The Faculty of Social Sciences' new Master's Programme in Societal Security is aimed at students from diverse academic backgrounds in the social sciences and history.
Applications to the programme will open in January 2027 in the joint application. English will be the primary language of instruction.
University-level education focusing on societal security has not previously been widely available at the University of Helsinki or at other Finnish universities. However, the new programme is not being built from scratch. Alongside new themes and new teachers, it will draw extensively on the University of Helsinki's long-standing research and teaching in the social sciences. The programme will be unique in Finland and will also have a distinctive profile compared with its international counterparts.
What will the Societal Security studies include?
Would you like to explore the nature and impacts of conflicts and the conditions required for their resolution? Or learn to interpret the increasingly complex effects of geopolitical risks and shocks to the global economy? The foundations of societal security can also be explored by examining how trust is built in institutions and the media, as well as between individuals. A question connecting the programme's different themes is what factors make a society resilient, adaptable and capable of recovering from crises. It is also important to ask what kinds of crises societies prepare for and what they consider to be threats.
The multidisciplinary field of security studies encourage learning from multiple perspectives. Within the study track selected at the time of application, students will also specialise in topics corresponding to their previous studies and interests. The three thematic study tracks are 'Economic Structures, Technological Change, and Crises', 'Democracy, Inequality, and Societal Resilience' and 'Global Conflicts, Development, and Peace Processes'.
is one of three new university lecturers in Societal Security. His areas of expertise include the security dimensions of digitalisation, such as surveillance technologies. The new courses currently being planned will bring together the historical trajectories of crises and transformations, contemporary issues and future scenarios.
"For example, border security, immigration policy and threat scenarios related to artificial intelligence are currently major topics of discussion."
Why are education and expertise in societal security needed now?
"A couple of years ago, we began discussing at the University the need for a new Master's programme that would examine security from a broad perspective," says , Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Professor of Economic History. He leads the programme's planning group.
"Initially, we considered whether the programme could be developed around Finland's comprehensive security model. However, comprehensive security is primarily a concept designed for administrative purposes. Societal security, by contrast, is a multidisciplinary field of research through which it is possible to assess, for example, the governance of security and the political debate surrounding it, including beyond Finland."
Societal security can be understood as a broad and integrative way of approaching security issues. It can be contrasted, for example, with approaches focusing on 'hard security', such as defence policy.
It is equally important to identify which topics should be examined through the lens of security and which do not necessarily need to be. Samuel Singler emphasises the need to question whether all societal phenomena are in fact security issues and whether everything needs to be framed in terms of security.
Approaches to societal security provide students with tools for open-minded thinking.
"Security issues are also examined from critical perspectives and through constructive questioning. I consider it important that our students adopt a research-oriented mindset that takes multiple perspectives into account and develop their ability to recognise the values and political factors that guide security-related decision-making," Samuel Singler says.
Societal Security Hub brings together students, researchers and professionals
The University of Helsinki launched its Societal Security Hub earlier this year. The Master's programme will also be linked to the Hub. Research on themes such as resilience and broad approaches to security is conducted throughout the University. Societal security is therefore by no means an area of expertise confined to the Faculty of Social Sciences.
The events organised by the Hub in cooperation with stakeholders, as well as its network of researchers, will also benefit students in the programme. Students will, for example, have valuable opportunities to connect with professionals in the field, including potential providers of traineeships and employment, and to receive specialised expert guidance for their Master's theses.
What kinds of societal security professionals will graduate from the programme?
Experts in societal security are in demand in the public sector, NGOs and the business world. Based on his recent discussions, Jari Eloranta emphasises that companies value experts who understand security-related phenomena as well as societal and global risks.
"In times of polycrisis, there is demand for analytically minded people who are able, when necessary, to challenge prevailing interpretations of developments within organisations. We also need a more diverse and pluralistic public debate on security. This programme will provide a strong foundation for both," says Jari Eloranta.
Supporting the development of students' professional skills and providing them with insights into career opportunities have been central to the planning of the studies. What skills will future societal security professionals particularly need, Samuel Singler?
"They must be able to understand the bigger picture, identify connections between different sectors and recognise the importance of responsibility in security-related decisions. As a theme running through all our teaching, responsibility means striving to uphold the fundamental values of our societies, such as democracy and human rights."
Interested in the Master's Programme in Societal Security?
