Master's Programme in Collaborative and Industrial Design

Study objectives

Content outcomes

The Master’s programme in Collaborative and Industrial Design (CoID) focuses on the role of design in society. It provides skills to work as design entrepreneurs and in a range of roles within industry, business, communities, education and the government. The programme extends industrial design into interaction design, service design, co-design and other emerging fields in which design activities can enhance the quality of the environment and people’s life. Students learn empathic, critical, strategic and technical skills needed in design innovation processes. They are also encouraged to explore novel roles in design industry.

Skill outcomes

The CoID programme perceives design as a human-centred and multidisciplinary collaborative activity. It provides its students creative skills in problem-setting, problem-solving, and teamwork. Over the duration of the programme, students develop an understanding of design in relation to contemporary culture and to the innovation system, be it local or global, private or public. The students achieve an ability to design, lead design work, and collaborate with non-designers, and thus gain the skills to shape change in contemporary communities and companies.

Students are trained in concept design, co-design, service design, strategic design, and design research. They learn skills needed to capture and reframe design briefs and problems to justify their insights and make well-grounded design concepts. They learn to construct these concepts with models and prototypes and to argue for and test their design ideas through research. They learn strategic design skills needed in entrepreneurship and to manage innovation in business settings, as well as co-design skills to manage social innovation in organisations and the public sector.

Academic skills

The CoID programme fosters students’ skills in designing, communicating, writing and visualising. Students gain an understanding of design research methods and learn to apply them in academic, societal and business contexts. The programme provides the students with skills needed to continue in doctoral studies. These include skills in academic research and analysis of information, in applying these in ill-structured and ambiguous design and research tasks, and in reporting their findings rigorously.

Study language(s)

The language of instruction in the Master’s Programme in Collaborative and Industrial Design (CoID) is English.

Career opportunities

Graduates develop abilities to work in design industry and to create and apply design-driven understanding to answer to the challenges of today and tomorrow. Career opportunities vary from entrepreneurship to expert tasks in public organisations and in international business tackling contemporary problems at a global scale. The programme prepares its graduates also for careers in corporate design research and for doctoral studies.

Content of the studies

The CoID programme is based on design-based problem setting, elaboration, problem-solving and communication. An essential part of the education is project-based. The contents of the education cover: design thinking and communication; briefing; concept design and prototyping; research, implementation and evaluation; and new and emerging themes in design. These skills are applied all the way from product development for business and industry to problems originating from the public sector and non-governmental organisations.

For further details on the education content, see the study guide for academic years 2020-2022.

Internationalisation

The CoID programme’s learning community is international and multicultural. Furthermore, students are encouraged to apply for international exchange studies or internships and gain experience in international competitions, exhibitions, conferences, and trade fairs.

Programme-specific  Admission Procedure and 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 Collaborative and Industrial Design (CoID) will be evaluated based on the following criteria.

Phase I

Phase II

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:

• Admission requirements as stated in the evaluation topic-specific tables above (following topics):
  • Academic performance
  • Relevance of previous studies
  • Recognition and quality of institution
  • Artistic and/or design practice
  • Suitability/Motivation letter
  • Other areas of competence

Only the applicants who fulfill the requirements/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

• Admission requirements as stated in the evaluation topic-specific tables above in this document (following topics):
  • Suitability/Interview with:
    • Other evaluation topics (above) as they form a coherent picture of the applicant

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. Phase II consist of a face-to-face interview, which can be conducted online.

After the evaluation conducted in Phase II, the best applicants will be selected based on the joint evaluation from Phases I and II.

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:

• Curriculum vitae (see below)
• Motivation Letter (see below). The lack of this application document will adversely affect the evaluation of your application
• Document listing sources for evidence of the quality and recognition of the academic home institution.

Portfolio

In the portfolio, applicants display work that shows their designerly insights and skills. The portfolio must contain diverse samples of the applicant’s previous scientific, professional and/or design projects.

Designwork can be provided as technical drawings, computer renderings, sketches, illustrations, storyboards or photographs. Include six (6) work samples in the portfolio. The work contained in the portfolio must be catalogued, listing at least the title and/or theme, purpose and year of completion of each piece. The catalogue must also detail where and when the work has been completed, exhibited, displayed or published. Each work should be accompanied by a brief explanation. The contribution of the applicant in the work should be stated in case the work has been completed in a group. The applicant’s name, address and phone number and the degree programme applied for must be indicated clearly on the portfolio.

The portfolio should be uploaded as a single PDF-file. 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.

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.

CV

Applications must include the applicant’s CV indicating personal data, educational background, work experience, exhibitions, publications and articles, awards and grants, study trips and positions of trust.

Motivation letter

Write a motivation letter explaining your reasons for applying for this programme and your particular interest(s) in the field as well as your goals and expectations for the studies to be completed at the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture. Describe your strengths and interests, vision of art and design, aspects related to the work and creative goals.

The letter of motivation must clearly answer the following questions:

1. What is your biggest achievement/success in the field of design?
2. Why are you applying for Aalto University?
3. What do you want to learn by studying at the Collaborative and Industrial Design programme?
4. What is the role of the master’s programme for your professional development?
5. What would you like to do after completing the master’s programme?

Max. 4000 characters

Language of application documents

All the application documents should be submitted in English.

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