Visit the School of Arts, Design and Architecture
Information for visitors and guests
Department of Design
The Department of Design is a diverse community of competent, creative and responsible individuals. In design, we appreciate technical skill, social significance and artistic expression.
We educate front-line design professionals and visionaries for established, changing and emerging fields of design. We renew our expertise through high level research in continuous collaboration with our stakeholders. We strive towards a sustainable and just society and environment.
Studies at Department of Design
You can choose the Bachelor's degree major between Design, Fashion or Aalto Bachelor Prorgamme in Design. Master's studies can be conducted either in Collaborative and Industrial Design; Fashion, Clothing and Textile Design; or Contemporary Design programme. In addition, the Department provides two Aalto-level Master's programmes: International Design Business Management and Creative Sustainability.
A student focuses either in the Master's degree major or the field of the programme, and may take advantage of Aalto University’s wide range of multidisciplinary courses for the minors and freely selectable studies.
Studies leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor's Programme in Design
- Muoti, taiteen kandidaatti (only in Finnish and Swedish)
- Muotoilu, taiteen kandidaatti (only in Finnish and Swedish)
Studies leading to the degree of Master of Arts
Majors of the Master’s Programme in Design
Research
Our research is at the international forefront in sustainable design, practice-based design research, human-centered design and co-design. Our research environment enables and our culture encourages goal-oriented research, imaginative experiments, critical discussion, and transdisciplinary collaboration.
Go to Aalto Design Research Site
Research Groups
ENCORE - Engaging Co-design Research Group
The ENCORE research group explores constantly application fields for co-design through hands-on exploration and ambitious research. The visionary competence stems mostly from industrial design spiced with engineering, architecture and anthropology.
Empirica – Research on art, design and culture (external link)
Group approaches research with an attitude, where making, acting and engaging play important roles.
Fashion/Textile Futures
The Fashion/Textile Futures research group explores new perspectives on human-centered design research. The group approaches research in the field of fashion, clothing and textiles in multi-faceted ways.
INUSE - Researching Designer-User Relations in Sociotechnical Change
Researches designer-user relations in sociotechnical change.
Design Culture Research Group
Exploring the significance of design in contemporary society.
Collaborate with us
We offer our partners the opportunity to collaborate with international level designers and design researchers.
Gallery
The gallery of the Department of Design.
News
Applications for our biggest exhibition of the year are now open: Apply to Designs for a Cooler Planet by 26.1.2026!
For the autumn 2026 exhibition, we are looking for new and inspiring innovations, ideas, and experiments from all fields across Aalto University. The exhibition and its events serve as one of the most important showcases of the university’s work to the world. In 2025, the event attracted over 15,000 visitors.
Miklu Silvanto, who has worked with the world's most well-known brands, how do you nurture creativity?
Oura’s Chief Design Officer and Professor of Practice at Aalto University's Department of Design Miklu Silvanto talks about creativity.
The Nessling Foundation grants funding to speed up the sustainability transformation – Aalto researchers get grants
Researchers Mari Keski-Korsu and Elina Määttänen from the School of Arts, Design and Architecture and Academy Research Fellow Johanna Ahola-Launonen from the School of Business received funding for their research projects.
Textile artist Juha Vehmaanperä received the Taito-Finlandia award
Vehmaanperä is known for their knitwear that breaks the boundaries of handicrafts.Events
Public defence in Design, MA Nathaly Pinto Torres
Indigenous pictograms as devices for knowledge, identity, and resistance, pushing participatory design toward communal,territorial practice
Department management
Department of Design - Personnel
Aalto ARTS' Communications Guide
Easy access communication tools and help for everyone! This guide is updated according to the needs of ARTS members. Login (top right) to view all content. Some pages are internal, so they are only visible to logged-in ARTS members.
Aalto ARTS Handbook
The Aalto ARTS Handbook provides information, instructions and tips on issues related to communications and community.
Visit the School of Arts, Design and Architecture
Information for guests
Where to find us
Väre
Otaniementie 14
School of Arts, Design and Architecture