Study options

Master's Programme in Accounting

The Master’s Programme in Accounting prepares students for producing and using financial and non-financial information to control and manage companies. Accounting, whether financial accounting or management accounting, is at the heart of every business and a critical part of planning and decision-making in companies. Accounting graduates possess invaluable and highly universal know-how for succeeding in different organisations across all industries and continents.

Several students, women and men discussing in the school hallway. One of the women is holding a yellow book.

Degree:

Master of Science (Economics and Business Administration)

Application period:

1.12.2020 – 4.1.2021

Language of instruction:

English

Duration:

2 years, full-time

Eligibility:

Relevant Bachelor's degree

Field of study:

Business and Economics

Credits:

120 ECTS

Organising school:

School of Business

Tuition fees:

For non-EU/EEA citizens, €15000/y (Master’s studies)

How to apply

The key takeaways from my years at Aalto include critical thinking, networking and problem-solving skills.

Cindy Svetkow, Consultant, EY

Objectives of studies

Accounting plays a key role in any company’s strategic and operative decision-making. That role is to produce and use financial and non-financial information for making the right choices and strategic shifts in a turbulent global business environment. Upon graduation from the Accounting programme, graduates will have:

In-depth financial knowledge. Graduates are able to generate, analyse, interpret and communicate financial information for the benefit of organisations, stakeholders, and the broader society.
Problem-solving skills. Graduates view managerial challenges through numbers and find solutions to answer them.
Management capabilities. Graduates can effectively contribute to the development of management information systems.
Decisive roles in organizations. Graduates impact and guide the strategic and operative decision making of organizations.
Universal competence. Graduates possess accounting and financial skills are universal and can be applied in all kinds of organizations, across industries and continents.

Upon graduation from the Accounting programme, graduates have not only financial substance in the field of accounting but also leading-edge skills to apply it to solve business problems, lead operative and strategic decision-making and develop better ways for companies to operate.

Photo of Emma-Riikka Myllymäki, alumna of the Master's programme in Accounting.

''Accounting for sustainability - Accounting expertise in reporting, measuring, controls, and assurance can enhance organizations' sustainability reporting, which is in the core for sustainable decision-making inside and outside the organizations, and further, for achieving the sustainability goals of the future.''

Emma-Riikka Myllymäki, Assistant Professor of Accounting, Aalto University School of Business

Anna Kuusela, alumna of the Master's programme in Accounting

“Today I have the confidence in myself and my skills: I believe I can figure anything out. This is one of the key mindset shifts shaped by my studies at Aalto and I know this will set me up for success…for life."

Anna Kuusela, International online confidence coach for women and Founder & CEO of SISU Collective

Jussi Siitonen_alumnus of the Master's programme of Accounting

“My expectations for studying Accounting at the Aalto University School of Business were to get a strong analytical skill set to understand business dynamics and keep all the options open for further career opportunities. Now, after 30 years in the business I can assure that Accounting provided me not only with the analytical toolbox but also the capability to understand the importance of financial information as well as how to use that in the business world.”

Jussi Siitonen, Chief Financial Officer, Amer Sports

Teemu Malmi_Alumnus of the Master's programme in Accounting

"Accounting is the language of business and needs to be understood well by all aiming to achieve leading positions in contemporary organizations. Our master’s program is designed to equip you with solid financial skills to guarantee success in variety of jobs including general management, financial management, consultancy, entrepreneurship and many others."

Teemu Malmi, Professor of Accounting, Aalto University

Alumna of the master's programme in accounting: Kati Marttila

"Master’s studies at Aalto provided me with a solid foundation in financial reporting, as well as great opportunities for connecting with professionals from a variety of companies – everything needed for starting my career in the field."

Kati Marttila, Controller, Cargotec

Scholarships and Tuition fees

The tuition fee is €15 000 per academic year for non-EU/EEA citizens. Prospective students subject to tuition fees are eligible to apply for Aalto University Scholarship.

Study language

The language of instruction is English.

Structure of studies

The Master’s Programme in Accounting is organized by the School of Business and comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits. The two-year programme consists of:

Programme studies (84 ECTS), including Master’s Thesis (30 ECTS)
Minor studies (24 ECTS)
Elective studies (12 ECTS)

Students have the opportunity to complete the minor studies (24 ECTS) in an official exchange programme partner of the School of Business.

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.

Personal Study Plan (PSP)

Personal Study Plan (PSP) is a practical tool to define a student’s own study path, i.e. compiling an optimal selection of courses, aligned with the student's interests and programme requirements. PSP is also a useful tool for keeping up with studies. At best, it shows the stage at which students are with their studies and sets concrete milestones for them to follow.

Post-graduate study options

The degree grants eligibility for doctoral studies.

Content of studies

The teaching methods in the programme utilise problem-based learning: actual business problems get solved with real financial information and analytical tools. Theoretic lectures are balanced with independent hands-on assignments, case teaching and group work. Student feedback is well-received by the Department of Accounting and used to improve the learning experience further. There are two focus areas in the field of accounting:

Management accounting helps you learn how to prepare and use financial and non-financial information to serve the needs of managerial control and decision-making.

The core topics in this area of specialisation include:

Management control
Strategic management accounting
Capital investment decisions
Performance management
Management accounting information systems

Financial accounting helps you learn how to prepare and use financial statement information to serve the needs of outside stakeholders, especially the decision making of debt and equity holders.

The core topics in this area of specialisation include:

Financial statement analysis
International and national accounting standards
Issues in group accounting and consolidated financial statements
Auditing methods

Additionally, the programme equips students with expertise in issues such as company law, financial institutions, corporate governance and research methodologies.

Capstone: Accounting
Capital Budgeting
Strategic Management Accounting
International Accounting
Corporate Governance

See all courses

International opportunities

Accounting is universal, making it an ideal field for international careers. The skills that students learn in the programme are universal and can be applied industry-wide. To further encourage internationalisation, Accounting professors have diverse backgrounds and most of the courses handle global topics.

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.

Multidisciplinary opportunities

Accounting is flexible when it comes to choosing the minor and elective courses from other majors, schools and universities. As accounting is needed in companies across all industries, applying it is not only limited to the field of business.

Aalto University is well-known for bridging disciplines of business, arts, technology and science. The lively campus and freedom to choose 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.

Career opportunities

As a graduate of Accounting, you will have broad career prospects. Typical job titles include, for example, Chief Financial Officer, Business Controller, Financial Analyst, Auditor and Business Consultant. The typical route from university to these positions happens through corporate collaboration. The students can network with companies especially during courses (e.g. Capstone course), student activities organised by KY Accounting (student association of accounting students) or thesis assignments. Most of the Accounting students have a guaranteed job already before graduating from the programme.

Aalto University has well-established career services that help you get employed in Finland and abroad. Aalto students tend to find good positions with ease upon their graduation. An active entrepreneurship community is also present at Aalto, which can help as a springboard for founding your company. Finally, if an academic career is of interest, the Master’s programme in Accounting is a great foundation for doctoral studies and post-doc positions.

Chat with our students

Are you wondering what it is like to study at the Aalto University School of Business? Or what student life is like at Aalto’s vibrant Otaniemi Campus or at the School's Mikkeli Unit? You can now chat directly with our Unibuddy student ambassadors. Unibuddies are current students who want to help prospective students by sharing their experiences as students at the Aalto University School of Business.

Juttele opiskelijoidemme kanssa!

Picture of students sitting in front of the School of Business

Admission dates

The admissions to Master's programmes at Aalto University in the field of Business and Economics are organised once a year. The application period for studies starting in autumn 2021 is from 1 December 2020 to 4 January 2021.

Here are the most important dates to remember:

1 December 2020 – Application period begins and online application system opens
4 January 2021 – Application period ends and the online application system closes
22 March 2021 – Admission results are published at the earliest
20 April 2021 – Deadline for accepting the offered study place

Programme-specific Admission Requirements

In addition to these programme-specific admission requirements, applicants must also fulfill the general admission requirements.

Admission group 1

Bachelor’s degree from a university in Finland

What is evaluated?	Previous studies
Admission requirements	Required previous studies To be considered for admission the applicant must have completed at least 30 ECTS credits of studies in Accounting and/or closely related subjects. The studies must include: a minimum of two courses (at least 12 ECTS credits in total) in financial accounting; and a minimum of two courses (at least 12 ECTS credits in total) in management accounting; and a minimum of one course (6 ECTS credits in total) in financial accounting, management accounting, corporate finance, or business law.
Evaluated documents	Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s)
Criticality	Critical (0 points = rejection)

Please note! Remember to submit course descriptions for the required previous studies.

If your previous studies were evaluated in other scale than the ECTS then you need to attach an informal description regarding the evaluation scale to the application.

What is evaluated?	Grades of the previous degree(s
Admission requirements	Applicants are evaluated on the basis of GPA of the degree granting eligibility to apply. Additional studies outside the degree are not considered for GPA. Applicants with a GPA lower than 3.50 are not eligible for admission.
Evaluated documents	Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s)
Criticality	Critical (0 points = rejection)

What is evaluated?	CV
Admission requirements	Optional additional attachment
Evaluated documents/Method of demonstrating competence	CV
Criticality	not critical

Admission group 2

Bachelor’s degree from a university of applied science in Finland or from a higher education institution abroad

What is evaluated?	Previous studies
Admission requirements	Required previous studies To be considered for admission the applicant must have completed at least 30 ECTS credits of studies in Accounting and/or closely related subjects. The studies must include: a minimum of two courses (at least 12 ECTS credits in total) in financial accounting; and a minimum of two courses (at least 12 ECTS credits in total) in management accounting; and a minimum of one course (6 ECTS credits in total) in financial accounting, management accounting, corporate finance, or business law.
Evaluated documents	Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s)
Criticality	Critical (0 points = rejection)

Please note! Remember to submit course descriptions for the required previous studies.

If your previous studies were evaluated in other scale than the ECTS then you need to attach an informal description regarding the evaluation scale to the application.

What is evaluated?	Grades of the previous degree(s)
Admission requirements	Applicant must demonstrate good academic performance. GPA of the degree granting eligibility to apply must be at least 3.50 (on scale 1-5). Additional studies outside the degree are not considered for GPA.
Evaluated documents	Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s)
Criticality	Critical (0 points = rejection)

What is evaluated?	Analytical and quantitative skills
Admission requirements	Applicants are evaluated on the basis of their GMAT/GRE score. GMAT or GRE is obligatory in admission group 2 (minimum score 600 in GMAT or equivalent GRE score).
Evaluated documents	GMAT/ GRE test results
Criticality	Critical (0 points = rejection)

What is evaluated?	CV
Admission requirements	Optional additional attachment
Evaluated documents	CV
Criticality	not critical

Contact information

In case of programme-specific questions and inquiries, please contact the Planning Officer of the programme Anna Kuparinen at [email protected].

If there are open questions about the admissions and applying instructions, you can reach out to [email protected].

Ekonominaukio 1 staircase to 1st floor. Photo by Unto Rautio.

At the School of Business we strive for better business and better society. We excel in education and research with a multidisciplinary approach and in collaboration with our partners.

Aalto-yliopisto Oppismiskeskus / Tuomas Uusheimo

A parkland-style campus established in the 1950s forms the core of Otaniemi. The overall vision of the campus was that of Alvar Aalto, and its individual buildings were designed by Aalto and other celebrated Finnish architects such as Reima and Raili Pietilä and Heikki and Kaija Sirén.

Campus

Finland’s excellent reputation in education, combined with a wide range of courses offered in English, makes Finland an attractive study destination for international students. Boasting the largest technology hub of the Nordic countries, Finland is a world leader in information technology, business, design and many other academically centred fields.

Study at Aalto

Department of Accounting group photo by Heidi Kouvo

The Department of Accounting is one of the leading research faculties in the Nordic region.

Published: 3.9.2018
Updated: 30.11.2020

Master's Programme in Accounting

Degree:

Application period:

Language of instruction:

Duration:

Eligibility:

Field of study:

Credits:

Organising school:

Tuition fees:

Objectives of studies

Scholarships and Tuition fees

Study language

Structure of studies

Personal Study Plan (PSP)

Post-graduate study options

International opportunities

Multidisciplinary opportunities

Career opportunities

Chat with our students

Admission dates

Programme-specific Admission Requirements

Contact information

School of Business

Otaniemi, a crown jewel of Finnish architecture

This is Finland

Department of Accounting & Business Law

Master's Programme in Accounting

Degree:

Application period:

Language of instruction:

Duration:

Eligibility:

Field of study:

Credits:

Organising school:

Tuition fees:

The application period has closed

Objectives of studies

What makes studying in the Master's programme in Accounting so unique?

Scholarships and Tuition fees

Study language

Structure of studies

Personal Study Plan (PSP)

Post-graduate study options

Content of studies

Management Accounting

Financial Accounting

Examples from the wide course selection

International opportunities

Multidisciplinary opportunities

Career opportunities

Chat with our students

Admission dates

Programme-specific Admission Requirements

Admission group 1

Relevance of previous studies

Academic performance

Suitability

Admission group 2

Relevance of previous studies

Academic performance

Standardized tests

Suitability

Contact information

Get to know us

School of Business

Otaniemi, a crown jewel of Finnish architecture

This is Finland

Department of Accounting & Business Law

The application period has closed