Admission to the Institute of Social Studies

The University of Tartu Institute of Social Studies offers two bachelor’s and six master’s level programmes, as well as one professional higher education programme.
One master’s level programme, Disinformation and Societal Resilience, is English-taught whereas other bachelor’s and master’s level programmes are in Estonian.
It is possible to undertake doctoral studies in the fields of media and communication and sociology in English.

Bachelor’s 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

Additional information: Nele Nemvalts, nele.nemvalts@ut.ee, 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

Additional information: Virge Näkk, virge.nakk@ut.ee, 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

Additional information: Virge Näkk, virge.nakk@ut.ee, 737 5935

Master’s studies

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

Additional information: Kristi Juurik, kristi.juurik@ut.ee, 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

Additional information: Nele Nemvalts, nele.nemvalts@ut.ee, 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

Additional information: Nele Nemvalts, nele.nemvalts@ut.ee, 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

Additional information: Kristi Juurik, kristi.juurik@ut.ee, 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.

Additional information: Kristi Juurik, kristi.juurik@ut.ee, 737 5355

English-taught master's programme

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.

Learn more about the curriculum and terms

Additional information: Kathriin Liiber, kathriin.liiber@ut.ee, 737 5190

Doctoral studies

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, maiu.reinhold@ut.ee, 737 5697

Andra Siibak, Program Director of the Doctoral Curriculum in Media and Communication, andra.siibak@ut.ee

Veronika Kalmus, Program Director of the Doctoral Curriculum in Sociology, veronika.kalmus@ut.ee, 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.

Media and communication

“Generations’ agency and relationships in the digitalising environment” – the topic is related to the CHANSE project “Platforming families – tracing digital transformations in everyday life across generations“ (2022-2025; Principal Investigator Prof Veronika Kalmus) and allows studying how three generations of family members (grandparents, parents and children) use digital platforms, and how this influences their everyday life, communication, experiences and relationships (based on interviews to be conducted with families in Estonia, Norway, UK, Romania and Spain / Catalonia).

Potential supervisors: Dr Signe Opermann, Professor Veronika Kalmus, Professor Andra Siibak

“Parents’ socialisation values in the mediatising society” – the topic is related to the Estonian Research Council project PRG1761 “How do changes in the digital and language environment at home during COVID-19 lockdown affect child development and wellbeing?” (2023-2027; Principal Investigator Prof Tiia Tulviste) and allows studying relations between children’s usage of screen media and its parental mediation on the one hand, and parents’ socialisation values and attitudes, on the other (based on questionnaire data).

Potential supervisors: Professor Veronika Kalmus, Professor Tiia Tulviste

„Artificial Intelligence in Public Libraries“
The coming of artificial intelligence has risen the question of keeping a job in several professions, the knowledge workers, including librarians are not an exception here. In Estonia, we have several cases of developing the artificial intelligence in libraries: the Estonian National Library is developing a tool named Marta for indexing published materials, on the state level, Byrokrat is also being developed in order to provide automated interaction with library users on the libraries’ web pages. In this doctoral thesis the main question is to study what does using the artificial intelligence in libraries, or in public libraries in particular mean for this field and for the profession of librarians. The doctoral thesis is not currently related to any research project, but the topic has potential in terms of international collaboration.

Supervisor: Dr Krista Lepik

“AI technologies and manifestations of surveillance society”
The candidates are expected to explore the topic from the critical data studies and surveillance studies perspectives. Candidates who are interested in exploring the topic in the context of education sector (higher education institutions, secondary schools) are in particularly welcome. The proposed topic is connected to several research proposals that have been submitted or waiting to be submitted for funding.

Potential supervisors: Professor Andra Siibak and Dr Kristjan Kikerpill

PhD topics by Risk and Resilience research group

“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: Associate Professor Kati Orru, Associate Professor Mihkel Solvak, Associate Professor Sten Hansson

“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, Associate Professor Kati Orru

“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: Associate Professor Kati Orru, Associate Professor Oliver Nahkur

“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: Associate Professor Kati Orru, dr Marco Krüger (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.

Sociology

Potential supervisors: Dr Signe Opermann, Professor Veronika Kalmus, Professor Andra Siibak

Potential supervisors: Professor Veronika Kalmus, Professor Tiia Tulviste

Meta-analysis of studies on a certain subject
The subject will be selected jointly by the supervisor and the candidate.

Supervisor: Dr Tarmo Strenze

Potential supervisors: Professor Andra Siibak and Dr Kristjan Kikerpill

„Functioning of children’s close relationships in extraordinary times from the perspective of children“
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, Associate Professor Dagmar Kutsar

References:

Nahkur, O. & Kutsar, D. (2019). Social ecological measures of interpersonal destructiveness impacting child subjective mental well-being: Perceptions of 12-year-old children in 14 countries. Child Indicators Research, 12(1), 353−378. DOI: 10.1007/s12187-018-9542-7.

Lee, B. J. & Yoo, M. S. (2015). Family, school, and community correlates of children’s subjective well-being: an international comparative study. Child Indicators Research, 8(1), 151–175.

Millei, Z., Silova, I. & Gannon, S. (2022). Thinking through memories of childhood in (post)socialist spaces: ordinary lives in extraordinary times. Children's Geographies, 20(3), 324–337. DOI: 10.1080/14733285.2019.1648759.

Widmer, E. D. (1999). Family contexts as cognitive networks: A structural approach of family relationships. Personal Relationships, 6(4), 487–503.

PhD topics by Risk and Resilience research group

Potential supervisors: Associate Professor Kati Orru, Associate Professor Mihkel Solvak, Associate Professor Sten Hansson

Potential supervisors: Associate Professor Sten Hansson, Associate Professor Kati Orru

Potential supervisors: Associate Professor Kati Orru, Associate Professor Oliver Nahkur

“Approaches to handling social vulnerabilities to crises: the role of social care”

Potential supervisors: Associate Professor Kati Orru, dr Marco Krüger (University of Tübingen)

References

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

Deep Transitions research team: PhD topics

The topics are connected to a large team grant PRG2160, “The Crisis and Transformation of Industrial Modernity, 1900-2055”, funded by the Estonian Research Council. The project is based on the Deep Transitions framework which theorizes industrialization as a long-term co-evolution of various socio-technical systems (see here).

Project summary

Contemporary societies are underpinned by industrial modernity: a set of commonly shared ideas, institutions and practices related to the natural environment, science, and technology. Historically industrial modernity has enabled massive leaps in societal welfare, while increasing environmental degradation. Therefore, many of its dominant traits need to be rethought to address the interlinked crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion. Drawing on and further developing the recent Deep Transitions framework, the project will 1) chart the rise and crisis of industrial modernity over the 20^th century; 2) identify countries where it is most likely to be transformed; 3) apply these insights to Estonia’s current situation. The project will therefore offer a new comparative-historical theory of industrial modernization, allowing to devise imaginative yet context-specific and actionable interventions for enabling a deep and just sustainability turn in Estonia.

Topic 1: “The Evolution of Industrial Modernity in Comparative Perspective, 1900-2025”

The purpose of the PhD project is to map the long-term evolution of fundamental ideas, institutions and practices related to industrial modernity, combining a text mining of digitalized newspapers with existing databases. The goal is to identify both historical continuities as well as significant ruptures (e.g. rise in public environmental awareness). The expected output of the project is a typology of industrialization pathways based on about 30 countries (G20 + 10 additional ones that have played a significant role in industrialization). The project assumes a command of various techniques of quantitative analysis; in the case of text mining, a readiness to acquire such skills is expected at minimum.

Topic 2: “Industrial modernization in Estonia, 1900-2025”

The purpose of the PhD project is to analyse the interaction of the two overarching traits of industrial modernity – environment as a blind spot, overconfidence in science and technology – in Estonia in a 100+ year perspective. The study is part of the team’s broader effort to create a narrative explanation of the same phenomenon on a transnational scale. The project assumes readiness for historical research, including archival work with primary sources.

Possible supervisors: Laur Kanger + other team members (depending on the topic).

Additional topics

There are several research topics adjacent to the main focus of the project. Contact 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. mass production/consumption, digitalization
The identification and design of sustainable solutions challenging the foundational ideas, institutions and practices of industrial societies (e.g. legal rights to the environment, responsible research and innovation)

Admission to the Institute of Social Studies

Bachelor’s studies