Social Exclusion Annual Alumni Gathering

The Social Exclusion master’s program will hold an Alumni gathering for its current students and Alumni on May 9th, 2023, from 17:00 to 20:00 at The Runda Rummet Hall, Theologicum Building, Turku.

We will have a panel discussion with the program’s Alumni during the event. We will also have drinks, snacks, and some goodies from our event sponsors.

The event is open for the program’s current students and Alumni, and registration is required for attendance. (Registration link has been sent by email)

Possible Summer Activities

SUMMER IS AROUND THE CORNER!

 

We are only a month away from the end of this academic year, meaning that the summer holiday is soon upon us! The summer can be spent in various ways, like visiting family and friends, going on a vacation, reading that book you have been planning to read all semester long or simply enjoying the summer sun. In this blog post, we have collected some ideas of how to spend your summer if you choose to stay and spend your summer holiday in Turku.

 

work during the summer

The summer should hands down be a time for relaxation and a time to charge one’s batteries. However, some might be interested in doing some work, whether that is academic work or non-academic work. Here you can find a list of both types of work that you can do during the summer.

    • Starting with academic work. Many of our students might begin doing research for their thesis during the summer, which can benefit the workload of thesis writing in the fall. Some of the university libraries are also open during the summer and it is worth visiting their webpage for more information if you need to borrow a book or two. The university space is also open for students during the summer if they possess an HID key. Read more on how to receive one here ( log in with university credentials).
    • The Open University at ÅAU offers summer courses which can be found here.
    • The summer can also be an ideal time to do an internship. More info on internships can be found here or by contacting the staff of the master’s program.
    • If you are not interested in doing any academic work during the summer but would like to receive more career-related experiences we recommend a summer job. You can see the site for JobTeaser, which advertises internships and summer jobs on their site, but you can also see the vacant summer job positions on Career in Southwest Finland.  You can also see the following sites for summer jobs: Duunitori, Jobly, Oikotie and some organizations also market their open positions on Facebook or on Instagram.

Summer Jobs" Images – Browse 32 Stock Photos, Vectors, and Video | Adobe Stock

Activities during the summer

However, the summer is, as mentioned, meant for relaxing and work is not mandatory. The master’s program is scheduled and planned to be completed during the academic year, so there is no need for studies to take place during the summer, only if one has the desire to. In the summer we do encourage our students to take a vacation if possible to have the necessary energy for the next academic year. Here are some summertime activities you can do if you decide to spend your holiday in Turku.

    • Visit the archipelago. The Southwest region in Finland has a beautiful and peaceful archipelago that is easy to visit by bus or by boat. You can visit some of the smaller islands on a day trip or even stay at the site for some nights and rent a cabin. For more info about the archipelago and how to visit the islands kindly see Visit Turku’s webpage.
      Turun saaristo - vuokramökit ja majoitus: 86 kpl | Gofinland.fi

 

  • Attend a music festival! During the summer there are many events happening in Turku. Music events being is one of them. Annually music festivals are Kesärauha, Aura Fest, DBTL (Down By the Laituri) and Ruisrock to mention some of the bigger happenings. These festivals have both Finnish and international artists.

Kesän Ruisrock peruuntuu koronavirustilanteen vuoksi | Turku.fi

 

  • If music festivals aren’t your scene, there are also other events happening in the summer, like a medieval fair, the Paavo Nurmi marathon and various other events that you can find on the official site of the city of Turku or on Visit Turku’s webpageYou can also visit the Moominworld located about an hour from Turku centre.

The Medieval Market Of Turku Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStock

 

    • Enjoy the riverside in Turku. The Aura River that runs through the city of Turku also comes alive in a different way during the summer. You can, for instance, spend a lovely sunny day by the riverside and enjoy an ice cream from one of many ice cream kiosks. You can also enjoy a nice beverage at one of the many bar boats, such as Donna or Papa Joe. But you can also walk along the river and look at the scenery on both sides of the river, all the way from the Turku castle to the Cathedral to the lovely park area upstream.
  • Top 10 tekemistä Turussa - Kohteena maailma

 

    • Picnic in a park. There are multiple parks located around the city, which offer a nice break from city life and an opportunity to enjoy nature. Parks near the centre where you can spend a nice day having a picnic with friends, get your tan going or read a book are Kuppittaan Park, Vartiovuori, Puolaanpuisto, Tuomaanpuisto, The park surrounding the Paavo Nurmi stadion and Samppalinnanpuisto.
  •  70+ ilmaista Turku & Suomi kuvaa - Pixabay

 

    • The City of Turku also has multiple outdoor trails, with various different themes and distances. Some of the trails are fitness oriented, these trails include stairs and hills, while other trails are in nature parks or culture-themed trails, such as a love excursion in Turku following different love stories in the city and a walk following war traces from the civil war and the Second world war.  These trails are easy to follow by downloading the pdf from the website and a fun way to explore the city with friends or family. You can find the different trails here.
    • Do nothing! Relaxing also entails not doing anything! Just enjoy your time, relax, remember to keep yourselves hydrated and take care of yourselves.The Beauty of Finnish Summer - Sunset reflections on lake … | Flickr

What To Do After Receiving Your Acceptance Letter?

Åbo Akademi University sent out the Acceptance Letters to all admitted students on March 31st, 2023 and all students should have also received a Welcome Letter from the program. Having received these letters we hope you are excited about this next chapter in your life, but you might also be filled with questions about what to do next? No worries, we in the program have compiled a list of things to do after you get your letter.  We know that the process is different for all students depending on country of origin and nationality, however, we wanted to gather a general checklist to help you with the process of arriving safely here in Turku Finland.

 

Checklist after receiving your acceptance letter to the program

 

✅ Accept or decline your position. This is the first step all students should do, namely to either accept your position or decline it and we kindly ask all students, regardless of the decision, to do so as soon as possible.  If you choose to accept your position, we are happy and eager to meet you in the fall, and the earlier you accept your position the sooner you can start with all the necessary preparation to start your studies. Alternatively, if you decide to decline your position, for whatever reason, it means that your position will most likely go to a student on the waiting list.  In other words, the earlier you decline the more time you will give to another student to start the process of starting their studies at ÅAU.

 

✅ Book an appointment at the Embassy. Yearly, we have students that are unable to start their studies in the fall as scheduled, many times due to delays with the embassy. This is why we want to stress the urgency of booking an appointment at the embassy in time and as soon as possible. This process can be time-consuming and the estimated time duration for each applicant can easily be extended. There are various reasons for this, mainly that there are many students who aspire to arrive in Finland in the fall, leading to the embassies having plenty of workloads. Additionally, many of the applications are handled during the summer, when many are on vacation, and the staff is fewer than usual. Due to these reasons, we kindly ask all incoming students to book a time at the embassy in good time, since it does take longer than one might assume. In other words, let us repeat, book your appointment at the embassy in good time.

 

✅ Plan your arrival in Turku, Finland. Every student’s process to arrive in Turku is different, depending plenty on the student’s country of origin and nationality. However, planning one’s travel is essential. As there are different requirements for entering Finland we kindly ask all students to see the  Finnish Immigration Service’s webpage for more detailed information.

    • Additionally, health insurance is mandatory for all students who are non-EU/EEA nationals coming to ÅAU. The university has information on this (see here). There are many different insurances you can apply for, but some of our students (and alumni) recommend Swisscare insurance.
    • We also recommend that when you plan your arrival to Turku, to also book your flight tickets in advance. The prices are usually cheaper the earlier to purchase them and this also helps you place a timeframe for your travels. However, do not book your ticket too early so you do not risk having to rebook the ticket, if you would not have gotten a residence permit by the time of your planned travel.
    • When you have started the process of all the necessary paperwork that is needed for you to start your studies, start looking for an apartment. This can also be a long process, since many students, national and international, are in looking for an apartment in the fall. Many students apply for housing via TYS, or Turku Student Village FoundationTYS has many housing opportunities in different locations in Turku, but the accommodations that are closest to the campus of ÅAU are Aitioipaikka, Ikituuri, Nummenranta, Tavastia, Tyyssija, YO-kylä Itä, YO-kylä Länsi, and YO-talot. However, the other locations that TYS also has accommodations at are also an approximately 15-30 min bus or slightly longer bike ride from the campus and Turku city centre.

 

Lastly, if you have any questions regarding the admissions process kindly reach out to the admissions office at ÅAU. If you have program-specific questions, such as about courses or program structure, you can reach out to any of the personnel at the program. However, kindly note that during the first week of your studies, called the orientation week, you will most likely receive answers to all the questions you might have, which aren’t essential for you to know before your arrival. In other words, focus on arrival, and then you can focus on further issues and questions. We kindly also recommend you take a look at our blog page on Starting Your Studies.

 

Good luck with each and everyone’s process of arriving in Turku, Finland. We eagerly await your arrival.

The Day of Minna Canth

On March 19th we celebrate the day of Minna Canth and the day of equality.

 

Minna Canth

Minna Cath became the first woman to be celebrated with having a dedicated official day of hoisting the Finnish flag. Therefore, ever since 2007, you can see a Finnish flag waving at the top of each flagpole on March 19th. But who really was Minna Canth and why do we celebrate her?

 

 

Minna Canth (then Johnsson) around 17 years of age

Minna Canth (1844–1897) was an educated writer, businesswoman and activist. She (then known as Ulrika Wilhelmina Johnsson) was born on March 19th 1844 in Tampere, Finland and her parents wanted her to have a good education. She moved to Jyväskylä in 1863 to proceed with her studies to become a teacher. It was also here that she started to go by the name Minna Johnson. However, her studies were interrupted when she got married to Johan Ferdinand Canth. After staying home for some years as a housewife, she started writing in her husband’s newspaper about injustice in Finnish society. During this time she used pseudonyms, such as Wilja, Teppo and M.C. This also led to her becoming the first Finnish-speaking female journalist. Having visited some plays she also became interested in writing screenplays.

 

While Minna Cath was pregnant with her seventh child, her husband died and she became a single mother at the age of 35. To provide for her family, she moved to Kuopio and started working for her father and on the side, she writes plays. In her writings, Minna Canth often reflected on real issues and strived to better the situation of women and people living in poverty. In 1885 she released her play “Työmiehen vaimo” [The Wife of a Worker], which became the first realism play in Finnish. She later published many more plays, eight extended short stories and a two-part novel collection. She wrote from her home, which not only became her workspace but also a community space, called “salonki” [the salon]. Here various writers and artists at the time such as Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Järnefelt and Sibelius spent time. It was also here where “Kuopion naisintelligenssi” [the women intelligence of Kuopoio] was formed, which was a collective that discussed relevant social issues and made statements regarding injustices. This space Minna Canth created in her own living room was considered a liberal and free environment and she also supported freedom of religion. Minna Canth upheld the salon until her death in 1897 when she passed at the age of 53 due to a heart attack.

Neljä naista pelaamassa Skruuvipeliä pöydän ääressä Kanttilan salongissa. Henkilöt vasemmalta Hanna Guseff, Alma Tervo, Maiju Canth ja Minna Canth vuonna 1890-1896.
Minna Canth (right) with (from left to right) Hanna Guseff, Alma Tervo and Maiju Canth playing Skruuvia sometime between 1890-1896.

 

Minna Canth is considered one of the most important Finnish screenplay writers and prosaist along with Aleksis Kivi. She has also paid the way for numerous women to enter male-dominated spaces. She was privileged in society with her education and status, and it is said that she was aware of her status and used it to uplift others. It is also said that Minna Canth was the frontperson of realism in Finland, where she depicted the life of women as it truly was. This was something she was thoroughly criticized for, but she did not care. She spent time with the women she wrote about and knew that their experiences, lives and stories were real. Her life is said to have had a tremendous impact on the Finnish society and equality.

 

Minna Canth mustavalkoisessa kuvassa.

 

Sources:

Minna Canthin päivä, tasa-arvon päivä 19.3. | Ihminen ja yhteiskunta | Oppiminen | yle.fi

Finland celebrates equality on Minna Canth Day | News | Yle Uutiset

MINNA CANTHIN SALONKI – Kuopionkorttelimuseo.fi

 

6 Don’ts When Applying for the SoEx Master’s Program

Each year when the application for the Social Exclusion Master’s program opens, the program receives a plethora of applicants. Many of the applications are in order, with a well-put-together motivation letter and with the right documents included. However, each year the program also receives applications that have made an error or two, which results in the applications being rejected. To reduce these frequently made mistakes, we have compiled a list of don’ts most applicants do. Additionally, check out Information for Applicants on the blog, where all the essential information for applicants has been gathered. So, without further ado, avoid these 6 things when applying for the Social Exclusion Master’s program.

 

  1. Applying to the wrong track!

It is important to notice that the Social Exclusion Master’s Program has two tracks. 1. Master’s Degree Programme in Social Exclusion, Master of Arts, and 2. Master’s Degree Programme in Social Exclusion, Master of Theology.

The first track, Master of Art, is the more popular track. This track allows for a wider perspective on what Social Exclusion entails. This track also offers the students to specialize in Gender Studies, History, Philosophy, or the Study of Religion during the second term. Applicants with a BA in subjects like the Study of Religion, Gender Studies, History, Philosophy, or Theology can apply for this program. The other track is Master of Theology. Applicants with a BA specifically in Theology should apply for this program! Additionally, applicants who have a BA in Theology or Theology and another subject can apply for both programs.

To further see the differences between the two tracks, check an earlier blog post about them.

 

  1. Forgetting to apply for the scholarship!

Applying for scholarships is foremost for international students. When applying it is important to tick the box for the scholarship in the application to be considered for the scholarship. More detailed information about scholarships can be found on the Åbo Akademi University’s website.

 

  1. Uploading faulty documents

Uploading the right documents is vital. It is important to remember to upload the documents and to check that the uploads are right. Any application with a faulty document will be discarded and seen as faulty. What is a faulty document you may ask? A faulty document can be someone else’s transcript or certificate, which is not your own. Even if you have all your other documents in order but by mistake included a faulty document, your application will be removed. In other words, double or even triple-check that you upload your own documents and NOT a friend’s or family member’s documents.

 

  1. Choosing the wrong language requirement!

When applying, double-check the language requirements. You can either submit your IELTS results, however, if your score is low or you have not done the test you can ask the program to assess your English language skills. For further information about the language requirements when applying check Åbo Akademi University’s website for the requirements and scroll all the way down to see all the exemptions and to see what is required for domestic applicants.

 

  1. Not knowing how to sell oneself in the motivation letter!

A motivation letter is meant for the applicant to stand out from the mass. It is a letter that gives the applicant character, it offers a way for the applicant to introduce themselves and connect to the program. What is most important when it comes to motivation letters is to WRITE ONE! Even if it might seem hard and difficult to sell oneself in the form of a motivation letter, there is a significant difference between writing one and completely leaving it unwritten. The motivation letter can include various interesting aspects of the applicant, like what have they learned in their academic career and what they want to achieve with the help of the program, or it can be more creative writing showing the personality of the applicant. Including a motivational letter in your application shows interest in the program, and your application will be taken more seriously.

 

  1. Leaving things to the last minute!

Immediately when you are interested in applying for the program start to think about your application. What you should include in the application, what to write in your motivation letter and which documents do you need to prepare. This will reduce stress when it is finally time to click send. The application time is shorter than you expect so start to think about your application as soon as possible.

 

When avoiding these common mistakes, you should be ready to apply for the Social Exclusion MA program with a stunning application.

 

Good luck!

365,691 Applying Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStock

Tips for first-time flight travelers

written by Alice Chunga

 

When I got accepted into the master’s degree program in Social Exclusion and had to travel from Malawi to Turku, Finland, I knew I would have to fly for the first time. It was stressful but also thrillingly exciting knowing where I was going and what awaited me there. Regardless, after my experience, I compiled a list of things that would help any first-time flyer.

 

1. Make sure you have all your documents in one place. Flying can be stressful, with tracking the departure time and gate mixed with the excitement and nervousness of flying. Hence having all your documents in one place eases this stress. You always know in what bag/ folder you have your essential documents so nothing will get lost.

 

2. Make sure you check what you can bring or not bring on the plane. All airlines have a list of things you are not allowed to bring. Some things are given, like explosives and fireworks, however, some things can be more unknown so worth checking this before arriving at the airport.

 

3. Check what to pack in which bag. What you put in your cabin bag is different from what you put in your checked bag. One example of this is the allowed amount of liquids. You are not allowed to have liquids in bottles of more than 100ml in your cabin bag. However, in your checked bag you can have liquids in bottles that exceed 100ml.

 

4. Bring a neck pillow especially if your flight is long. Your neck will thank you!

 

5. To help with motion sickness take some gum. Chewing gum or sucking on hard candy can also help your ears not get blocked during takeoff and landing (prevents or helps with airplane ears).

 

6. Pack a snack. Especially on a long flight they usually have some food or snack that you can purchase on the airplane, however, a more affordable option is to have your own snacks. This way you also assure that you get something you actually like and will have a more pleasant flight.

 

7. Always ask for help if you are not sure about anything. It might seem scary to ask random individuals, but people are surprisingly helpful. Airports also have info desks where you can always get service, but other customers can also be of assistance. You never know that you can run into someone with the same destination as you. Additionally, the info boards with all flight information are also frequently displayed, however, can be difficult to read, so ask anyone to assist you with this matter.

 

8. If your flight has been delayed, do not panic, ask. Flight being delayed and gates being changed is normal, however, annoying and stressful for a first-time flyer. Regardless of these situations, DO NOT PANIC and ask someone for assistance. Some delays can be hours and this can feel stressful, but ask for guidance and check the info boards, and all things will be arranged.

 

I hope these tips were of assistance and will help you when you yourself travel abroad or fly for the first time.

The Start of Another Antiracist Reading List

It is September again, meaning a new start to our Monthly Antiracist Reading List. This year we are going to recommend books to our audience with the help of three themes. These themes will assist in categorizing the book and give them more context and help readers understand what specialization, subject or concern the book in question wants to raise. We will recommend three books per theme, equaling to nine recommended books this academic year.

 

The first theme of this semester will be GENDER EQUALITY. Gender equality highlights different gender inequalities and gives an overview of equity between the genders in different areas of society. Many see gender equality as a binary question, only targeting issues between men and women, however, the issue is much more complex. Within Gender Equality one also must consider race, religion, sexuality, nationality, and class, to mention a few aspects since they all give depth and context to gender-related struggles.

 

 

Additionally, gender is not a duality, but gender is rather a fluid concept where people can identify as they desire. Understanding this complexity is also an issue one can discuss from a Gender Equality perspective and something we want to expand on with some of our reading suggestions.

 

The first book within the theme of Gender Equality is already up! It is Sex and Lies by Leila Slimani, who discusses the taboo of female sexuality in Morocco.

Master’s degree speech

On June 21st 2022 I, Jasmin Slimani, had the privilege to have a speech to the graduating bachelor’s and master’s degree students. In my speech, I wanted to be honest about the current rough times affecting all students along with how the life of a student is filled with highs and lows, but regardless we succeed and we are now eagerly waiting for new adventures. Below is my written speech.

 

Dear audience, welcome

Kära publik, välkommen

Rakas yleisö, tervetuloa

 

I want to start by thanking the faculty for the opportunity to have this speech at this graduation ceremony of both bachelors’ and masters’ students from the faculty of Arts, Psychology and Theology. I feel privileged, lucky, and honored to be standing up here in front of you all.

 

Jag vill först tacka er alla för att jag får stå här uppe framför er alla dimitterade och era familjer, vänner och partner, för att hålla detta års dimissionstal. Trots att Åbo Akademi är ett finlandssvenskt universitet, måst vi inte glömma den breda diversiteten vi har av studenter, doktorander, forskare och annan personal. Bland annat, har vi även i dag en handfull av studerande som dimitteras från det internationella magisterprogrammet, Social Exclusion, som är det enda internationella magisterprogrammet här på Fakulteten för humaniora, psykologi och teologi. Därmed kommer jag även att köra detta tal främst på engelska, ett språk som är mer inkluderande i detta rum.

 

And for those who just sat cluelessly wondering what I was saying, I basically said that I will be doing this speech in English since otherwise many in the audience will not understand me.

 

As many of you might wonder, who am I and why am I standing here before you. And to answer the latter question first, and to be honest, when I was asked to have this year’s speech I was startled. I started thinking immediately about all the inspirational things I could say, the witty puns and jokes to lighten up the mood and of course also what I should not say in this speech. Regardless, here I am now, still taken by surprise at how I ended up here, maybe I am here because I like to speak and when I do I tend to speak a lot. This was also one of the reasons why I did my master’s thesis partially in the form of a three-part podcast series. As less writing and more talking is the way to go for me.

 

Going then to who am I. I’m Jasmin Slimani and I moved here to Turku in 2016, right after graduating high school, thinking of myself as mature, when moving from my childhood home. How cute of me. After finishing my bachelor’s studies, I wanted to continue right away with a master’s, and luckily, I was admitted into the Social Exclusion master’s program, which I started in the fall of 2019. Going into a master’s I looked forward to the upcoming two years of studies. Things that I eagerly waited for were meeting and hanging out with new people, making new friends, partaking in events, and exploring Turku in new ways. But as we know the past two years did not go as anyone could have planned.

 

The hopes of having study circles turned into sitting alone by the computer. The hopes of having student events turned into having dance parties at home alone. And the hopes of creating new supportive communities turned into a need of finding that support from within.

 

In hopes of not only escaping the situation here in Finland but because I really wanted to do something else than the usual studies, I decided in the fall of 2020 to do an internship abroad. I wanted an unforgettable experience, and to travel a bit further away from the comfortableness of Europe. Hence, I packed my bags with Dar es Salam, in Tanzania as my destination. The hope and idea were to work with girls and women and aid them in any way possible. This included things like, educating them on different issues like sexual health and consent, giving tools of empowerment, and helping these girls and women be more economically independent. But even if I was filled with excitement and eagerness, it didn’t take long for me to realize that the NGO I was working for was money-hungry, didn’t want to make an actual change and the whole organization was run by a greedy fella. Although the internship itself left much to be desired, the experience was unforgettable. I learned a lot about myself in relation to my environment, I met some great and funny people and the beautiful and colorful nature that I was lucky to experience will always stay vibrantly in my mind.

 

I think I am not alone when I say that the past years have been a rollercoaster. It has been filled with unexpected turns, some occasional laughter, and a feeling of rush in your stomach, but there have also been times when you just want to scream. Furthermore, I do not think I am the only one who will admit that the past two years of studies have been incredibly difficult and lonely, not to mention exhausting. The mix of living in a state of uncertainty, boredom, and stress, has definitely not been a positive contributor to one’s studies.

 

Despite everything, the ups and downs that these past years have resulted in, I am not looking back at the time with regret. Having lived and studied through a difficult time and to finally be on the other side, I can gladly say that I have grown. I am not the same little 18-year-old wide-eyed girl who thought of myself as mature when moving to another city. But what I now can say, is that I am at least a wiser 24-year-old, who still has plenty to learn but is grateful for the journey so far. I hope that you all graduates can also see the growth within yourselves. I might not know most of you on a personal level, but I do think that each and every one of you has had battles to go thru or still have obstacles to overcome, however, I want to say that all your journeys are valid, plus you have already come a long way. Whether you see it or not, I can promise you that you have grown compared to who you were two, three or five years ago. For instance, look back at pictures of yourself from a while back and you might look at them with a slight feeling of embarrassment or detachment and that shows a certain growth from the person in the picture. Or for instance, can you have seen yourselves sitting here today, a year ago? or even six months ago? I can say that I did not expect myself to be here, so in honor of you, all graduating pat yourselves on the shoulder because you all have done a great job and you all should be proud.

 

All in all, the past years have presented some of the lowest lows but also some great highs. I have met people I would not have met if I hadn’t chosen Turku to be the place of my studies. I have explored what this city has to offer and found a new love and calmness in nature. I have been more politically invested and I feel stronger and more confident about my opinions and ideology. My time as a student has been fruitful, brought me confidence, and allowed me to grow into the person you all see today. And I wish you all graduates can also list things that your time as students at Åbo Akademi University have granted you.

 

Slutligen vill jag önska er alla lycka till med alla era nya äventyr.

All that is now left to say is that I wish you all the best of luck in all your upcoming adventures.

 

Tack! Kiitos! Thank you!

Structure of the Degree Program

The Master’s Degree Program in Social Exclusion offers two pathways to Master’s education, the Master of Arts or Master of Theology. Keep in mind however, that the Master of Theology requires applicants to have a background in studies of religion, theology, or similar. Applicants should note this difference and be mindful of this difference when applying to the program.

Whilst both options can be applied to, admission is awarded only to one option. For example, if you were to apply to both the Master of Arts and the Master of Theology, admission will be awarded on the basis of only one of these two options for Master’s studies. That is to reiterate, you can apply for both options. Students can receive admissions for both tracks. However, they have to select one at the end.

The structure of Master’s studies consists of 120 ECTS (or credits) to be completed over the two years. They are broken down as follows:

  • Master’s Thesis – 30 ECTS
  • Mandatory Courses – 60 ECTS
  • Specialization Courses – 20 ECTS
  • Free studies – 10 ECTS

The strength of the program rests in its four key specializations: gender studies, philosophy, studies of religion (or theology), and history. Over the course of the two years, students will be exposed to the phenomenon of Social Exclusion from the perspective of the four key areas of specialization. This will be explained in more detail in a further post.

The current structure of the program (2022-2024) is broken down as follows.

In the first year, students are intended to complete most mandatory courses, 10 credits of specialization courses and possibly one or two free courses. This will come out to 60-70 ECTS since all courses are either 5 ECTS or 10 ECTS worth. It is highly recommended that students complete 70 ECTS in the first year so more time can be dedicated to the thesis process during the second year.

 

Year 1 (70 ECTS):

Semester 1 = 7 Courses (35 ECTS)

    • Period 1:
      • Social Exclusion Key Approaches (5 ECTS)

      • Seminar 1 – Academic skills and English skills (2.5 ECTS)

      • Communication, Media Activism, and Social Change (5 ECTS)

      • Specialization Course 1 (5 ECTS)

    • Period 2:
      • Seminar 1 – Academic skills and English skills (2.5 ECTS)

      • Social Exclusion in a historical perspective (5 ECTS)

      • Social Exclusion, Religion, and Life Views: Main Perspectives (5 ECTS)

      • Specialization Course 2 (5 ECTS)

    • Semester 2 = 7 Courses (35 ECTS)
      • Period 3:
        • Social Exclusion and Work Life (2.5 ECTS)

        • Social Exclusion in a Philosophical Perspective (5 ECTS)

        • Social Exclusion: Oppression and Resistance in the Theological Imaginary of the Latin West (5 ECTS)

        • Free Studies 1

      • Period 4:
        • Social Exclusion and Work Life (2.5 ECTS)

        • Race, Racism & Antiracism (5 ECTS)

        • Diversity, Equality, Inclusion (5 ECTS)

        • Free Studies 2

At the end of the first year, students will be asked to declare their intention to which specialization they have chosen to specialize in. They will also be asked for their preliminary thoughts of a thesis topic which will help to determine supervision for their theses in the second year. Please note that the thesis topic can be changed in the future, and will be developed further during the second year seminar. The second year will consist of four courses (20 ECTS) and the master’s thesis (30 ECTS). The structure is as follows:

  • Year 2 (50 ECTS) = 4 Courses (20 ECTS) + Master’s Thesis (30 ECTS)
    • Seminar 2 – Methods for studies in Social Exclusion (5 ECTS)
    • Introduction to Intercultural Communication (5 ECTS)
    • Specialization course 3 (5 ECTS)
    • Specialization 4 (5 ECTS)
    • Master’s Thesis (30 ECTS)

Upon successful completion of all 120 ECTS, you will be awarded either a Master of Arts or Master of Theology within the Master’s Degree Program in Social Exclusion at Åbo Akademi.

The End of the First Edition of the Monthly Reading List

We have now completed the first edition of the Social Exclusion’s monthly reading list. We have compiled a list of nine books which all include anti-racist rhetorics, discusses justice and equality and overall critical analyses of our society. Many of the books happen to be academic, but some are also written in a more playful way, which makes them also attractive to a younger audience and people who are not familiar with academic writing.

 

We have strived to make the list as inclusive as possible, but there are still plenty more books we would love to feature. So without further ado, we are announcing that we are continuing with the monthly reading list next September! This list will include even more books that target Racial Justice, Racial Equity and Antiracism in one way or another. Additionally, we would like for our audience to participate in the making of this list, in other words, if you do have a book, which you would like to share and that targets antiracism, feel free to send in your suggestion via email to @ socialex@abo.fi/ aminkeng.atabong@abo.fi. Let’s collectively build this initiative!

 

Hope the current Monthly Reading List will make for some great reflective readings this summer!

6,765 Summer Reading Illustrations & Clip Art - iStock

Restful summer to everyone!