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Seminar and visiting lectures 5th May 2011 in Turku >>

Master’s degree programme in
Sociology and Politics of Education 2008-2010

In September 2008 started a new Master’s degree programme in Sociology and Politics of Education. The programme is provided jointly by the Departments of Education of three universities, Helsinki, Tampere and Turku. The extent of the Master’s programme is 120 ECTS.

The approach to education and schooling in the Master’s programme is strongly defined by the concept of civic society. The cornerstones of this concept are pluralism, autonomy, solidarity, publicity and participation. This novel approach and the co-operation between the three universities make the programme unique in the Finnish academic setting.

The Master’s degree programme in Sociology and Politics of Education aims to educate professionals who have the ability to work as experts in complex educational settings both in international environment as in national context. The programme has a strong research orientation and provides students with the skills and knowledge they need for postgraduate studies.

19 students started their study in the programme of 2008-2010. Studies in the programme include 2/3 advanced special studies in the field of sociology and politics of education. Students follow these studies at their home university. 1/3 of the studies consist of four scientific seminars, organised jointly by the Departments of Education of Helsinki, Tampere and Turku. Each seminar offers students the possibility to deepen their knowledge of a specific topic and to become acquainted with practices in international scientific seminars.

For each seminar, two internationally leading researchers of the field are invited to be guest lectures. To prepare themselves for the seminar, students read up on the required basic literature and the material from the production of the guest lectures (chosen for the students by the guest lectures themselves). On the basis of this, students prepare scientifically well-founded questions for the guest lecturers to be discussed in the workshops led by the lecturers.
 

Seminar quests' comments on the programme

“Thank you for inviting me to participate in your Masters Programme for Sociology and Politics in Education. The programme is an exciting innovation and I am delighted to hear that you plan to continue it. It seems entirely appropriate that such a course, contributing as it does to a wider understanding of key contemporary issues in education policy, should involve national and international collaboration. Although I was not present for the whole of the programme, or indeed the whole of the autumn meeting, I found my interaction with your students, your Faculty and other international contributors extremely stimulating.
Your programme deserves to be emulated in other countries.”

Professor Geoff Whitty
Director
Institute of Education
University of London
 

The following topics were covered in the seminars 2008-2010

I "Introduction to Sociology and Politics of Education"
University of Turku 25.–26.11.2008

II ”Policy, Politics and the Political in Education”
University of Helsinki 6.-7.5.2008

III ”Comparative and International Education"
University of Tampere 25.11.2009

IV Education Governance
University of Helsinki 25.–26.3 2010
 

Master’s degree programme in
Sociology and Politics of Education 2008-2010

University of Helsinki

Degree requirements 120 cr

General studies 5 cr

KSP 1.1. Individual study plan 2 cr
KSP 1.2. Academic writing 3 cr

Advanced special studies 115 cr

KSP 2. Advanced special studies (obligatory) 15 cr:
KSP 2.1. Social and politics of education 5 cr
KSP 2.2. Comparative Education 5 cr
KSP 2.3. Governance in education 5 cr

KSP 3. Advanced special studies (elective) 5 cr:
KSP 3.1. Social history of education 5 cr
KSP 3.2. Gender studies in education 5 cr
KSP 3.3. Organizational learning 5 cr
KSP 3.4. Developmental interventions 5 cr
KSP 3.5. Economy of education 5 cr
KSP 3.6. Schooling and development 5 cr
KSP 3.7. Education and Social Justice 5 cr
KSP 3.8. Modernity and self-identity 5 cr

KSP 4. Seminars 35 cr:
KSP 4.1. Introduction to sociology and politics of education 8 cr
KSP 4.2. Policy, politics and the political of education 9 cr
KSP 4.3. Comparative and international education 9 cr
KSP 4.4. Education governance 9 cr

KSP 5. Research methods 10 cr:
KSP 5.1. Qualitative research approach 5 cr
KSP 5.2. Multivariate analysis 5 cr
KSP 5.3. Social scientific research approach 5 cr

KSP 6. Master's thesis and seminars 40 cr

KSP 7. Training 10 cr

Additional subject studies

KSP 8.1. Sociology of education 5 cr
KSP 8.2. Educational administration and planning 5 cr