At the Faculty of Social Sciences, we research society, social change and people’s welfare, health and functional ability. The Faculty educates independent professionals for a changing, ever more complex world and engages in critical debate on the status of society and the direction in which it is developing.
News
Events
Doctoral defence of M.Soc.Sc Outi Kauko
Doctoral defence of M.Soc.Sc Julia Katila
The 6th Biennial ENSO Conference
Latest publications
Alusta!
Research
The Faculty of Social Sciences brings together research on society and health in a new way, and its contribution helps to solve different welfare challenges. The Faculty’s internationally high level, multidisciplinary know-how ranges from understanding the long processes of social change to topical questions on the structure of society, institutions and everyday life.
The Focal Points of Research
The establishment of this new Faculty – one with wide-ranging know-how – will help answer some of the core challenges that our changing society will face in the coming decades. In the field of research on society and health, the Faculty produces topical and critical research that has independent value in answering social problems. While acknowledging that strong academic disciplines are the cornerstone of research, the Faculty’s new strengths are concentrated in areas of multidisciplinary focus that extend beyond traditional boundaries. The new Faculty’s strong research themes cover a wide range of fields:
- Social cognition and interaction (HIP-Lab)
- Gender and body
- Migration, multiculturalism
- Childhood, youth and family research (PERLA)
- Ageing and the health and functional ability of the elderly (GEREC)
- Working life, well-being at work and occupational health (WRC)
- Welfare services
- Causes of cancer, reducing the causes and effects of the disease
- Cultures of politics and governance (TaSTI)
- Science, technology and innovations (TaSTI)
- Violence, conflicts and peaceful change (TAPRI)
- Social theory
- Social history (HEX, Trivium)
Research Centres and Other Reasearch Communities
Research Centres and Other Research Communities
Faculty of Social Sciences has several research centres funded by different external actors (foundations, organisations, the Academy of Finland, TEKES etc.).
Centre of Excellence
HEX - Academy of Finland Centre of Excellence in the History of Experiences. What can we know about the past experiences, and how do we transfer them into accurate knowledge and historically informed decisions? HEX looks for answers to these fundamental questions by rethinking historical experiences, historical explanations and historical knowledge, and their place in the current world. HEX is nominated and funded by the Academy of Finland (Finnish National Research Council) 2018–2025. It is hosted by the Faculty of Social Sciences (SOC), University of Tampere.
Gerontology Research Center, GEREC is a collaborative effort in aging research jointly run by the University of Jyväskylä and the University of Tampere,
Research Centres
Prostate Cancer Research Center (PCRC)
Tampere Centre for Childhood, Youth and Family Research (PERLA) is a multidisciplinary venue of youth, childhood and family research.
Tampere Peace Research Institute (TAPRI) is a multidisciplinary and international research centre whose mission is to conduct high quality research on the causes of war, on non-violent resolution of conflicts, and on conditions for peace.
Research Center for Knowledge, Science, Technology and Innovation Studies (TaSTI) conducts research into the functioning of research communities, innovation environments and science and innovation policies.
Tampere Centre for Classical, Medieval and Early Modern Studies (TRIVIUM) is a multidisciplinary venue for researches and teachers of premodern society and culture.
Work Research Centre (WRC) combines basic academic research and contractual research, which serves the actual needs of society. Research focuses on work organisations, their practices and networks, the labour market and labour policy, and welfare, social relations and gender in working life.
Research Communities
CAMILLE Project
CAST
HoPES - Tampere Research Group for History of population, environments and social structures
Folklife archives
HPV vaccination research
Human Information Processing Laboratory (HIP-Lab)
NSR - The New Social Research programme
Tampere Research Group for Cultural and Political Sociology (TCuPS)
Social Science for the C21st
Research groups that are at work on cancer research at the faculty belong to our regional cancer center, Fican Mid, and to our local Tays Cancer Centre.
Research in Disciplines
Faculty of Social Sciences conducts topical and critical research on society and culture. The research is carried out in research centres and the following Faculty’s disciplines and their joint projects:
Biostatistics
Epidemiology
Gender Studies
Gerontology
Health Economics
Health Care Management
Health Services Research
History
Logopedics
Nursing Science
Occupational Health
Peace Research (TAPRI)
Philosophy
Psychology
Public Health
Social Anthropology
Social Policy
Social Psychiatry
Social Psychology
Social and Health Policy
Social Work
Sociology
Youth Work and Youth Research
Studies
The Faculty of Social Sciences educates students for the various sectors of working life; critically and independently thinking experts with mastery of extensive entities, who understand society in a variety of ways and know the means to change it.
Information on studies in the Faculty can be found on the Studies-pages of former Schools:
School of Health Sciences and School of Social Sciences and Humanities
Please see UTA Admissions for more information on e.g. degree programmes, exchange studies and applying for studies at SOC.
Degree Programmes
Degree Programme in Health Sciences
Degree Programme in History
Degree Programme in Logopedics
Degree Programme in Philosophy
Degree Programme in Psychology
Degree Programme in Social Sciences
Degree Programme in Social Work
Master's Degree Programmes
Comparative Social Policy and Welfare
Gender Studies
Global and Transnational Sociology
Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research
Public Choice
Public and Global Health
Doctoral Studies
Doctoral Programme in Health Sciences
Doctoral Programme in History
Doctoral Programme in Medicine
Doctoral Programme in Philosophy
Doctoral Programme in Psychology and Logopaedics
Doctoral Programme in Social Sciences
International Doctoral Programme in Epidemiology
Open University Studies
Cooperation and services
Faculty
The Faculty of Social Sciences is a community of about 2,800 students and 400 employees, and its profile is firmly placed at the centre of the University of Tampere’s areas of strength: teaching and research in the fields of society and health. The teaching and research at the Faculty support people’s welfare, health and functional ability in our globalising and complex world, and the Faculty offers important contributions to solving various welfare challenges.
The multidisciplinary Faculty of Social Sciences was formed when the School of Social Sciences and Humanities (YKY) and the School of Health Sciences (HES) merged. The Faculty’s internationally high-quality and multidisciplinary expertise extends from understanding the long processes of cultural change to topical questions about society and everyday life. Its areas of practical application range from population-level forecasts to the management of welfare systems and the education of professionals.
The Faculty educates students through degree programmes in health sciences, history, logopaedics, philosophy, psychology, social research and social work. The Faculty also runs two international master’s degree programmes. Some 600 students graduate annually with either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree.
The doctoral training offered is interwoven with research in the Faculty’s areas of focus. The Faculty is a strong actor in doctoral training at both the university level and in the networks of the fields that the Faculty specialises in. Approximately forty people complete their doctoral studies every year.
Docents of the Faculty of Social Sciences >>
Faculty Administration
Dean
Juha Teperi
rm. Linna 6062
tel. +358 (0)40 513 3714
Vice Dean
Liisa Häikiö
rm. Linna 5096
tel. +358 (0) 50 318 6095
Dean's secretary
Johanna Harju
rm. Linna 6110
tel. +358 (0)50 318 6933
Head of Administration
Paula Järvenpää
rm. Linna 6058
tel. +358 (0)40 190 1390
Faculty Council
The Faculty Council 1.1.2017–31.12.2019 (student members 1.1.2017–31.12.2018)
Chair of Faculty Council: Dean Juha Teperi
Members of Faculty Council (deputy):Lehtonen Turo-Kimmo, Professor
(Ruusuvuori Johanna, Professor)
Pirkola Sami, Professor
(Kaunonen Marja, Professor)
Pösö Tarja, Professor
(Niemi Marjaana, Professor)
Konu Anne, University Lecturer
(Fröjd Sari, University Lecturer )
Kylliäinen Anneli, University Lecturer
(Nätkin Ritva, University Lecturer )
Peltola Jarmo, Researcher
(Nieminen Juha, University Instructor)
Student members (debuty):
Kunnari Teppo
(Kuisma Keskinen)
Katariina Kojo
(Paavo-Matti Antikainen)
Eero Sallinen
(Järvinen Henrik)
External members (deputy):
Olli Kangas, tutkimusjohtaja
(Harri Jokiranta, projektinjohtaja)
Kimmo Kumlander, toiminnanjohtaja
(Pirjo Ilanne-Parikka, ylilääkäri)
Taru Kuosmanen, hyvinvointijohtaja
(Kristiina Laiho, toimitusjohtaja)
Faculty Council meetings in autumn 2018:
29.8.2018
26.9.2018
31.10.2018
21.11.2018
12.12.2018
Committees
Postgraduate Committee
The Postgraduate Committee's duties include:
- Planning, developing and evaluating the Faculty’s Doctoral Programmes
- Preparing the general guidelines concerning scientific postgraduate degrees
- Discussing and evaluating applications for postgraduate study rights and for paid Doctoral Researcher positions in order to present a proposal for the Dean
- Discussing matters related to doctoral dissertations and licentiate theses in preparation for the Faculty Council’s decision making
- Monitoring postgraduate education
- Legal protection questions and possible problems with supervision agreements
- Other duties related to doctoral education assigned by the Faculty Council or the Dean
Jatkokoulutustoimikunnan jäsenet ajalla 1.8.2017-31.7.2019 ovat:
| Member | Deputy Member | Doctoral Programme |
|---|---|---|
| Professor Hannele Forsberg | Professor Timo Harrikari | Social Sciences / Social Work |
| Professor Jari Hietanen, Chair | Professor Anna-Maija Korpijaakko-Huuhka | Psychology and Logopaedics |
| Professor Marja Jylhä | Professor Pekka Rissanen | Health Sciences |
| Professor Arto Laitinen | Docent Jani Hakkarainen | Philosophy |
| Professor Marjaana Niemi | Docent Mervi Kaarninen | History |
| Professor Pekka Nuorti | Professor Anssi Auvinen | International Doctoral Programme in Epidemiology |
| Professor Johanna Ruusuvuori | Associate Professor Atte Oksanen | Social Sciences |
| Professor Päivi Astedt-Kurki | Docent Jari Kylmä | Health Sciences |
| Docent Kirsi Lumme-Sandt | Research Coordinator | |
| Marjaana Jones | Vilhelmiina Lehto | Postgraduate student |
| Samuli Kangaslampi | Katariina Lehto | Postgraduate student |
| Head of Study Affairs Leena Nikkari, secretary |
The meeting dates for the Postgraduate Committee at the Faculty of Social Sciences during fall 2018 are:
20.8. klo 12.00
17.9. klo 12.00
10.10. klo 12.00
12.11. klo 12.00
3.12. klo 12.00
Instructions
Quality management at Faculty of Social Sciences
The objectives and activities of the University of Tampere are guided by the University strategy and the quality system that supports it. The rector is responsible for the University’s quality system, and the deans/directors are responsible for quality assurance in their faculties / units.
The University’s quality management system has been audited and awarded a national quality certificate. The audit certificate will be valid until 9 April 2021. Being issued the HR Excellence in Research label by the European Commission shows that the University is committed to the development of researchers’ position and careers.
Faculty of Social Sciences operates according to the joint quality management principles of the University of Tampere. The University’s quality management system is defined in the Quality Manual.
Quality management at the University is aligned in the annual executive review and the four-year auditing plan updated as a part of the review. At the University of Tampere, quality management means commitment to the continuous improvement of operations. In other words operating in line with the quality cycle, i.e. knowledge-based planning, execution, evaluation and development (PDCA). Students are members of all the development groups at the University while other stakeholder groups are represented in Faculty Councils.
The units conduct a self-assessment of their operations and output every second year (Common Assessment Framework model) and the organs of the University conduct self-assessments. The annual goal and development discussions as well as the work plans of teachers and researchers combine the objectives of the unit and the individual with the actions to achieve them. The Faculty takes part in other internal and external evaluations according to the university's common schedule and in accordance with the Faculty’s needs.
Give feedback!
If you have feedback or development ideas, you may also directly contact the people responsible for quality management at the Faculty.
- Dean Juha Teperi
- Quality coordinator of the Faculty Paula Järvenpää
- Faculty members responsible for the degree and doctoral programmes:
- Degree Programme in History: Mervi Kaarninen
- Degree Programme in Logopedics: Leena Rantala
- Degree Programme in Philosophy: Panu Raatikainen
- Degree Programme in Psychology: (Mervi Jehkonen)
- Degree Programme in Social Work: Kirsi Juhila
- Degree Programme in Health Sciences: Anne Konu
- Degree Programme in Social Sciences: Marko Salonen
- Doctoral Programme in Health Sciences: Marja Jylhä ja Päivi Åstedt-Kurki
- Doctoral Programme in History: Marjaana Niemi
- Doctoral Programme in Medicine: Pekka Nuorti
- Doctoral Programme in Philosophy: Arto Laitinen
- Doctoral Programme in Psychology and Logopaedics: Jari Hietanen
- Doctoral Programme in Social Sciences: Johanna Ruusuvuori
- International Doctoral Programme in Epidemiology (IPPE): Pekka Nuorti
For further information, please visit:
- Information on the Quality Management System at the University of Tampere
- Current news and quality management at UTA for members of the university community (intranet)
- Quality of education from the student’s perspective
- National Principles and Guidelines
- Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG2015)
Contacts
Postal address:
Faculty of Social Sciences (SOC)
33014 UNIVERSITY OF TAMPERE
FINLAND
Visiting address:
Linna-building, 6. floor., Kalevantie 5
>> location
Kauppi campus (Health Sciences)
Postal address:
PL 100
33014 UNIVERSITY OF TAMPERE
FINLAND
Visiting address:
Arvo, 3. floor
Arvo Ylpön katu 34 (ex. Lääkärinkatu 1)
33520 TAMPERE
Personnel:
Main campus,
Kauppi campus (Health Sciences),
University consortium of Pori
Faculty's Administrative staff