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Creative Sustainability, Master of Arts (Art and Design)
The Master’s Programme in Creative Sustainability (CS) provides a multidisciplinary learning platform in the fields of design, business, and materials and chemical engineering. Sustainability is an increasingly relevant design perspective as designers are expected to contribute to innovative solutions and to critically examine different framings of sustainability concerns. Studies in the Creative Sustainability Programme prepare students to make an active contribution in sustainability through creative design practice.
Degree:
Master of Arts (Art and Design)
Application period:
28 Nov 2024 – 27 Dec 2024
Language of instruction:
English
Duration:
2 years,
full-time
Eligibility:
Relevant Bachelor's degree
Field of study:
Art and Design
Credits:
120 ECTS
Organising school:
School of Arts, Design and Architecture
Tuition fees:
For non-EU/EEA citizens, €17000/y (Master’s studies)
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Applying to master’s programmes
Description
The Master’s Programme in Creative Sustainability (CS) provides a multidisciplinary learning platform in the fields of design, business, and materials and chemical engineering. Sustainability is an increasingly relevant design perspective as designers are expected to contribute to innovative solutions and to critically examine different framings of sustainability concerns. Studies in the Creative Sustainability Programme prepare students to make an active contribution in sustainability through creative design practice.
Complex sustainability challenges, such as climate crises, the loss of biodiversity, and poverty and inequality, call for new mindsets and skills. These mindsets should incorporate a systems-based view of the planet and the ability to work with professionals from different fields and cultures. Sustainability challenges require multi-level solutions that involve a wide range of stakeholders with often competing interests. The CS programme prepares students to respond to these challenges through its international and multidisciplinary learning platform in the fields of business, design and chemical engineering and material science.
The CS programme brings together students who are devoted to developing systemic solutions, working in multidisciplinary teams, and challenging themselves with practical learning tasks. Creativity in the programme denotes a focus on fresh, holistic, and emerging innovations and far-reaching alternative solutions. The studies include state-of-the-art knowledge about the interlinked environmental, economic, and socio-cultural aspects of sustainability coupled with learning in practical projects conducted together with partner organizations.
The Creative Sustainability programme is organized jointly by the School of Business, the School of Arts, Design and Architecture and the School of Chemical Engineering. Students who enter the programme via the School of Arts, Design and Architecture graduate with a degree of Master of Arts. As an offering in the Department of Design, the Creative Sustainability Master’s programme provides opportunities to develop skills and knowledge to promote sustainable development as a broad societal change process.
Intended learning outcomes
- Systems thinking: Students are able to use systems thinking to create new holistic and critical understandings of complex sustainability challenges and socio-ecological relations.
- Multidisciplinary competences: Students are able to work in diverse teams with experts and stakeholders; to combine knowledge, skills and values from different disciplines and domains in society; and to co-create innovative solutions for real-life challenges.
- Change-making: Students develop a change-maker mindset, and are able to generate action-oriented strategies, make interventions and promote transformations towards ecologically, economically and socially sustainable futures.
- Sustainability in materials use: Students understand the constraints on the use of natural resources, the principles and limits of resource-efficiency, circular economy and innovation for new sustainable materials, and are able to use analytical tools for sustainable materials use and sustainable consumption.
- Design thinking: Students are able to use tools and methods to support creativity and imagination and are able to facilitate dialogue, empathy and collaboration in creative processes.
- Sustainability management: Students are able to develop, speak for and manage sustainability initiatives in businesses and other organizations, are able to work proactively to promote sustainable development through responsible business, and recognise the capacities of public policy in promoting sustainability.
After completing the degree in CS in the department of Design students are able to
- Practice transparent, responsible and critical design in different political, societal and business contexts
- Participate in and lead debates on design and sustainability
- Carry out design research to support their practical work
Language of instruction
The language of instruction in the degree programme Creative Sustainability is English.
Tuition fees and scholarships
The tuition fee for this programme is 17 000 euros per academic year. Citizens of European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland do not pay tuition fees. Citizens of other countries must pay tuition fees.
Aalto University offers a small number of scholarships in the form of tuition fee waivers to fee-paying students. Scholarships can be awarded to the highest-achieving applicants based on the programme's evaluation criteria. Applicants are ranked according to the criteria outlined on the programme's webpage.
More information on tuition fees and scholarships at Aalto University is available at the Scholarships and Tuition Fees webpage.
Structure of studies
The Creative Sustainability programme is organized jointly by the School of Arts, Design and Architecture, School of Business, and the School of Chemical Engineering. The two-year CS programme comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits, divided between compulsory joint Creative Sustainability studies, compulsory studies in design, elective studies, and a master’s thesis. The pedagogical approach is based on integrating teaching and research, problem-based learning, and strong connection to practical outcomes. The curriculum is based on personal study plans, in which the students can also include studies completed at other universities or other modules from Aalto University. More information about the course offerings is available on the programme website.
For further details on the education content, see the Student guide under Curriculum
Master's Programme in Creative Sustainability
Specialisations
Creative Sustainability contains three tracks that are organised through the separate intake processes in the School of Arts, Design and Architecture, School of Business, and School of Chemical Engineering.
Internationalisation
The Creative Sustainability programme is genuinely international. Thanks to this, the CS learning experience takes place in a diverse, while like-minded and supportive group of highly motivated students and faculty.
Students have opportunities to make exchange studies in other university through exchange agreement of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture.
Further study opportunities
The degree grants eligibility for doctoral studies.
Career opportunities
Creative Sustainability studies prepare the students to work as sustainability experts in a wide range of organizations also including those with a strategic view on transformation towards sustainability. The student can develop expertise in different professional profiles which vary from research skills to the practical skills of management, leadership, design and engineering in different environments.
Design confronts new challenges in innovating for sustainable development. The CS programme teaches skills to meet these challenges through specialization and interdisciplinary work. Graduates from CS programme are attractive targets for progressive local and international employers as well as prepared for academic careers and independent entrepreneurial activity.
Research focus
Creative sustainability studies draw from research in the fields of design for sustainability, sustainable consumption, sustainability Innovation and management and on research on new materials and circular economy.
Co-operation with other parties
The programme in particularly planned to support collaboration between disciplines. Beyond this, Aalto University is well-known for bridging disciplines of business, arts, technology and science. The lively campus and freedom of choosing elective courses across the university bring students from different fields under one roof. This spontaneous multidisciplinary environment sparks new ideas, gathers enthusiasts around them and gives birth to friendships, networks, and every so often, startups.
The pedagogy is based on real life challenges, and the studies present many opportunities to interact and network with other stakeholders and organizations involved in sustainability.
Applying to master’s programmes
Study-option-specific Evaluation Criteria in Master's Admissions 2025
Applicants meeting Aalto’s general eligibility criteria for master's studies will be evaluated and ranked according to the evaluation criteria that has been decided in advance for each study option. The applications to Master’s Programme in Creative Sustainability (CS) Master of Arts will be evaluated based on the following criteria.
Phase I
| Academic performance | |
| What is evaluated | Grades of the previous degree(s) |
| What we look for in an applicant/Admission requirements | Good academic performance in previous studies |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
| Artistic and/or design practice | |
| What is evaluated | Demonstrations of artistic and/or design work or assignments |
| What we look for in an applicant/Admission requirements | Relevant design practice relates to promoting sustainability and social change. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Portfolio; include only 3 projects that best demonstrate relevant design practice; portfolio size max 30MB |
| Relevance of previous studies | |
| What is evaluated | Content and quantity in relation to the applied study-option-specific requirements |
| What we look for in an applicant/Admission requirements | Relevant previous studies can relate to a many fields. However, studies in sustainability, environmental studies, as well as studies relating to social change are regarded as an advantage. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
| Suitability | |
| What is evaluated | Applicant’s further suitability to the study option, motivation, and commitment for studies and communication skills |
|
What we look for in an applicant/Admission requirements |
Suitable applicants have demonstrated some engagement in sustainability either in their previous study, work or through other commitments. Suitable applicants also have emerging ideas on how they might be professionally engaged in sustainability in the future. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Motivation letter |
| Other areas of competence | |
| What is evaluated | Work experience and other acquired knowledge/achievements e.g. publications, non-formal education, competitions |
| What we look for in an applicant/Admission requirements | Sustainability requires skills of communication and analytical skills as well as creative problem-solving. Not all these competence areas are captured in design outputs but can also include e.g. publications. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Curriculum vitae |
Phase II
| Suitability | |
| What is evaluated | Applicant’s further suitability to the study option, motivation, and commitment for studies and communication skills |
| What we look for in an applicant/Admission requirements | Suitable applicants have demonstrated some engagement in sustainability either in their previous study, work or through other commitments. Suitable applicants also have emerging ideas on how they might be professionally engaged in sustainability in the future. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | interview |
The applicants will be first evaluated based on Aalto’s general eligibility requirements. Applicants meeting the general eligibility criteria for master's studies will be evaluated and ranked according to the evaluation criteria that has been decided in advance for each study option.
The selection process for those who meet the general eligibility criteria comprises of two phases:
Phase I
In Phase I, the applicants are evaluated based on the following criteria
- Academic performance
- Artistic and/or design practice
- Suitability/Motivation letter
- Other areas of competence
Only the applicants who are ranked highest in the preliminary evaluation will be invited to phase II in the selection process.
Phase II
In Phase II, the evaluation is based on the following criteria
- Suitability/ Interview
Part of the applicants are invited to the second phase. The invitation to the second phase is sent to the applicants at latest seven days in advance.
Interviews are conducted online. The interview is used to further assess the merits and suitability of the applicant.
After the evaluation conducted in Phase II, the best applicants will be selected based on the joint evaluation from Phases I and II.
The documents required from all applicants are listed on the Aalto University website: https://www.aalto.fi/en/study-at-aalto/applying-to-masters-programmes. In addition, applicants to this study option are required to provide the following study-option-specific documents:
Portfolio
A portfolio consisting of the applicant’s own works is mandatory.
In the portfolio, applicants display work that shows their artistic expression and design skills. The portfolio must contain maximum three samples of the applicant’s previous scientific, professional and/or artistic activity. Artwork/project work can be provided as technical drawings, slides or photographs. If you present a work that has been undertaken as a team, please clarify your particular role in, and contribution to, the project. The work contained in the portfolio must be catalogued, listing at least the title and/or theme, materials used, size, purpose and year of completion of each piece. The catalogue must also detail where and when the work has been exhibited, displayed or published.
The portfolio should be uploaded as a single PDF-file. Maximum size for the portfolio is 30 MB and it can include maximum of 14 pages, larger ones will not be evaluated, even if the system allows uploading larger ones. Name the file as: Portfolio-surname-firstname.pdf. The intake committee will only evaluate the material displayed in the PDF file. Links to external material (e.g. website) or video material will not be considered during the intake process. The portfolios may be examined on a laptop display of ca. 14”. It is highly advisable to use e.g., 16:9 or 16:10 aspect ratio.
CV / Professional experience
The applicant’s professional experience will be looked at broadly, and especially with regard to work experience relevant to the Creative Sustainability programme. Professional experience will be evaluated based on the CV.
Motivation letter
The applicant must convey his/her motivation for studying in the Creative Sustainability programme by writing a letter of motivation. The letter should include responses to the following questions:
- What is your most significant achievement or success in the area of sustainability and design?
- Why do you want to become a student in the Creative Sustainability programme at Aalto University?
- What types of projects would you like to do during your studies and as your masters’ thesis?
- What do you want to do after the master programme?
The maximum length of the motivation letter is 2000 characters, including spaces.
Language of application documents
The application documents must be submitted in English.
Learn more
Insights from studying collaborative MA programmes (Part 1/2) | Aalto Blogs (external link)
Michael shares his experience in studying a Master's degree in Creative Sustainability and International Design Business Management.
Insights from studying collaborative MA programmes (Part 2/2) | Aalto Blogs (external link)
Michael shares his experience in studying a Master's degree in Creative Sustainability and International Design Business Management.
Coming to terms with complexity (external link)
Design’s superpower is that it has several fundamental qualities — both as a practice and as a mindset — that make it effective in the face of complicated issues.
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Contact information
Learning Services at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture
For enquiries regarding programme-specific application documents or studies in the programme, please contact Aalto ARTS Learning Services.
Admissions Services
For enquiries regarding the application process, obligatory application documents or English language proficiency, please contact Admissions Services.
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