You can apply to Savonia’s Master degree programme in Digital Health if you have completed a Bachelor’s degree in the field of social services or healthcare, or another appropriate Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree. You can also apply if you have completed an old vocational degree in Finland (vanhamuotoinen opistoasteen tutkinto tai ammatillisen korkea-asteen tutkinto). In addition, you must have at least two years (24 months) of work experience from the field of social services and/or healthcare, after graduation. 

Studies are conducted in English and therefore students must have sufficient English skills to accomplish studies. However, a separate proof of English skills is not needed.

Work experience requirements

The work experience must be accumulated as from the date of award of the final Bachelor’s or Master’s degree certificate and obtained no later than 31 July (spring application) or 31 December (autumn application).

Work experience should be indicated in the application form in full months. When converting part-time work into its full-time equivalent, 150 hours or 20 working days lasting at least 7 hours per day correspond to one month of work. Work experience does not have to be continuous or obtained working for the same employer. Military or non-military national service, women’s voluntary military service or child-care leave will not be counted towards work experience. 

Work experience must be verified with an employment certificate provided by the employer. An employment certificate must indicate details such as the name of the company, the exact start and end dates of employment, the employer’s contact information, work duties, as well as working hours for part-time work. If the employment continues, the applicant should request a temporary employment certificate from the employer. Employment certificate must include the signature of the employer or the representative of the company and the date when the certificate was issued. Employment contracts or appointment letters are not accepted. 

Fulltime entrepreneurship will be accepted as work experience if an applicant can provide a certificate attesting that he or she is or has been covered under the statutory YEL pension scheme (YEL = statutory pension scheme for entrepreneurs). In addition, a notification from the Trade Register must be submitted. The notification must show details such as the name of the company, field of the operation and the period of time the company has been valid. Enterprising activities abroad should be substantiated with comparable official document. 

Copies of the certificates

Copies of the certificates must be uploaded on the application form by the set date. Copies of certificates are required from everyone whose education information is not available electronically: those degrees completed Finland, which are not available electronically, and all Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees completed outside Finland. Moreover, all Master’s degree applicants must also upload copies of their employment certificates on the application form by the set date.

If a certificate was issued in a language other than English, Finnish or Swedish, the applicant must also submit a copy of the translation of the certificate. The translation must be done into English, Finnish or Swedish by an official (authorised) translator.

Savonia will check the applicant’s eligibility before the student selection. After the student selection, Savonia may request the applicant to submit original certificates. Student selection is conditional if the applicant has not fulfilled the work experience requirement during the application period. The student must submit the required certificates by the set date. Savonia may cancel the admission if the person fails to submit the required certificates by the set date, or has provided false information.

Information regarding the student selection will be updated once the next application period has been decided.

Instructions on how to apply and information on the tuition fee can be found from Savonia UAS website.

The degree consists of 90 ECTS including 30 ECTS of common studies, 30 ECTS of field-specific professional studies and a thesis, 30 ECTs. 

Professional studies include e.g.: Leadership and Technology in Supporting Staff and Client Participation, Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Entrepreneurship, Integration of Mobile and IoT Applications, Cases and Personalised Technology/ Interactive Process Development, Managing Digitalised Health Services, Procurement Contracts, Protocols, Certified Devices and International Health Care Law, Security and Ethical Approaches in Digitalised Health Services 

Common studies include e.g.: A Successful Organisation, Digitalised Operating Environments, Innovation, E-services and Business, Research-based Development 

At the beginning of your studies, you will choose 30 ECTS from common and field-specific professional studies in accordance with your personal study and career plan. You will receive guidance and counselling from the responsible teacher of the programme as well as from other members of Savonia staff in view of defining and achieving your personal goals. 

The studies contain 90 ECTS and they can be completed in 2–3 years.

At the beginning of the studies you will choose 30 ECTS from common and field-specific professional studies in accordance with your personal study and career plan. You will receive guidance and counselling from the responsible teacher of the programme as well as from other members of Savonia staff in view of defining and achieving your personal goals. 

You can familiarize yourself with the content of the degree program by using the curriculum.

At Savonia, your thesis work will be working-life related. This gives you a possibility to network with the experts and employers in your own field as well as in other fields during your studies. You will prove to be able to recognise, evaluate and solve working-life related challenges independently. 

The thesis research focuses on the digitalisation of social and health care services and contributes to the strategic goals of your workplace or a partner organisation. The thesis work can be e.g. development work, a developmental research, a project. 

After completing the studies, you will be able to work in expert and managerial positions in the field in multi professional workplaces. The Master’s degree at a university of applied sciences qualifies you for working in a public sector post. The qualifications are equivalent to those attained at a university. 

Job Titles 

• Digital Services Specialist 
• Project Manager 
• Service Manager 
• Service Designer and Trainer 

A Master’s degree completed at a university of applied sciences qualifies you for working in a public sector post. The qualifications equal those attained at a university. 

Savonia is a multicultural and international community and there are foreign exchange and degree students on the campus. You can also take part of your studies abroad. The student group can also attend possible international seminars, conferences and fairs.

The research and development work in the social and health care field at Savonia is focused on the development work in the Applied Welfare Technology focus area. 

The possible postgraduate studies are licentiate and doctoral studies at a university.