You find us now under the name Saimaa University of Applied Sciences.
South Karelia University of Applied Sciences is renamed Saimaa University of Applied Sciences at the beginning of year 2009. You find us under this new name for instance in the Finnish joint application system. The new name “Saimaa” tells more about our location than the old one. The host cities of Lappeenranta and Imatra offer surroundings with fresh air, beautiful nature and especially the wonderful Lake Saimaa, which gave its name to our university.

Our degree programmes have attracted many foreign students to come to Finland to take their degrees. The Bologna process has truly created a pan-European educational area, where Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are harmonized and accepted in all EU countries. They are certainly valued outside Europe, too.

We have the following faculties:
•Technology
•Business Administration
•Health Care and Social Services
•Tourism and Hospitality
•Fine Arts and Design 

We offer 20 degree programmes. The Degree Programme in Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology, the Degree Programme in Paper Technology and the Degree Programme in Tourism are being conducted entirely in English. The Degree Programme in International Business is mainly taught in English.

The total number of young and adult students studying for a degree is 2,700, and the number of teachers is about 260. Five of the faculty units are in Lappeenranta , four in Imatra. The distance between Imatra and Lappeenranta is 37 km .

At our university of applied sciences you have opportunities for comprehensive and multidisciplinary studies. This offers you a wide range of options. 

Fine art and design 

Degree programme in visual arts
The degree programme is designed to provide students with the skills necessary for work as a visual artist. Depending on their inclination and specialisation, visual artists can be self-employed artists or work in the field of counselling, service, guidance or communication.

The degree programme is based on the management of different forms and tools of expression required in a visual artist's work. During advanced professional studies and elective studies, students can specialise in a chosen field of visual arts according to their interests and skills.

In addition to teaching the necessary working methods and professional technology, the degree programme develops in the students an understanding of a visual artist's work as an entity: the development of the subject from the sketch phase to a finished work of art, safety and health at work, marketing and taxation, and matters related to artists' associations and copyright, which affect the artists' social status. Visual artists must be interested in and capable of working in co-operation with professionals operating in the fields close to visual arts, as well as with other social groups.

The activities of visual artists are characterised by a comprehensive, personal relationship, based on an aesthetic and social appreciation, with the phenomena that they portray and with their working methods. They must also be familiar with modern technology and be able to apply it to their work.

An artist's work supports communication in society and promotes society's creativity and national and international cultural exchange.

Specialisations: Jewellery Art
At the jewellery department of the Saimaa University of Applied Sciences jewellery is treated as a body related discipline of contemporary art that deals with the reality we live in today. It results in mainly unique three-dimensional objects and jewellery that often have narrative qualities based on a personal experience.

We use the working process and various experiments as tools to develop ideas, find proper materials and suitable techniques to express a personal view on jewellery. Our aim is that the students obtain the ability to do independent research and develop their own concepts, the capacity to analyze and position their works in a broader contemporary context.

We expect jewellery to be performed in a professional way and for that reason we stress the importance of technical skills and knowledge about materials. Students learn in the beginning how to work with stone, precious metals and other related techniques. As a heritage of the foundation of our institute, stonecutting is still our strength and special skill. In between this traditional field, we nowadays try to find new ways and methods for those materials. The students are encouraged to experiment, to go beyond what they already know. We also offer computer-based technologies as a new tool for contemporary jewellery. 

It is important that the students already during their studies start to learn how to exhibit and present their work in a way that supports their artistic identity. They should get to know the different jewellery galleries and other artists of their field. We maintain relationships to international jewellery academies and support the exchange through various projects.

Other Specialisation Fields: 
•Printmaking
•Sculpture
•Jewellery Art
•Painting
•Multimedia
•Drawing
•Photography
•Video Art
•Environmental Art
•Other Arts
Extent and structure of the degree

Polytechnic Degree in Fine Arts and Design, visual artist:
•Basic and professional studies 195 cr. (of which elective studies account for 15 credits)
•Practical training/project work 30 cr.
•Bachelor's thesis 15 cr.
•Total 240 cr.

Eija Mustonen

Principal Lecturer
Saimaa University of Applied Sciences
Fine Arts, Jewellery 

Kanavakatu 6
FIN-55100 Imatra
Mobile +358 40 763 3690
e-mail: eija.mustonen@saimia.fi