StudyQA — Master: Futures Studies

Photos of university / #uniturku

Description Contents Requirements

The Programme includes plenty of rehearsal, case-studies and real-life experiences on using foresight methodology. These range from quantitative and qualitative methods to innovative and creative futures design techniques.

Here you will get a versatile toolkit for implementing foresight thinking for the benefit of a given organisation. You will qualify to a wide array of expert positions in the strategic and foresight units of private companies and public institutions. The Programme also serves as an excellent basis for building a consultant business.

The extent of the Programme is 120 ECTS and the degree is designed to be completed in two years. Futures Studies as a major subject includes compulsory and optional courses that build the expertise of the student in, for example, futures studies methodology, strategic foresight and scenario building. Students are free to choose a minor subject that complements their career goals. Recommended minors include Sustainable Development, Entrepreneurship, Management and Organisation, and Economic Sociology. Elective studies can include courses in Futures Studies, but can also widen the knowledge of the student in new subjects or thematic areas. All students are also expected to study languages (Finnish as well as English) and general methodological studies.

Phase 1. General requirements

1. Degree Requirements

Applicants must have one of the following degrees (degree must be earned at the time of applying):

a) Bachelor’s degree from Finland or corresponding degree from a foreign university:

Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Social Sciences
Bachelor of Arts in Education
Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Bachelor of Health Science
Bachelor of Administrative Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Food Chemistry
Bachelor of Medicine
Bachelor of Science in Technology
Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Sport Sciences

b) Bachelor’s degree from a University of Applied Sciences in Finland:

Bachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor of Culture and Arts
Bachelor of Engineering in Logistics
Bachelor of Environmental Planning
Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial Management
Bachelor of Engineering in Biotechnology and Food Industries
Bachelor of Engineering in Environmental Technology
Bachelor of Engineering in Media Engineering

2. Language Requirement

Prospective candidates should have a good level of proficiency in the English language. Applicants are expected to have taken one of the following tests:

TOEFL PBT (Test of English, paper-based) minimum requirement: 575 points
TOEFL iBT (Test of English, internet-based) minimum requirements: 92 points, each separate part at least 20 points
CAE/CPE (University of Cambridge Advanced Examination/proficiency Examination) pass grades A, B or C
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) minimum grade 6.5, each separate part at least 6 points
PTE Academic minimum requirement 62 points, each separate part at least 54 points
the test for the National Certificate of Language Proficiency arranged by the National Board of Education, average skill level 5
Finnish matriculation examination in English language, minimum grade of cum laude approbatur (or a corresponding minimum English language grade of 4 from the International Baccalaureate degree, grade 6.00 from the European Baccalaureate degree or grade 7 from the Reifeprüfung degree).

The test scores, except from matriculation examinations, cannot be accepted if they are more than two years old (by the end of the application period).

The test is not required if the candidate holds the required degree in English from one of the EU or EEA countries, or from Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the U.S.A. In such cases the language of instruction of the previous degree must be proven with the degree certificate. The degree must be earned by the time of applying.

When booking the language test, please note that it may take several weeks before the test results are published.

3. Minimum Grade

The grade of the applicant’s major studies must be 3 or higher for students graded on a grading scale of 1-5. The minimum for all other grading systems should be average or better. If the applicant’s certificate does not indicate the grade for the major studies, the average grade will be calculated from all courses indicated in the transcript of records. If the grading scale is other than 1-5, it will be converted to the 1-5 scale.

Phase 2: Selection Criteria

The applicants that have passed phase 1 will be graded and approximately 20 applicants with the highest points will be selected. The grading is done as follows:

1. Bachelor’s thesis

Bachelor’s thesis or corresponding final thesis grade of 3 or above will be awarded 15 points. (If the grading scale is other than 1-5, it will be converted to the 1-5 scale). Applicants who have not written a thesis as part of their previous degree will earn no points in this section. The applicants whose thesis was graded on a scale of pass/fail will earn 10 points.

2. Eligible previous studies

Previous studies in futures studies 1 ECTS credit = 1 point, maximum of 25 points. When converting the old Finnish credit system into ECTS the multiple of 1.5 is used for Universities of Applied Sciences and 1.8 for Universities.

3. Grade of Major Studies

The grade of the applicant’s major studies, on a grading scale of 1–5. If the applicant’s certificate does not indicate the grade for the major studies, the average grade will be calculated from all courses indicated in the transcript of records.

Grade 3 = 10 points
Grade 4 = 20 points
Grade 5 = 30 points

If the applicant’s previous studies are not graded on a scale of 1–5, the grading scale will be converted to a scale of 1–5.

4. Supplementary studies

Supplementary studies are studies that a student admitted into the Master’s Degree Programme must finish in order to supplement previous studies. The aim of the supplementary studies is to give the student sufficient qualifications to finish the Master of Arts degree. Supplementary studies are maximum of 22 ECTS credits.

Applicant’s Bachelor degree will define the individual supplementary studies:

Supplementary studies for Bachelor from University: second language 0-6 ECTS
Bachelor from University of Applied Sciences: futures studies 10 ECTS, methodological studies 6 ECTS and second language studies 0-6 ECTS.

Applicant is graded on the needed supplementary studies: 0 ECTS = 22 points, 1 ECTS = 21 points and so on. 22 ECTS needed supplementary studies will give applicant 0 points.

5. Motivation letter

The applicant will receive 0-30 points from the motivation letter.

In the motivation letter, the applicant should cover the following themes:

What is your educational and professional background and how you feel it fits this Master’s Degree Programme?
Define your reasons for choosing this Master’s Degree Programme and how you see your future after graduation.
Present the international experience you have that you consider relevant for this Programme.
What aspects of studying in Finland and in this Programme you expect to be most challenging for you? How do you plan to conquer these challenges?
Please discuss your understanding of Futures Studies as a field of research.

Instructions for the motivation letter: