The Master's Degree Programme in Intercultural Encounters
FAQ
Q: I have a BA in English philology / English language and literature, am I eligible to your Intercultural Encounters program?
-As stated in our admission criteria, the applicant must have a Bachelor´s Degree
in one of our major disciplines or in a closely related discipline with studies equivalent to basic and intermediate studies of that discipline at the University of Helsinki. Linguistic studies alone are not equivalent to those requirements in Speech Communication or Area and Cultural Studies, for example.
Q: Which Master's Programme should I apply to? I am also interested in the ERI program.
-You can apply up to three different programs (some faculties limit the number to two or just one). But remember, you should be able to justify your choice and for ICE, you have to include a motivation letter.
Q: With my background, I might be eligible in various of your majors. How to choose?
-First of all, choose the closest to your previous studies. You have to choose only one. Very seldom the applicant's Bachelor's Degree is so multidisciplinary that it would give eligibility in such different majors as Social Psychology or Study of Religions both. Management or Marketing are neither, Communication Studies in some cases may be close enough to Speech Communication. Also see the degree requirements in Area and Cultural studies when considering whether your previous studies are close to these.
Q: After completing a Bachelor's Degree at a University of Applied Sciences in Finland, can I apply to the ICE program?
-Even though it is possible to continue to Master's Degree studies with a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Sciences, none of the majors in the Master´s Degree Programme in Intercultural Encounters admits students with a Bachelor's in Applied Sciences. Our applicants must have a Bachelor's Degree from a recognised and internationally acknowledged university that offers full-time studies in one of our majors, or a related discipline as defined in the first answer.
Q: I have a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, could I apply?
-Both are related to interaction between people from different cultures, but these subjects are not among our four majors nor close enough to them.
Q: How many applicants get admitted annually?
-Please see the selection quota on our Admissions page. The applications go first to the Admission Services, then to the faculty level and after this, to Master's programmes. Last year. around 60 applications passed the faculty level and ten new students started in ICE program in fall 2011.
Q: Is this Master´s Programme also available for Finnish citizens, or international students only?
-Everyone can apply! There are new country specific requierements, though, please check them when legalizing your documents.
Q: How should I show my English competence?
-The language requirements are specified here. Graduates from a Finnish university who have completed the required English language modules as part of the BA degree do not need to do a language test. Please contact the admission services on any specific question regarding language tests such as TOEFL or IELTS.
Q: Are there any grants or scholarships?
-There are no tuition fees in Finnish universities. The only fee is the Student Union membership (89 euros in Helsinki in 2011-12) that covers student health care. It is possible to apply for International Student Grant that the University of Helsinki admits to international Master's Programme students in order to help new students settle in our city. The amount of the individual grant is 1000-1500 euros.