BSc degree studies consist of the following study modules:

• Basic studies 51 ECTS credits
• Major studies 60 ECTS credits
  • Including Bachelor's thesis (10 ECTS credits)
• Business studies 18 ECTS credits
• Minor studies 24–30 ECTS credits
• Electives 9–15 ECTS credits
• Language and communication studies 12 ECTS credits

During the programme studies, students acquire specific knowledge and skills related to economic and social sciences, including business and management. They develop skills in making judgments autonomously and analyzing complex problems using relevant analytic and quantitative tools. They take into account sustainability and ethical issues in analyzing economic problems. They improve their written and oral communication, and acquire lifelong learning skills useful for both continuing their studies and their professional futures.

Knowledge and Understanding

Upon completing the study programme, the students will have acquired knowledge related to:

• analyzing the behavior of economic actors; the functioning of various markets; policy responses to market imperfections; macroeconomic phenomena, national and international institutions, and public finance
• quantitative methods (mathematical, statistical and programming) for the understanding of socioeconomic phenomena
• fundamentals of business and management
• minor subjects chosen by the student

Applying Knowledge and Understanding

Upon completing the study programme, the students will be able to:

• analyze and assess micro and macroeconomic issues and data, paying attention to the underlying causal relationships between relevant economic variables and formulating analytical models in order to understand economic phenomena
• apply mathematical, statistical and programming techniques in order to thoroughly investigate causal relationships related to economic and other social phenomena
• understand the cultural, social and psychological underpinnings

Knowledge and skills needed for scientific thinking

Upon completing the programme, the students will:

• be able to think scientifically and appreciate the power of economics methodology
• understand the limitations of economics methodology
• acquire the knowledge and skills required for a master’s degree and for continuous learning

Communication and language skills

By graduation, the students will:

• have good oral and written communication skills in English
• demonstrate good communication skills in both national languages, Finnish and Swedish (required of those who have finished their upper secondary education in Finnish or Swedish, if a Finnish citizen, or who have sufficient knowledge of Finnish); or basic knowledge of the Finnish language and culture (required of those who do not fulfill the criteria mentioned above)
• have business communication skills and the ability to work in different types of international teams

Ethics and sustainability

By graduation, the students will be able to:

• identify and analyze ethical, social, economic, environmental, and international issues in the field of economics

Code: BIZ309
Credits: 51 ECTS cr
Responsible Professor: Professor Pauli Murto

Principles of Economics

Quantitative Methods 

Code: BIZ3090
Credits: 60 ECTS cr
Responsible Professor: Professor Pauli Murto

Choose two electives in economics (12 cr):

Bachelor’s thesis and seminar

You can choose any bachelor level courses (except courses in Economics) from the School of Business. Please note that some courses might have prerequisites.

The minor study module of the Bachelor’s degree is 24–30 credits and can be one of the following:

1. a module confirmed in the curriculum (a minor study entity offered at the School of Business) ,
2. a module completed in an official exchange programme partner of the School of Business or in another programme meeting the requirements set in the official exchange programme policy of the School of Business, or
3. a module earned at another Aalto University school or at another Finnish university under the agreement on flexible study rights (JOO agreement).

For a list of all the minors at Aalto University, see Minors 2018–2020.

^*) University-Wide Art Studies (UWAS) offers all Aalto students an opportunity to explore art-based practices and processes beyond disciplinary boundaries. Its course portfolio consists of thematically focused and carefully curated courses where art and design facilitate transdisciplinary encounters between students from various backgrounds. For more information on UWAS courses, see Into.

^**) Bachelor's degree includes 4–10 ECTS credits of Electives. This can consist of for example

• additional studies in the degree programme,
• additional studies in the minor study module,
• courses from other programmes,
• language and communication studies,
• studies at another Aalto University School,
• studies at another university through the flexible study right agreement (JOO studies), or
• internship (6 cr or 3cr).

Elective studies can include basic, intermediate or advanced level courses.

Language and communication skills have been defined as an important area of expertise for the graduates of the School of Business. One of the goals set for the bachelor’s degree are good language and communication skills and the skills needed to operate in a multicultural environment.

Your language of secondary education affects:

Your bachelor’s degree:

Your language of secondary education affects how and in which languages you take your mother tongue courses and second national language courses as well as the maturity essay.

Your master’s degree:

If you are pursuing only a master's degree and your language of secondary education is Finnish or Swedish, but you have earned your bachelor’s degree abroad, you must demonstrate that you have the language proficiency required for your degree. Your language of secondary education has an impact on how and in which languages you should take the compulsory language courses.

Your employment:

If your language of secondary education is Finnish or Swedish and you have written the maturity essay in the same language, your degree certificate serves to prove that you have attained such excellent skills in that language as are required of civil servants in bilingual public agencies and organisations under section 6, subsection 1 of the Act on the Knowledge of Languages Required of Personnel in Public Bodies (424/2003). Such knowledge will also be useful for employment other than in public service.

If your language of secondary education is other than Finnish or Swedish, your university degree certificate does not serve to prove that you have attained such excellent skills in either Finnish or Swedish as are required of civil servants in bilingual public agencies and organisations. In such cases, you can demonstrate the attainment of excellent skills by:

• passing the mother tongue test (in Finnish or Swedish) of the Finnish matriculation examination with a grade of at least magna cum laude approbatur (M);
• passing the Finnish as a second language or Swedish as a second language test in the Finnish matriculation examination with a grade of at least eximia cum laude approbatur (E);
• passing the civil service language proficiency certificate with a grade of Excellent Skills or the National Certificate of Language Proficiency with a grade of 6.

I have studied Finnish or Swedish as a mother tongue in a Finnish comprehensive school or general upper secondary school:

• The language of secondary education is the language you have studied as a mother tongue in comprehensive school (i.e. compulsory basic education, comprised of primary and lower secondary education) and/or in general upper secondary school -> The decision on the language of secondary education is made on the basis of your comprehensive school or upper secondary school school-leaving certificate.
• The Finnish matriculation examination or an equivalent international diploma (IB, EB, Reifeprüfung) has no effect on your language of secondary education.
• If you have earned a vocational upper secondary qualification or have completed your upper secondary education abroad, your language of secondary education is determined on the basis of your mother tongue studies in comprehensive school.
• If you have not had either Finnish or Swedish as a mother tongue in general upper secondary school (e.g. if you have graduated from an IB school) but have studied Finnish or Swedish as a mother tongue in comprehensive school, your language of secondary education is determined on the basis of your mother tongue studies in comprehensive school.
• If you have had Finnish as a mother tongue in comprehensive school, but Swedish as a mother tongue in general upper secondary school, you can choose which of the two languages you prefer as your language of secondary education.

I have studied Finnish or Swedish as a second language in a Finnish comprehensive school and/or general upper secondary school:

• Completing the ‘Mother tongue and literature, Finnish/Swedish as a second language’ syllabus in comprehensive or general upper secondary school does not make the language of those studies your language of secondary education.
• If you have passed the Finnish/Swedish as a second language test in the Finnish matriculation examination with a grade of at least magna cum laude approbatur, that language is regarded as your language of secondary education.
• If you have not completed the comprehensive or general upper secondary school syllabus in either Finnish or Swedish as a mother tongue, your language of secondary education is defined as other than Finnish or Swedish.
• An international diploma equivalent with the Finnish matriculation examination (IB, EB, Reifeprüfung) or any individual tests related to them have no effect on your language of secondary education.

I have completed my comprehensive school education and general upper secondary education in a language other than Finnish or Swedish (e.g. I have studied abroad or in an IB school):

• If you have not received a school-leaving certificate from a comprehensive or general upper secondary school in Finland, your language of secondary education is other than Finnish or Swedish.

Required language and communication studies 12 cr

The bachelor’s degree in Economics includes 12 credits of language and communication studies, consisting of a course in the second national language, a Business Communication Skills course, and at least 6 credits worth of language and communication studies.

My language of secondary education is Finnish

Language and communication studies - Finnish as the language of secondary education

*Take the baseline test in Swedish in MyCourses before registering for the course Swedish Business Communication 1: https://mycourses.aalto.fi/course/view.php?id=10843

*Which course or option should I choose -> I want to take the required language and communication studies in Swedish

My language of secondary education is Swedish

Language and communication studies - Swedish as the language of secondary education

My language of secondary education is other than Finnish or Swedish

Language and communication studies – language of secondary education other than Finnish or Swedish

The student must apply for a determination of their language proficiency requirements, i.e. to apply for an exemption.

Starting level

The starting levels of language courses are defined in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference, which consists of the following proficiency levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2. Level A indicates a basic knowledge of the language, Level B a more advanced knowledge, and level C the highest level of proficiency. For details on the CEFR proficiency levels, see the Into site of the Language Centre.

Students can choose such foreign language courses that meet their interests and goals. Business Communication Skills course and compulsory Swedish course, all students of School of Business start at the same level: the starting level of Business Communication Skills is C1, while that of Swedish Business Communication 1, is B1. In all other foreign language courses, students should choose a starting level meeting their current proficiency level.

The starting level of a course/study module is mentioned in the course description under the heading ‘CEFR level’. Most courses also have set target levels.

Other language and communication studies in the bachelor’s degree

The Language Centre offers the Minor in Multilingual Business Communication (24 cr), a minor study module that may be included in either the bachelor’s or master’s degree. Only courses for business students may be counted towards this minor.

You can also take language and communication studies as electives in your degree, in which case you can take any courses offered by the Language Centre. As a student of the School of Business, you can also apply for language courses at other higher education institutions under the JOO flexible study right scheme.

Demonstrating proficiency in Swedish with a practical skills test

Students may demonstrate the requisite Swedish proficiency also by taking a practical skills test. A passed practical skills test substitutes for the 3-credit course, Swedish Business Communication 1. The practical skills tests is recommended only for students who have substantially added to their Swedish proficiencies since comprehensive or general upper secondary school and acquired Swedish skills in their own field at the target level for their degree. The practical skills test serves to demonstrate both written and oral business language skills. You may take the test a maximum of three times, but if you do not pass it on the second try, you are recommended to take the course LCB-5800 Swedish Business Communication 1. Registration for the practical skills test as well as the written test LCB-5801 and the oral test LCB-5802 is done in WebOodi.

Exemption from demonstrating proficiency in the second national language

The National Language Requirement Test is compulsory for students whose language of secondary education is Finnish or Swedish.

You can be exempted from demonstrating proficiency in the national languages of Finland on the following grounds:

• You have been exempted from studying Finnish or Swedish as the second national language in comprehensive and upper secondary school.
• You have not completed the general upper secondary education syllabus in the second national language (a minimum of five courses in the second national language; marked on the school-leaving certificate).

The application for exemption is addressed to the vice dean in charge of education.

If you are exempted from demonstrating your proficiency in the second national language, you will be required to earn the same amount of credits in some other language of your choice.

Determination of the language proficiency requirements

You may apply for a determination of your language proficiency requirements, if:

• your language of secondary education is other than Finnish or Swedish
• you have taken the Finnish as a second language test in the Finnish matriculation examination and received a grade lower than M (magna cum laude approbatur)
• your language of secondary education (Finnish, Swedish) is determined solely on the basis of your comprehensive school education
• you have completed your general upper secondary education in a foreign language (other than Finnish or Swedish), e.g. at an IB school

The exemption application is addressed to the vice dean in charge of education.

If you are exempted from demonstrating proficiency in the national languages of Finland, you should complete your language studies in accordance with the instructions given on this page (under ‘My language of secondary education is other than Finnish or Swedish’).