A minor can be

1. a minor organized by Aalto University (find the list of offered minors here)
2. international minor that is completed through the Aalto University exchange programme at a university abroad or in a programme fulfilling the requirements of the exchange programme as a free mover student (instructions here)
3. a study module completed at another university in Finland or abroad. As a rule, the minor must be a confirmed minor or similar study module in the curriculum of the higher education institute offering the study module.

The scope of a minor offered by the School of Business, which includes a compulsory course that is part of the joint studies of the programme, is at least 18 ECTS, and the scope of other minors is at least 24 ECTS.

In addition to the compulsory minor, a student can choose another minor for their degree if they use their elective studies or part of them to complete it. The minimum scope of the second minor is determined according to the requirements of the minor in question. 

According to the Government Decree on University Degrees, it is mandatory to demonstrate proficiency in both national languages, meaning Finnish and Swedish, in a higher education degree in Finland. The proficiency in your language of education (koulusivistyskieli) is demonstrated with the maturity test written with the bachelor's thesis and the proficiency in the second national language is demonstrated by passing the written and oral tests.

If your language of education is Finnish, the other national language is Swedish. If your language of education is Swedish, the other national language is Finnish. Read more about how the language of education is determined here. You can also get an exemption from the language requirements, read more about it under the heading Applications.

Language requirement tests in Swedish for students whose language of education is Finnish

Students whose language of education is Finnish must take part in the oral and writing parts of the national language requirement tests in Swedish. This is to show they have achieved the language skills required by legislation.

Start your studies in Swedish by completing ruotsin lähtötasotesti (pre-test of Swedish skills), which recommends a suitable preparatory course for you or in some cases suggests taking the tests directly. You can find the test here.

Compulsory language requirement tests

Swedish courses preparing for the language requirement tests

Courses that prepare students for the language requirement tests cannot be included in the language and communication studies module, instead they must be placed under elective studies in the personal study plan.

Language requirement tests in Finnish for students whose language of education is Swedish

Students whose language of education is Swedish must take part in the oral and writing parts of the national language requirement tests in Swedish. This is to show they have achieved the language skills required by legislation.

You can find more information of Finnish language tests and preparatory courses in the language centre page: Finska som andra och främmande språk. 

Compulsory language requirement tests

According to the Government Decree on University Degrees, it is mandatory to demonstrate proficiency in at least one foreign language. Language proficiency must enable monitoring progress in your own field and operating in an international setting. All students demonstrate this proficiency with the mandatory course in English Business Communication MNGT-A4004 Mastering influence in business communication.

Compulsory course

Course registration occurs simultaneously for many teaching periods, please check the registration times in Sisu. Second year Bachelor students will also receive an email about registration instructions in the summer.

The C1 starting level of the course means the course fulfils the language requirement for exchange studies.
 

The bachelor's degree includes 3 credits of elective language studies which can be completed either by supplementing the language studies of the degree in English and the other national language of Finland, or by completing 3 credits in another foreign language. 

Elective language studies are chosen based on your own interest, starting level and goals. The elective language course can be:

• English Business Communication course offered by the School of Business (see the heading English Business Communication)
• course in one of the national languages (Finnish course for students whose language of education is not Finnish or Swedish, or Swedish course for students whose language of education is not Swedish; see the heading Finnish and Swedish)
• language course in one of the elective languages offered by the Language Centre (each language has its own heading below)
• language course taken at another university for example due to a flexible JOO study right. NB! Aalto has resigned from the JOO agreement as of January 1, 2026.

Note that the following types of courses are not eligible to be placed into the language and communication studies module:

• courses in your own language of education (such as LC-5000 Kommunicera som expert for students whose language of education is Swedish)
• courses that prepare students for the national language requirement tests
• courses in Intercultural Communication or other courses that the Language Centre offers but that are not language courses (such as courses focusing on learning about other countries and their cultures).

Starting level

When describing the starting level of language courses, the European framework (CEFR = Common European Framework of Reference) levels of language proficience A1-A2-B1-B2-C1-C2 are used. A level is for the basic level of language studies, B level is a more advanced language proficiency and C level is the most proficient level of language knowledge.

The starting level of a language course is mentioned in the course description in the field CEFR level.

If you already have language skills in a language you want to study more of, check the information page of the language in question to see which course you should begin with.

Finnish

Finnish for International Students

Proficiency in Finnish is a key to understanding and enjoying Finnish culture and society. In many workplaces Finnish is an important language although the official working language of many international Finnish companies is English. Proficiency in Finnish is often a central factor in recruitment, career advancement and success in working life. In addition, knowledge in a rare language such as Finnish may be an advantage in international working life.

If you have been granted an exemption from the national language requirement tests, we recommend the following Finnish courses in place of the tests. They are also eligible as elective language studies if your language of education is not Finnish or Swedish.

More information about studying Finnish here

Swedish

Swedish courses for international students

If you have been granted an exemption from the national language requirement tests, we recommend the following Swedish courses in place of the tests. They are also eligible as elective language studies if your language of education is not Finnish or Swedish.

 ^{* Provided by Hanken School of Economics, see more information about the course here.}

Swedish courses for students with previous knowledge

The following courses can be part of the language and communication studies module as elective language studies for students whose language of education is not Swedish (CEFR starting level B2-C1).

^{*  Kursen är avsedd för studerande med svenska som modersmål/skolbildningsspråk. Kursen är även lämplig för tvåspråkiga studerande (finska och svenska) samt övriga studerande med mycket goda kunskaper i svenska.}

Department of Management studies at the School of Business arranges the compulsory course MNGT-A4004 Mastering influence in business communication as well as an elective course in English Business Communication.

The mandatory course must be completed first before taking the elective course. This is the only English course that can be completed as an elective language course.

Spanish is the official language of 19 countries, and around 400 million people speak it as their native language. It is also the official language for several international organisations, among others the UN. Spanish-speaking countries are a huge market and economic area that is becoming more and more interesting to Finnish companies. Anyone doing business in Spain and Latin America will benefit greatly from the knowledge of the language and culture.

More information about studying Spanish here (including information on which course you should take first).

More information about studying Japanese here.

China is a key market for Finnish business, and Chinese businesses are continually expanding their operations in Finland. Leading companies of different fields are looking to recruit employees with knowledge of Chinese language and culture. Persons with proficiency in Chinese have good opportunities for doing business in China.

A Chinese character course cannot be included in the language studies module without an accompanying Chinese language course.

More information about studying Chinese here (including information on which course you should take first).

Portuguese is among the most spoken languages in the world. Spoken in Portugal and Brazil as well as many African countries, Portuguese has over 200 million speakers worldwide. Brazil is increasingly important for Finland as market region, and in business, having a knowledge of the language and culture is a great asset.

More information about studying Portuguese here.

A good knowledge of French is in demand in many areas of business due to the French market opening to Finnish companies via language skills and knowledge of customs and the country. Many large corporations and international institutions have their headquarters in Paris. The French language is important in the United Nations where third of the speeches are held in French. The Council of Europe is located in Strasbourg. Along English, French is the first official working language in the European Union. By studying French, you can conveniently learn also widely used scientific and other terms based on Latin.

More information about studying French here (including information on which course you should take first).

The position of the German language in Europe is undeniable as it is the native language of around 100 million Europeans. In economic life, German is an important tool since Germany is one of Finland's biggest trading partners. The German courses at Aalto University offer versatile opportunities to study German and learn skills needed in operating in challenging international positions.

More information about studying German here.

Russian skills and knowledge have a special significance in Finland. Russia is one of Finland's most significant trading partners, and the intercommunication between the two countries is lively also in several other areas. Especially staff in exporting companies are expected to have a good knowledge of the Russian language and environment. Russian is also suitable for those who are seeking international positions because business degree holders with Russian skills are also in demand outside of Finland. Russian is commonly spoken also in many other Eastern European countries, and it is one of the official language of the UN. Students also have the opportunity to specialize in Russian economy.

Master's School in Russian and East European Studies

Aalto University is one of 12 Finnish universities participating in the Master’s School in Russian and East European Studies (ExpREES), a specialisation programme of advanced studies for a master's degree. Through ExpREES you can add special expertise to your major in your own area and in related disciplines. The application period is generally in March. Further information here.

Russian as a native language

Students with Russian as their native language or an equivalent knowledge in Russian can include courses LC-8591 Russian 9 Russian Business Communication for Native Speakers A and LC-8592 Venäjä 9 Russian Business Communication for Native Speakers B in their degree. They can't take courses meant for students with Russian as a foreign language. Native language Russian courses are usually taught every two academic years. Taking part in the courses requires at least a satisfactory knowledge of Finnish.

More information about studying Russian here (including information on which course you should take first).

• Language center offers the minor Multilingual Business Communication (24 cr) that can be included in either a BSc or MSc level degree.
• Language and comminication studies can be included in the degree electives. All Language Center courses are accepted there, e.g. courses Communication and Social Interaction or Intercultural Communication.
• Aalto School of Business students also have the opportunity to apply for other universities' or universities of applied sciences' language courses using the JOO flexible study right. NB! Aalto has resigned from the JOO agreement as of January 1, 2026.

Elective studies must meet the following requirements: they must be completed at a university or university of applied sciences; they must, as a rule, be a part of the degree studies of the university or university of applied sciences organizing the studies and they must meet the objectives of the degree completed at the Aalto University School of Business. Elective studies cannot overlap with other studies included in the degree in terms of content and intended learning outcomes.

Higher education institutions also offer studies outside degree education aimed at a wide audience, the suitability of which for the degree is assessed in relation to the intended learning outcomes of the degree. For example, courses that can be completed freely online and have a scope of 1-3 ECTS are generally not accepted as part of the degree.  

Elective studies are selected so that the scope of the degree of 180 ECTS is met. The extent of elective studies depends on the student's choices regarding other study modules. 

• For example, completing a minor that is broader than the minimum scope reduces the number of elective studies. For example, the International minor is often somewhat broader than the minimum scope required for the degree, which means that there is correspondingly less room for elective studies in the degree. 

Elective studies can, for example, be used for:

• broadening your skills and knowledge via multidisciplinary studies by
  • completing another minor or individual courses in the fields of technology, art and design
  • completing University Wide Studies
  • completing studies at European Unite! universities
  • completing network studies, for example from the Hilma network of gender studies or other networks
• completing another minor
• acquiring entrepreneurial skills
• deepening language and communication skills by
  • completing studies at the Aalto University Language Centre either as individual courses or as an entire minor
  • completing studies in language and multicultural studies offered by European Unite! universities
• broadening or deepening expertise in your own field by
  • completing additional studies in your major
  • completing studies in other majors
  • completing additional studies in a minor
  • completing the Customized Student Business project BIZ-C0100 (read more here)
• acquiring working life skills by completing an intership (read more at During your studies > Other studies)
• learning self-leadership skills, finding meaningfulness and developing study-wellbeing by completing Personal Impact courses.