Studying Welfare Law

STUDIES IN WELFARE LAW 

University of Eastern Finland is the only university in Finland where you can major in Welfare Law. You can choose Welfare Law as your major in Bachelor (HTK) and Master (HTM) of Administrative Sciences in your Public Law degree (julkisoikeus) studies. Studies in Welfare Law consist of Basic Studies (25 cp) and Subject Studies (35 cp). 

Thanks to the University of Eastern Finland’s principle of free choice of minor, you can also choose Welfare Law as your minor subject in variety of different Bachelor and Master’s degrees. 

What is it like to study Welfare Law? 

Welfare Law gives answers to current multidisciplinary legal issues in questions of society, legislation, and the well-being of individuals. As a study subject, Welfare Law combines different legal issues of the well-being of individuals in different stages of life. It closely relates to multiple different fields of law, and in legal issues of welfare law, public and private law often intersect. 

Welfare Law emphasizes multidisciplinary and multi-method research. We also highly encourage multidisciplinary networking. In addition to the well-established principles of legal literature and of case-law, research in welfare law also uses different methods – like empirical research.  Studies delve deep into the different regulatory mechanisms that are used to increase the well-being of individuals and guarantee their rights in society, and the principles behind them. By completing their studies, students form the capability to understand the mechanisms of guaranteeing societal, financial and cultural rights, as well as the capability to assess the potential developmental needs of our welfare system. 

Students majoring in Welfare Law can do their Master’s thesis in number of different Thesis groups according to their choice of subject (social and elderly law, child and education law, labor law).  

What capabilities do studies in Welfare Law give you? 

Choosing Welfare Law as your major does not rule out the more traditional job prospects, but instead opens new doors in addition to them by offering you broad understanding of societal issues related to welfare. Welfare law focuses on the legal issues of well-being of individuals and groups and examines the welfare state’s mechanisms of strengthening the rights of those in vulnerable positions. Because of this, it offers great capabilities for different expert positions. Legal experts well-versed in welfare law excel as researchers, designers, directors, trainers, and in other expert positions in e.g., State, municipalities, companies, schools, and organizations.  

The multidisciplinary and multi-method research in Welfare Law increases the students’ capability to work in challenging positions where networking and management of different entities is needed. The close relation of studies in Welfare Law and the research being done in the Center of Law and Welfare offers students the possibility to understand the importance of scientific assessment in knowledge-based decision making in work life already during their studies. 

Doctorate in Welfare Law? 

Research in Welfare Law is diverse and multidisciplinary and can be done using different methodologies. It is possible to do your post-graduate studies as a part of the Center of Law and Welfare after completing your graduate degree. Doctoral students in Welfare Law are offered active support by integrating them into the Center and, among other things, in the form of a post-graduate seminar group that meets regularly. 

Welfare Law is available as a major in the Doctoral Programme in Law.  

More info on studies in Welfare Law: University teacher Heidi Vanjusov, heidi.vanjusov@uef.fi