Eligibility
Selection methods
Eligibility requirements
Eligibility criteria for Tampere University’s master's programmes taught in English consist of two parts: general eligibility criteria, and programme-specific eligibility criteria, which specify and/or add to the general criteria. Applicants who do not meet both the general eligibility and the programme-specific eligibility criteria will not be admitted to Tampere University.
Detailed instructions on how to apply to the Tampere University master’s programmes conducted in English are provided on Applying to Tampere University master’s programmes webpage and its subpages.
If you have been granted refugee status or similar, see the Applicants with refugee status webpage.
General eligibility
To be eligible to apply for a master’s programme at Tampere University, you must have
1. Bachelor’s degree - nationally recognised first cycle degree
an applicable bachelor’s degree at a university or a university of applied sciences in Finland
a bachelor's degree completed in a university outside Finland which provides eligibility for equivalent university master’s degree studies in the country in which it was awarded: with a minimum scope of 180 ECTS credits, three to four years of full-time study; from a relevant field for the master’s degree programme that you’re applying to; from a recognised institution of higher education.
2. A good command of the English language for academic purposes.
If you are in the final year of your bachelor’s degree due to graduate in the spring/summer of 2027, and fulfil all other requirements, you are eligible to apply. The degree must be completed by the start of studies 23 August 2027. Please see special instructions for applicants in the final year of the bachelor’s degree.
Detailed information can be found on the Eligibility criteria webpage.
Language requirements
When applying to a master’s programme at Tampere University, you must submit proof of English language proficiency for academic purposes. You have two options for demonstrating this: language tests or previous studies. Please see detailed instructions on the Language requirements webpage.
Transforming Societies offers an interdisciplinary approach to understanding contemporary societal challenges in a rapidly changing world. The programme focuses on the relationships between citizens, institutions, and environmental and public policies and equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to analyse and guide societal transformations toward socially just and environmentally sustainable futures.
The programme builds on Tampere University’s long tradition of critical and impactful social research and combines conceptual understanding with practical engagement. You will gain expertise in contemporary social theory, policy analysis, and advanced qualitative and quantitative research methods. The curriculum also includes challenge-based collaboration and urban labs carried out in cooperation with public, private, and third-sector organisations, providing valuable opportunities to connect academic knowledge with real-world societal issues.
Finland and Tampere provide an inspiring context for studying societal issues, offering a distinctive perspective through the Nordic welfare model while encouraging critical reflection on the sustainability challenges facing contemporary societies. Students also benefit from opportunities for international exchange, internships, and a broad selection of elective studies across the university.
Master’s Programme in Social Science Research focuses on the contemporary issues and problems of governance, conflicts and policy in the globalizing world. The programme consists of the following academically independent specialisatio