Connections to working life play an important role in the COS programme. During your studies, you will develop skills to successfully function and grow in working life. You get opportunities to connect with future employers through mentoring programmes and working life courses (UNITalent Programme, Demola, etc.), and to participate in the research projects of our staff.
Key cooperation partners include government agencies and organisations (e.g. Statistics Finland, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the Finnish Institute for Occupational Health, and the Social Insurance Institution of Finland), as well as NGOs (e.g. Family Federation of Finland). Traineeships may also be offered by embassies located in Finland, as well as by cultural institutions operating in conjunction with them.
The unique context offered by the COS programme helps you to develop versatile expertise. As a graduate of COS with a Master’s in Social Science (MSocSc), you will have built your portfolio with courses that provide solid expertise in your study track and reflect your personal interests and career goals. You will be qualified to work in:
Making use of the unusually broad range of courses available, you will also have acquired excellent qualifications to continue with an academic career and PhD studies.
An important aim of the COS programme is to provide you with a solid foundation to pursue a doctoral degree. After graduating, you can apply for doctoral programmes in Finland or abroad.
The University of Helsinki offers several relevant doctoral programmes, such as:
Do you want to build a career in Finland? Get valuable insight into Finnish working life and build your professional networks by applying to our group mentoring programme.
In the HelsinkiUNI International Talent Programme (UNITalent), a group of international talents is hosted by a local company or organisation.
Successful applicants will get to:
International master’s degree students at the University of Helsinki can apply as well as Finnish students who have completed their degree abroad.
Studies are part of your career. The Career Services at the University of Helsinki supports, in cooperation with the degree programmes, the growth of your expert identity as part of your studies and with separate services.
From the start of your studies until one year after the completion of your degree, the Career Services supports your career path by:
Although international students can get by with English in the Helsinki region, learning Finnish will significantly improve your career options after graduation.
The University of Helsinki offers free Finnish language courses for enrolled international degree students. The beginners and intermediate level courses are not only a way to learn the language, but you also learn more about Finnish culture and get to network with other international students across the fields.
The University of Helsinki conducts career monitoring surveys to collect information on graduate employment and the skills needs of employers. Career monitoring aims to determine how well a university education can meet the requirements of professional life. The data collected are used, among other things, for developing the career skills of current students.
According to the surveys, general skills gained from the studies include :
A few years ago, social scientist and University of Helsinki alumna Amanda Sundell established DROPP, a social enterprise that donates all of its profits to help protect the Baltic Sea.
“I have always been concerned about the Baltic Sea archipelago and marine environment. It seems paradoxical that a country like Finland with a high level of knowledge and interest is located along the coast of one of the world’s most polluted seas,” Amanda Sundell says.
Sundell has always been interested in social issues and has been passionate about justice and the environment. That was also why she began to study at the University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Social Sciences.
“Social sciences helped me see the big picture and develop myself on many levels.”
After graduation, the world is wide open and full of possibilities. How can you venture forward to make the career path you want? What kind of work would you like to do? What kind of life should you lead? The Helsinki alumni community is there to support you as you transition from the University to the world of work.
All previous University of Helsinki degree and exchange students, as well as staff, are our alumni. As a member of the University of Helsinki alumni network, Finland’s largest network of experts, you get valuable support, knowledge and contacts for your working life.