Student Pranava Pakala: The world is your oyster at Aalto!
Pranava studies Electronics and Nanotechnology and she believes that the field is the solution to most of the problems the world faces today
Electronics and Nanotechnology, Master of Science (Technology)
The Master’s Programme in Electronics and Nanotechnology offers the opportunity for students to go into the details of future-shaping and globally significant technologies. We are surrounded by wireless technologies everywhere through the rise of mobile devices, space technology is skyrocketing in the form of small satellites, and nanotechnology is enabling major breakthroughs in fields like solar energy harvesting. This programme focuses strongly on researching and building hardware for these technologies, paving the way for a fluent shift towards a career in the industry or an academic postgraduate path.
Degree:
Master of Science (Technology)
Application period:
1 Dec 2022 – 2 Jan 2023
Language of instruction:
English
Duration:
2 years,
full-time
Eligibility:
Relevant Bachelor's degree
Field of study:
Technology and Engineering
Credits:
120 ECTS
Organising school:
School of Electrical Engineering
Tuition fees:
For non-EU/EEA citizens, €15000/y (Master’s studies)
Applying to master’s programmes
Description
The technologies covered in this programme are prevalent already today, and will be even more so in the future. The programme equips engineering students with all the necessary knowledge and tools to explore new worlds and solve practical problems to shape society for the better. Electronics and Nanotechnology graduates have:
- Fundamental knowledge in their field. Graduates understand the substantial dynamics and key scientific theories of their chosen specification area.
- A toolbox for building technology. Graduates can design and build technological hardware relevant to their chosen specification area.
- A researcher’s mindset. Graduates possess a strong theoretical background and a research-oriented, scientific and academic approach to solving problems.
- Revolutionary potential. Graduates are experts in technologies that change rapidly and will in many ways redefine the world we live in.
Upon graduation from the Electronics and Nanotechnology programme, graduates have gained substantial knowledge and skills to work as an expert in their chosen specification area.
Tuition fees and scholarships
Aalto University’s tuition fee for master’s programmes taught in English is 15 000 euros per academic year. Tuition fees apply to citizens of countries other than those of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
Aalto University has a scholarship programme to support non-EU/EEA citizens who study in a fee-charging degree programme. The scholarship may cover 100% or 50% of the tuition fee.
More information on tuition fees and scholarships at Aalto University is available at the Scholarships and Tuition Fees webpage.
Structure of studies
The Master’s Programme in Electronics and Nanotechnology is organised by the School of Electric Engineering and comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits. The two-year programme consists of:
- Major studies (65 ECTS)
- Elective studies (25 ECTS)
- Master’s thesis (30 ECTS)
Majors are selected at the end of the first semester, after introductive common studies in the possible specification areas.
At the beginning of their studies, students define their Personal Study Plans (PSP) together with an academic advisor. The primary purpose of PSP is to ensure that the studies support the student’s interests and are completed in a logical order. More information on the programme content and curriculum can be found in the Student guide.
Students can approach their engineering studies from both industrial and scientific perspectives. They can direct their studies either towards a theoretically-oriented manner or more hands-on practical applications. Thus, the programme is a combination of theoretical and practical courses that consist of lectures, independent exercises, computer simulations, laboratory work and group assignments.
Master's Programme in Electronics and Nanotechnology
Read the student experiences
Students coded an open-source microprocessor that companies can use as they wish
The new processor is suitable, for example, for 6G transceivers and encryption technology. The project encourages young people to study microelectronics; skills that are in high demand in Finland.
Aalto University students combine an open microprocessor with an AI accelerator
In the recent past, Aalto students implemented a simple processor. Now, they have further refined its structure and combined it with an AI accelerator.
Specialisations
The studies are closely connected to current research in the relevant field as all majors are linked to ongoing research within various research groups in the departments. There are four majors, i.e. specification areas, offered by the programme:
1. Micro- and nanoelectronic circuit design
In micro- and nanoelectronic circuit design, students learn to design modern wireless devices and understand the technology behind the latest developments in wireless connections, for example 5G. They will also be able to integrate digital and analog radio-frequency circuits into the smallest wireless sensors like the "Internet of Things", or implantable medical devices.
2. Microwave engineering
In microwave engineering, students learn to design microwave components for modern wireless devices and understand the technology behind the latest developments in wireless connections. In particular, students learn to design antennas for modern wireless devices and networks and predict how the waves propagate in different environments.
3. Photonics and nanotechnology
In photonics and nanotechnology, students study the principles of physics governing the properties and interaction of light and matter. However, the focus is always on applying these theories to fabricating practical hardware devices. The manufacturing technologies originated in semiconductor processing for microelectronics, but these methods added with nanofabrication methods can be applied to many more application areas, such as sensors, optoelectronic devices (solar cells, LEDs, lasers), photonic devices, microfluidic devices and even nanoelectronic devices based on quantum physics. The Micronova research center provides the largest cleanroom facilities in Northern Europe to implement these applications.
4. Space science & technology
In space science & technology, four focus areas exist: space technology, earth observation, space physics and radio astronomy. During the studies, students will learn to design and build functional space systems, set up scientific space research projects and perform science with the results.
Internationalisation
As the programme covers technologies that are globally relevant, the study environment is strongly international and studies are conducted in multicultural groups. There are diverse possibilities for exchange studies all around the world included in the degree as an international minor. Other possibilities for developing one’s global competence are e.g. conducting practical training abroad, taking a summer course abroad or representing Aalto University in occasionally organised student competitions.
Aalto University is international by nature, welcoming thousands of degree and exchange students from abroad each year. These students join the diverse Aalto community not only through studies, but also multiple free time events, activities and celebrations around the campus. Programme administrators, active student tutors and student support services work rigorously to help international students integrate into Nordic culture and welcome them at home in Finland.
Further study opportunities
The programme qualifies for doctoral studies (Doctor of Science in an applicable field).
Career opportunities
Graduates from the programme typically embark on their globally-oriented careers in research and development-focused tasks, and eventually shifting towards different industry expert positions based on individual preferences. Resulting from the very research-based studies, a very popular option is to continue the studies as a researcher and a graduate student towards a doctoral degree. Some graduates also start their own companies or get employed in high-growth hardware startups in the field. Overall, employment rates for fresh graduates are extremely good as many companies within the industry are actively involved already during their studies.
Aalto University has well-established career services through which you can get employed in Finland and abroad. Aalto students tend to find good positions with ease upon graduation. Large share of MSc graduates continue as doctoral researchers in Finland or internationally.
Typical job titles of recent graduates employed in companies include:
Antenna/RF/microwave specialist, Technical sales engineer, RF system engineer, Consultant, RF/antenna/microwave engineer, Test engineer, Business developer, design engineer, ASIC developer, SoC architect, electronics designer, FPGA programmer, VHDL software engineer, CEO, CTO, Head of Mission Management, Spacecraft System Engineer, Spacecraft System Analyst, Software Design Lead, Spacecraft Designer, Head of Communications Network, Research Team Leader, Quality Assurance Engineer etc.
Some examples of the companies our recent graduates work for in Finland or internationally are Nokia, Nokia Bell Labs, Qualcomm, Huawei, Optenni, Cojot, Radientum, Airbus, VTT, CoreHW, SAAB, Huawei, Murata, Vaisala, Microsoft, Nordic Semiconductors, ICEYE, Kuva Space, Aurora Propulsion, HULD, Arctic Astronautics, DA-Group, Airbus Defense and Space, Leaf Space.
A student satellite project launched alumna Maria Hieta’s career in the space industry
Alumna Maria Hieta majored in Space Science and Technology.
Aalto University alumnus Mathias Fontell receives Young Physicist Prize 2019
The award-winning master's thesis in space technology focuses on solving problems related to radio wave propagation in the upper layers of the atmosphere.
School of Electrical Engineering graduates in working life
School of Electrical Engineering Master's graduates are successful in finding jobs corresponding to their education. On this page you can find information on job titles, job sectors and career development of our graduates.
Research focus
The Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering conducts research and arranges related courses in the fields of electromagnetics, micro and nanotechnology, radio engineering, and space technology. The department research groups have active national and international collaboration with several institutes and companies. Research groups are working with world-class research facilities and instruments; the largest clean rooms in the Nordic countries are located in the Micro- and nanotechnology centre Micronova.
Co-operation with other parties
Aalto University is among the top-ranked universities in the world related to industry collaboration. As a graduate, you can leverage on our connections. Aalto Industrial Internet Campus offers you the possibility to network with students from other engineering disciplines and prestigious industrial partners.
Webinar | Electronics and Nanotechnology
Want to hear more about Master's Programme in Electronics and Nanotechnology? Check out the webinar recording where programme representatives tell about the studies and answer some of your questions.
Get to know us
Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering
Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering (ELE) conducts research and arranges related teaching courses in the fields of electromagnetics, micro and nanotechnology, radio engineering, and space technology.
Educational satellite won a spot in the International Space Station
Aalto students designed a satellite, which even a child can assemble and programme. The instructions can soon be downloaded from the web and you can design the exterior yourself, perhaps from a milk carton.
Micronova
Micronova is part of OtaNano - Finland's national research infrastructure for micro- and nanotechnology, jointly run by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Aalto University.
Space conquerors win the Finnish Engineering Award
Satellite development began with Aalto University’s technology students’ course work. Now the goal is to achieve billions worth of turnover and a global satellite network.
Hey, space!
An updated course in radio astronomy allows students to observe far-away galaxies with the help of Finland's only radio telescope used for astronomical research.
A year long wait is over - the Suomi 100 satellite was launched into space
The Suomi 100 satellite, part of Finland’s centenary celebration programme, was built at Aalto University and was launched into space on board the Falcon 9 rocket. The launch took place from California at 20.32 Finnish time.
Chat with Aalto students
Are you wondering what it is like to study at Aalto University? Or what student life is like at Aalto’s vibrant Otaniemi Campus or at the Mikkeli Unit? Come chat with our students about all things Aalto!
Study-option-specific application instructions
Required prior knowledge
For admission to the Electronics and Nanotechnology programme, a high‐quality Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, in physics, or in a related field is required. Excellent candidates with degrees in other fields such as information systems, engineering, natural sciences, or mathematics, will be considered if they can show to have acquired sufficient skills and knowledge.
Background requirements depend on the chosen study field within the programme. Recommended background includes sufficient skills in
- electronics
- physics
- mathematics
- basic programming skills
Applicants with a previous Master’s degree of comparable quality and content in the fields of the Master’s Programme in Electronics and Nanotechnology or who intend to complete one, or who have a valid study right in this application target will not be accepted to the programme except for special reasons, which the applicant must explain in the application. The Master’s programme should provide genuinely new knowledge and further the career of the applicant.
In addition to the mandatory application documents, applicants to the Electronics and Nanotecnology programme are requested to provide the following additional documents:
- curriculum vitae*
- motivation letter*
- The motivation letter should be written in English. The maximum length of the motivation letter is about 4000 characters. You should write a separate motivation letter for each study option you apply to.
* the lack of these two application documents will adversely affect the evaluation of your application
- at least one original recommendation letter (preferably academic)
- work certificates and certificates of other relevant achievements
- copies of any publications
- the official transcript of records for other university studies which are not included in the mandatory part of the application
The application should fully explain the educational history of the applicant. If the applicant has started or completed other studies in addition to the Bachelor's degree mentioned above, he or she should also provide the respective official transcripts and other possible (degree) certificates.
If the applicant has work experience or other activities or achievements to support their application, certificates or other proof should be included in the application. If the applicant has publications, copies or permanent web links to the publications should be provided. The CV should be used to provide a summary of one's personal history, achievements, objectives and other points that one considers important for the application.
The motivation letter can supplement the description of personal history. The motivation letter should also describe why the applicant is applying to the study‐option and why she/he would be a good candidate for the study option.
The recommendation letter should preferably be from a university professor, lecturer or a thesis instructor who has supervised the applicant’s studies at the university. The recommendation should comment on the applicant’s suitability to the specific study option and major.
General instructions on study-option-specific documents
All additional application documents described above should preferably be submitted in English. If some other language than English, Finnish or Swedish is used in them, the applicant must provide precise, word-for-word translations of them.
Upload the documents to your online application form in pdf-format. Name the file(s) according to format: Name of the document-Lastname-Firstname (e.g. CV-Lastname-Firstname.pdf). Maximum file size is 1.0 GB.
The study-option-specific documents must be uploaded for each study option separately, even if you use the same document (e.g. CV). Please check carefully the study-option-specific document requirements for each study option you apply to.
The deadline for the study-option-specific application documents to be uploaded to your application form is the same as for the general application documents.
The applicants must first meet the general eligibility requirements of Aalto University.
Applicants meeting the general eligibility criteria for master's studies are evaluated and ranked
according to the evaluation criteria listed here.
Firstly, the applications are evaluated based on the following (critical) criteria.
- Relevance of previous studies
- Academic performance
Only the applications who fulfill the requirements for these criteria will be evaluated against the full
set of evaluation criteria. After the evaluation of the remaining criteria below, the best applicants will be selected based on the joint evaluation of all criteria.
- Recognition and quality of institution
- Suitability
- Other areas of competence
Relevance of previous studies
| What we look for in an applicant? |
A high‐quality Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, in physics, or in a related field is required. Excellent candidates with degrees in other fields such as information systems, Background requirements depend on the chosen study field within the programme. Recommended background includes sufficient skills in
Applicants with a previous Master’s degree of comparable quality and content in the fields of the Master’s Programme in Electronics and Nanotechnology or who intend to complete one, or who have a valid study right in this application target will not be accepted to the programme except for special reasons, which the applicant must explain in the application. The Master’s programme should provide genuinely new knowledge and further the career of the applicant. |
| What is evaluated? | Content and quantity of previous studies in relation to the applied programme. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
Academic performance
| What we look for in an applicant? |
The programme is looking for applicants with excellent success in their previous studies. This will be evaluated on the basis of the Grade Point Average (GPA) and results in key courses. The grades will be evaluated in relation to how demanding the studies have been. The time spent on the previous studies will also be taken into account. Study success of the previous Bachelor’s degree is emphasized. Other previous studies are considered as well but evaluation is primarily based on the bachelor level studies. Applicants who have previously studied at Aalto University, e.g. as exchange students, are also evaluated according to the grades, the number of credits obtained, as well as on the time spent on these studies. The minimum GPA for applicants from Finnish universities of applied science is 3.8. Applicants with a GPA below the 3.8 limit will not be admitted unless they have other exceptional merits. Meeting the minimum GPA does not guarantee admission to the programme. |
| What is evaluated? | Grades of previous degree(s) |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
Recognition and quality of institution
| What we look for in an applicant? | The applicant’s previous degree will be evaluated based on the international reputation and academic quality of the university and the programme. |
| What is evaluated? | Recognition and quality of the applicant's previous institution |
| Method of demonstrating competence | International and national rankings of higher education institutions |
Suitability
| What we look for in an applicant? | The applicant should be motivated to study the chosen subject and committed to full‐time studies with a plan to complete the Master’s degree in two years. We are looking for applicants who are able to express clearly the reasons for applying to the programme and describe why they would be good candidates for the programme. |
| What is evaluated? | Applicant’s further applicability to the study option, motivation and commitment for studies |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Motivation letter |
Other areas of competence
| What we look for in an applicant? |
Applicants will benefit of the following:
|
| What is evaluated? | Work experience and learning gained otherwise or demonstration of skills such as publications, contests, non-formal learning etc. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Curriculum vitae, letter of recommendation, proof of employment, publications |
The minimum GPA for applicants from Finnish universities of applied science is 3.8. Applicants with a GPA below the 3.8 limit will not be admitted unless they have other exceptional merits. Meeting the minimum GPA does not guarantee admission to the programme.
Previously, all admitted students whose previous degree was from a Finnish university of applied science were required to take a selection of complementary studies. This is no longer required, and complementary studies are assigned only in individual cases. Therefore, it is important to demonstrate the depth of the required prior knowledge in the application. This can be achieved, for example, with excellent grades in the relevant Bachelor courses and by completing a small number of demanding courses in the areas of required knowledge. A limited number of seats for non-degree students are available in the Bachelor-level courses in Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Programming at Aalto University, and similar courses may be available through the Open University.
Contact information
School of Electrical Engineering
For enquiries regarding the application process, general application documents and language tests, please contact [email protected] For enquiries regarding the content of programme, the studies at the School of Electrical Engineering and the study option specific application documents please contact [email protected]