"A great balance of practical learning and theory." - student ambassador story

How long have you been in Tampere and what brought you here?

I've been in Tampere since autumn last year, when my studies began. I moved here for my studies. TAMK is one of the few universities in Finland that offer English Bachelor's degree programmes in Arts! 

What TAMK degree do you study and why did you choose it?

Bachelor's degree in Media & Arts, my specialization is Fine Arts, I'm in my second year now.

In your opinion, what makes TAMK special?

I think TAMK is special because it has so much going on. There are events where students can participate in the organization, partnerships with other universities & local community, etc. TAMK offers many opportunities for its students.

TAMK also integrates a lot more modern and upcoming technology into the arts program compared to many other arts degrees I've seen. Hence the degree is called Media and Arts.

How would you describe Tampere as a student city?

Tampere is a very student-friendly city with good and easy public transportation, easy travel to campuses, many activities and sites to visit. Many people speak English so it's easy to live here without speaking perfect Finnish. Though, of course, many things are still in Finnish & inaccessible to non-Finnish speakers.

Have you had memorable successes / epic failures in settling in Tampere? How did you overcome difficulties?

I have not experienced culture shock moving to Tampere, but moving to Finland in general. The darkness of the wintertime is certainly something you have to get used to.

To whom would you recommend Tampere as a place to study and why?

I would recommend Tampere to anyone who enjoys a mix of urban life and nature. And I'd recommend TAMK to students who enjoy both practical studies & academic work as well.

So far my main studies haven't been theory-heavy, but there are many courses offered that do focus more on writing, reading, etc. There is a really good mix.

I would also suggest TAMK Media & Arts to students interested in contemporary art & the future of art as TAMK has been great to blend more familiar art mediums (like painting, video, photo, etc) with new mediums like AR & VR and 360 works. 

Photograph: Saara Lehtonen

Read more: Media and Arts Bachelor's Degree Programme