Curriculum 2009 – SYV10KJ (in English)

LAUREA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

Degree Programme in Health Promotion, Regional Development and Management (Laurea Tikkurila, sote),
SYV10KJ

Master's programmes

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE DEGREE PROGRAMME

The Master's degree is built on the competence gained through a Bachelor’s degree and subsequent work
experience. In accordance with Section 7 of the Government Decree on Polytechnics (16.6.2005/423), studies
leading to polytechnic Master's degrees aim to provide students with:
1) comprehensive and profound knowledge of a specific field of expertise, needed for developing the market in that
field, as well as the necessary theoretical knowledge for completing demanding specialist and management tasks in
the field;
2) an in-depth picture of the field of expertise, of its position in the market and its social significance, as well as skills
for following and analysing current research and professional practices in the field;
3) the necessary abilities for lifelong learning and continuous development of the students' own professional
competence;
4) good communication and language skills needed at work; and
5) skills required for international interaction and operations.


The studies are aimed at nurses, public health nurses, physiotherapists, and graduates of Social Services who hold
a Bachelor's degree from a university of applied sciences. An individual who has completed another relevant degree
in a higher education institution and who has a post-secondary level degree in nursing, public health nursing,
physiotherapy or social services may also be approved as a student.
Master's degree graduates are able to develop service processes and structures in social services and health care
in multidisciplinary networks as experts of health promotion. In positions of immediate supervisors, the graduates
are able to develop social services and health care by making use of research knowledge which anticipates the
future and of their own experience, as well as to develop the productivity of personnel by means of various
management methods. As immediate supervisors, the graduates are able to evaluate the influence of social
services and health care by applying simple evaluation methods such as modelling of operations.
The studies highlight
· development of expertise in health promotion
· personal and work community management and development
· research-oriented and developmental learning
· personal career plan
                                                                1. year        2. year
OP      STUDIES                                                           31             59
V001    EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTH PROMOTION
V0001   Scientific basis of health promotion                              6
V0005   Social policy for health promotion                                5
V0002   Health promotion on the level of individuals, groups,             6
        and communities
V0008   Health promotion based on evidence                                8
V002    DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP
V0006   Research-oriented development methodology                         10
V0003   Management in organisations undergoing reforms                    15
V0007   Influencing in society                                                            5
V003    THESIS
V0004   Thesis                                                            30
V004    ELECTIVE STUDIES
                                                                          31             59
V001 EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTH PROMOTION, 25 cr

Description:
Valmistuttuaan opiskelija soveltaa työssään terveyden ja terveyden edistämisen tietoperustaa. Hänen toimintaansa
ohjaavat terveyspoliittiset ohjelmat, sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon tavoite- ja toiminta-ohjelmat, suositukset ja
lainsäädäntö. Opiskelija osaa arvioida terveyden edistämisen vaikuttavuutta ja kehittää toimintaansa näyttöön
perustuvan idean mukaisesti.


V0001 Scientific basis of health promotion, 6 cr

The student is able to:
· critically evaluate the applicability and usability of health information and health promotion
· research and analyse concepts of health and health promotion
· evaluate health promotion from the perspectives of various disciplines
· evaluate the ethics of health promotion


Contents of the study unit:
· key concepts and theoretical basis of health and health promotion
· perspective of different disciplines to health, health promotion and ethics



V0005 Social policy for health promotion, 5 cr

The student is able to:
· analyse and evaluate target and action programmes, recommendations and legislation guiding health promotion
· make use of government programmes and recommendations on health in health promotion
· understand health promotion from the perspective of various administrative sectors and service providers
· evaluate and develop their expertise of health information and health promotion in society
· evaluate and develop health promotion on different levels of the changing and globalising society


Contents of the study unit:
· key international and national government programmes and recommendations on health and social policy
· legislation



V0002 Health promotion on the level of individuals, groups, and communities, 6 cr

The student is able to:
· analyse the health needs of the population
· apply the ethical knowledge foundation of health promotion
· apply the knowledge foundation of health promotion for the promotion of health of individuals, groups, and
communities
· evaluate the influence of health promotion on the level of individuals, groups, and communities
· state grounds for the influence of health promotion and produce evidence for it
· critically assess the knowledge that forms the basis for assistance methods in health promotion


Contents of the study unit:
· information on the health status of the population
· methods of influence in health promotion on the level of individuals, groups, and communities, and assessment of
these methods
· influence of health promotion
V0008 Health promotion based on evidence, 8 cr

The student is able to:
· perustaa terveyden edistämisen näyttöön
· soveltaa systemoidun kirjallisuuskatsauksen prosessia terveyden edistämisen eri teemoihin
· arvioida näytön astetta ja tehdä synteesiä hankkimastaan tiedosta
· arvioida kriittisesti tuottamaansa tietoa terveyden edistämisen näytöstä


Contents of the study unit:
· monitoring of health information and creating statistics
· theoretical foundation of evidence-based decision-making and operations (from the perspectives of research,
experts, clients and resources)
· information gathering from the perspective of practical development needs
· assessment of the level of evidence
· identification of best practices
· recommendations of health promotion (current care recommendations, nursing recommendations, quality
recommendations of health promotion)
· using various sources of information and recommendations in one's own work



V002 DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP, 30 cr

Description:
Valmistuttuaan opiskelija osaa soveltaa kriittisesti erilaisia johtamisen lähestymistapoja ja hänen toimintansa
perustuu tutkivaan työotteeseen. Kehittäessään omaa työtään ja työyhteisöään esimie-henä hän osaa soveltaa
tutkimus- ja kehittämistoiminnan metodologia ja tuottaa kehittämistyöstä tutkimusperusteisia raportteja. Hän osaa
käyttää erilaisia yhteiskunnallisia vaikuttamiskeinoja ja hyödyntää verkostojen asiantuntijuutta.


V0006 Research-oriented development methodology, 10 cr

The student is able to:
· apply different methodologies of research and development in their own development activities
· make use of a variety of information gathering methods and sources of information in a versatile manner for
generating new information
· critically assess health promoting development activities and their influence
· report and communicate the results of research and development projects


Contents of the study unit:
· the process of research-oriented development (reflectivity, critical approach)
· collection of data and analysis
· in-depth research method studies
· evaluation of objectives, processes and results and the evaluation of methodologycal effectiveness
· reporting on development activities as well as reflective and synthesising writing



V0003 Management in organisations undergoing reforms, 15 cr

The student is able to:
· apply, combine and critically assess various theoretical approaches to management
· manage and develop themselves, work communities and networks from the perspective of leadership
· by using future forecasting information, evaluate the changes taking place in the operating environment of social
services and health care from the perspective of leadership
Contents of the study unit:
· future forecasting based on research data
· foundation of strategic and change management
· management of personnel competence
· quality management
· management promoting economic profitability
· ethical and legal questions in management



V0007 Influencing in society, 5 cr

The student is able to:
Students are able to use different types of societal influencing methods and channels and critically assess the
objectives of their influencing measures. Students are also able to analyse different alternatives for developing the
service structure.

Contents of the study unit:
• development of services and the service structure
 • government decision-making in and evaluation of social services, health, and social policies
 • influencing the social and economic decision-making
 • publication channels of health-related communication

Study unit description:
The study unit explores social communications and influence channels and issues concerning the devel-opment of
services.


V003 THESIS, 30 cr

Description:


 The aim of the thesis is to develop the students’ ability to apply research data, to use selected methods for
analysing and solving workplace problems and to carry out demanding specialist tasks independently.

 The thesis must demonstrate the students’ ability to define and process chosen development targets, a
development-oriented approach, mastery of the theories and research methods needed in their work, familiarity with
the thesis topic and related literature, skills in processional communication, the ability to work with long-term
persistence and skills in understanding things holistically.

 The thesis is completed as a workplace development project which progresses in alignment with the students'
learning process. The thesis process consists of the following stages: analysis of the topic, planning, writing,
evaluation, and publication. The thesis is evaluated by the teachers overseeing the thesis process. The evaluation
of the thesis can be performed by lecturers and employer representatives participating in the development project.
The students assess their own learning and the learning of others in the different stages of the thesis process.


Content:
”Ylemmän ammattikorkeakoulututkinnon opinnäytetyöt ovat luonteeltaan työelämälähtöisiä, prosessinomaisia,
soveltavia sekä uuteen tietoon ja innovaatioihin tähtääviä. Opinnäytetyöprosessin yhteydessä syntyneen tiedon
avulla ratkaistaan ongelmia ja esiin nousseita haasteita, kehitetään uusia ratkaisuja, menetelmiä, malleja sekä uutta
osaamista eikä niinkään sovelleta yksinomaan tieteellisten tutkimusten kautta tuotettua tietoa sellaisenaan
käytännön tilanteeseen.” (Laurean yamk opinnäytetyöohje 2008.)
”Opinnäytetöiden työelämäkytkentä on integroitu kokonaisvaltaisesti opiskelijoiden opintoihin, jotta he kehittyisivät
omaa työtään ja alaansa kehittävinä asiantuntijoina. Opinnäytetyöt toteutetaan erilaisissa organisaatioissa ja
useimmiten opinnäytetyö organisoidaan yhteisöllisenä kehittämisprosessina organisaation toimijoiden kanssa, jolloin
opinnäytetyöhön osallistuvat henkilöt toimivat yhteisönä, jossa tuotetaan uutta tietoa ja kehitetään oman yrityksen/
yksikön lisäksi myös kyseistä alaa sekä työelämää laajemminkin. Kyseessä on organisaation oppiminen sekä
organisaatiossa toimivien yksilöiden jatkuva oppiminen ja itsensä kehittäminen siten, että yhteinen näkemys
toimintamahdollisuuksien kehittämisestä syvenee.” (Laurean yamk opinnäytetyöohje 2008)



V0004 Thesis, 30 cr

The student is able to:
The aim of the thesis is to develop and demonstrate the students’ ability to apply research data, to use selected
methods for analysing and solving workplace problems and to carry out demanding specialist tasks independently
(Government Decree 423/2005).
The students' own perspective and that of the work community to health promotion gains more depth. The students
also gain more in-depth competence on the planning, implementation, management and evaluation of health
promotion development projects. They create new work methods and innovations promoting health in their own
work community or other work organisations.


The thesis is completed as a workplace development project which progresses in alignment with the students'
learning process. The thesis process consists of the following stages: analysis of the topic, planning, writing,
evaluation, and publication. The thesis is evaluated by the teachers overseeing the thesis process. The evaluation
of the thesis can be performed by lecturers and employer representatives participating in the development project.
The students assess their own learning and the learning of others in the different stages of the thesis process.


V004 ELECTIVE STUDIES, 5 cr

Description:


 The students may plan their elective studies themselves and complete other higher education studies which
correspond to the Master level requirements. The Principal Lecturer in charge of the elective studies approves the
students' elective studies plans.

 The study units are integrated with research and development activities and the thesis. The thesis is a process that
spans the entire duration of the studies. Learning highlights action-based and collaborative ways of working.