Master´s Degree Programme in Developing Rehabilitation: S3525S6

Descriptions

Master’s Degree Programme in Developing Rehabilitation

In a multidisciplinary team, students enhance their expertise in rehabilitation development and leadership by anticipating future changes in work, society, and the global environment. The programme aims to foster visionary development in rehabilitation and build sustainable solutions through responsible interaction between individuals, communities, and society.

Throughout their studies, students engage in co-development within diverse networks and ecosystems, promoting effective, innovative, and outcome-driven rehabilitation practices that enhance individual functional capacity and societal well-being.

The evolving expertise is built through a research-oriented approach and in development partnerships, enabling the participation and empowerment of rehabilitation clients and their loved ones. The knowledge, practices, and competencies co-created during the programme are applicable in career development, work communities, and for social advocacy.

Strengthening working life skills

The higher UAS degree is intended for graduates with a Bachelor's degree in working life to deepen and broaden their knowledge (Act 932/2014 and Decree 1129/2014).The higher UAS degree provides the same qualification for work as a university degree and the opportunity for further studies. The Master´s Dergree Programme in Developing Rehabilitation is intended for graduates with a Bachelor's degree in health or social care or another appropriate higher education degree and at least two years of work experience in the relevant field.

The title of the degree is determined by the student's previous degree, which is accompanied by the designation Master's. The following degrees are available in the Metropolia University of Applied Sciences' Master's Degree Programme in Developing Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology Technician (Master's), Physiotherapist (Master's), Elderly Care Professional (Master's), Podiatrist (Master's), Midwife (Master's), Optometrist (Master's), Osteopath (Master's), Nurse (Master's), Social Services Professional (Master's), Public Health Nurse (Master's), or Occupational Therapist (Master's). The qualification is comparable to similar international qualifications.

Graduates of the Master´s Degree Programme in Developing Rehabilitation may work in demanding rehabilitation development, management and expert positions. This requires the ability to anticipate, evaluate and accumulate knowledge in the field of rehabilitation and to reform practices with a research-based approach in a bold and innovative way.

Development

Programme development

The design and development of the curriculum for the Master’s Degree Programme in Developing Rehabilitation involved a steering group composed of professionals from the field, current students, alumni with their connections, and the programme’s teaching staff. The co-creation process was diverse, including shared understanding of the programme’s mission and expected learning outcomes, feedback surveys, and expert contributions on the content of rehabilitation development and leadership expertise.

The mission and competency descriptions of the degree programme are future-oriented, based on the development programmes and future orientations of the social and health care sector. In addition to these, the design of the training has taken into account national and international quality requirements and development guidelines for education, the priorities of the Metropolitan region and Metropolia's strategies, as well as the common guidelines of the Metropolia Master's Development Network.

Co-creation and industry collaboration

The planning and implementation of studies are based on co-creation, involving students, teachers, representatives of working life and rehabilitants and their networks. Learning will enable the articulation of complex and layered changes in the working life in the development and management of rehabilitation. The learning is of an individual and collective nature, strengthening and reflecting on individual and collective competences. In addition to a wide range of professional relationships, the training is based on the work experience of the students.

Through learning assignments and a thesis, the degree programme involves research-based development work both regionally and nationally to develop good and effective rehabilitation practices. A key element of development is the production of knowledge and innovative practices through students' theses. In choosing the topic of the thesis, students can take into account their own expertise and the development needs of the partner. Thesis topics cover different stages of the life cycle, such as children and young people, working age and older people. The thesis can also be part of a larger project or research programme or linked to research, development and innovation (RDI). The degree programme offers project cooperation with ongoing projects.

Key collaboration partners

The key partners of the degree programme are the cities of the Metropolitan region, rehabilitation service providers, organisers and developers. The programme is involved in international networks and the promotion of rehabilitation expertise. Cooperation with working life takes the form of expert tasks, consultation and steering group work. Experts from the working life are involved in the development of programme. The degree programme operates in national rehabilitation networks.

Within Metropolia, the programme works in close partnership with Metropolia’s Innovation Hubs, the European U!REKA University Alliance, and various collaborative platforms, such as the Hymy Well-being Village.

Further information

The Master’s Degree Programme in Developing Rehabilitation is a new programme with a newly designed curriculum.

Curriculum Lead: Head of Degree Programme Kaisa Hartikainen
Curriculum Administrator: Coordinator Petra Heino

Objective

Competence-based curriculum

The education leading to a Master’s degree from a university of applied sciences is guided by the legal framework governing higher education institutions, the core mission and objectives of education, the competence descriptions for Master’s degrees in the European Higher Education Area (Council of Europe, 2017), and the National Framework for Qualifications (FiNQF, Finnish National Agency for Education, 2018). According to these guidelines, a graduate of a Master’s degree programme from a university of applied sciences is expected to:

- possess highly specialised knowledge, some of which corresponds to excellence in the field of work or study, which is used as a basis for independent reasoning and/or research.
- understand and critically examine issues related to knowledge at the interface between the sector and the various disciplines
- possess specialised problem-solving skills required for research and/or innovation to develop new knowledge and to process and to integrate knowledge from different disciplines
- be able to lead and transform complex, unpredictable working or learning environments requiring new strategies
- be able to take responsibility for the accumulation of professional knowledge and practice and/or the evaluation of the strategic performance of teams.

In addition to deepening field-specific expertise, the degree programme fosters shared competences through its study modules (Rectors' Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences, 2022). These include learning skills, professional proficiency, ethics, sustainable development, internationalisation and multiculturalism, and anticipatory development (see Table 1).

Pedagogical foundations of the degree programme

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Applicants for and students in higher education can apply for recognition of their previous studies and acquired knowledge, regardless of where or how it was acquired. Prior learning in the context and at the level of higher education can be credited as part of a degree, course or unit of study, as part of compulsory or optional studies. It is the responsibility of the student to demonstrate the knowledge acquired. The prior learning must meet the learning outcomes of the curriculum. The RPL process follows the principles of lifelong learning.

Competence assessment

Assessment is guiding, developmental and continuous. The approval of a course is conditional on the successful completion of its components in accordance with the teaching and implementation plans. The grades used for the assessment are excellent (5), good (4-3), satisfactory (2-1) and fail (0). For some courses, the grade pass/fail may also be used. The assessment criteria are based on the competence descriptions. Student's self-assessment is central to the development of professional competence. Students are involved in a discussion about their study and career choices, which form the basis for their individual learning and competence development plan.