School of Business

MSc degree studies consist of the following study modules: Programme studies 84 ECTS credits, Minor studies 24 ECTS credits and Electives 12 ECTS credits.

In addition to the goals stated in Government Decree on University Degrees (794/2004) 7 § the aim of the Master of Science degree in Economics and Business Administration is to provide students with

• deep overall knowledge of the area of the specialised master’s degree programme, and very good knowledge of the minor subject or corresponding study entities included in the degree;
• the knowledge and skills required in challenging managerial positions or positions demanding a high level of expertise, or as entrepreneur;
• the ability to independently produce and apply knowledge in the field of business administration and economics, and preparedness for demanding international postgraduate programmes;
• the ability to address ethics, sustainability, and international context; and
• excellent communication and team working skills.

The International Design Business Management (IDBM) Master’s Programme is a joint offering between Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, School of Business and School of Science.

The IDBM programme has an overarching objective of enabling students to act as future professionals in global business development through design and technology. These multidisciplinary, cross-cultural, global and future-oriented undertakings are complex and require highly developed systemic competences from those operating in these contexts. This includes diffusion of skills, knowledge and understanding across disciplinary borders, and going beyond instrumental and interpersonal competences. The objective is therefore for learners to gain a multi- and interdisciplinary understanding of the globalized context, while being able to acknowledge the value and apply creatively the tools, practices and mental models of other professions in joint undertakings.

To diffuse systemic thinking and related skills and knowledge within the programme, two specific key issues have been taken up in a comprehensive manner: coherence and relevance. In order to achieve coherence across the platform in systemic competence development, five major dimensions are used as the background of the core curriculum development; tools, ecosystems, management, processes and organizational arrangements. To address the relevance of the programme, professional orientation tracks have been identified that are highly relevant to the IDBM programme: research, management, consulting, and entrepreneurship.

One of the important aspects of the programme is its global and international approach, which is based on the interaction of individuals beyond national and cultural groups. On the practical level the global aspect refers to the continuous development of international networks through student selection, industry cooperation, research activities and study exchange. Additionally, students of IDBM master’s programme are offered an opportunity to extend their studies to a double degree with ESADE Business School in Barcelona Spain.

Director of the Master's Programme: Prof. Peter McGrory

Learning Outcomes

The purpose of the IDBM programme is to develop world-class expertise in global design business management through multidisciplinary research and learning that cuts across the areas of business, design and technology. The programme trains skilled professionals for key roles in global design business. The program emphasizes the importance of design as a competitive factor, linked with state-of-the-art technology and business models.

The overarching learning outcome is seen to be achievable through developing systemic and integrative competences within the two-year programme. The objective is for learners to gain competence in multiple dimensions on both strategic and operational levels; also to develop and enhance individual abilities to recognize and acknowledge the value in tools, practices and mental models of other professions. This is seen to be needed in complex development projects and turbulent operational environments. Achieving systemic competence is seen to require a deep understanding of multidisciplinary aptitudes in the globalised context, in addition to well developed abilities in strategic foresight and agile working methods.

In terms of knowledge:

• Individuals must widely understand and be critically able to approach the knowledge that is needed to undertake new business ventures in global environments.
• This includes understanding and having the best current knowledge of the systemic nature of global issues and the impact of globalisation; of the multidisciplinary nature of responses needed to address these issues; of the need to possess the best knowledge projections of the future through foresight; and the need to understand agile and flexible operational practices.
• Furthermore, they must master professional specialized concepts, applications and knowledge linked to their own business, design or technology background that are relevant to global business development.
• Additionally, they must be able to understand the issues related to the creation and application of new knowledge within and in between domains.

In terms of skills:

• Operating independently and in teams, individuals must be able to arrive at successful cross-cutting solutions within complex, ambiguous and demanding problem settings and environments. The expectation is that, through integrative thinking, design processes, diversity and cross-cultural elements, the students learn how to operate successfully in multidisciplinary environments and to manage effectively the ambiguity that surrounds the real-life project contexts.
• They are also expected to gain an understanding of and an ability to manage the three modes of learning offered in the programme: individual learning, team-situated learning and community-wide learning.
• Furthermore, individuals must be able to create new knowledge and practices, while applying it in multidisciplinary settings.
• Individuals must be able to execute demanding tasks in expert and entrepreneurial roles, while also being able to develop new strategic and operational approaches in complex and unforeseeable circumstances.
• Within global business settings, individuals must be able to manage and lead initiatives and other individuals. While demonstrating abilities to accumulate personal expertise and knowledge, the individual must also possess the ability to evaluate the action of self and of teams/groups and be responsible for the professional development of others.
• The individual must have excellent presentation skills including written and oral communication skills within the professional sphere, as well as outside of it.

Education Content

The learning outcomes are achieved through compulsory and elective studies. In the three compulsory core IDBM modules, the objective is to build up the systemic knowledge and skill-sets of the students, through intensive courses that are linked to an academic year-long joint industry project and linked teamwork. The Business component of the joint IDBM project ensures that the students gain the necessary business perspective within the joint project, through extensive senior faculty supervision, business modeling and incorporating best business practices. The Design component of the joint IDBM project ensures that the students gain the necessary design thinking perspective within the joint project, through extensive senior faculty supervision and incorporating best design management practices. The Technology component of the joint IDBM project ensures that the students gain the necessary engineering and innovation management perspectives within the joint project, through extensive senior faculty supervision and incorporating best business practices within the project scope.

Studying consists of the three compulsory modules (Business, Design and Technology) and a joint Business/ Design/Technology 5+5+5 ECTS industry project. Parallel to lecture courses, the IDBM industry project deepens the understanding of the participants of the real-life processes of firms that are engaged in global design intensive businesses. Developing new business, product, and service concepts with the firms enables a deep understanding of the business enterprise context, and allows the students to develop their multidisciplinary skills and abilities. Skills in project management and business planning are also developed through the projects.

IDBM ARTS Major Studies 90 ECTS

Elective studies 30 ECTS (including Alternative studies 10 ECTS)

Code: XXXX
Credits: XX ECTS cr
Responsible Professor: Professor Anne Stenros, Director of the IDBM Programme
Additional information: IDBM programme website

Learning outcomes

Graduates of the IDBM programme will be able to manage and lead initiatives and other individuals in order to undertake new business ventures within global environments. This is seen to include:

• Gaining an understanding of the systemic nature of global issues and the impact of globalization;
• Being able to arrive at creative, successful and cross-cutting solutions within complex, ambiguous and demanding problem settings and environments, both independently and in multidisciplinary teams through creating and applying new knowledge within and in between domains;
• Mastering the professional specialized concepts, applications and knowledge linked to their own business, design or technology background that are relevant to global business development;
• Being able to evaluate the action of self and of teams and being responsible for the professional development of others, while demonstrating abilities to accumulate personal expertise and knowledge; and
• Mastering excellence in written, visual and oral communication skills within and external to the professional sphere.

Degree requirements 120 ECTS

1. Programme studies 84 ECTS

Business module (School of Business) 13 ECTS

^{1) Replaces course 26E04400 International Design Business Management 5 cr}

Design module (School of Arts, Design and Architecture) 15 ECTS

Technology module (School of Science) 15 ECTS

^{2) Replaces course TU-E5000 Innovation and Project Management 5 cr}

2. Minor studies 24 cr

Due to the wide multidisciplinary nature of the programme, no minor studies structure is proposed. Students should choose a minor that compliments their academic profile. 

Minor Studies are chosen from relevant business school disciplines, from other study modules at Aalto University or other available minor studies programmes, for instance, based on studies in a foreign university as an exchange student.   Students must complete the minor studies module to complete the degree.

3. Electives 12 cr

Course scheduling

The IDBM master’s programme is scheduled over a two-year period. The structure requires full time attendance for the first year, with highly intensive and interactive course structures. The second year studies enable exchange programmes and distance work.

Year 1

First year studies include the compulsory key modules of the IDBM master’s degree (Creative Teamwork and the Business, Design and Technology modules). Additionally students are recommended to take Elective studies to the extent to which they fit to the study schedules of the compulsory key courses.

Year 2

Second year studies include elective and minor studies as well as possible complementary courses (20-30 cr) and the master’s thesis (30 cr).

Director of degree programme: Professor in Practice Anna Stenros
Professor in charge at the School of Science: Matti Vartiainen
Degree: Master of Science (Technology), 120 ECTS
Abbreviation: IDBM

Description of the programme

The IDBM Master’s degree is a 120 credit joint offering between the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, School of Business and Schools of Technology (coordinated by School of Science). The program is taught completely in English. The first year of studies consists of set of intensive compulsory study modules and requires full time commitment from the students. The second year of studies allows more individual flexibility.

The IDBM programme has an overarching objective of enabling students to act as future world-class professionals in global business development in design and technology. It is seen to be achievable through developing systemic and integrative competences within the two-year programme. The objective for learners is to gain competences in multiple dimensions of design, business and technology and on both strategic and operative levels. The objective is therefore for learners to gain a multi- and interdisciplinary understanding of design needs in the globalized context, being able to acknowledge the value and tools, practices and mental models of other professions in joint undertakings and apply them creatively. This is needed in complex design projects and turbulent operational environments.  Achieving systemic competences requires a deep understanding of multidisciplinarity in the globalised context, together with well-developed abilities in strategic foresight and agile working methods. Global and international approach of the programme is based on the interaction of individuals beyond national and cultural groups.

International Design Business Management Major

Professor in charge: Matti Vartiainen
Code: SCI3062

Table 1. Content of the major

The role of the optional courses is to improve a student’s expertise in the state-of-art technology linked with design. Optional courses (10 cr) as part of the major studies have to be chosen primarily from the list. In special occasion student may negotiate with the professor about some other suitable courses. Basically these courses should be from a field of engineering. In some of the optional courses there might be restrictions about how many students are accepted. In addition, students need to make sure that they fulfil the all the pre-requirements set for the courses.

Optional courses of the major are confirmed in the Personal Study Plan.

The minor study module of the Master’s degree is 24 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).

2016–2017 minors at Aalto

2016-2017 minors

2016–2017 minors for School of Business students only

Please see Study Guide 2016-2017

Master's degree includes 12 ECTS credits of Electives. This can consist of for example

• additional studies in the degree programme,
• additional studies in the minor study module,
• 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).

More information is provided under the titles Language and communication studies and Internship.

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

Master’s thesis and thesis seminar

The programme study module includes a 30-credit thesis with a 6-credit seminar. The thesis must demonstrate readiness for scientific thinking, command of research methods, conversance with the topic of the thesis, and ability for scientific communication.

The student takes also part in a thesis seminar, which is designed to help the students to prepare their thesis work. The seminar consists of meetings, completing thesis, presenting the research topic to the seminar group and acting as an opponent for a fellow student’s thesis.

Seminar lasts usually the whole semester, and it is organised during both autumn and spring semesters. Registration for the seminar varies depending on the degree programme: please see the instructions for each programme in WebOodi, MyCourses or department’s homepages.

Maturity test

After completing the Master's Thesis the student has to write a maturity test in order to demonstrate their familiarity with the subject of the thesis and proficiency in Finnish or Swedish language. If a student has demostrated their Finnish or Swedish proficiency in the Bachelor’s degree, it is not required again for the Master’s degree. In this case the maturity test will be evaluated only based on the content. However, the maturity test is still always written in Finnish or Swedish, unless the student has been exempted to write the test in some other language (see instructions below).

The maturity test is a written examination based on the Master’s thesis. The School of Business students write an executive summary which is classified as the maturity test. For further instructions regarding the maturity test, please see Planning your studies - Maturity test.

If a student has had their (high school) education in a language other than Finnish or Swedish or abroad, it is possible to apply for an exemption in order to make the test in English or some other language. The application will be addressed to the Vice Dean of the School of Business. In this case the maturity test will be evaluated only based on the content.