Congratulations for the admission and welcome to study at the Aalto University School of Business! On this page you will find instructions for starting your studies and the orientation programme.
Prepare for your Master’s studies:
- Follow the instructions for new students on the page New Master's students and this page
- Read carefully the newsletters sent to new students during summer
- Activate your Aalto IT user account and complete the preorientation on the MyCourses learning platform
- Reserve time for orientation events
- Info session about study planning is organized online already in mid-August (please see the programme)
- Orientation week is organized on Aug 28 – Sep 3, 2023. Events take place both in daytime and evenings
- Create a study plan and register for period I courses by Aug 28
- Participate in orientation events
- Start your studies: first courses will begin on Sep 4, 2023.
Participating in orientation is an important part of starting your university studies. During the orientation you will familiarize yourself with studying and student life, your courses, study environment and university practices. You will also receive information about services available to you and get to know your fellow students, tutors, staff and faculty.
Attending the orientation events and activities is highly recommended for all new students. If you cannot attend, please inform your planning officer and familiarize yourself with the information provided on these pages.
Orientation schedule for new Master's students
Changes are possible, so please watch this page.
| Day and time (GMT +3) | Program | Place |
| July-August | Complete Preorientation course after you have activated your Aalto account | MyCourses |
| Monday 14.8.2023 | ||
| 16-17.30 | Info session for Global Management students | Online via Zoom |
| Tuesday 15.8.2023 | ||
| Program for all new MSc students | ||
| 10.00-12.00 in Finnish 15.00-17.00 in English |
Study plan, course registration and credit transfers In this session, we will discuss planning your studies and show how study plan is created in Sisu, how to register for courses and how to apply for credit transfers. Course registration ends on 28 August for most of the courses. |
online, see presentations below. session in English: presentation, answers to the questions |
| Specific program for different groups | ||
| 14.30-15.00 | Information for Mikkeli campus graduates | online |
| 17.00-18.00 | Marketing Programme structure (for new Marketing MSc students only) | online, presentation has been sent by email |
| 17.00-18.00 | Accounting Programme structure and courses (for new Accounting students only) | online via Zoom |
| 17.00-18.00 | Strategic Management in a Changing World programme structure and courses (for new SMCW students only) | online, presentation has been sent by email |
| Wednesday 16.8.2023 | ||
| Program for all new MSc students | ||
| 15.00-17.00 | Information on different study options (exchange studies, CEMS MIM, Double Degree, AVP Startup Minor, IDBM minor) |
online presentation, IDBM minor answers to the questions |
| Specific program for different groups | ||
| 17.00-18.00 | People Management and Organizational Development programme structure and courses (for new PMOD students only) | online, presentation has been sent by email |
| 17.00-18.00 | Business Law programme structure and couress (for new Business Law students only) | online via Zoom |
| Monday 21.8.2023 | ||
| 15.00-17.00 | Study plan clinic (optional): If you have any questions concerning your study plan, you can drop by and get personal guidance. This session is organised on first come, first serve basis and we will accept students to the Zoom meeting one by one. | Online |
| Tuesday 22.8.2023 | ||
| 16.00-17.00 | Creative Sustainability (Business) programme structure and courses (for new CS Business students only) | online |
| Thursday 24.8.2023 | ||
| 10.00-11.00 | Programme by International House Helsinki: Newcomer Information Session (for international degree students) | online, sing up via IHH pages |
| Friday 25.8.2023 | ||
| Programme by KY: Jäänmurtajaiset The first chance to get know other new students at KY exclusively at Kaivohuone. |
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| Saturday 26.8.2023 | ||
| Programme by KY: Master’s Boat Party A boat party in the Helsinki's archipelago to get to know other master students |
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| Monday 28.8.2023 | ||
| 9.00-10.00 | Welcome breakfast | School of Business, Ekonominaukio 1, ground floor |
| 10.00-10.30 | Welcome to Aalto University School of Business! Dean's welcome, Dean Timo Korkeamäki |
Presentation |
| 10.30-11.00 | Greetings from KY Aalto University Business Students |
Presentation |
| 11.00-12.00 | Panel discussion ”Study experience at the School of Business” |
|
| 12.00-13.00 | Break | |
| 13.00-14.30 | Practical information on studies School of Business Learning Services |
Presentation |
| Programme by KY: Master's Extravaganza: Fun activities around Otaniemi with your tutor group |
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| Tuesday 29.8.2023 | ||
| Master's programmes' kickoffs |
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| 10.00-16.00 | The HSL (Helsinki Region Transport) pop-up service point (optional): At the service point, you can obtain or update a HSL card. Service point is open also on 30.8. and 31.8. | Otakaari 1 lobby |
| Wednesday 30.8.2023 | ||
| 10.00-11.15 | Drop-in: tuition fee and scholarship advice (optional): If you have any questions concerning on tuition fees and scholarships, you can drop by and get personal guidance. |
Ekonominaukio 1, 1st floor. Learning Services help desk Y115 |
| 10.00-16.00 | The HSL (Helsinki Region Transport) pop-up service point (optional): At the service point, you can obtain or update a HSL card. Service point is open also on 29.8. and 31.8. | Otakaari 1 lobby |
| Mandatory program starts 12:15. Please have your lunch before this program, as there will be only short breaks before evening. | ||
| 12.15-12.30 | Use of AI in learning | presentation |
| 12.30-13.30 |
How to promote a fair culture Host: Study psychologist Alli Mattila |
|
| 13.40-14.40 | New degree, new me? | presentation |
| 14.40-16.00 | Campus tour and Learning Center with tutors |
|
| 16.00-18.00 | Welcome Evening for new Master’s students by School of Business Career Services & Alumni Relations. More information and registration link can be found form the event pages. Enroll yourself by 28.8.23 |
Ekonominaukio 1, ground floor |
| Programme by KY: Jaostorieha An event hosted by KUJ, Nesu-KY and KY-Sub |
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| Thursday 31.8.2023 | ||
| 10.00-16.00 | Aalto Welcome Fair At the fair, you will meet with several different organisations that can support you during your studies, and you will get information about other useful services. More information is avalible at Aalto Welcome Fair event pages |
Otakaari 1 lobby + Alvarin aukio |
| 13.00-14.00 | Better Student Life lecture | Otakaari 1, U2 |
| 14.00-15.00 | Virtual Campus tour for those students, who can't participate campus tour in person. |
Online |
| Otasuunnistus: Get to know associations and clubs from allover Aalto, organized by Teekkarijaosto |
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| Friday 1.9.2023 | ||
| 10.00-15.00 | Mursuexpo organised by KY | Otakaari 1, U-wing |
| 18-> | Programme by KY: Meet your Masters Get to know your future subject clubs, organized by Masters' Committee |
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| 21-> | Programme by KY: Mursuparty The Grand Finale of the orientation week organized by KUJ. Masters' students are able to continue the party from Meet your masters to Mursubileet |
|
| Tuesday 5.9.2023 | ||
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Aalto Day One – opening of the academic year 2023–2024 More information and registration link is avalible at Aalto Day One event pages |
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| 13.15–14.20 | Opening ceremony of the academic year | Undergraduate Centre, U2 hall & online & screening studios |
| 15.30–19.30 | Aalto Party | Alvar Aalto park |
Support for starting your studies
Your student tutor will contact you in August. Your contact information will be given to your tutor. Tutors are senior students who help new students during orientation week and at the beginning of their studies. Each new student is assigned a student tutor who has completed tutoring training. Tutoring is carried out in cooperation with tutors, University personnel and student organizations. Each major has their own tutors, who introduce students to the campus, student organization activities (KY & AYY) and student life in general.
Planning officers support students in study affairs: planning of studies (personal study plan), guidance on practical study affairs and counselling in challenging study situations. You meet your programme’s planning officer during the orientation week and can contact them any time during your studies.
You can reach your planning officer through [email protected].
Academic advisers are faculty members who also act as mentors for students of their department. You can talk about your academic ambitions, interests and study goals with the academic adviser.
Some programmes assign academic advisers to all students, some name the advisers per research topic. If you don’t know how to contact an academic adviser, please ask your planning officer through [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
You’ll receive a newsletter for new students via email about once a month during the summer. Please read the emails carefully since they include important information about starting your studies at Aalto University. The email address we use is the one you gave when you applied to Aalto.
Your student tutor and planning officer will contact you in August via email or phone with details about the start of studies. You can also chat with students of Aalto Business School here.
The events and activities during orientation are planned to ensure a smooth start of studies. You will learn all you need about the start of studies by following the instructions on this page, reading your email and participating in the orientation.
Here on your programme pages. This is the study guide of the programme and here you can find the curricula, instructions for study planning, available study options and instructions for all study related matters.
Please familiarise yourself with the page New Master’s students and this page that you are currently on (Starting your studies). These pages contain information relevant to new students. Complete also the preorientation in MyCourses.
You can browse through the Student guide to learn more about practices. The most important information is part of the orientation programme.
The beginning of the academic year is the busiest time for the planning officers and they get many emails. Your planning officer will reply to you as soon as possible.
If you have a study related question, instead of sending an email, please do the following.
- Check if the information is available on these pages, New Master's students, or in the newsletters you received.
- If the subject of your question is part of the orientation programme, attend the orientation event. Please also attend the available Q&A sessions and/or clinics and ask there.
- If you can’t find the information and the matter is urgent, call your planning officer via phone or contact the student services at [email protected].
Please also note that during August-September we can't prioritise emails with questions that will be answered during the orientation or are answered in the materials sent to new students.
The degree structure of your programme and the courses it includes are listed under Curriculum 2022–2024. You can find instructions for planning your studies under During your studies > Planning your studies.
The study plan is created in student information system Sisu and the detailed instructions for creating your study plan are part of the orientation programme.
Please note that all our programmes are full-time programmes that run mainly on campus. We do not recommend working full-time during the studies.
The amount of compulsory attendance depends on the course. You can find the links to the course descriptions under Curriculum 2022–2024. In the course list, the link in the course code will take you to the course description in the student information system.
Yes, you can transfer credits completed outside of Aalto University to your degree. You can use them to substitute a specific Aalto course or include them in the degree as is towards e.g. the electives. Please read more about credit transfer here. The detailed instructions are part of the orientation programme.
Course registrations are done in the student information system Sisu through your study plan. Please see the instructions here. The detailed instructions are also part of the orientation programme.
If the registration period is still ongoing, register for the course even if there appears to be more participants than allowed. The participants will be confirmed only after the registration period has ended. In many courses, priority will be given to students in the programme that organises the course. This information is available on the course brochure in Sisu.
If the registration period has ended, please choose another course.
Personal Study Plan or PSP (sometimes referred to with the Finnish abbreviation HOPS) is a plan for the courses you are going to include in your degree. It also includes a schedule for your studies over the planned study time.
PSP is used for e.g. course registration and graduation, but primarily it is your planning tool that helps you plan your studies. PSPs are made in the Sisu system.
Yes, you can. We ask you to make your personal study plan first and foremost to help you plan your studies. The first version of your study plan is done during the orientation, but you are allowed to change your plans. Please see the instructions under During your studies > Planning your studies.
The scope of the Master's degree is 120 cr. Students are allowed to extend the degree by one course. Plan your studies to meet the 120 credits.
No, they won't. The degree certificate includes only the courses that are part of your degree. You can, however, download a transcript of records from Sisu that will show all the courses you have completed at Aalto University.
This is not possible. You cannot hide or delete courses from the study register.
We recommend that you start the thesis process in the beginning of the second study year.
Most programmes require a 30-credit thesis which equals six months of full-time work. If you won't be able to work on the thesis full-time because of studying other courses or employment, or you have another reason the thesis process will take longer than six months like gathering your own data, plan accordingly to start your thesis process earlier on in your master's studies.