Programme-specific Admission Procedure and Evaluation Criteria
Study-option-specific evaluation criteria
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 Visual Communication Design (VCD) will be evaluated based on the following criteria.
Phase I
Artistic and/or design practice 1/2
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Assessed area
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Demonstrations of artistic and/or design work or assignments
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Admission requirements
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Design skills, conceptual thinking, communicative approach, diversity in visual experimentation, demonstrated potential
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Method of demonstrating competence
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Portfolio
Maximum size for the portfolio is 1.0 GB. Name the file as: Portfolio-surname-firstname.pdf
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Artistic and/or design practice 2/2
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Assessed area
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Demonstrations of artistic and/or design work or assignments
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Admission requirements
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Design skills, conceptual thinking, communicative approach, diversity in visual experimentation, demonstrated potential
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Method of demonstrating competence
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Preliminary assignment (added in the Portfolio document)
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Suitability
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Assessed area
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Applicant’s further suitability to the study option, motivation, and commitment for studies/communication skills
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Admission requirements
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Articulation, focus, critical thinking, communicative intent
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Method of demonstrating competence
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Designer statement
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Other areas of competence
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Assessed area
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Work experience and other acquired knowledge/achievements e.g. publications, non-formal education, competitions
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Admission requirements
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Education and/or experience in visual communication or related fields
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Method of demonstrating competence
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Curriculum vitae
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Phase II
Suitability
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Assessed area
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Applicant’s further suitability to the study option, motivation, and commitment for studies/communication skills
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Admission requirements
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Communicative skills, articulation, focus
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Method of demonstrating competence
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Interview
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Evaluation process
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 applicants who meet the general eligibility criteria comprises of two phases.
Phase I
In Phase I, the applications are evaluated based on the following criteria
- Artistic and/or design practice
- Suitability/Designer statement
- Other areas of competence
Only the applicants who 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
After the evaluation conducted in Phase II, the best applicants will be selected based on the joint evaluation from Phases I and II. Part of the applicants are invited to Phase II. The invitation to Phase II will be send to the applicants at latest 7 days in advance.
Study-option-specific documents requested
The documents requested 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 requested to provide the following study-option-specific documents:
Portfolio
For your portfolio, choose a selection of projects and explorations which best reflects your present knowledge, skills and experience. We appreciate careful curation of your previous projects, but also consider how your portfolio can best communicate the direction towards which you would like to take your practice.
We suggest annotation that gives us some information on the background and brief explanation of the process of your projects. If the work is done in collaboration, you should clearly describe your role.
Instructions for the portfolio:
Pdf file (with links to online/video content where applicable)
Maximum 15 pages
Any time-based work should not exceed 5 min. in total
Maximum size for the portfolio is 1.0 GB. Name the file as: Portfolio-surname-firstname.pdf. If your portfolio contains password protected video links, include the password(s) in your portfolio. If a portfolio is not uploaded to the online application form by the deadline, the application will be rejected.
In addition to the above, your portfolio must include the preliminary assignment described below.
Lack of Portfolio will adversely affect the evaluation of your application.
Preliminary assignment (added in the Portfolio document)
Create a visualisation of a topic that feels urgent to you at the moment. Visualisation can be understood broadly, so we welcome either fact or fiction: it is up to you and a part of your challenge, whether your visualisation is expressive or data-based; typography or image; static or in motion. Think of the assignment as an extension of your portfolio: an opportunity to indicate where you might want to take your practice next. The assignment is also a chance to show your skills in visual communication and conceptual thinking, and to let us know more about who you are and which questions are important to you.
The format and medium of your visualisation is up to you, but the end result should be documented in the portfolio pdf. No existing work should be used: please complete original work for this assignment.
The preliminary assignment must be added into your portfolio pdf file and titled clearly as such.
The lack of Preliminary Assignment will adversely affect the evaluation of your application.
Designer Statement
Regard your Designer Statement as a letter where you briefly describe your design practice, and where you see yourself at the moment. Let us know how you like to work, which questions and frameworks are urgent to you, and how you would like to redefine your practice.
You can also describe your own mix of interests towards the intertwining competence areas developed in our curriculum: information design, visual narrative, and type & written language.
As the central task in the 2-year MA studies is the thesis project, we appreciate learning about your topics of interest and exploration that might lead to thesis work. Note that any plans you describe at this stage are not binding.
The lack of Designer Statement will adversely affect the evaluation of your application.
CV
In your CV, please list your education, work experience, and skills, together with possible exhibitions, publications, awards, grants and study trips relevant to your practice.
Lack of CV will adversely affect the evaluation of your application.
Language of application documents
The application documents must be submitted in English.