Study options

Software and Service Engineering - Computer, Communication and Information Sciences, Master of Science (Technology)

Software and Service Engineering is the backbone of modern society and economy. The Master’s programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Software and Service Engineering equips students with some of the most sought after skills in today’s job market, across a wide range of industries.
SSE aalto

Degree:

Master of Science (Technology)

Application period:

30 Nov 2023 – 2 Jan 2024

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 Science

Tuition fees:

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

Applying to master’s programmes

Description

Software and Service Engineering is the backbone of modern society and economy. Software is needed in almost every industry, in every business, and for every function – from healthcare and information technology to R&D industry or governmental organisations. The Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Software and Service Engineering equips students with some of the most sought after skills in today’s job market, across a wide range of industries. 

Upon graduating from the Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Software and Service Engineering, graduates will have: 

  • Ability to design, develop, and manage digital products and services. Graduates master the art of digital value creation, knowing how software can accelerate business growth in modern organisations. 
  • Strong problem solving skills. Graduates have the skills and knowledge to tackle wicked, complex problems taking human, societal and organisational factors into account. 
  • End user and customer-centric approach to engineering. Graduates understand the necessity of in-depth and continuous understanding of customer needs as an indispensable part of building successful software products. 
  • Strong interpersonal skills. Graduates have strong communication skills and are able to work in multidisciplinary teams, with a range of different personalities. 

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

Master's Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Software and Service Engineering comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits. The two-year programme consists of: 

  • Major subject studies (40 or 60 ECTS) 
  • Possible minor studies (20-25 ECTS) 
  • Elective studies (25-30 ECTS) 
  • Master’s thesis (30 ECTS)  
Master's Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences

Specialisations

The compulsory major courses taking place in the first year provide students with the main models, methods, and tools needed in software development and product and service design. Due to the small number of compulsory courses, students are free to select a set of courses to support their specific interests. A few course examples picked from the programme’s extensive curriculum are: 

  • Software Project (5–8 ECTS) 
  • Data-Driven Concept Design (5 ECTS) 
  • User Interface Construction (5 ECTS) 
  • Software Design and Modeling (5 ECTS) 
  • Software Testing and Quality Assurance (5 ECTS) 

The Master’s Programme in Software and Service Engineering programme embraces a student-centric approach to teaching. Although the programme proposes twostudy tracks, students have the freedom to create their own individual study track based on their interests and aspirations. One-on-one tutoring sessions help students in compiling their personal study plan. 

Students may choose to specialise in one of the two subfields listed below, or they can opt for a cross-disciplinary path that gives them a broad palette of skills. The two recommended subfields are:

Software Engineering 

Software is what runs economies and organisations. In the Software Engineering track, students study the processes, methods and techniques used in professional software development. Subjects covered include requirements engineering, design, implementation and testing, and deployment. Students can also participate in courses on project management, organisational development, and IPR. 

Service Design and Engineering 

Understanding customer and user needs are essential in digital service design. Core contents of the Service Design and Engineering (SDE) track include the conceptual and methodological basis for working with customers, users, and other stakeholders throughout digital service development. The user-centred and software-engineering methods support these joint design and evaluation activities. 

The teaching methods emphasise an industry-centric and interactive approach. Many of the individual assignments and group exercises introduce students to real-world problems which facilitates their development into critical and independent thinkers capable of applying knowledge from multiple disciplines. The questions that professionals in software and service engineering deal with often have important connections to human and societal well-being. 

Since software engineering and service design are often very collaborative fields, active peer learning is a defining characteristic of the programme. Group work assignments embrace co-creation that can leverage innovative solutions in the field. Students develop their interpersonal skills, which prepares them for future work where teamwork, active listening and efficient communication are key. 

Other learning methods include lectures by professors and visiting specialists, taking part in seminars, reading scientific articles, writing essays and delving into personally tailored exercises. The aim is to provide students with a profound theoretical foundation but also prepare them to tackle practical day-to-day problems of contemporary society. The professor network includes internationally acclaimed and published specialists and researchers who are highly dedicated to their mission of educating future top professionals and co-creating an enjoyable learning environment together with the students. 

More information on the programme content and curriculum can be found in the Student guide. There may be some changes to the courses for the academic years 2024–2026 — the new curricula will be published in April 2024, when they will also be visible in the Student guide.

Internationalisation

The study environment in the Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Software and Service Engineering is strongly international, and studies are conducted in multicultural groups. The School of Science offers diverse possibilities for student exchange all over the world. Exchange studies can be included in the degree as, for example, an international minor. Other possibilities for developing one’s global competence include taking a summer course abroad or conducting practical training abroad. Students can apply for grants to support their traineeship abroad. 

Ranked among the top universities for Computer Science & Information Systems by QS World University Ranking, Aalto University brings together a highly international and competent group of students and academic staff. As software engineering is one of the most in-demand skills in the world, graduates can take their skills and knowledge to nearly any country in the world. 

Overall, Aalto University is international by nature, welcoming thousands of degree and exchange students from abroad every year. These students join the diverse Aalto community not only through their studies, but also through multiple free time events, celebrations and extracurricular activities around the campus. Active tutoring programs and support services work hard to help international students integrate to the Nordic culture and feel at home in Finland. 

Further study opportunities

The programme qualifies for doctoral studies (Doctor of Science in an applicable field). 

Career opportunities

Software is the ultimate source of capacity, innovation, competitiveness, quality, and agility of companies. As nearly every business is a software business, the field is incredibly broad and graduates have an exceptionally wide range of career paths in front of them. 

Typical job titles of recent graduates include:

  • Application Developer 
  • Business Development Manager 
  • Code Writer 
  • DevOps Engineer 
  • Full Stack Developer 
  • IT Consultant 
  • Operations Lead 
  • Requirements Specialist 
  • Service Designer 
  • Software Engineer 
  • Solutions Architect 
  • Systems Designer 
  • Technical Project Manager 
  • User Interface Designer 

Some examples of the companies our recently graduated alumni work for are Accenture, CGI, Cisco, Digia Plc, Eficode, F-Secure Corporation, Futurice, Gofore Oy, Huawei Technologies, IBM, Innofactor, KONE Corporation, Microsoft, Next Games, Nokia, Nordea, OP Financial Group, Reaktor, RELEX Solutions, Remedy Entertainment, Smartly.io, Tieto, Unity Technologies, VR Group, Wärtsilä. 

Aalto University has well-established career services to support students’ employment in Finland and abroad. Thanks to the flexible curriculum, many Aalto students work already during their studies and guarantee themselves entry positions before graduation. There is also a very active entrepreneurship community at Aalto, working as a springboard for founding a company. 

Unto Rautio

School of Science graduates in working life

School of Science Master's graduates are highly 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.

School of Science

Research focus

The studies in the programme are closely related to the world-class research conducted at the Department of Computer Science

Co-operation with other parties

A strong technical foundation comes by default when studying the major – however, students are encouraged to experiment and extend their skills in other domains, too. Some decide to delve into the business aspects of software and digitalisation and take complementing courses at the School of Business. Other students may want to go towards very hardcore technical subjects. For them, there are a number of courses available that equip them with deep skills in software architecture and design, testing, and modelling.

Overall, 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 multidisciplinarity environment sparks new ideas, gathers enthusiasts around them and gives birth to friendships, networks, and every so often, startups. 

Programme-specific admission requirements

Software and Service Engineering applicants meeting the general eligibility criteria for master's studies are evaluated according to the below Evaluation criteria. The evaluation process is described under Applicant evaluation process. In addition to the obligatory application documents, this study option asks the applicants to submit also the documents listed under Requested documents.

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Contact information

Learning Services at Aalto University School of Science

For enquiries regarding the programme-specific application documents or studies in the programme, please contact Learning Services of Aalto University School of Science

[email protected]

Admission Services

For enquiries regarding the application process, obligatory application documents or English language proficiency, please contact Admission Services

[email protected]

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