Studying at the Department of Cultural History
The Department of Cultural History trains experts who understand both history and culture. Our students acquire skills for critical and innovative historical research and writing. Our alumni work in the public and private sector as teachers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and experts in various cultural fields.
Studying cultural history offers its own special perspectives on life in the past and the ways people of the past thought and lived in the world. Our students specialise in the cultural-historical perspective on history, acquire methodological and theoretical skills, and focus on certain themes or historical periods. Teaching at the Department focuses on biographical practices and theory, the cultural history of emotions, knowledge and thoughts, digital history, gender history, the historical study of religious cultures, humanistic animal studies, media history, popular culture, and the history of material culture and technology.
The main ways of learning are lectures, seminars, independent learning, assignments, and group work. Learning environments, project skills, and the various ways of studying develop expertise and capability to work in different professions both independently and as a part of a team. During the studies, internationalisation in its many forms is also a matter of great importance.
Those who have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or doctoral degree in cultural history are employed as teachers, researchers and media professionals. Some of the alumni work in administration, organisations, and museums and as entrepreneurs at the culture sector, artists, and professional writers.
The Department of Cultural History shares a joint admission and entrance exam with the Department of Archaeology, the Department of Finnish History, and the Department of European and World History.
The Department of Cultural History may grant admission to Master’s degree studies, if an applicant has a prior academic Bachelor’s degree or another degree from an institution of higher education (University of Applied Sciences). It is to be noted that an eligible applicant needs to have finished other required studies as well. In addition, the admission could also be based on adequate studies completed at the Open University. In the case of intended postgraduate studies at the Department of Cultural History, the applicant needs to have a Master’s degree or a degree from the University of Applied Sciences, and other required studies need to be completed as well.