Studies at the Faculty

With almost 5000 degree students the Faculty of Social Sciences is one of the largest faculties at the University of Helsinki. The degrees that the Faculty offers are based on research in social sciences. In addition to accommodating the disciplines which examine economics, politics, communication and populations, the Faculty employs researchers who explore the activities of people, groups and societies.  The methodological sciences necessary for social scientific research are also represented in the Faculty.

The Faculty attracts many international students, and it has a relatively large body of both exchange and degree students. In the year 2009 the Faculty accommodated 241 international degree students and 202 exchange and visiting students. The Faculty's strengths include its teachers' wide international networks.

For more than 30 years the Faculty has offered many courses in English on all degree levels, and it is one of the biggest providers of courses in English of the University. It also hosts an ever-increasing amount of international Master’s programmes in English language, especially aimed at international students. International students can complete either a Master´s degree (M.Soc.Sc.) or a Doctor's degree (D.Soc.Sc) at the fields offered at the Faculty in English language. However, completing a Bachelor's degree requires a good knowledge of Finnish or Swedish.

The research conducted in the Faculty of Social Sciences covers various sectors of society. The Faculty versatile expertise supports regional and national discussion and decision-making. This expertise is based on state-of-the-art research and thus offers new perspectives for critical social discussion and debate.

Most of the research conducted at the Faculty is published in English language. Ever-exceeding internationalization is one of the cornerstones of the Faculty.