Master's Programme in Applied Social Sciences - Programme Option Child Care, part-time Programme description

The Master’s Programme in Applied Social Sciences – Programme Option Child Welfare is a master’s degree programme for child welfare officers that aims to produce candidates with in-depth knowledge of children, young people and families in vulnerable life situations and of the social conditions that have a particular impact on their welfare and everyday life. Students should be able to analyse the individual child’s care situation and, in cooperation with children and families, initiate change work to improve the child’s care situation and development opportunities. The programme is also intended to further develop students’ capacity for analytical thinking and critical and ethical reflection on their own practice. The programme elucidates the relationship between the understanding of a problem and the choice of measures and methods used in the child welfare service, as well as the theoretical basis for the measures. Key topics include the child welfare service’s remit, legal framework conditions and the rights of children and families.

Child welfare is a field whose practice is based on implicit and explicit theories drawn from many different disciplines. It is a normative area of activity, and a critical basis for assessing what knowledge is valid and relevant to practice in the field is required. Ways of understanding children and their status in society form important premises for the child welfare service’s activities at all times. The programme emphasises the child welfare service’s role in a society characterised by cultural complexity, social inequality and diversity, and therefore focuses on child welfare work in large cities. The programme combines practice-based and research-based teaching.

The programme description and the content of the programme are based on the Regulations relating to national guidelines for master’s degree programmes in child welfare.

The programme option is intended for child welfare officers who wish to specialise in the field of child welfare. The programme is also relevant to child and adolescent mental health work, correctional services and work in kindergartens and schools.

The programme qualifies students for:

• positions in municipal and state child welfare services
• positions in other welfare services and public administrative bodies working with children and families
• positions in specialist environments, research and educational institutions
• admission to PhD programmes

Parts of the further education in Assessment of Children's Needs and further education in Law in Child Welfare Work may be incorporated into the study programme.

The Master’s Programme in Applied Social Sciences – Programme Option Child Welfare is a master’s degree programme for child welfare officers that aims to produce candidates with in-depth knowledge of children, young people and families in vulnerable life situations and of the social conditions that have a particular impact on their welfare and everyday life. Students should be able to analyse the individual child’s care situation and, in cooperation with children and families, initiate change work to improve the child’s care situation and development opportunities. The programme is also intended to further develop students’ capacity for analytical thinking and critical and ethical reflection on their own practice. The programme elucidates the relationship between the understanding of a problem and the choice of measures and methods used in the child welfare service, as well as the theoretical basis for the measures. Key topics include the child welfare service’s remit, legal framework conditions and the rights of children and families.

Child welfare is a field whose practice is based on implicit and explicit theories drawn from many different disciplines. It is a normative area of activity, and a critical basis for assessing what knowledge is valid and relevant to practice in the field is required. Ways of understanding children and their status in society form important premises for the child welfare service’s activities at all times. The programme emphasises the child welfare service’s role in a society characterised by cultural complexity, social inequality and diversity, and therefore focuses on child welfare work in large cities. The programme combines practice-based and research-based teaching.

The programme description and the content of the programme are based on the Regulations relating to national guidelines for master’s degree programmes in child welfare.

The programme option is intended for child welfare officers who wish to specialise in the field of child welfare. The programme is also relevant to child and adolescent mental health work, correctional services and work in kindergartens and schools.

The programme qualifies students for:

• positions in municipal and state child welfare services
• positions in other welfare services and public administrative bodies working with children and families
• positions in specialist environments, research and educational institutions
• admission to PhD programmes

Parts of the further education in Assessment of Children's Needs and further education in Law in Child Welfare Work may be incorporated into the study programme.

The programme is taught as a full-time course of study over two years and a part-time course of study over three years. The full-time work load is 30 ECTS credits per semester.

In addition to the master’s thesis, the programme option comprises nine compulsory courses. The courses build on each other. It is therefore recommended that students take the courses in the order in which they are listed in the table.

In the second semester, Philosophy of Social Science and one of the methodology courses will be taken. The remaining methodology course will be taken in the fourth semester. The student should therefore first choose the method he/she plans to use in his/her master's thesis. The master's thesis is an independent work of 30 credits. Ongoing research projects that the student can link up to will be presented in the second semester at the Mastertorg. In the second semester, the student will prepare a project outline for the master's thesis and then be assigned a supervisor. The part-time student completes the master's thesis in the sixth semester.

Progress requirements

Students must have passed all the programme courses before they can submit their master’s thesis for assessment.

Students will encounter a variety of work methods and coursework requirements. Teaching methods vary between lectures, seminars and other student-active learning methods.

The programme should impart knowledge of international matters of relevance to children’s development and the legal status of children and parents. Several of the courses deal with international matters with a bearing on the development of social problems as well as possible solutions to these problems. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is a document that forms the basis for discussion. Different ways of understanding the concept of the child’s best interests are analysed in light of cultural diversity. Child welfare services are also considered in light of majority and minority perspectives relating to othering, among other things. These perspectives are represented both in the course literature and in the topics taught.

The programme is taught as a full-time course of study over two years and a part-time course of study over three years. The full-time work load is 30 ECTS credits per semester.

In addition to the master’s thesis, the programme option comprises nine compulsory courses. The courses build on each other. It is therefore recommended that students take the courses in the order in which they are listed in the table. The master's thesis is an independent work of 30 credits. Ongoing research projects that the student can link up to will be presented in the second semester at the Mastertorg. In the second semester, the student will prepare a project outline for the master's thesis and then be assigned a supervisor. The master's thesis is submitted in the fourth semester.

Progress requirements

Students must have passed all the programme courses before they can submit their master’s thesis for assessment.

Students will encounter a variety of work methods and coursework requirements. Teaching methods vary between lectures, seminars and other student-active learning methods.

The programme should impart knowledge of international matters of relevance to children’s development and the legal status of children and parents. Several of the courses deal with international matters with a bearing on the development of social problems as well as possible solutions to these problems. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is a document that forms the basis for discussion. Different ways of understanding the concept of the child’s best interests are analysed in light of cultural diversity. Child welfare services are also considered in light of majority and minority perspectives relating to othering, among other things. These perspectives are represented both in the course literature and in the topics taught.