Eligibility
Selection methods
Eligibility requirements
You are an eligible applicant for Master-level studies if
you have a nationally recognized first cycle degree – typically a Bachelor’s degree – from an accredited institution of higher education and (if applicable in the country of the degree) from a nationally accredited degree programme
your degree corresponds to at least 180 ECTS (European credits) or to three years of full-time study
your degree gives eligibility to master level studies in the country where it was issued
your degree is in a relevant field for the Master's degree programme that you are applying to
Please see in more detail: https://www.utu.fi/apply
Verified proficiency in the English language is needed. See the webpage for recognized qualifications, required levels and exemptions: https://www.utu.fi/en/study-at-utu/language-requirements-for-masters-degree-programmes
In addition to general requirements, the following requirements must be fulfilled when applying for the Master’s Degree Programme in Inequalities, Interventions and New Welfare State:
All applicants must have at least a Bachelor’s degree in applicable fields of social and behavioral sciences. The content of previous studies should be related to the themes of INVEST research flagship. For example:
Socioeconomic and intergenerational inequalities
Demographic changes and family dynamics
Child and adolescent psychosocial wellbeing and mental health
Education, skills and learning
Public health and health equity
Quantitative methods (e.g., Stata skills)
Note: Persons who have the first-cycle applied sciences degree and have completed courses on scientific thinking, writing and quantitative research methods in areas relevant to the programme are also eligible to apply. Possible supplementary courses must have been completed in a higher education institution, and the content and methods must be verifiable from transcripts of records. If the content of courses or the method skills acquired is not evident from the transcript, provide a signed statement from the institution in question.
If the applicant has not graduated by the end of the application period, the possible admission will be conditional until s/he has presented the University with a finished degree certificate and transcript of records at the latest by 31 July (Finnish degrees) or 15 August 2027 (degrees completed outside Finland). (Information added 21 Oct 2026.) If the applicant does not provide the required documentation by the deadline they will lose the study place.
Admission
The quota of the programme is 15. The new students admitted to the programme begin their studies each autumn.
The eligible applications will be scored based on their previous studies, work experience, self-introduction video, and answers to programme specific questions, with a maximum of 40 points achievable. Application evaluation is explained in detail below.
The Master’s Degree Programme in Inequalities, Interventions and New Welfare State is a cross-disciplinary, international study programme. The programme is designed to give students rigorous training on social inequalities and welfare, effective social policy or intervention design, and using advanced statistical methods to measure data on these topics. The programme gives students a solid foundation to pursue further doctoral research in this field, while also providing advanced skills suitable for a career as a policy maker, analyst or researcher in public administration.