Socially Sustainable Societies

Contemporary societies face wicked problems more and more frequently. Innovative service solutions are needed to overcome the financial burden of an aging society. Cross-disciplinary thinking is necessary when tackling social issues related to climate change.   In the Bachelor's Programme in Socially Sustainable Societies, the ideas and building blocks for wellbeing and health — from the past and present — are examined for designing sustainable societies of the future. We define social sustainability as the social dimension of sustainability and how societies function with an emphasis on resilience, equality, and inclusion. The programme introduces the Nordic perspectives on social sustainability, the welfare state, and intersectoral action, as well as addresses the broader historical, global and socio-political determinants of health and wellbeing.  A unique combination of social science and public health    In this programme you will tackle topical questions related to socially sustainable societies: How to ensure that health and well-being is achieved through socially sustainable policies? What is the role of welfare models and environmental policies for sustainability? What does social sustainability imply to social and health protection and security? How to promote universal access to health and social protection? How to address social inequalities such as those related to economic status, gender, and ethnicity? What are the social determinants of health in national and global contexts?   Studies are structured around topical research  The wide provision of courses and teaching is built upon the topical research conducted by the faculty. You can also choose free-choice studies from other degree programmes and thus enjoy added opportunities to learn about crossover themes from several study programmes. The programme prepares students to continue their studies in master’s programmes. All accepted students are automatically given the right to continue their studies in the Master’s Programme in Social Science Research which includes specialisations such as Public Policy Analysis or Comparative Social Policy and Welfare.  Tampere University also offers several other relevant English language master’s programmes such as the Public and Global Health programme (admission every second year) as well as multidisciplinary programmes such as Sustainable Digital Life.   Become a professional in designing and building socially sustainable societies of the future The programme teaches historical roots and importance of social policy and public health also from the global angle, and acknowledges the increasingly important role of the environment as a condition of social sustainability.   Our students will develop competencies to critically assess and compare different modes of welfare services, and social and health policy options. Moreover, they will gain an understanding of the means to reduce social and health inequality, learn methods for assessing social and health impacts, and intersectoral action.  Graduates will have a solid knowledge base and the necessary theoretical and methodological skills needed to become professionals in designing and building socially sustainable societies.