Admission to the Institute of Social Studies

The University of Tartu Journalism and Communication curriculum is top rated and considered among the 150 best specialties in the world. In the coursework, we value the students’ creative thinking, social skills and scientific clarity, which we will ensure with innovative study methods. Our alumni are mostly employed as journalists, editors, show hosts, spokespersons and communications managers

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Additional information: Nele Nemvalts, [email protected], 737 5355

The Information Society and Social Well-being curriculum will provide you with thorough theoretical knowledge of the functioning of society, and practical skills for impacting society. You will learn from Estonia’s most renowned experts in the field. As an alumnus, your career options are diverse and you will be able to contribute to society in the fields of sociology, social work or social politics, among others

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Additional information: Virge Näkk, [email protected], 737 5935

Estonia as a world-renowned e-state is in great need of specialists in information management who know how to manage information in a rapidly changing digital environment. Information Management is a practical curriculum which includes practice-oriented subjects as well as a large volume of practical work. The block mode form of study will enable you to complete your studies alongside work and family

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Additional information: Virge Näkk, [email protected], 737 5935

Community Development and Social Well-being is a new, unique curriculum in Estonia, which is based on competences and has been compiled considering the needs of the adult learner. You will acquire knowledge of (social) psychology, social work and politics, but also human geography and social entrepreneurship. To sum up, after completing this block mode study program, you will know how to drive change in supporting the social well-being and reducing the inequality among Estonian people and how to become active in the respective field

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Additional information: Kristi Juurik, [email protected], 737 5355

While completing this curriculum, you will develop your sociological imagination and flexible thinking skills and be supported in developing your unique profile as a media professional. The education provided will give you the capability and skills to navigate the changing working conditions of the communication field and be successful at what you do. With the Journalism and Communication Master’s curriculum, you can expect meaningful academic weekends in Tartu with inspiring colleagues, as fellow students from different walks of life will help you experience how the theory you are taught is applied in practice

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Additional information: Nele Nemvalts, [email protected], 737 5355

The Managerial and Digital Communication curriculum is open to anyone looking for support from the professional community in untangling the laws of communication in digital environments and experience-based feedback. This block mode study program will also enable the working specialist to obtain new knowledge and skills, but to do so in a systematic and goal-oriented manner. Your study colleagues will be mid-level managers who hold bachelor’s degrees (at least three years of work experience) and top specialists who have experience in management roles

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Additional information: Nele Nemvalts, [email protected], 737 5355

The aim of the program is to develop core competences for working as a top specialist in the analytics field, and to achieve this, we have compiled subjects from sociology and information and knowledge management. You will acquire strong analytical skills and learn to interpret analysis results and present them to various target groups. Your skills will enable you to give data-based input for making decisions on an organisational as well as a societal level

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Additional information: Kristi Juurik, [email protected], 737 5355

This unique interdisciplinary curriculum combines defining change in society with knowledge of psychology, economics, politics, law, management and communication, as that is the way to learn to analyse changes in a comprehensive manner. Your study colleagues will be leaders and specialists in various fields, with whom you also have the opportunity to collaborate after finishing your studies. The flexible block mode form of study which includes experience-based learning and practical work will enable you to combine studies with work and obtain a master’s degree without interruptions to your career.

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Additional information: Kristi Juurik, [email protected], 737 5355

The one-year programme leverages cutting-edge research in communication, law, psychology, sociology, data science, and regional studies to enhance societal resilience across Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia. Students will delve into the impacts of disinformation, explore different dimensions of societal resilience, and identify sources of vulnerability. Students contribute to a holistic understanding of the problem and its regional solutions through country-based practical projects. Moreover, this journey will connect students with an international professional network actively engaged in combating disinformation daily.

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Additional information: Kathriin Liiber, [email protected], 737 5190

The aim of doctoral studies is to bring the doctoral student’s knowledge and skills to the level of an internationally recognised top professional. The main career opportunities for graduates are working as a professor or researcher at the University of Tartu and other research institutions, or as a leading specialist outside the academic sphere. The education of a specialist with a doctoral degree is mainly comprised of top knowledge and skills for research in their field, a broad scientific worldview, and development, management and teaching competences

Read about admission to doctoral studies and conditions

Additional information:

Maiu Reinhold, Doctoral Students' Study Adviser, [email protected], 737 5697

Andra Siibak, Program Director of the Doctoral Curriculum in Media and Communication, [email protected]

Veronika Kalmus, Program Director of the Doctoral Curriculum in Sociology, [email protected], 737 6591

You can apply to two specialities in the Institute of Social Studies (one ranking list will be formed). There are 5 study places available.

You can choose the thesis topic from the list or apply with your own topic. If you choose to apply with your own topic, the topic should be related to the main research fields of the institute. Several topics in the list are interdisciplinary. When applying, you need to decide which speciality you will choose (Media and Communication or Sociology). The decision should be based on your previous experience in the field and your research interests. You can also ask advice from your prospective supervisor.

All applicants (including those who choose the topic from the list) should contact a prospective supervisor before submitting the application. Please note that the prospective supervisor is not in a position to provide extensive comments or help develop project descriptions at the application stage.

Topics

"Risk and disaster communication. National security & communication (incl. strategic narratives, disinformation). Government communication" (media and communication)

Applicants are invited to propose novel research problems falling within these areas and discuss these with the potential supervisor.

Supervisor: Associate Professor Sten Hansson, [email protected]

Meta-analysis of studies on a certain subject (sociology)

The subject will be selected jointly by the supervisor and the candidate.

Supervisor: Dr Tarmo Strenze, [email protected]

“Towards solving Subjective–Objective Well Being Paradox” (sociology)

Why do individuals with objectively good life circumstances sometimes report low well-being—and vice versa? This Subjective–Objective Well-Being Paradox is acknowledged but not solved. Quantitative and qualitative well-being data analyses can bring us significantly closer to the solution of this paradox.

Supervisors: Associate Professor Mare Ainsaar, [email protected] Dr Oliver Nahkur, [email protected]

"Functioning of children’s close relationships in extraordinary times from the perspective of children" (sociology)

Children live their “ordinary lives in extraordinary times” (Millei, Silova & Gannon 2022) characterized by recent abrupt social change (e.g., the Covid-19 pandemic and Russian war in Ukraine), having impacts also in their close environments (e.g., family). Growth in children’s mental health problems and a decrease in subjective wellbeing have been noted. As the main sources of a child's well-being lie in their close relationships (e.g., Nahkur & Kutsar 2019; Lee & Yoo, 2015), it is important to examine the functioning of these relationships in these extraordinary times, especially from the perspective of children and using child subjective family network approach (Widmer 1999).

Potential supervisors: Dr Oliver Nahkur, [email protected] Associate Professor Dagmar Kutsar, [email protected]

Development of social innovation in mental health, focused on social and personal recovery, and development and implementation of experiential knowledge based on lived/living experience of mental health, both in the mental health sector and in communities (sociology)

Supervisor: dr Dagmar Narusson, [email protected]

Analysing prefigurative practices and transformative social innovation processes and interactions in communities and social movements, enabling new action, knowledge, relationships and organisation (sociology)

Supervisor: dr Dagmar Narusson, [email protected]

PhD topics of the Deep Transitions research team (sociology)

"Transformative niche clusters for reshaping industrial modernity"

The purpose of the PhD project is to 1) identify a set of niche solutions from existing literature that challenge currently dominant assumptions about nature-society relationship or technoscience (e.g. provision of legal rights to the environment, responsible research and innovation); 2) connect these niches in a manner that offers a novel solution to specific sustainability-related challenges. That is, the work would seek to create a set of “transformative niche clusters” that could be possibly implemented over the next 5-10 years while acting as potential building blocks for a deeper sustainability turn. The PhD project is complementary to an ongoing large team grant “The Crisis and Transformation of Industrial Modernity, 1900-2055”, particularly its research activities related to the creation of future scenarios for Estonia (read more here). The project assumes in-depth work with literature on sustainability interventions, constant interactions with experts from different domains as well as the combination of methods from transition design and futures studies.

Supervisors: Professor Laur Kanger, [email protected] + an additional member of the Deep Transitions research team.

There are also several research topics adjacent to the main foci of the abovementioned projects. Contact Professor Laur Kanger if you are interested in one of the following topics:
• Socio-technical/sustainability transitions in energy, mobility, food, communication, healthcare, housing, defence and other systems
• 40-60 year long waves/great surges of development encompassing multiple systems, e.g. electrification, mass production/consumption, digitalization, circular economy
• Theorizing: what is the meaning of theory, what kind of techniques are used by researchers to theorize, and how to develop theorizing skills?

PhD topics by Risk and Resilience research group (sociology, media and communication)

"Anticipatory innovation in disaster risk reduction"

This research project explores foresight techniques and data science methodologies to anticipate and prepare for emerging risks stemming from the complex nature of modern disasters. The project focuses on the experiences of using foresight techniques in predicting societal vulnerabilities to guide adaptive, preventive, or preparedness actions across Europe. It applies foresight techniques to predict emerging hazard scenarios and factors of vulnerability. The project explores the possibilities of predicting disaster vulnerabilities based on emerging hazard scenarios and applying merged state databases to model vulnerabilities.

Potential supervisors: Professor Kati Orru, [email protected] Associate Professor Mihkel Solvak, [email protected] Associate Professor Sten Hansson, [email protected]

"Communication-related factors of vulnerability and their mitigation in crisis management"

Recent major crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 floods that ravaged Europe, and the refugee crisis spurred by the Russian war aggression in Ukraine, have triggered the need to carefully consider the communication-related mechanisms of vulnerability in crises (Hansson et al., 2020). This research project focuses on the individual, social-structural, and situational factors that have impeded access, understanding or response to information in various emerging crises. Furthermore, the project explores how the crisis management authorities have reconsidered or revised their strategies and practices in order to improve accessibility to risk and crisis information, understandability of the provided information (including helping to recognise false information), or strategies to overcome the barriers to acting adequately upon information about hazards, e.g. by building trust in official information sources.

Potential supervisors: Associate Professor Sten Hansson, [email protected] Professor Kati Orru [email protected]

"Inclusion gap in disaster risk reduction and strategies for filling the gap"

For effective disaster risk reduction, collaborative partnerships between the communities and authorities need to be established already when identifying the sources of vulnerability and defining its mitigation strategies (United Nations, 2015). Overview of the practices of engaging members of community in crisis response in Europe highlights how the rules and resources, including capacities to connect with these enthusiastic helpers, as well as training facilitate their meaningful mobilising (Nahkur et al., 2022). However, recent crises demonstrate the societal polarisation in terms of willingness to contribute to crisis resolution and resignation from joint efforts to better anticipate, mitigate risks or respond to crises. This project will explore the lessons learned from past crises in terms of including individuals in crisis response. Furthermore, it maps the techniques (and guidelines) used by formal actors and community leaders in engaging and empowering citizens and their communities to collaborate and to act by themselves in preparation for or during disasters.

Potential supervisors: Professor Kati Orru, [email protected] Dr Oliver Nahkur [email protected]

"Approaches to handling social vulnerabilities to crises: the role of social care"

In the escalated crisis the number of people affected can be significant and their well-being, health status, and daily coping are greatly disturbed. In such situations, it is expected that social protection authorities ensure the availability of regular services, but also provide support to those people that have fallen into the vulnerable situation during crises (Orru et al., 2022). In practice, care workers are acting as consultants to rescue and recovery agencies, yet their skills and expertise in their client’s needs and life circumstances could make them effective partners in risk mitigation, preparedness, response as well as recovery phases of disaster management (Hay & Pascoe, 2021). The role of social protection in mitigating risks, in building preparedness or in response and recovery is often unclear. This project focuses on the legal basis as well as the practical organisation of social protection in terms of identifying potentially vulnerable individuals, and building their preparedness as well as response capacities.

Potential supervisors: Professor Kati Orru, [email protected] dr Marco Krüger [email protected] (University of Tübingen)

References

Hansson, S., Orru, K., Siibak, A., Bäck, A., Krüger, M., Gabel, F., & Morsut, C. (2020). Communication-related vulnerability to disasters: A heuristic framework. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 51, 101931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101931

Hay, K., & Pascoe, K. M. (2021). Social Workers and Disaster Management: An Aotearoa New Zealand Perspective. The British Journal of Social Work, 51(5), 1531–1550. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcab127

Nahkur, O., Orru, K., Hansson, S., Jukarainen, P., Myllylä, M., Krüger, M., Max, M., Savadori, L., Nævestad, T.-O., Frislid Meyer, S., Schieffelers, A., Olson, A., Lovasz, G., & Rhinard, M. (2022). The engagement of informal volunteers in disaster management in Europe. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 83, 103413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103413

Orru, K., Hansson, S., Gabel, F., Tammpuu, P., Krüger, M., Savadori, L., Meyer, S. F., Torpan, S., Jukarainen, P., Schieffelers, A., Lovasz, G., & Rhinard, M. (2022). Approaches to ‘vulnerability’ in eight European disaster management systems. Disasters, 46(3), 742–767. https://doi.org/10.1111/disa.12481

United Nations. (2015). Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015—2030. United Nations.