Students will understand the contemporary process of transition to adulthood and societal dynamics shaping transitions. The lectures will focus on the structural factors that influence and transform current patterns of transition. They will gain basic knowledge on comparative research and different methods of youth research. Students learn to apply theoretical knowledge into practice by conducting a mini research project and present it in a conference setting practicing academic ways of working. Students will learn to work in a multicultural environment and to discuss and communicate with people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

This international course introduces students to research on youth transition to adulthood within a cross-country comparative setting. Each lecture looks at transitions from different perspectives and discusses youth transition to adulthood and its current changes in connection with wider socio-economic, political and cultural contexts.

Kurssille otetaan ilmoittautumisjärjestyksessä 5 avoimen yliopiston opiskelijaa. Ilmoittautuminen tehdään sähköpostitse suoraan kurssin vastuuopettajalle, jonka yhteystiedot löydät alta. Huomoithan, että tässä kiintiössä kurssille tulevalla on ennen kurssi-ilmoittautumista oltava voimassa oleva opinto-oikeus sosiaalitieteiden aineopintojen
(/yhteiskunta- ja kulttuuritieteiden teemojen) suorittamiseksi (hae
opinto-oikeutta: http://www.uta.fi/avoinyliopisto/opiskelijaksi/index.html)

The ‘live’ course:

1.  Lectures attendance, active participation in the discussions. 1 credit

2. Theory-building analysis + presentation. 2 credits

The lectures are interactive and participatory. Students are required to conduct group work (2-5 students/group) based on themes of lecture 4 School to Work Transition and lecture 5 Reaching Independence and Family Formation. Each group analyses 1-2 articles and uses the articles as a basis for assessing the situation related to the above mentioned topics in their own countries.

3. Mini research project + project presentation (conference day). 2 credits

In groups of 2-4, students carry out a small project based on issues related to the course. Students are expected to investigate a particular question and look for answers to it by analysing different materials/data. Each group will present their work in the conference.

The on-line course:

1. Students watch video-recorded lectures and each student writes a reflective lecture diary based on all the lectures and using the provided reading material. The length of the diary is 5-6 pages and should preferably be written in English. The diary should be uploaded on Moodle. 2 credits

2. Individual project. This project is based on two retrospective interviews about transition to adulthood. Students should conduct an interview with one of their parents (or someone else, as long as it is a member of the older generation) and one of their siblings or friends (someone from the same generation as the students) about their process of transition to adulthood and their perception of what being an adult means. On the basis of the material and the course literature, students will prepare a report of about 5-6 pages. 3 credits

Video recorded lectures, lectures powerpoints and readining material on Moodle.