At the University of Helsinki, you get an education based on high-quality research from leading scholars. You can tailor your degree to your own interests with our multidisciplinary study options across 11 faculties, and develop expertise in your field with the capability of grasping interdisciplinary concepts and perceiving causalities.
Note that this page includes just some examples of topics, themes and fields of our Master's programmes. In reality, they offer study tracks and specialisation opportunities beyond these examples.
Do you care about social justice? What would a fair society look like, with equal opportunities for all? How can we address societal challenges like inequality, social division caused by polarisation and structural discrimination?
At the University of Helsinki, we look for answers by conducting multidisciplinary research on, e.g., equality in education, preventing health and social inequalities, cultural and religious diversity, and changes in democracy. Our students become experts in topics like social phenomena and structures, democracy and the rule of law, social diversity, and welfare discrepancies.
By studying in our master's programmes, you can make an impact through your studies and be a part of building a fair society for all.
How to deal with complex, increasingly diverse and rapidly changing issues of contemporary societies? How to use data for social good?
In the Master's Programme in Contemporary Societies, you choose from six major subjects: Global Development Studies, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Social and Public Policy, Social Data Science, Social Psychology, or Sociology. You also study themes like Data and Society, Ethnic Relations and Migration, Mind and Society, Socio-Cultural Shifts and Sources of Inequalities.
How to deal with the challenges of globalising law? How are norms that go beyond the "law" produced by states and international organisations?
In the Master's Programme in Global Governance Law (GGL), you develop the skills to understand and deal with the challenges of globalising law. You study law and globalisation, public international law, European Union law, global administrative law, advanced human rights law and examine for example international institutions, decision-making and governance in the EU.
How can knowledge help us prevent confrontation? What is the role of the media in the transformation of contemporary democracies?
In the Master's Programme in Global Politics and Communication, you combine political science, communication studies and global political economy. You apply ideas, concepts and methodologies to key societal and political issues and develop your critical reasoning and argumentation skills.
How do you analyse economic phenomena from the societal point of view? How to decide how many mobile phone operators to have?
In the Master's Programme in Economics, you focus on the key elements of economic analysis and methods. You take courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics. In addition, you can choose courses in subfields of economics, for example, economic theory, industrial organisation, international economics, labour economics, public economics, development economics, and behavioural and experimental economics.
Teaching in the programme is arranged in cooperation with the departments of economics at Aalto University and Hanken School of Economics. Together with the discipline of economics at the University of Helsinki, they form the Helsinki Graduate School of Economics (Helsinki GSE). The unit offers the most extensive selection of economics courses in Finland.
Why does Europe matter? How to understand populism in Europe? What is the significance of regional cooperation in the Nordic context?
In the Master's Programme in European and Nordic Studies, you get an understanding of European society, politics and culture today and in history. You benefit from the strengths of Nordic research on Europe with its strong focus on regional cooperation, diversity, identities, institutions, culture and politics of history and memory. You learn to know the Nordic countries through a European perspective and Europe from a Nordic perspective.
How to build bridges between diverse communities? How to promote cultural diversity in a globalised world?
In the Master's Programme in Intercultural Encounters, you focus on questions of cultural diversity and mutual understanding and get insight into the diversified world from different perspectives such as religion, conflicts, human interaction, living traditions and transnationalism. You learn to deal with issues of intercultural interaction, diversity, internationalisation, cultural management, the media and power.
How does knowing Russia, Eurasia and Eastern Europe help you to understand global developments?
In the Master’s Programme in Russian, Eurasian, and Eastern European Studies (MAREEES), you explore how societal, political, security, environmental or identity-related changes impact the region. You benefit from the latest research by leading academic experts in the field and develop an understanding and the ability to interpret complex area-specific questions and their global inter-relatedness.
How do we deal with and develop complex urban environments? What can be done to prevent residential segregation and inequality?
In the Master’s Programme in Urban Studies and Planning, you become a professional capable of understanding and addressing complex urban development challenges. You can specialise in Urban Planning and Design (USP Plans), Urban Life, Economy and Cultures (USP Peoples) or Urban Ecologies and Systems (USP Systems).
How can we build a healthier world? Is it possible to tackle cancer, global pandemics or diseases of the brain and mind? How should therapies for diseases be personalised to be effective?
At the University of Helsinki, we search for holistic solutions to global health-related challenges with our multidisciplinary approach. Health is studied from a range of perspectives, from conducting gene research with the help of genetic data and biobanks to utilising artificial intelligence and other digital solutions in precision medicine.
Through research and education, we are developing experts who understand the connection between animal, human and environmental health.
By studying in our master's programmes, you can gain the knowledge needed to work towards solving the health-related challenges of the future.
Does the future of the digital world inspire you? As technology becomes an increasing part of our daily lives and society, we need digital architects and leaders who understand and can navigate ethical challenges. Algorithms alone cannot solve the ethics of artificial intelligence, nor will the quantum revolution emerge from nothing.
At the University of Helsinki, we conduct multidisciplinary research and educate the (digital) architects of our future. Our research and innovation range from the datafication of society to ethical AI, and from quantum technology to space and energy.
By studying in our master's programmes, you can become an expert with the skills to build a more ethical digital world.
Why is the education system of Finland so famous? The success of it lies in research-based policies and practice, long-term investment in equality as well as teachers – the backbone of Finland's education system.
The University of Helsinki played a central role in developing this international success story. We continue to pioneer the future of education by conducting research in topics like how to learn better and how digital solutions can promote learning. Our brain research shows phenomena related to learning in a new light. Also sustainable development and equality introduce pressing questions to the discussion on education, which can only be solved with research-based knowledge.
By studying in our master's programmes, you can gain the knowledge needed to work towards an education system that belongs to and works for everyone.
Are you concerned about our planet? To solve the climate crisis and reverse biodiversity loss, we need new ideas and fresh evidence of what is happening in the atmosphere, on the ground, and throughout our ecosystem.
At the University of Helsinki, our research ranges from ecology, air quality and food production to cultural, social and economic factors that have a role in climate change and biodiversity loss, and contribute to sustainability transformations of societies.
As the challenges that the climate and nature are facing are complex, the solutions require broad-based multidisciplinary expertise. To find solutions and achieve sustainability transformation, we need more experts from a variety of fields.
By studying in our master's programmes, you gain skills to protect the natural world and work towards a sustainable future.
Are you interested in our degree programmes? Check out the application periods and processes to find out when and how to apply.