Target group/Course level

International degree students of the Faculty. The course is obligatory for bachelor’s degree students of the Faculty. Master’s degree students are strongly encouraged to join the course.

Objectives

The aim of the course is to familiarize international degree students of the Faculty with Finnish labour market. Students will learn what kind of careers graduates of the Faculty have followed. The course will also offer practical advice for job hunting in Finland. The ultimate objective of the course is to help the students in the planning of their own studies and career.

Content

First session: Wednesday 24.1. (16-18)

Speakers: Labour Market Contact Person Antti Kosonen, Faculty of Social Sciences, Leena Itkonen, Planning Officer, Career Services, University of Helsinki, Alumni speaker (to be confirmed later)

Issues to be covered:

• Introduction to the course.
• Special features of the Finnish labour market.
• Experiences of an international graduate of the Faculty

Second session: Friday 26.1. (10-12)

Speaker: Leena Itkonen, Planning Officer, Career Services, University of Helsinki

Issues to be covered:

• Practical tips on how to land a job in Finland: contact with employers, job seeker’s documents
• Preparing a Curriculum Vitae

Third session: Wednesday 31.1. (16-18)

Speakers: Labour Market Contact Person Antti Kosonen, Faculty of Social Sciences, Kristina Tilev, Faculty of Social Sciences

Issues to be covered:

• Career placement surveys
• Traineeship

Fourth session: Friday 2.2. (10-12)

Speaker: Leena Itkonen, Planning Officer, Career Services, University of Helsinki

Issues to be covered:

• Job seeker’s documents
• Career planning

Please note that the course information is only preliminary. Changes to the content and schedule may occur.

Target group/Course level

Course level: 1 Basic studies

Content

FINNISH SOCIETY AND CULTURE Finnish Economy

Prof. Conchita García-Iglesias University of Helsinki

Course Description

The main purpose of this course is to emphasize different aspects of the Finnish economy from the nineteenth century until today. The main economic topics are the following: the historical pattern of Finnish economic and social development since the mid 1800s, its structure, and evolution; Finland’s natural resources, population, and labor force; Finnish investment patterns, consumption expenditure, prices, wages, and income policies; Finnish fiscal and monetary policies together with banking; Finnish public finances, insurance schemes, and regional development and policies; and Finland and the EU

Course work and forms of study

There is a required reading for this course “The Road to Prosperity: An Economic History of Finland”, eds. J. Ojala, J. Eloranta and J. Jalava (2006). This book can be bought from any university bookstore in town. However, students will get a 10% discount if buying it from the publisher. More information can be found on their website: (http://www.finlit.fi/yhteys/kartta.htm). Students are responsible of getting the book and prepare the required chapters for the final exam. Readings are complements to lectures and should be done beforehand to participate in class discussions. Moreover, attendance is mandatory as the exam will include questions from the material explained during lectures. Participation, attendance, and final exam will constitute the final grade of the course.

Required Readings

From the mentioned book, questions from the following chapters will be included in the final exam,

1. On the Road to Prosperity: Introduction (p. 15)

2. Economic Growth and Structural Change-A Century and a Half of Catching Up (p. 33)

3. Feeding Economic Growth: Agriculture (p. 65)

4. The Labor Market, 1850-2000 (p. 165)

5. Monetary Aspects of a Changing Economy (p. 187)

6. Productivity Growth: The Role of Human Capital and Technology (p. 263)

Grading

Normal scaling, 1(lowest pass) - 5 (excellent)

Course results and retake

Will be discussed during the lectures

Target group/Course level

The course is especially meant for exchange students.

Content

The course will introduce the students to the history, development and the present directions of Finnihs media (print media, radio, tv, media convergence, information society).

Course work and forms of study

Weekly discussion and learning diaries in Moodle-environment. Preassigment.

Target group/Course level

Basic studies

Content

This course is a part of the Finnish Society and Culture programme (http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/kv/fsc/fcsc.htm), and is arranged by the Sibelius Academy. For further information, please see http://www.siba.fi/eng/ or send an email to Heidi Salomäki, heidi.salomaki@siba.fi.

Target group/Course level

Basic studies

Content

An introduction to Finnish politics. Topics to be covered include Finnish nationalism, the origins of the constitution, conflicts and cleavages, civil society, elections and political parties, the role of the parliament, the office of the president, the formation and functioning of coalition governments, the executive and local self-government, and domestic and foreign policy-making.

Course work and forms of study

Dialogue/exam.

Target group/Course level

An Introductory Course for Foreign Students

Course work and forms of study

Literature:

• Nils Erik Wickberg, Finnish Architecture. Helsinki 1959
• Vilhelm Helander, Architecture, pp. 35-62 in Päivi Molarius (ed.), From Folklore to Applied Arts. Aspects of Finnish Culture. Lahti 1993
• Riitta Nikula, Architecture and Landscape: the Building of Finland. Helsinki 1993

Target group/Course level

Basic studies

Content

The course is an overview of the literature of Finland, basically divided into the following sections:

• Finnish Folk Poetry,
• Literature of Finland Under the Swedish Rule,
• Nineteenth Century Literature I (Romanticism),
• Nineteenth Century II (Realism),
• Turn-of-the-19th-and-20th- Century and the Beginning-of-the-twentieth-Century Literature,
• Literature between the wars, Post-War Literature, and Contemporary Literature).

Teaching is mainly in lecture form, texts are distributed for examination in class and reading at home. Short video clips of film versions of Finnish literary works are shown in class.

Course work and forms of study

The course requirements are regular attendance and the submission of an essay.

Additional Information: violacapkova@hotmail.com

Compensations

Basic studies.

Target group/Course level

This course is intended for exchange students at the Faculty of Law and at other faculties. Since the level is elementary, graduate students (LL.M., LL.Lic., LL.D.) may attend the course if they wish to but they cannot use the credits towards completion of their programmes.

Content

The course consists of introductory lectures to different aspects in the Finnish legal system as well as set literature. The course consists of lectures and an exam with additional literature. Lectures by Hupli and Yenkong Hodu Ngangjoh: sources of Finnish law, reasoning underlining judicial decisions, forms of court procedure and leave to appeal system, insolvency law, fundamental rights, contract law.

Additional literature: An Introduction to Finnish Law, Finnish Lawyers' Publishing, Helsinki 2002 (Juha Pöyhönen, ed.) An Introduction to Finnish Business Law I-II (Heikki Toiviainen), 2001

Course work and forms of study

This course can be completed by attending to the lectures and taking the exam; it is not possible to have credits by only attending the lectures or by only taking the exam. The exam is based on the lectures and the additional literature.

Content

The course aims

1) to introduce Finnish society and religious communities

2) to increase students´ knowledge about different religious and cultural communities

3) to increase students’ ability to cooperate with different religions and cultures

4) to introduce Finnish models of teaching and practice in education of RE and ethics

For updated information on the course schedules please see the webpages of the department of Applied Education.

Compensations

Basic studies

Content

Culture shock: how to survive in Finland? Background and main features of the Finnish ways of life: cultural, social, economic, environmental, political and defence aspects.

Course work and forms of study

Dialogue/exam.

Target group/Course level

Basic studies

Content

Finland has two official languages, Finnish and Swedish. Approximately 6 % of the Finnish population has Swedish as mother tongue. Compared to other national and linguistic minority groups in Europe, the Swedish-speaking Finns have a special status. They are well integrated, resourceful and have a strong group identity. There are, however, different challenges to the well-being of the group.

The purpose of the course is to give insights into the special situation of the Swedish-speaking Finns in a European context through the lenses of scientific theories. The course will discuss issues like the administrative consequences of the two official languages, the statutory rights of the Swedish-speaking group, language and especially matters related to bilingualism, the Swedish-speaking identity, and the extraordinarily rich media landscape.

Course work and forms of study

Examination: Course participants are examined on the basis of lecture diaries and essays (5-8 pages) (4 credit points). Students who want to reach 6 credit points must write a longer essay (15 pages).

Content

Part I:

• theorizing consuming countryside
• diversified rural economy
• the role of ICT
• regulating the consuming countryside
• developers and protectionists

Part II:

• the history of vacationing
• sociological theories of travelling and tourism

Literature:

Part I:

1. T. Marsden, The Consuming Countryside and its Regulations. Sociologia Ruralis vol. 39, no 4, pp. 501–526.

2. Urry, J.,

Course work and forms of study

Examination: Course participants are examined on the basis of essays and an examination on course literature.

Prerequisites

Some basic knowledge in Social Psychology is highly recommended, but not a prerequisite for participation.

Objectives

The aim of the lecture course is to give an overview of the social psychology of intergroup relations, acculturation and the development of ethnic identity.

Content

The course is organised by the dept. of Social Psychology. For detailed information please see http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/opas2007/spsy/Liebkind07/index-en.html

Content

This course is arranged by the dept. of Communication and it is a part of the Argonaut programme. For more information, please see http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/comm/fi/english/argonaut.htm

Course work and forms of study

Please see the web page of the course at http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/comm/fi/english/studies/courses07-08/anti-racist.htm

Target group/Course level

This course is primarily for those students who plan or prepare a Master’s thesis on African issues. Priority is given to those majoring in Development Studies.

Content

For detailed information, please see http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/opas2007/kmi/K990086/index-en.html

Course work and forms of study

For detailed information, please see http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/opas2007/kmi/K990086/index-en.html