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Career Prospects

A graduate of the ERI Programme is awarded a Master of Social Sciences within one of the major subjects (Political Science, Social Psychology, Sociology) with the specialization in ethnic relations, cultural diversity and integration.

ERI graduates have sofar positioned themselves in various educational institutions, governmental administration, research and NGO's.

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The Faculty of Social Sciences offers its students a variety of career services, engages in cooperation projects with employers and promotes alumni activities. Find out more >>

Kristiina Tilev has looked at where the M.Soc.Sc. graduates of 2001 and 2003 have positioned themselves in the Finnish labour market. Her report (in Finnish) can be found here.

According to Tilev, these were the main employers in 2003:

• A university,an institution of higher learning, the Finnish Academy
Research, planning and preparation, public relations and communication, training

• A governmental office or state-owned company
Planning and preparation, public relations and communication, research

• Municipal positions
Social work, managerial positions, planning, preparation

• An organization or a foundation
Planning, preparation, public relations and communication, social work

• Private business/entrepreneur
Planning, preparation, consultancy

• Others
Teaching and training, various administrational positions


Some facts from Tilev's report:

* 61 % of the students who graduated in 2003 had positioned themselves in the public sector three years later. Every 10th respondent in Tilev's survey worked for an organisation or a foundation.

* 86% of the students who graduated in 2003 thought that their work corresponded well or fairly well to their education.

*The general opinion of the respondents was that their education has helped them develop their analytical and systematical thinking. They feel that the theoretical knowledge about their own field has been deepened and that their initiative and problem-solving skills have improved.

(More information about the M.Soc.Sc. graduates and the labour market can be found on the Finnish web pages of the Faculty)

In addition, one of the main aims of ERI is naturally to prepare the students for a continued academic career with the objective of obtaining a doctoral degree.

page updated 9.6.2011