Master's Degree Programme in Future Work and Foresight Expertise (Engineering, manufacturing and construction)

Objectives

After completing the studies, you will be able to:

- utilize futures expertise in research, development and innovation activities of organizations and communities, and in promoting the ability to change.

- use the most current foresight methods in collecting and interpreting situational and futures information, as well as in utilizing the information in strategic decision-making, management and business development.

- communicate and influence with foresight knowledge.

- plan, lead and develop effective and participatory foresight activities in demanding development and management tasks in working life and in change situations.

During the training, you will compile a futures work reference CV from the outputs of different study courses.

Degree programme description

In the studies, you will gain the skills to implement, manage and develop foresight processes and to utilize foresight knowledge in the strategic development of an organization. The studies emphasize practical methods of foresight and the more strategic significance of foresight.

The studies consist of core competence studies that are mandatory for all, supplementary competence studies chosen by the student, and a thesis.

The amount of core and supplementary competence varies depending on the scope of the degree to be completed as follows:

90-credit degree

- Core competence 30 credits
- Supplementary competence 30 credits
- Thesis 30 credits

60-credit degree
- Core competence 25 credits
- Supplementary competence 5 credits
- Thesis 30 credits

Core competence studies (25-30 ECTS) consist of two study modules, which are knowledge and interpretation competence and operational competence. Each has three 5 ECTS study modules. In a 90 ECTS degree, all study modules are completed. In a 60 ECTS degree, the first five study modules are completed and the last study module can be selected for your own supplementary competence.

Knowledge and interpretation competence study module (15 ECTS)

- Identify future competence (5 ECTS)

- Implement foresight methods (5 ECTS)

- Shape the future (5 ECTS)

Operational competence study module (15 ECTS)

- Innovate, communicate and influence with foresight (5 ECTS)

- Lead and develop foresight processes (5 ECTS)

- Lead strategically with future knowledge (5 ECTS)

The thesis is 30 ECTS in scope and its aim is to develop your own work or professional field. The thesis is carried out as research or development work.

You can compile additional competence studies (5-30 ECTS) according to your personal study plan to support your professional development. You can choose studies from the Xamk Master School offering to deepen your foresight competence in themes such as research, development, management, information competence or digitality. You can also choose studies from the master's degree offerings of other universities.


Complementary competence  

You can choose complementary competence studies from a wide supply of Xamk Master School’s common studies according to your interests.  

These common studies cover courses both in Finnish and English and include the following:   

- Digitality and technology in society

- International operating environments and communication

- Management, leadership and entrepreneurship

- Research and development

- Language studies

 
You can also choose complementary competence studies from other universities, if they are at the level of master’s degree.   

In case you have previously completed studies at the level of EQF 7, and they match the objectives of the degree, they can be accredited as part of your studies.  More information is provided by the Degree Programme Coordinator.  

Implementation of studies

The education is carried out entirely online. The mandatory core competence studies are time-bound and require attendance in lecture and participatory teaching and supervision online. Time-bound teaching is carried out on weekdays between 8 am and 4 pm. Thesis supervision meetings can also be held in the evening. In addition, the studies include both independent and team work at a time agreed by the teams themselves online. The student is expected to commit to working in teams during the four study periods.

The education is designed to last 1.5-2 years, depending on the scope of your basic degree. Online studying is suitable, for example, as part of a job. During the studies, it is possible to utilize international study opportunities at Xamk's partner universities within the framework of a personal study plan. You can also utilize general international student mobility opportunities to advance your studies internationally (see www.oph.f i).

Career opportunities

Foresight skills are needed in all sectors and professions of society. The training is widely suitable for those working in various organizations, regardless of industry or area of expertise. The expertise can be utilized, for example, in the following sectors:

- Social decision-making

- Change processes in organizations and communities

- Strategy work and strategic development

- Regional development, for example, in preparing future visions of regions

- Education, for example, in assessing training and competence needs, curriculum work and pedagogical development

- Organizations, for example, in developing operations and strategy work

- Public administration, for example, in developing future services and infrastructure to meet the service needs of municipal residents

- Business, for example, in identifying future market trends, customer needs and competitive situations

- Urban planning, for example, in planning future services and functions

- Development and innovation work

- Promoting current social themes, such as sustainable development and safety.

RDI and cooperation with world of work

During the training, you will collaborate with Xamk's Creative Economy Research Unit and learn under the guidance of experts from Finland's largest university of applied sciences in terms of RDI activities. The Creative Economy Research Unit aims to promote future competitiveness and well-being through creativity and multidisciplinary work. The activities emphasize user-orientation and the production of innovations regardless of the field.

More information about the Creative Economy Research Unit https://www.xamk.fi/tutkimus-ja-kehitys/vahvuusalat/digitalailen-talous/luova-talous/

Learning environments

The learning environments of the education are the internet, Xamk's Creative Economy Research Unit and the student's own work organization.

The internet as a learning environment: Distance learning of the education takes place online in Teams at the times marked in the schedule.

Xamk's Creative Economy Research Unit: The study units at the beginning of the education are integrated into the activities of Xamk's RDI unit focusing on innovations and creative activities, where students and RDI experts create the future through co-development. You will learn with the best experts in the field and gain genuine and personal experience of implementing the foresight process.

At the beginning of the education, students are formed into learning teams, in which the foresight process is implemented over four study units, from collecting information to interpreting it and communicating with foresight information. The learning teams operate entirely online and the teachers of the education and the staff of the Creative Economy Research Unit guide the work. The learning teams decide their own working times.

The student's own work organization: During the second semester, the focus of the education shifts to the development of the student's own work organization. You apply your learning tasks to your own work organization and develop it. However, a job is not a prerequisite for completing the courses, but if you wish, you can also allocate the tasks to the RDI activities of the university of applied sciences or do the tasks in pairs with another student.