Getting to Know Futures Studies (1 ECTS)

Getting to Know Futures Studies is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), that provides an easily accessible peek into futures studies. The course has been created with experts of the field and it gives the participants a solid starting point for further growing their know-how on futures studies.

Warm welcome to join us for a peek of futures studies!

Contents of the course

The course consists of four sections:

  • Section 1:  you will be guided into the field by a glimpse of the field’s history and current streams. Video materials were made with Emerita Professor Sirkka Heinonen and Professor Toni Ahlqvist.
  • Section 2: you get a taste of the commonly used methods of futures studies. Video materials were made with Professor Petri Tapio and Senior Research Fellow Sanna Ahvenharju.
  • Section 3: you will be whisked away to the world of ethics and futures studies. Video materials were made with Post-Doctoral Researcher Matti Minkkinen.
  • Section 4: you will get to take a look at how futures studies can be applied in different contexts. Video materials were made with University Lecturer Katriina Siivonen, Senior Research Fellow Maria Höyssä, Project Researcher Mikkel Knudsen, Project Researcher Amos Taylor and Foresight and Development Adviser Noora Vähäkari.

Through the four sections the course provides a well-rounded peek into the field of futures studies. It provides the participants with the possibility to warm up their futures thinking and explore the field with materials and assignments produced with the professionals from Finland Futures Research Centre.

Learning outcomes

After completing this course, you will understand the starting points of futures studies and are aware of the history and streams of the study field. You will also recognise and can name some of the typical methods used in futures studies. You can recognise opportunities for practical implications of futures studies in different contexts. You can also understand the connection between ethics and futures studies and are able to reflect on the possible implications of different choices to your personal futures.

How to take the course?

The course is located in the DigiCampus learning platform https://digicampus.fi. You can choose the language of the platform from the top right corner of the page. Next to the language selection is the Log In button. In order to take the course you must log in to DigiCampus either as a visitor or with your university log in information. After you have logged in to the platform you can look for courses through the search box at the top right corner of the page. Type in Getting to Know Futures Studies and you will be able to see the course.

The course is open again between 2.9.2024–30.6.2025.

The course is free of charge. Everyone can freely join by signing into DigiCampus. If you do not need the study credits from this course, you can just get to know the materials and assignments on the learning platform.

Participants who wish to obtain the 1 ECTS study credit can enroll to the course at the Open University of the University of Turku. If they are students at the University of Turku you can enroll in the Peppi system.

The course is 1 ECTS, which equals to approximately 27 hours of studying. In the learning platform, each section of the course has different reading and video materials and assignments that you will complete. Once you have finished all the assignments in the sections, you will take a final exam in DigiCampus. You can get to know the materials and complete the assignments on the learning platform according to your own schedule.

Certificate and study credit

All students who complete the required course tasks successfully can enroll to the course and then request a transcript of records from the Open University of the University of Turku via email avoin-tse@utu.fi. If you wish to get the credit from the MOOC course into your degree, you need to contact your own university/department for accepting the credit. It is advisable to check in advance with your home university if they give credits for the MOOC course.

Further futures studies

If you wish to continue with studying futures studies there are several options open for you worldwide. In the University of Turku, you can apply to complete a masters degree in futures studies. For Finnish speakers the Finland Futures Academy provides also an opportunity to complete a minor in futures studies. The minor studies and other futures studies in Finnish are also available through the Open University of Turku.

Worldwide there are courses, degree programmes and other content available for futures studies enthusiast, more information can be found from for example the page of the World Futures Studies Federation.

For more detailed information, please contact:

Project Specialist Katariina Heikkilä, katariina.heikkila(a)utu.fi
Finland Futures Academy, Finland Futures Research Centre
tva(a)utu.fi