Learning Environments
Nurmijärvi Campus
The students in the degree programme in adventure and outdoor education will be enrolled at Nurmijärvi campus at the capital area unit. The campus is located by lake Sääksjärvi and surrounded by forest areas. There are good connections to the capital of Finland, Helsinki, which is located just 45 km south of campus. Helsinki-Vantaa international airport, a major European hub for flights to Asia and North America, is only half an hour away by car.
Housing
You are able to book housing at campus in double rooms with shared Kitchen, the rent is 160 €/month/person. The service provider is Hotel Kiljava. For bookings, please contact sales(at)hotelkiljava.fi and let them know that you are a Humak student and they will book you accommodation in student housing. For other housing possibilities, please see e.g. HOAS.
Please take into account that during the first internship period in Lapland (see also Internships and First year learning environments below) housing is usually provided by the internship hosts.
Meals
The campus cafeteria serves warm lunch Monday to Friday. There is also a possibility to have breakfast and dinner. The closest grocery store is in Rajamäki (a small village about 5 km from the campus).
Free time activities
There are various free time activities available on campus, e.g.
– the fitness gym and swimming hall (at a low price)
– the campus sports hall is available once a week for students’ sports activities
– the campus is located near a lake and surrounded by great running, walking and skiing trails
– there are several bicycles to borrow.
Read more about studying in Finland.
Outdoor Classrooms
In addition to Nurmijärvi campus and its surroundings, students are offered the possibility to conduct parts of the studies in various authentic outdoor classrooms in different locations in Finland and in Northern Scandinavia. The studies are carried out in lakes, sea, forests, and among the fells and wilderness in Lapland. The Nordic nature will offer a unique and authentic learning environment. Studying is an adventure in itself!
The three following learning environments and trips will be offered, and strongly recommended to all students even though the students participating in them will be charged a fee based on the travel costs. Students not willing to pay for the trips will be offered an alternative way of studying the contents. The tuition fee paid by students outside EU/EEA/Swiss area includes the costs for these trips.
1st year summer: Multiday sea kayaking trip, Ekenäs Archipelago National Park
2nd year spring: Multiday day winter camping and travelling, Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park
2nd year summer: Multiday winter and glacier travelling, Narvik Mountain Range, Norway
Internships
Through internships and practical training, students have a possibility to practice and develop their skills and knowledge in a workplace context. In Adventure and Outdoor Education at Humak UAS, the organizations for placements are principally selected by the staff members, in order to ensure the intended learning outcomes. Extended periods in a few selected organizations is preferred over multiple short periods at several different organizations.
Each internship is built on a strong partnership between Humak UAS and the selected organization, and is supervised and mentored by the representatives of both parties. During the internship periods, housing is usually (but not always) provided for interns.
The first internship period, which lasts approximately three months, will take place in Lapland, Northern Finland, in mid-winter. This internship offers the first year students a possibility to intern for some of the leading nature and adventure tourism companies in Finland, and to gain practical adventure and outdoor educational experience.
During the second year of studying, the aims of the internship period are related to adventure and outdoor education in youth and NGO work settings. Students familiarize themselves with different organizations, for example youth centers, in various locations in Finland. Students are also encouraged, and offered possibilities to conduct internships abroad.
Students are free to decide the location of their third internship based on their career interests and personal preferences. Moreover, students may conduct their final project (Bachelor’s thesis) in association with this last internship.
First-year Learning Environments
Please note that the dates and locations for the academic year 2022-2023 will be updated in the spring of 2022. You can read about the experiences of students on the Humak Adventure and Outdoor Education blog.
Example of the academic year 2021-2022: The programme (see also Study Contents) began at Nurmijärvi Campus on September 1st, 2022 at 9.15. Below you can find the outline (changes in schedule are possible) of where the studies were located during the first academic year:
1–10.9.2021 Nurmijärvi campus and its surroundings
11.9–24.9.2021 Äkäslompolo, Northern Finland
27.9–19.10.2021 Nurmijärvi campus and its surroundings
20-26.10.2021 Autumn break
27.10-19.11.2021 Nurmijärvi campus and its surroundings
22.11.2021–28.2.2022 Internship, various places in Northern and Southern Finland
1.3–31.5.2022 Nurmijärvi campus and its surroundings, Southern Finland
More information regarding the summer semester will be provided later.
