Master's Degree Programme in Teaching and Learning
Åbo Akademi University
Key Information
Campus location
Vaasa, Finland
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 10,000 / per year **
Application deadline
Request info *
Earliest start date
Request info
* The application period is 4-18 January 2023, closing at 3:00pm Helsinki time
** 10000 €/year for non-EU/EEA students
Introduction
For those students passionate in pursuing their master’s studies in teaching and learning, this two year master’s degree course which is based at the Vasa campus of Åbo Akademi University, leads to a Finnish Teacher’s Certificate. The programme will prepare and enable students to become fully capable of independently analyzing and solving problems in education and teaching, whilst developing their skills through research.
Taking a largely research-based approach, studies in this course are combined with research in some way. With an emphasis on didactics, this programme aims to provide students with the pedagogical capabilities required for teaching assignments in primary and secondary education. Preparing students to be able to teach the relevant curriculum subjects for their chosen age range, the students will carry out a series of school-based tasks which link theory with practice and allow time for reflection. Students of this programme can look forward to learning the core values of Finnish teacher’s education, including understand the holistic development of children, positive teacher/learner interaction, as well as the importance of synergizing the relationship between theory and practice.
Orientated towards teaching assignments in primary and secondary education, this programme also provides general pedagogical qualifications to teach at any level of education as well as attend to their students’ academic and socio-economic growth. Skills learned throughout this course also include qualities to be reflective teachers who understand research-based evidence and thinking and it’s relation to education. Successful completion of this programme will result in students being awarded with a Finnish Teacher’s Certificate. This is one of several requirements needed to qualify as a teacher in Finland. The other requirements depend on the level of education you wish to teach. See career prospects for more details.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Scholarships are available for students applying to our master's degree programmes and liable for tuition fee. There are two categories:
- Tuition Fee Scholarship, covering 100 % of the tuition fee, awarded for 2 years (second year conditional)
- Tuition Fee Scholarship, covering 50 % of the tuition fee, awarded for 2 years (second year conditional)
The decision to grant a scholarship is based on:
- the academic performance of the student in his/her previous studies,
- how well the applicant meets the programme requirements
- the answers the applicants have given in the application form
The application to our scholarships is included in online application form to our master's degree programmes.
Curriculum
Advanced studies in Education, teacher training
Compulsory Studies: Advanced Studies
- School Development and Cooperation
- TLearn Teaching Practice I (in English)
- Communication and group processes
- Teacherhood and working community
- The philosophical basis of teacher's work
- Planning and Evaluating Teaching and Learning (in English)
- TLearn Teaching Practice II (in English)
- Craft for class teachers
Select one
- Research methods in Developmental Psychology 2 (in English)
- Qualitative method
- Quantitative Research Methods II
Master's Thesis
- Project Planning Stage
- Project Working Stage I (in English)
- Working Stage II
- Working Stage III
- Project Finalization and evaluation stage (in English)
- Language Response for Master's Thesis (in English)
Compulsory Studies: Orientation and General Studies
- Swedish as a Foreign Language Level 1 (in English)
- Scientific writing (in English)
- Research Methods I (in English)
- Multicultural education
Elective courses
- Studentlab Deliberative Walks (in English)
- Foundations of Multiculturalism
- Gender Equality, Media, and Peace
- Critical perspectives on migration, citizenship and inclusion (in English)
- The Nordic Model of Welfare
- Climate Change Education - Challenges and Opportunities (in English)
- The Complexity of Sustainable Development
- Pedagogical perspectives on digitization
- Freedom of Religion and Belief in the Educational Space (in English)
- Place, Society and Popular Culture
- Negotiation and mediation: Essential strategies and skills (in English)
- Educational planning and evaluation (in English)
- Decorative expressions
- Functional forms
- E-craft
- Craft in natural materials
- Linguistically and culturally responsive pedagogy (in English)
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
This programme aims to prepare students to become experts in the areas of teaching and learning, in diverse educational environments with a specific focus on primary and secondary education.
After completion of this programme, students can pursue postgraduate studies for the Doctorate of Philosophy at Åbo Akademi. The master graduates are eligible to apply for a position in the University’s Graduate School as well as other doctoral programmes within Finnish Higher Education Institutions.
Graduates of this master’s programme may also choose to pursue work as educators (primary and secondary), education experts, education consultants as well as other education-related jobs. If graduates wish to remain in Finland to teach, they will need to meet all of the requirements for the level of education they wish to teach. The general teaching certificate that the graduates will receive is one of several requirements needed to qualify as a teacher in Finland; the other requirements relate to language and previous education.
For example, if a graduate would like to become a class teacher (primary school), they would also need to have 60 credits of multidisciplinary studies in subjects and cross-curricular themes taught in basic education. If they wish to become a subject teacher, they would need at least 60 credits in the teaching subject. In both cases, the graduate would also need to prove their Finnish or Swedish proficiency through a national language test. Exceptions may apply to those who teach in a gymnasium (upper secondary school), in a bilingual school, and for those who wish to teach a foreign language.