How to Apply - HUMAK

ADMISSION CRITERIA AND APPLICATION PROCEDURE IN 2010

Degree Programme in Youth Work and Social Equality – Comparative European Perspectives on Youth Work and Social Disadvantage

Degree:  Master of Humanities  

The HUMAK University of Applied Sciences (FI), the University of Bedfordshire (UK), and the University of Tartu / Viljandi Culture Academy (EE) are launching a new Degree Programme developed with support from the European Union Lifelong Learning/Erasmus Programme. 

HOW TO APPLY?

• Application Form
• Pre-Assignment

You can apply only by filling in and signing the application form and sending it together with required the supporting materials to the HUMAK Admissions Office, Annankatu 12 A 17, FI-00120 HELSINKI. Applications must be posted or delivered to the HUMAK Admissions Office by the end of the application period. Faxed or scanned copies are not accepted.

Copies of certificates and testimonials must be attached to the application form as supporting materials. Applicants with a qualification completed elsewhere than in Finland and who are not citizens of an EU/EEA country must also provide proof of their English proficiency.  

WHEN TO APPLY?

The application period starts on 1st March 2010 and ends on 26th March 2010.  Applications with all required supporting materials should reach the HUMAK Admissions Office by 26th March 2010 at 16:00 EET (GMT +2).

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

Eligibility for the programme is given by

• A bachelor-level education degree completed in Finland (yhteisöpedagogi AMK, sosionomi AMK) or a bachelor-level education degree or a university degree in the field of study completed outside Finland (eligibility checked case by case)
• Three years of work experience in the field of study upon completion of a bachelor-level education degree (experience in youth work, NGOs, or social youth work all qualify)
  • Applicants having completed a Finnish vocational college diploma or a higher vocational diploma (opistoasteinen tai ammatillinen korkea-asteen tutkinto) before completion of their bachelor-level education degree may also validate work experience gained before their bachelor-level education degree.
• English proficiency (good skills in oral and written English)

To demonstrate his/her eligibility, the applicant must attach copies of the relevant certificates as supporting materials to the application form. In addition, an authorised Finnish, Swedish, or English translation must be provided if the certificate is not written in one of these languages. The translation must carry the translator’s signature and stamp.

Copies of the certificates must arrive at the HUMAK Admissions Office by the end of the application period.

Applicants with a qualification completed elsewhere than in Finland and who are not  citizens of an EU/EEA country must also provide proof of their English proficiency by the end of the application period. Further information below in the chapter “English proficiency”.

ADMISSION PROCEDURE

All applicants having demonstrated their eligibility will receive a pre-assignment by post with detailed instructions. These applicants will be invited to an entrance examination.  
The selection of students is made by using the following criteria:

Entrance examination

The entrance examination consists of a written test and an interview, both conducted in English. The invitation to the examination will include further details on the content of the examination, to be held in Helsinki on 26th May 2010.   

Work experience in the field of study 

Three years of work experience in the field of study are required for eligibility. Work experience completed by 31 July 2010 is taken into account. Each two-month period of work experience exceeding the eligibility requirement in the field of youth work, NGOs, or social youth work accrues one additional point.

Part-time work is converted to full-time work so that 150 hours or 20 full days (at least seven working hours a day) correspond to one month. Work experience does not have to be continuous or earned with the same employer. Practical training or on-the-job training included in the degree supporting this application is not counted as work experience. Military service, civil service, or a nursing leave are not accepted as work experience.

To gain the work experience points, the applicant must enclose copies of testimonials with the application form. These testimonials should be certified by the employer and show the tasks/content and duration of the work and the number of working hours in case of part-time work.

English language skills

Applicants with a qualification completed elsewhere than in Finland and who are not citizens of an EU/EEA country must provide proof of their English proficiency. The proof must be delivered to the HUMAK Admissions Office by the end of the application period.
The potential tests for proving English proficiency are the following:

• IELTS, academic level
• TOEFL (Internet-based test)
• level 4 in English language skills in the National Certificate of Language Proficiency (Yleinen kielitutkinto, a test used in Finland)
• an advanced level English exam taken as part of the Finnish Matriculation Exam

In addition, upper secondary level education completed in English in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand, or a bachelor’s or master’s degree completed in English in one of these countries are also accepted as a proof of sufficient English proficiency.

Further information concerning admission

The results of student selection are announced by 7 June at the earliest and by 20 July 2010 at the latest. Admitted students must accept or decline their admission offer by 3rd August 2010 at 16:00 EET (GMT +2) at the latest. When accepting the admission offer, students must also register for the academic year.

Please contact the HUMAK Admissions Office if you have any questions concerning the admission procedure:  

tel. + 358 (0)20 7621 300
fax +358 (0)20 7621 391
email  hakutoimisto [at] humak [dot] fi
Address:  Annankatu 12 A 17, FI-00120  HELSINKI

(Office hours are on working days 8:30 – 15:00 EET (GMT +2).)

If you need more information about the content of the studies, please do not hesitate to contact HUMAK/ Principal Lecturer Jukka Määttä, Ph.D., tel. +358 (0)20 7621 249 or Senior Lecturer Sari Höylä, tel. +358 (0)20 7621 376.