European Masters degree in Diaconia and Christian Social Practice (MD)

European Masters degree in Diaconia and Christian Social Practice (MD) Diaconia University of Applied Sciences 18.9.2007

2 I Introduction to the master s degree programme General background of the degree programme in Finland Finland has a rather long tradition as Nordic welfare state. However, during the last decade there has been clear trend to more neo-liberal values and demand of greater efficiency in the areas of social care. Role of the church is still strong in Finland while 83 % of the population is baptized and paying members of Lutheran church. Although the role of NGOs has been growing during the last decade(s) the major stream of diaconia and social care belongs to official sector (including the church which naturally stands in the borderline). During the last decade there has been a rapid growth of the private social welfare and care provision. The roles and balance of official and private sectors are in a changing process. Professional diaconia has its roots in the late years of 1800s. Background of Finnish model of diaconia can be traced to Germany but the application is unique. Beside the local parish diaconia there are also some diaconia foundations (earlier also homes of deaconesses) which are still active to produce small amount of welfare and health services as well innovative projects among marginalised groups. Since 1944 the major arena of diaconia has been in the local Lutheran parishes. According to the church regulations every local parish have to have a trained professional diaconia worker and also one of the clergy in every parish has a role as a diaconia pastor. Larger parishes have several diaconia workers. Since 1953 there has been also professional diaconia training which has its background in social work. This kind of diaconia orientation has become more popular during the last decades. Connected to diaconia also youth work is worth mentioning: as early as in the year 1949 a new professional stream entered to Finnish church life when the training of youth workers started. Their focus has been in youth work (clubs, camps and catechetical teaching) but the professional education has taken place in a close connection with the deacons. Social work and social pedagogy has been introduced to the degree competences of the youth work leaders since 1996. Since then both deacons and youth workers have had the degree Bachelor in Social Services and Health Care as their basic qualification. The professional title is socionom (social services worker). The other professional degree related to diaconia is registered nurse (including studies to be qualified to work in the Lutheran church in the office of diaconia; deaconess).

3 To achieve the bachelor degree as socionom including the required studies to be qualified to work in Lutheran church the length of the study is 210 credits (3 ½ years). For registered nurses (including studies to be qualified to work in the Lutheran church in the office of diaconia; deaconesses) length of the study is 240 credits (4 years). It is important to notice that compared to European standard of first and second cycle of studies (Bachelor 180credits/ 3 years; Master 120/ 2 years) the Finnish division of studies is different. Having the bachelor of 210 credits or even 240 credits the students will study only 90 credits to achieve European standard of Masters degree in 300 credits/ 5 years. This division of first and second cycle studies is based on the Finnish legislation. Although the Finnish MD master is shorter than other European MD this curriculum fulfils the two most important criteria: firstly the combined length of first and second cycles is equal to other European programmes. Secondly, the regulations require a period of work (minimum of three years) between the bachelor and master level studies (in the Universities of Applied Sciences). Thus Finnish MD students will have the 90 credit masters degree which contains the five European core modules (MD 01- MD 05, each 10 c.) and one additional module (10 c.) with the thesis (30 c.). For the visiting students Diak offers three modules in English to be studied in one semester, in autumn (MD 06, MD 07 and MD 08). These modules offer analytical and experimental view of the best and unique working practices in Finnish Lutheran parish life in diaconia and Christian youth work. Local parish diaconia has more than one hundred year old roots which currently offer a stimulating chance to analyse how to connect diaconia into the local church-life. Following the church order every local Lutheran Finnish parish have a graduated, ordained and full-time diaconia worker. Every parish has also a pastor focusing to diaconia issues. In a similar way a distinctively unique solution is the Finnish Lutheran model of confirmation education and the follow-up in the voluntary youth education of church. Confirmation training (CT) is very popular in Finland. Almost 90 % of all 15-year old youngsters take part in it every year. The success of CT is based on the pedagogy and curriculum which is constructivist, dialogical and based on close interaction between the confirmands and parish staff members. An other important factor is the environment: the intensive part of CT is held in workshop form in residential centres. Perhaps of even greater importance are the Young Confirmed Volunteers (YCV) who are adolescents, a few years older than the confirmands, and have been active in their parishes post confirmation. CT wouldn t be possible to properly organize without them, or at least CT-tradition certainly would not be as popular as it is now without their participation. Both the CT and YCV are now a part of youth culture in Finland. In the module CT and YCV will be studied as tools of diaconia education and as preventative

4 diaconial action. The module focuses on analysing what is behind this story and on learning, how all this is organised in local parishes and in the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church in general. Modules MD 07 and MD 08 offer a unique way to analyse and compare Finnish model to other European counterparts. Expected working career of graduated student Diaconia University of Applied Sciences (Diak) plans to start a new group of MD in every second year. The number of student intake is about 20: it is less than 5 % of those who have finished bachelor degree (in Diak or in other Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences) including qualification to work in church as youth worker or diaconia worker. Expected working career of MD graduates focuses to leading positions in local parishes, dioceses, church administration, diaconia organisations, other official or NGO welfare producers.

5 II General goals of the programme As an outcome of MD-Diak degree a student 1) Will have a research a research orientation to the development of diaconia and/or Christian youth work and 2) will be able to analyse ethical and professional questions in social sector in relation to Christian faith and values 3) will be able to observe and analyse everyday life and its changes in local level 4) will be able to develop working practices of diaconia and youth work in correlation of the changes in context 5) will be able to successfully work in administrative and leading positions in diaconia and in youth work 6) will be able to strengthen international co-operation in his/her own field

6 Description of modules Course Title: Values in Social Work and Health Care Code: MD 01a Subtitle: Theology of Diaconia Level: advanced Language: Finnish Type: Master Obligatory: Year of study: 1 x Choice of alternative: Additional: Semester: 1 10 50 210 260 The student - is able to be involved and develop the theological dialogue and argumentation in her/his own working field - is able to reflect independently on the main stages of the historical development of Christianity (relevant to the theology of diaconia) and interpret related documents in their historical contexts - is able to understand classical Christian interpretations and build his/her own theology of diaconia Teaching - study of central areas in Judeo-Christian tradition related to theology of diaconia and Christian education - interpretation of classical Judeo-Christian texts related to diaconia and Christian education - analysis of Christian tradition and history from the perspective of diaconia Central texts from - the Bible (Deuteronomy; synoptic parables; letter to Romans/Galatians), - from Early church (100-150 pages) and - reformation (about 300 pages). All historical texts will be analysed with scientific tools and research literature. lecture, group work, reading, e-learning exam, essay, seminar

7 Course Title: Challenges to Human Dignity: Welfare and Civil Society Code: MD 02 Level: advanced Language: Finnish Type: Master Obligatory: Year of study: 1 x Choice of alternative: Additional: Semester: 2 10 50 210 260 The module concentrates on the analysis of the social exclusion processes and the changes in the Finnish welfare state. The main issue is the change of roles between public service, third sector and private welfare structure. The student - knows the dimensions and sociological interpretations of the processes of social exclusion and its the impact on welfare and health - understands the local and global changes in the activities of society, church and organizations and their influences in diaconia and youth work - knows the international trends related to producing welfare services and their reflection in Finnish context Teching - theoretical approaches of the marginalisation research in analysing the questions of diaconia and youth work - empowering working models - local and global changes in the ideology and in the structures to produce welfare services and their influences to church - participation of public, third sector and commercial actors as well as families in producing the welfare and health care services About 500 pages according the agreement lecture, group work, e-learning, reading exam, essay

8 Course Title: Management and Organisation in a diaconal and ethical perspective Code: MD 03 Level: advanced Language: Finnish Type: Master Obligatory: Choice of alternative: Additional: x Year of study: 2 Semester: 3 10 50 210 260 The student - knows the theoretical basis of management and leadership related to diaconia - is able to use ethical views in strategies and methods of organisation development work - is able to evaluate the preconditions for the development of his/her work sector and the values which should guide it Teaching - theoretical and personal basis of management - ethics of management and organisation development work - special features of the management and development in diaconia and youth work About 500 pages according the agreement lecture, group work, e-learning, reading Essay

9 Course Title: Theory of Science, Research Methods and Thesis Design Code: MD 04 Level: advanced Language: Finnish Type: Master Obligatory: Choice of alternative: Additional: x Year of study: 1-2 Semester: 1-3 10 50 210 260 The module focuses on the theory of science and on the methods and practices of research and development work. The student - understands the process of creating scientific knowledge - is able to apply research methodological competence in developing diaconia or Christian education - is able to plan, fulfil and evaluate large research and development projects in working life Teaching - theory of science and the me thods: the key factors and possibilities in the production of knowledge - research methodology and methodological approaches in social sector - intensive studies in one research method (evaluation research, action research, ethnography etc) About 500 pages according the agreement lecture, group work, e-learning, reading exam, essay, seminar

10 Course Title: Professional Ethics Code: MD 05 Level: advanced Language: Finnish Type: Master Obligatory: x Choice of alternative: Additional: Year of study: 1 Semester: 1-2 10 50 210 260 The key issues are the analysis of professionalism and application to the working life. Also socio-ethical view is included. The student - is able to analyse his/her own professional competence - knows deeply the ethical questions, especially concerning his/her own profession and is able to analyse them - is able to conceptualize Lutheran teachings of the society and relate these to ecumenical and multicultural and interfaith contexts Teaching - philosophical and historical basis of ethics - contemporary theoretical discussion about ethics related to professions - the possibilities and problems of the virtue-ethics - the Lutheran tea ching about society - the contemporary ethical questions from professional aspect About 500 pages according the agreement lecture, group work, e-learning, reading exam, essay

11 Course Title: Contemporary interpretation of Christian faith Code: MD 06 Level: advanced Language: English Type: Master Obligatory: Choice of alternative: Additional: x Year of study: Semester: 10 50 210 260 The student - has the knowledge of epistemological premises of contextual theologies - is able to evaluate and analyse methods of contextual theologies - knows how to adapt Christian faith in his/her own social location - analysis of contemporary contextual theologies and also their methods like liberation theology, dalit-theology, feminist theology, British urban theology (or any other social and cultural contextual theologies related to diaconia and Christian education) - analysis of Christian faith in a dialogue with current context - current methods to interpret Christianity in context Introduction to contextual theologies McGrath (ed.), Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Modern Christian Thought (B. H. Blackwell, 1993). (key sections: about 100 pages Two books of the following ones Parsons, Susan (ed.) 2002. The Cambridge Companion to Feminist Theology. 260 s. Rowland, Christopher (ed.) 1999 (or second edition 2007). The Cambridge Companion to Liberation

12 Theology. Thistlethwaite, Susan Brooks & Engel, Mary Potter 1998. Lift every voice: Constructing Christian theologies from the Underside. New York: Orbis. 339 s. Gerkin, Charles V. 1991. Prophetic Pastoral Practice. A Christian Vision of Life Together. Nashville, 175 s. Pattison, George 1997. Pastoral Care and Liberation Theology. London. One of the following: Schreiter, Robert 1985/1999. Constructing Local Theologies. New York: Orbis. 178 s Schreiter, Robert 1997. The New Catholicity: Theology between Global and the Local. New York: Orbis. 140 s. Bevans, Stephen 1992/2002. Models of Contextual Theology. New York: Orbis. 146 s Teaching lecture, group work, reading, e-learning exam, essay

13 Course Title: Finnish model of church youth work Code: MD 07 Level: advanced Language: English Type: Master Obligatory: Choice of alternative: Additional: x Year of study: Semester: 10 40 220 260 Student: - is able to analyse the aims, contents and practices of Confirmation Training and Young Confirmed Volunteers training - knows the pedagogical and theological background of Finnish CT and -YCV tradition - is able to analyse CT and YCV as diaconia education and as preventative diaconia Analysis of - development and practice of confirmation training and Young Confirmed Volunteers, studied especially in relation to diaconia - learning to understand the meaning of voluntarism for young persons using the motivation theory as a tool - learning to make a plan for education for young people which uses trained volunteers (peer learning) in their own church Teija Mikkola, Kati Niemelä & Juha Petterson, (2007) the Questioning Mind Faith and Values of the New Generation. Church Research Institute, Tampere. Jouko Porkka (2006) the history of young confirmed voluntary workers in Finland. In Kirsi Tirri (ed.) Nordic Perspectives on Religion, spirituality and Identity. Yearbook 2006 of the Department of Practical Theology Tapani Innanen (2006) Lea rning religion in a rural

14 community a local perspective. In Kirsi Tirri (ed.) Nordic Perspectives on Religion, spirituality and Identity. Yearbook 2006 of the Department of Practical Theology Yeung, Anne Birgitta (2004): Individually together: volunteering in late modernit: social work in the Finnish church. Helsinki : Finnish Federation for Social Welfare and Health, 2004 Kati Niemelä (2006) the Quality and Effectiveness of Confirmation Classes in Finland. Journal of Beliefs & Values. Vol. 27, No. 2, August 2006. 177 190. Life faith prayer: Confirmation training plan 2001. (2002). the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. Publications of the Church Council, Education and Youth Work. Teaching - tutorial sessions - independent readi ng and writing essays - observation and practical placements - creating a pedagogical plan essay, seminar

15 Course Title: Finnish model of local diaconia Code: MD 08 Level: advanced Language: English Type: Master Obligatory: Choice of alternative: Additional: x Year of study: 2 Semester: 3-4 10 40 210 260 The student - knows the historical and theological background of Finnish diaconia model - knows the legislation, structure and practise of Finnish local diaconia in its social context - is able to evaluate the Finnish model of diaconia in international comparison Teaching - history and development of Finnish (parish) diaconia - theological background, legislation, organisational structures - analysis of Finnish diaconia models in international comparison About 500 pages according the agreement - lectures - independent readi ng and writing an essay - tutorial sessions - observation and short practical placements essay, exam