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.

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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.

Aalto University student putting post-it notes on a glass wall.

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

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 - The Users and Innovation Research Group

Researches designer-user relations in sociotechnical change.

INUSE transition arena workshop - panorama of indoor space with groups discussing around whiteboards

NODUS – Sustainable Design Research Group

NODUS Sustainable Design Research Group undertakes transdisciplinary design research for sustainable futures.

Nodus tutkimusryhmäläisiä keskustelemassa

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.

Design for Government 2018 photo by Heidi Konttinen

Gallery

The gallery of the Department of Design.

Browse the gallery!

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A white flip phone with a screen open lies on a sparkling red sequined fabric.

Press releases Published: 15.1.2025

The visions that shaped us: Nokia Design Archive opens to the public online

Opening the door to two decades of Nokia’s inner workings, a new online portal brings never-before-seen material to the public.

A collection of various old mobile phones laid out on a wooden surface.

Research & Art Published: 15.1.2025

How Nokia changed the world

Much has been said about the fall of Nokia, but what can we learn from its successes?

Two mobile phones in plastic bags on bubble wrap and a torn cardboard box, notepad, pencil, and ruler on a purple surface.

Research & Art Published: 15.1.2025

“Left outside in the rain”: The story behind the stories of the Nokia Design Archive

In a strange twist of fate, a team of Aalto University researchers found themselves responsible for two decades of Nokia’s best kept design secrets.

Three people are presenting to an audience, with a large screen displaying a form on the right.

Cooperation, Research & Art, Studies Published: 10.12.2024

Aalto University's Finnish Design Push: Empowering SMEs and Design students

The Finnish Design Push, a joint initiative between School of Arts, Design and Architecture and Technology Industries of Finland, started collaboration with five SME technology companies by exploring design integration into their digital services.

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