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 International Design Business Management (IDBM) Master of Arts will be evaluated based on the following criteria.
Phase I
Artistic and/or design practice
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Assessed area
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Demonstrations of artistic and/or design work
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Admission requirements
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A portfolio consisting of the applicant’s own works is mandatory. Please upload a single PDF-file to the application system before submitting the application.
In the portfolio, applicants display work that illustrate their design skills and artistic expression. The portfolio must contain diverse samples of the applicant’s previous design, scientific, professional and/or artistic activity and interests. Artwork/project work can be provided as technical drawings, illustrations or photographs. If you present a work that has been undertaken as a team, please clarify your particular role in, and contribution to, the project. The work contained in the portfolio must be catalogued, listing at least the title and/or theme, materials utilized, size, purpose and year of completion of each piece. The catalogue must also detail where and when the work has been exhibited, displayed or otherwise published.
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Method of demonstrating competence
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Portfolio
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Relevance of previous studies
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Assessed area
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Content and quantity in relation to the applied study-option-specific requirements
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Admission requirements
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Applicants must have a suitable Bachelor’s degree related to one of the disciplines included in the programme.
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Method of demonstrating competence
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Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s)
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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
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Admission requirements
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The applicant must convey his/her motivation for studying in the IDBM Master’s Programme by writing a motivation letter. The letter should address the following questions:
• Why am I applying for admission to the IDBM Master’s Programme?
• What am I expecting to learn or gain by participating in the IDBM Programme?
• What can I contribute to fellow students and to the continued success of the IDBM Programme?
The maximum length of motivation letter is 4000 characters.
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Method of demonstrating competence
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Motivation letter
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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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The professional experience of the applicants is looked at broadly and is considered to include work experience relevant to the IDBM programme as well as experience in artistic and scientific work, including entrepreneurship and other relevant civic activities.
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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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The applicant’s practical ability to communicate in English will be evaluated. The applicants are asked a series of questions regarding their motivation, mindset, preferences, aptitudes and interests. The interviews can alternatively be conducted via SKYPE or phone, if or when necessary.
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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
- Relevance of previous studies
- Suitability/Motivation letter
- Other areas of competence
Only the applicants who are ranked highest in the Phase I evaluation will be invited to Phase II in the selection process.
Phase II
In Phase II, the evaluation is based on the following criteria
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:
Portfolio
A portfolio consisting of the applicant’s own works is mandatory. Please upload a single PDF-file to the application system before submitting the application.
In the portfolio, applicants display work that illustrate their design skills and artistic expression. The portfolio must contain diverse samples of the applicant’s previous design, scientific, professional and/or artistic activity and interests. Artwork/project work can be provided as technical drawings, illustrations or photographs. If you present a work that has been undertaken as a team, please clarify your particular role in, and contribution to, the project. The work contained in the portfolio must be catalogued, listing at least the title and/or theme, materials utilized, size, purpose and year of completion of each piece. The catalogue must also detail where and when the work has been exhibited, displayed or otherwise published.
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.
Motivation letter
The applicant must convey his/her motivation for studying in the IDBM Master’s Programme by writing a motivation letter. The letter should address the following questions:
- Why am I applying for admission to the IDBM Master’s Programme?
- What am I expecting to learn or gain by participating in the IDBM Programme?
- What can I contribute to fellow students and to the continued success of the IDBM Programme?
The maximum length of motivation letter is 4000 characters.
(The lack of this application document will adversely affect the evaluation of your application.)
CV
The professional experience of the applicants is looked at broadly and is considered to include work experience relevant to the IDBM programme as well as experience in artistic and scientific work, including entrepreneurship and other relevant civic activities.
Language of application documents
All the application documents must be submitted in English.
An applicant can apply to the IDBM programme through more than one School. Such an applicant, however, can be selected only through one of the Aalto University Schools. An accepted student completes the master’s degree of the School which he/she is accepted to.
The criteria mentioned here are for the IDBM programme in the Department of Design at Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in architecture can apply both through the science/technology field and through the design field, depending on the applicant’s background studies and career intentions or aspirations. Students graduating from the School of Arts, Design and Architecture will complete and be awarded a Master of Arts (MA) Degree in International Design Business Management (IDBM).