiskunnassa
• arvioida ja hyödyntää kriittisesti asiantuntijaosaamistaan
• kehittää lapsi- ja perhelähtöisiä toimintamalleja systemaattisesti tietoa jäsentäen
• tunnistaa ja analysoida lapsen etuun liittyviä eettisiä ongelmia

Contents of the study unit:
• perhelähtöinen työskentely sekä vanhemmuuden tukemisen ja perhetyön menetelmät
• lapsilähtöinen työskentely
• ennaltaehkäisevä lastensuojelutyö ja lapsen etu
• monikulttuurinen kasvatustyö
• lapsen ja nuoren kasvun erityishaasteet


00031 Early Childhood Education and Child Welfare, 20 cr

The student is able to:
• soveltaa varhaiskasvatustyön ja lastensuojelutyön teoreettisia perusteita, palvelujärjestelmiä ja lainsäädännöllistä
taustaa oman työnsä lähtökohtana
• vaikuttaa alueellisten lapsiperheiden hyvinvoinnin mallien toimivuuden arviointiin ja kehittämiseen
• arvioida lasten ja nuorten sosiaalisia ongelmia, syrjäytymisen ehkäisyyn liittyviä toimintamuotoja ja edistää
verkostoissa sosiaalisten ongelmien käsittelyä
• suunnitella, arvioida ja kehittää erilaisia kasvatus-, hoito-, ohjaus- ja kuntoutusmenetelmiä ja toimintaympäristöjä
perhe- ja lapsilähtöisesti
• arvioida kasvattajan, ohjaajan ja yhteistyökumppanin rooliaan suhteessa lapsiperheiden hyvinvoinnin
yhteiskunnallisiin haasteisiin
• ohjata ja tukea lapsen yksilöllistä ja yhteisöllistä toimintaa, oppimista, tutkimista ja leikkimistä

Contents of the study unit:
• lapsen ja nuoren kasvun, kehityksen ja oppimisprosessin sekä ryhmän ohjaaminen
• leikki ja tavoitteellinen, luova toiminta
• varhaiskasvatuksen suunnittelu, arviointi ja kehittäminen
• varhainen tuki ja oppimisvaikeudet
• erityiskasvatuksen ja kuntoutuksen menetelmät
• lapsen ja aikuisen välinen kiintymyssuhde
• lapsen ja aikuisen välistä vuorovaikutussuhdetta tukevat menetelmät
• lastensuojelun prosessit ja työmenetelmät sekä niiden arviointi ja kehittäminen
• lastensuojelulaki ja lastensuojelua ohjaavat säädökset
• lasten ja nuorten syrjäytymisen ehkäisy
• kuntouttava lastensuojelutyö


00398 Supporting the Well-Being of Children and Families, Practice, 15 cr

The student is able to:
• toimia ammatillisten toimintatapojen mukaisesti ja arvioida niitä suhteessa organisaation perustehtävään
• osaa löytää työn käytännöstä ilmiöitä, joita hän perustelee teoreettisesti ja kehittää dialogissa asiakkaiden,
työyhteisön ja yhteistyöverkoston kanssa
• rakentaa empaattisen vuorovaikutussuhteen
• havaita eettisiä valintatilanteita ja etsiä ratkaisuja työyhteisön jäsenenä, asiakkaiden kanssa ja
yhteistyöverkostoissa
• arvioida kriittisesti itseään kehittyvänä ammattilaisena suhteessa ammattityön menetelmiin ja asiakastyön
haasteisiin
• reflektoida tavoitteita yhdessä asiakkaiden kanssa

Contents of the study unit:
• asiakastyön menetelmät
• tutkivan työotteen harjoittaminen


016 MARGINALISATION AND PARTICIPATION, 45 cr

Description:
Students gain expertise in issues related to marginalisation and learn how to deal with marginalised people to
strengthen their well-being.

The student will be able to:
• plan rehabilitation processes and support rehabilitation patients in everyday situations
• understand the individual, social and global nature and significance of social problems
• reflect on their own attitudes towards marginalisation and social exclusion
• support participation in various customer groups

Content:
This theme centres around marginalisation, social exclusion and inclusion on the one hand, and social integration,
social rehabilitation and well-being on the other. The competence relates largely to social rehabilitation, and is
evident as the acquisition of important skills in social rehabilitation and participatory methods, and as an ability to
participate in multidisciplinary teams, networks and communities linked to the subject.

The emphasis, content and implementation of the theme depend on the unit.


00034 Rehabilitating Social Work, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• know the basic concepts of rehabilitation and rehabilitating social work, and the main regulations, programmes and
quality criteria related to rehabilitation
• plan and implement activating work methods
• motivate and support customers in their rehabilitation
• plan rehabilitating processes
• support customers in spontaneous coping
• participate in networks to promote rehabilitation

Contents of the study unit:
• adult social work, activating social policies
• social rehabilitation and activation
• planned rehabilitation processes
• social rehabilitation methods
• multidisciplinary and rehabilitating networking
• principles of crisis intervention
• legislation related to rehabilitation, service systems and national/international reports and action plans


00035 Marginalisation and Supporting Participation, 20 cr

The student is able to:
• understand the individual, communal, social and global nature and significance of social problems
• reflect on their own attitudes towards marginalisation, social exclusion and inclusion
• encounter different marginalised customers and customer groups and use some of the main rehabilitation methods
when working with them
• plan and implement preventive functions to support participation
• direct customers to general and specialist services
• take part in networks and associations that support citizen participation
• evaluate the effectiveness of planned and implemented social rehabilitation methods
• recognise national and international action plans related to supporting well-being, participation, social integration
and rehabilitation

Contents of the study unit:
• marginalisation, social exclusion and inclusion
• individual, communal and societal contexts for interpreting social problems
• influencing marginalisation and supporting participation in different fields of operation
• national and international action plans
• special service system and service management
• methods and forms of rehabilitating, participatory and preventive work
• effectiveness and evaluation of rehabilitation

Study unit description:
The focus of the study unit may be on topics including:
• deprivation, multiple problems, unemployment and homelessness, and how to influence them
• addiction and mental health problems; addiction, crisis and mental health work
• social monitoring and punishment system and influencing crime
• disabilities and working with the disabled
• cultures, subcultures and multicultural social work


00399 Marginalisation and Social Rehabilitation, Practice, 15 cr

The student is able to:
• toimia ammatillisten toimintatapojen mukaisesti ja arvioida niitä suhteessa organisaation perustehtävään
• osaa löytää työn käytännöstä ilmiöitä, joita hän perustelee teoreettisesti ja kehittää dialogissa asiakkaiden,
työyhteisön ja yhteistyöverkoston kanssa
• rakentaa empaattisen vuorovaikutussuhteen
• havaita eettisiä valintatilanteita ja etsiä ratkaisuja työyhteisön jäsenenä, asiakkaiden kanssa ja
yhteistyöverkostoissa
• arvioida kriittisesti itseään kehittyvänä ammattilaisena suhteessa ammattityön menetelmiin ja asiakastyön
haasteisiin
• reflektoida tavoitteita yhdessä asiakkaiden kanssa

Contents of the study unit:
• asiakastyön menetelmät
• tutkivan työotteen harjoittaminen


015 CREATIVITY TO SUPPORT PARTICIPATION, 45 cr
Description:
Students learn to understand the significance of creativity and creative activity in promoting the well-being of
individuals, communities and the society, and know how to foster the value of creativity as a support for human
growth and participation.

The student will be able to:
• apply different forms of expression and make use of them in their creative process as part of their own professional
development and customer work
• understand and make use of the dimensions of creativity as a form of being, a method of thinking, a multisensory
language, a way of being influenced and an investigative tool
• act and be influential as a socio-cultural inspirer in projects to increase community welfare, in cooperation with
other players
• investigate and develop emotional and social capital at the societal level, making use of art-like functions

Content:
This theme focuses on the opportunities and limitations of creativity in individuals, groups, communities and
societies within the framework of social services. The theme deepens the students’ understanding of human
multisensory forms of being and ways of working professionally. As a whole, students adopt the role of socio-cultural
inspirers through theory and practice. Competence gained in the theme relates to applying the language of drama,
movement, images and music to work in the field; to investigating one’s own role and expression in challenging
situations; to making difficult and important issues evident in customer work; to strengthening customer participation;
and to developing new opportunities and solutions through interaction between artistic activity and social expertise.
Some of the topics in the theme are participation, empowerment and marginalisation in a community, cultural
identity and functionality as a part of community work. The Participatory Creative Activities study unit contains
parallel content topics in Participatory Drama and Music, and Participatory Movement and Images.


00032 Becoming an Inspirer, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• hyödyntää omia luovia voimavarojaan toimiessaan innostajana
• toimia tavoitteellisesti, suunnitella, ohjata ja arvioida luovan toiminnan ryhmäprosesseja asiakkaan yksilöllisten ja
yhteisöllisten tarpeiden ja voimavarojen suunnassa
• soveltaa moniaistisia, eheyttäviä ja osallistavia työskentelytapoja asiakkaan arjessa ja erilaisissa yhteisöissä

Contents of the study unit:
• musiikin, draaman, kuvan ja liikkeen kieli
• sosiokulttuurinen työ
• terapeuttinen luova toiminta


00033 Participatory Creative Activities, 20 cr

The student is able to:
• ottaa käyttöön valmiuksiaan draamallisessa, liikunnallisessa, kuvallisessa ja musiikillisessa toiminnassa
ammatillisen osaamisen tukena ja kuntouttavana välineenä sekä työn voimavarana.
• suunnitella, ohjata ja arvioida ryhmäprosesseja, joissa hyödynnetään luovan toiminnan keinoja
• soveltaa draaman, kuvan, musiikin ja liikunnan kieltä vaihtoehtona tutkia ja tehdä näkyväksi yhteisön erilaisia
tärkeiksi ja vaikeiksi koettuja kysymyksiä
• toimia taiteenkaltaisten toimintojen ja sosiaalialan työn menetelmien kehittäjänä ja vaikuttajana sosiaalisen
asiantuntijuuden kentässä
• tunnistaa ja vaikuttaa luovuuden ehtoihin ja puitteisiin luovan yhteisön ja luovan hyvinvointiyhteiskunnan
kehittymiseksi

Contents of the study unit:
• draaman ja musiikin keinot sekä tekemisen taidot sosiaalialan työssä

oman ilmaisun kehittäminen
draaman ja musiikin suuntaukset sekä menetelmät sosiaalialan työssä
draaman ja musiikin ohjaajan tehtävät musiikin kieli
teatteriksi ajatteleminen

• kuvan ja liikunnan keinot sekä tekemisen taidot sosiaalialan työssä
ruumiillisten ja visuaalisten kokemusten sekä liikkumisen merkitys yksilön, yhteisön ja yhteiskunnan hyvinvoinnin
edistämisessä
katsomisen tavat ja nähdyksi tuleminen
yhteisötaide, -tanssi ja sosiaalinen pääoma
ulkona ja syrjässä: ympäristötaide, retkeily, ulkoilu, seikkailu

•terapeuttinen ulottuvuus luovissa toiminnoissa


00400 Creativity To Support Participation, Practice, 15 cr

The student is able to:
• toimia ammatillisten toimintatapojen mukaisesti ja arvioida niitä suhteessa organisaation perustehtävään
• osaa löytää työn käytännöstä ilmiöitä, joita hän perustelee teoreettisesti ja kehittää dialogissa asiakkaiden,
työyhteisön ja yhteistyöverkoston kanssa
• rakentaa empaattisen vuorovaikutussuhteen
• havaita eettisiä valintatilanteita ja etsiä ratkaisuja työyhteisön jäsenenä, asiakkaiden kanssa ja
yhteistyöverkostoissa
• arvioida kriittisesti itseään kehittyvänä ammattilaisena suhteessa ammattityön menetelmiin ja asiakastyön
haasteisiin
• reflektoida tavoitteita yhdessä asiakkaiden kanssa

Contents of the study unit:
• asiakastyön menetelmät
• tutkivan työotteen harjoittaminen


018 MANAGING AND DEVELOPING WORK IN SOCIAL SERVICES, 60 cr

The student will be able to:
• use and apply research and development work methods
• develop real work processes through research, producing new solutions in the form of products, operating models
or work cultures
• act as responsible members, leaders and developers of work communities and networks
• take target-oriented action as group members

Content:
The theme emphasises learning of research and development methods and participation in a work community.
Leadership and teamwork are essential parts of the theme.

The theme includes a thesis, which forms part of Laurea’s research and development work. It deepens the students’
professional competence and serves the employment market and regional development. The thesis is used to
develop work and common practices, and can produce significant innovations. It emphasises interaction with the
labour market, and an investigative and developmental approach. Thesis reports are based around describing
object-oriented activities and their results, as well as on theoretical and research-based analyses. Theses contain
new descriptive and explanatory information on the labour market. The study unit involves the completion of a
maturity test, in which students must demonstrate mastery of the subject and good writing skills

Learning process:
This theme is scheduled for the last stage of studies. It focuses on enhancing development and leadership skills and
on deepening professional competence. The theme is linked to the advanced theme chosen by each student and to
the research and development alignment of each unit


00039 Research and Development Methods, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• tunnistaa tutkimus- ja kehittämistyön eettisen näkökulman
• muodostaa käsityksen tutkimus- ja kehittämisprosessista ja valita tarkoituksenmukaiset menetelmät sekä käyttää
niitä kriittisesti
• kvalitatiivisen ja kvantitatiivisen tutkimusmenetelmien perusteet
• tutkivan ja argumentoivan kirjoittamisen perusteet

Contents of the study unit:
• tieteen filosofia ja etiikka
• tutkiva työote, tutkimus- ja kehittämisprosessi
• kvalitatiivinen ja kvantitatiivinen tutkimus


00041 English in Social Services I, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• viestiä englannin kielellä työyhteisössään ja monikulttuurisessa ympäristössä
• toimia asiantuntijayhteisössä käyttämällä tehokkaasti viestinnän keinoja
• viestiä oman asiantuntijuusalueensa teemoista käyttäen erilaisia viestintäkanavia
• soveltaa vieraskielisistä lähteistä etsimäänsä tietoa

Contents of the study unit:
• suullinen ja kirjallinen ammatillinen viestintä
• sosiaalityön keskeinen terminologia
• työnhaku, opiskelijan itsensä, koulutuksen ja työkokemuksen esittely

Study unit description:
Opintojaksossa osaaminen on vaikuttajan osaamista viestinnällisin keinoin. Osaamisen kehittämisen viitekehys on
suomenkielisten työorganisaatioiden lisäksi englantia työkielenään käyttävät organisaatiot. Opintojaksossa opiskelija
saavuttaa vähintään eurooppalaisen viitekehyksen mukaisen taitotason B.2.


00040 Group Work and Teamwork, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• hahmottaa tavoitteellisen toiminnallisen ryhmän kokonaisuuden ja mieltää itsensä osaksi ryhmäprosessia
• käyttää työryhmätyöskentelyn mahdollistavia tietoja ja taitoja tiimeissä, toimintaryhmissä ja verkostoissa
• tarkastella ja tutkia ryhmädynamiikkaa ja sen peruslainalaisuuksia

Contents of the study unit:
• ryhmät ja tiimit
• ryhmän kehittämisen menetelmät
• ryhmän voima ja luovuus
• vallan ja johtajuuden eri muodot ryhmien prosesseissa


00007 Responsible Leadership in a Work Community, 10 cr

The student is able to:
* act responsibly and in a target-oriented way in situations requiring management in an organisation
* analyse and develop their own actions as responsible work community and team members
* apply labour legislation in practical situations

Contents of the study unit:
* Strategic management and leadership
* Self-management
* Organisational culture and values
* Human resource management/occupational welfare
* Labour law and contract matters

Study unit description:
The competence gained in this study unit relates to the mastery and responsible use of the main management tools
in workplace situations. Competence is based on knowledge of the operating structures, targets and profitability of
an organisation. The perspective is ethical responsibility in management.


00273 Professional and Service Innovation Development Practice, 15 cr

The student is able to:
• määrittää kehittämisen kohteita työelämän ja alueen kehittämisen lähtökohdista
• toimia osana kumppanuusverkostoa ja kehittämistyötä
• työskennellä tiimissä ja toimia asiantuntijayhteisössä
• käyttää soveltavan tutkimus- ja kehittämistoiminnan työvälineitä ja menetelmiä kehitystyössä
• arvioida omaa osaamista, kehittämistyötä ja syntynyttä tulosta kehittämisen tavoitteiden suhteen
• kriittisesti arvioida omaa ammattieettistä toimintaa, työyhteisön ja ammattialan eettisiä periaatteita.


00043 Thesis, 15 cr

The student is able to:
• present well-grounded work development proposals
• conceptualise the phenomena of the workplace with a basis in research data
• use appropriate research and development methods for generating new data
• participate in development projects, working responsibly in a team with employers and other partners
• evaluate their own work and solutions critically
• manage the big picture, presenting their ideas logically and with justifications

Contents of the study unit:
• familiarisation with the thesis and development project process, and coming up with a subject
• thesis plan describing the background and objectives of the thesis, main data from previous research on the
subject, the research and development methods used and an implementation plan
• carrying out the work for the thesis
• reporting on and publishing the thesis
• maturity test

Study unit description:
Students learn to develop real work processes through research, producing new solutions in the form of products,
operating models or work cultures.


125 ELECTIVE STUDIES, 0 cr

Description:
Students use elective studies to deepen and broaden their competence in various themes and ge-neric
competences. Students should choose study units to align the content of their studies with their own personal
interests and career objectives.

Content:
Each curriculum contains a theme consisting of elective studies. In the students’ personal study plans, the theme
should be made up of the study units chosen by the student from Laurea’s language studies, Laurea’s shared
studies or another degree programme’s curriculum. Any studies completed at another higher education institution
(university of applied sciences, university, Online University of Applied Sciences, foreign institution) that cannot be
recognised for the degree programme but that the student wishes to include in the degree should be classified
under this theme. The number of credits from elective studies can be set separately for each degree programme,
tak-ing into account recommendations for the field of study. The aim is to have at least 15 cr of elective studies in
each degree programme


00501 Management in Problem Situations, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• tunnistaa työ-, yksilö- ja yhteisölähtöisiä ongelmatilanteita ja niiden syntyä erilaisissa työyhteisöissä ja verkostoissa
• toimia työroolistaan käsin tilanteiden ratkaisijana, tiedostaa omat vaikutusmahdollisuutensa niiden ratkaisemisessa
esimiehenä sekä tunnistaa omia kehittymismahdollisuuksiaan ongelmanratkaisussa
• kehittää alaistaitoja/johtamistaitoja
• toimia vuorovaikutuksellisin keinoin ongelmatilanteiden ratkaisussa ja kykenee arvioimaan toimenpiteiden
käyttökelpoisuutta
• osaa tarvittaessa käyttää ulkopuolista apua ongelmatilanteiden ratkaisuvaihtoehtona
• arvioida hyvän työn ja työhyvinvoinnin merkitystä sekä liiketaloudellisissa että voittoa tavoittelemattomissa
organisaatioissa ja määritellä siltä pohjalta kehittämistavoitteita
• toteuttaa tavoitteellisen kehittämisprojektin

Contents of the study unit:
• ongelmatilanteiden tunnistaminen, tyypittely ja jäsentäminen
• ongelmatilanteiden ratkaisu vuorovaikutuksellisin keinoin
• alais- ja esimiestaidot, asiantuntijamainen toiminta erilaisissa verkostoissa
• työyhteisön kehittämiseen liittyvä hanke

Study unit description:
Opintojaksossa syntyvä osaaminen ilmenee opiskelijan taitona tunnistaa ongelmatilanteita ja ratkaista niitä
toimiessaan sekä asiantuntijan että esimiehen rooleista käsin erilaisissa verkostoissa. Opiskelija soveltaa omia
vaikutusmahdollisuuksiaan ongelmatilanteiden ratkaisemisessa tunnistaen työ-, yksilö- ja työyhteisölähtöisiä
ongelmatilanteita ja vahvistaa omaa osaamistaan ongelmien ratkaisuissa. Opiskelija osaa tarvittaessa käyttää
ulkopuolista apua toimiessaan eri työrooleissaan. Keskeisiä osaamisen alueita on vaikuttaa vuorovaikutuksellisin
keinoin ongelmatilanteiden ehkäisyyn ja tarvittaessa niiden ratkaisuun sekä liiketaloudellisissa että voittoa
tavoittelemattomissa organisaatioissa.


00202 Initial Test in English Skills, 0 cr

Study unit description:
At the beginning of their studies, all students who have English and/or Swedish qualifications on prior certificates
required for studies at Laurea, or who have received previous instruction in English and/or Swedish take initial tests
in these languages. The initial tests are the same for all fields of study and may only be taken once. Students who
transfer between degrees within Laurea do not have to retake the test. The test is used to check the students’
starting level before language studies begin. Students who fail the test must take preparatory studies in the
language at the start of their studies. Having passed the preparatory studies, students obtain credits for inclusion in
elective studies.


00203 Initial Test in Swedish Skills, 0 cr

Study unit description:
At the beginning of their studies, all students who have English and/or Swedish qualifications on prior certificates
required for studies at Laurea, or who have received previous instruction in English and/or Swedish take initial tests
in these languages. The initial tests are the same for all fields of study and may only be taken once. Students who
transfer between degrees within Laurea do not have to retake the test. The test is used to check the students’
starting level before language studies begin. Students who fail the test must take preparatory studies in the
language at the start of their studies. Having passed the preparatory studies, students obtain credits for inclusion in
elective studies.


00453 Initial Test in Finnish language, 0 cr


00493 Finnish as Second Language-Initial test, 0 cr

Study unit description:
Suomenkielisissä koulutusohjelmissa opiskelevat maahanmuuttajataustaiset opiskelijat suorittavat suomen kielen
lähtötasotestin.
00194 Preparatory Studies in English, 3 cr

The student is able to:
• master basic English vocabulary and grammar
• use various methods for improving their language skills

Contents of the study unit:
• main structures of the English language
• basic English vocabulary

Study unit description:
Students improve their skills in communicating in English as preparation for completing actual studies in the
language.


00195 Preparatory Studies in Swedish, 3 cr

The student is able to:
• master basic Swedish vocabulary and grammar
• use various methods for improving their language skills

Contents of the study unit:
• main structures of the Swedish language
• basic Swedish vocabulary

Study unit description:
Students improve their skills in communicating in Swedish as preparation for completing actual studies in the
language.


00388 Preparatory Studies in Finnish (as Mother tongue), 3 cr

The student is able to:
• compose varied factual and functional texts
• make use of different writer's tools and grammar aid
• take on the communicative responses of team work

Contents of the study unit:
• creating a personal communicative profile
• using dictionaries and other tools for language aid
• providing the student for oral and written challenges of study time

Study unit description:
Students improve their skills in speech communication and writing in order to be able to succesfully complete their
studies in Laurea.


00522 Preparatory Studies in Finnish, 3 cr

Study unit description:
Students who fail an initial test must take
preparatory studies in the language at the
start of their studies. The preparatory studies
count as credits for elective studies, if the student’s language skills are not sufficient and s/he has been guided to
complete these studies.