Programmes

Aalto Doctoral Programme in Business, Economics and Finance

Curriculum 2022-2024

The curriculum 2022-2024 applies to students who have started their studies after 1.8.2022.

Aalto doctoral curriculum (more doctoral level courses)

The Aalto Doctoral Programme in Business, Economics and Finance is a doctoral degree programme offered by the Aalto University School of Business.

Fields of study

The programme offers doctoral training in the following fields of study:

  • Accounting
  • Business Law
  • Economics
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Finance
  • Information Systems Science
  • International Business
  • Logistics
  • Management Science
  • Marketing
  • Organization and Management
  • Organizational Communication

 

Students are requested to elect one of these fields of study as their major area of specialization when applying to the programme.

Degree title

Doctor of Science (Economics and Business Administration)

Language of the degree

Finnish, English

Scope of the programme

The curriculum of the programme consists of 60 ECTS credits of coursework, including studies that develop students' transferable skills, and independent research leading to a doctoral dissertation.

Expected completion time

4 years of full-time study

8 years of part-time study

Programme Director

Professor Johanna Moisander

The program director is in charge of the planning, execution, assessment, and development of the programme.

Objectives and intended learning outcomes

The Doctoral programme in Business, Economics and Finance is designed for highly motivated and ambitious aspiring business, economics and finance scholars who have excellent analytical, critical thinking, communication, and interpersonal skills and who are willing to serve as the future leaders of the world of higher education and academic research.

The programme provides doctoral students with the knowledge, skills, and capabilities that they need to succeed in demanding, high-level positions in universities, research institutions, think tanks, and other research organizations at regional, national, and supra-national levels.

The graduates of the doctoral programme will demonstrate:

  • competence to carry out independent and original academic research
  • deep and broad discipline-specific knowledge of their field of research
  • mastery of the scientific research methods in their respective fields of research
  • deep understanding of research ethics
  • good project management skills
  • enhanced pedagogical and academic leadership skills, and
  • strong communication and interpersonal skills.

To achieve these objectives, all doctoral students are requested to make and implement a study plan, research plan, supervision plan, financial plan, and an optional career plan under the guidance of their dissertation supervisors and academic advisors. The supervising professor is also responsible for the supervision arrangements of the doctoral student.

[1] Aalto University Policies on Curriculum Design for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, section 1.2

Structure of the programme 2022-2024

The curriculum of the Doctoral Programme in Business, Economics, and Finance consists of compulsory coursework (60 ETCS credits) and independent research leading to a doctoral dissertation in the student’s chosen field of study. The coursework comprises required and elective courses in basic research training and in the student’s chosen field of study. Specific degree requirements vary with the student’s chosen field of study.

Doctoral students are required to report regularly on their progress at departmental research seminars.

Doctoral dissertation

The dissertation for a Doctor of Science (Economics and Business Administration) degree can be a monograph or an article- or essay-based dissertation. The dissertation is expected to advance knowledge in the student’s chosen field of study. The scope and general quality requirements of doctoral dissertations are specified in the Degree Regulations on Doctoral Education decided by University Academic Affairs Committee on August 1, 2018.

Before completing the doctoral degree, it is possible to also complete a Licentiate of Science (Economics and Business Administration) degree. The degree requirements of the Licentiate degree are specified in the Degree Regulations on Doctoral Education decided by University Academic Affairs Committee on August 1, 2018.

All students are strongly recommended, however, to work directly towards the doctorate, DSc (Econ.).

Program specialization areas

The programme has three general program specialization areas with specific degree requirements: Business, Economics, and Finance. The degree requirements for each of the programme specialization areas are specified in the following three chapters.

Doctoral dissertation 

Doctoral students are recommended to work directly towards the doctorate, DSc (Econ.). The doctorate consists of 60 ECTS credits worth of course work (common core studies and specialization area studies) and the doctoral dissertation.

  •  Accounting:                                   ACC.DISS Doctoral Thesis
    • The students are obliged to present their research proposal for doctoral dissertation at the research seminar, and to report regularly on their subsequent progress at the seminar (see disciplinary studies section). 
  • Business Law                               YRI.DISS Doctoral Thesis
  • Economics                                    ECON.DISS Doctoral Thesis
  • Entrepreneursip                            MNG3.DISS Doctoral Thesis
  • Finance                                         FIN.DISS Doctoral Thesis
  • International Business:                 MNGT2.DISS Doctoral Thesis 
  • Information Systems Science       ISM2.DISS Doctoral Thesis
  • Logistics                                        ISM3.DISS Doctoral Thesis
  • Management Science                   ISM.DISS Doctoral Thesis
  • Marketing                                      MARK.DISS Doctoral Thesis
  • Organization and Management    MNGT.DISS Doctoral Thesis
  • Organizational Communication    MNGT4.DISS Doctoral Thesis

The Licentiate Degree

The Licentiate Degree consists of 60 ECTS credits of studies and licentiate thesis

The Licentiate thesis an important part of Licentiate Degree. In the thesis the student must show expertise in his/her chosen field of science and capability for independent and critical application of scientific methodologies.

Licentiate thesis

It is possible to complete first a Licentiate degree (Lic.Sc,). Its requirements are a licentiate thesis and 60 ECTS credits of course work (common core studies and specialization area studies).

  • Accounting                                   ACC.LICT Licentiate Thesis
    • Students are obliged to present their research proposal for the licentiate thesis at the research seminar, and to report regularly on their subsequent progress at the seminar (see disciplinary studies section).
  • Business Law                              YRI.LICT Licentiate Thesis
  • Economics                                   ECON.LICT Licentiate Thesis
  • Entrepreneursip                           MNG3.LICT Licentiate Thesis
  • Finance                                        FIN.LICT Licentiate Thesis
    • We do not recommend a licentiate degree. Doctoral students (D.Sc (Econ.) degree) can, however, first produce a licentiate thesis. A Lic.Sc degree consists of the same course work as a doctoral degree.
  • International Business                 MNGT2.LICT Licentiate Thesis
  • Information Systems Science      ISM2.LICT Licentiate Thesis
  • Logistics                                       ISM3.LICT Licentiate Thesis
  • Organizational Communication   MNGT4.LICT Licentiate Thesis
  • Organization and Management   MNGT1.LICT Licentiate Thesis
  • Management Science                  ISM1.LICT Licentiate Thesis
  • Marketing                                     MARK.LICT Licentiate Thesis

Content of studies: Business

Compulsory coursework, in the programme specialization area Business comprises required and elective courses in basic research training (General Research Studies 18 ETCS) and in the student’s chosen field of study (Research Field Studies 42 ETCS).

The students are obliged attend the orientation seminar organized at the beginning of the studies and to present their research proposal for doctoral dissertation at the research seminar, and to report regularly on their subsequent progress.

General research studies, 18 ECTS (Business)

In the program specialization area Business, the General research studies consist of 18 ECTS credits of coursework that provides students with academic and research training in the broad area of business research.

All doctoral students in the program specialization area must complete:

Course code

Course name

ECTS

Period

MNGT-L2000

LC-L1010

Essential Academic Skills

Research Ethics for Doctoral students D

4

2

V

IV

And at least two of the following courses (12 ECTS):

Course code

Course name

ECTS

Period

30E00500

30E00500 Quantitative Empirical Research

6

no teaching 2022-2023

MNGT-L2200

Philosophy of Social science

6

I-II

MNGT4-L7000 

or

90L54009

Qualitative Research in Management Studies 

or

Qualitative research: Principles and practices

6

 

6

 

III

MARK-L20001 Historical Approaches to Business Research  6 IV

 

Research field studies, 42 ECTS (Business)

Research field studies in the program specialization area Business are offered in following majors:

Content of studies: Economics

Compulsory coursework, in the programme specialization area Economics comprises of General Research Studies, 48 ETCS, and Research field studies, 12 ECTS.

The students are obliged attend the orientation seminar organized at the beginning of the studies and to present their research proposal for doctoral thesis at the research seminar, and to report regularly on their subsequent progress.

General research studies, 48 ECTS (Economics)

LC-L1010 Research Ethics for Doctoral students D is compulsory for all students. Students are strongly recommended to complete all the courses listed below.

Those students who have already completed these or corresponding courses as part of a Master’s degree (e.g. research master track) must complete additional studies under Research field studies to fulfill the requirement of 60 ECTS for the doctoral degree. Please contact Pauli Murto for planning the course selection in such a case.

Course code  

Course name  

ECTS  

Period  

Additional information  

LC-L1010 

Research Ethics for Doctoral Students D 

1-2 

  III

  

ECON-L2100  

Advanced Microeconomics 1  

5  

  I

Helsinki GSE

ECON-L2200  

Advanced Microeconomics 2  

5  

  II

  

ECON-L2300  

Advanced Microeconomics 3  

5  

  III

  

ECON-L2400  

Advanced Microeconomics 4  

5  

  IV

  

ECON-L3100  

Advanced Macroeconomics 1  

5  

  I

Helsinki GSE  

ECON-L3200  

Advanced Macroeconomics 2  

5  

  II

Helsinki GSE 

ECON-L3300  

Advanced Macroeconomics 3  

5  

  III

Helsinki GSE

ECON-L3400  

Advanced Macroeconomics 4  

5  

  IV

Helsinki GSE

ECON-L4100  

Advanced Econometrics 1  

5  

  I

Helsinki GSE

ECON-L4200  

Advanced Econometrics 2  

5  

  II

Helsinki GSE

ECON-L4300  

Advanced Econometrics 3  

5  

  III

Helsinki GSE

ECON-L4400  

Advanced Econometrics 4  

5  

  IV

 

 

Content of studies: Finance

Compulsory coursework, in the programme specialization area Economics comprises of General Research Studies, 48 ETCS, and Research field studies, 12 ECTS.

The students are obliged attend the orientation seminar organized at the beginning of the studies and to present their research proposal for doctoral dissertation at the research seminar,  by participating in Helsinki Finance Seminar and presenting papers at the Aalto BB seminar, GSF Workshops and/or NFN PhD workshop.

General research studies, 48 ECTS (Finance)

All Finance students acquire rigorous knowledge needed in academic finance research by completing the compulsory courses listed  below and a research seminar

Course code 

Course name 

ECTS 

Period 

Additional information 

28L88800 

Academic Writing and Paper Presentation Clinic 

 

This is a GSF course. Additional information on course requirements and schedule can be found on the GSF page, http://gsf.aalto.fi/studies.html 

 

LC-L1010 

Research Ethics for Doctoral Students 

 IV

 

ECON-L4100 

 

Advanced Econometrics 1 

 5 

 I

Finance PhD students take the Helsinki GSE course in Advanced Econometrics 1. More information on Helsinki GSE page, https://www.helsinkigse.fi/  

ECON-L4200 

 

Advanced Econometrics 2 

 III

Finance PhD students take the Helsinki GSE course in Advanced Econometrics 2. More information on Helsinki GSE page, https://www.helsinkigse.fi 

 

Courses in Microeconomics 

10 

 

Finance PhD students take the Helsinki GSE courses in Microeconomics ECON-L2100 part 1, ECON-L2200 part 2, ECON-L2300 part 3 or ECON-L2400 part 4. All these courses are worth 5 ECTS credits and in total Finance PhD students need to take 10 ECTS credits. More information on Helsinki GSE page, https://www.helsinkigse.fi/  

28L30111 

Theoretical Asset Pricing 

I-II

This is a GSF course in Theoretical Asset Pricing. Additional information on course requirements, schedule, prerequisites, course outlines, reading lists etc. can be found on the GSF page, http://gsf.aalto.fi/studies.html 

28L30211 

Empirical Asset Pricing 

 TBC

This is a GSF course in Empirical Asset Pricing. Additional information on course requirements, schedule, prerequisites, course outlines, reading lists etc. can be found on the GSF page, http://gsf.aalto.fi/studies.html 

28L30311 

Theoretical Corporate Finance 

III-IV

This is a GSF course in Theoretical Corporate Finance. Additional information on course requirements, schedule, prerequisites, course outlines, reading lists etc. can be found on the GSF page, http://gsf.aalto.fi/studies.html 

28L40122 

Empirical Corporate Finance 

V

This is a GSF course in Empirical Corporate Finance. Additional information on course requirements, schedule, prerequisites, course outlines, reading lists etc. can be found on the GSF page, http://gsf.aalto.fi/studies.html 

 

 

Doctoral thesis

The dissertation for a Doctor of Science (Economics and Business Administration) degree can be a monograph or an article- or essay-based dissertation. The dissertation is expected to advance knowledge in the student’s chosen field of study. The scope and general quality requirements of doctoral dissertations are specified in the Degree Regulations on Doctoral Education decided by University Academic Affairs Committee on August 1, 2018.

Before completing the doctoral degree, it is possible to also complete a Licentiate of Science (Economics and Business Administration) degree. The degree requirements of the Licentiate degree are specified in the Degree Regulations on Doctoral Education decided by University Academic Affairs Committee on August 1, 2018.

All students are strongly recommended, however, to work directly towards the doctorate, DSc (Econ.).

In the research field of accounting the students are obliged to present their research proposal for doctoral thesis at the research seminar, and to report regularly on their subsequent progress at the seminar.

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