Welcome to the Contemporary Societies programme

Welcome to the COS programme, and congratulations on being accepted! We are excited to have you join us as one of our students.

Our programme is dedicated to providing you with an engaging education, career support, and a welcoming environment. As a COS student, you will become an expert in the analysis of contemporary societies. Regardless of your study track, you will have the opportunity to create an individual study path through themes such as Data and Society, Ethnic Relations and Migration, Mind and Society, Socio-Cultural Shifts, and Sources of Inequalities.

Our students and graduates often highlight the multidisciplinary nature of the programme and the depth and diversity of the research. For instance, Yenlik was inspired by the range of topics covered, from consumer research to digital death and poverty policy. Moonyi appreciated the programme's ability to connect her academic journey with her passion for democratic values. Rika found the support systems at the university highly beneficial, while Tuukka enjoyed the practical aspects of working with real data and the strong community feeling within the programme. Alina valued the flexibility in scheduling and the opportunities for internships both in Finland and abroad. Emma emphasized the synergy between courses and the relevance of the degree to her career aspirations in journalism, arts, and culture. You can find more details about their stories on our website!

You will receive more practical information about the University of Helsinki from Admission Services in the coming months. If you have any questions about our programme’s contents during this time, please do not hesitate to contact me.

All our staff look forward to meeting you face-to-face in Helsinki!

On behalf of the programme,

David Inglis

Acting Director of Contemporary Societies

The University of Helsinki and the Faculty of Social Sciences have an active student community, involving a variety of student organisations and activities.

is the student organisation for all students in the Faculty of Social Sciences. , is focused specifically on the needs of international students. There are also subject organisations as well as a range of other student associations.

Learn more about the experiences of our students by reading

You can  to ask questions or  to get an overview of student life in Helsinki.

The teaching officially starts on 31 August 2026, but you should participate in the orientation activities for the new students already before classes begin (Orientation week 24–28 August 2026).

You will be assigned to a tutor group led by a senior student who will be your student tutor. She or he will help with questions related to studying in our programme, give support with administrative matters and introduce you to the university campuses and facilities. This will make it easier for you to start your studies and life in Helsinki. Each student will also be assigned a teacher tutor with whom you can discuss your personal study plan and goals.

The detailed information and schedule concerning your orientation and tutoring will be published in the Instructions for students in the summer. Make sure the COS programme is selected on the dropdown menu to access the correct information.

The international students in the Master's Programme in Contemporary Societies can apply to the UNITalent Programme. It is designed to support international students in building professional networks in Finland and to gain insight into field specific working life. Students take part by attending monthly group meetings with hosting organisation for a period of three months. During the programme, the University Career Services also provides training in career management skills.