Study Guide

Descriptions

The education for Bachelor of Social Services provides skills to meet clients in need of social support in everyday life and crisis. The social worker supports and supervises people of different ages and life situations both in the home environment, in institutions and in open activities. A Bachelor of Social Services can work as a staff or as a leader and has the skills to meet the many challenges of the social field. The aim of the studies is to educate creative, reflective, and conscious professionals, who appreciate their own knowledge and have a strong professional identity.

The Bachelor of Social Services works sustainably and responsibly. As a Bachelor of Social Services, you have the opportunity to influence people's overall well-being, functional capacity and quality of life. The Bachelor of Social Services promotes equality between people and social inclusion and implements social security in a humane and socially just way. The Bachelor of Social Services strengthens people's participation in society and promotes the proper functioning of society. The Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030 has been implemented in the curriculum as competences.

The studies are based on national common areas of competence for polytechnic education in the social field. The areas of competence include ethical knowledge in the social field, knowledge in client work, knowledge of service systems, critical and participatory knowledge of society, development knowledge based on research and leadership skills.

The studies focus mainly on professional social sciences, where students learn different methods of supporting clients. The studies also include courses focusing on the management and development of the social field. Active contact with working life takes place through internships (45 cr) and collaborative projects within the region. Some of the studies can be completed abroad.

A Bachelor of Social Services who has studied at campus Alere in Vaasa has a various insight into the social profession, can work resource-strengthening with individuals and groups in need of support, is collaborative and is prepared for leadership tasks.

The degree may include studies in early childhood education and social pedagogy (60 cr), which entitles to be a social service professional in early childhood education and care or studies in deacon/church education (90 cr), which entitles to deacons or the church's youth supervisor.

Further information

In addition to general evaluation criteria for the courses, further instructions for assessment can be given in the syllabus

Objective

Ethical competence in the social area:
The bachelor of social services has incorporated the social area's values ​​and professional ethics principles and is committed to following them.
The bachelor of social services can reflect on the professional ethical issues that are assumed in the social field.
The bachelor of social services can consider the uniqueness of each individual and work in situations where there are conflicting values.
The bachelor of social services promotes equality and tolerance and strives to prevent exclusion from a social, social and individual perspective.

Expertise in client work:
The bachelor of social services identifies the importance of their own view of humanity and values ​​in the work with different clients and client groups.
The bachelor of social services can support the client's participation by creating a professional interaction and cooperation relationship.
The bachelor of social services understands the client's needs and supports the client in using and strengthening their resources in his / her different life situations and stages.
The bachelor of social services can apply and evaluate different theoretical orientations and methods in the client work.
The bachelor of social services can target and guide different clients and client groups in their daily lives.
The bachelor of social services can describe and evaluate the different stages of the client process and on the basis of this develop their work.

Expertise in the social area's service system:
The bachelor of social services is familiar with service systems and related legal regulations
information systems that support welfare and social security and can apply them.
The bachelor of social services can predict and understand changes in the welfare service and can participate in service development and production.
The bachelor of social services can assess the client's service needs in different stages of life and master service guidance as well as the preventive work's starting points and methods.
The bachelor of social services can serve as an expert for the social field in multi-professional
working groups and networks, and can work for a functioning network of protection for the client.

Critical and participatory community-oriented competence:
The bachelor of social services can, from a regional, national and international perspective, analyze structures and processes that cause inequality and exclusion.
The bachelor of social services can use different methods in social-oriented social work, social influence and communication.
The bachelor of social services can support the citizens' participation and can, in cooperation with clients and other actors, participate in the work of guarding interests.

Research and development-oriented competence:
The bachelor of social services has included a reflective, research and development-oriented approach.
The bachelor of social services has expertise in practice-based research and can produce new knowledge.
The bachelor of social services can plan, realize, evaluate and report development projects in the social field.

Leadership Skills:
The bachelor of social services is familiar with the basic principles of financial and personnel management.
The bachelor of social services can act as a foreman in a work community.
The bachelor of social services can develop work communities, service processes and knowledge in the social field.
The bachelor of social services can make decisions in unforeseen situations.
The bachelor of social services has basic prerequisites to work as an independent entrepreneur in the field.