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Complex sustainability challenges, such as climate crisis, the loss of biodiversity, and poverty and inequality, call for new mindsets and skills. These mindsets should incorporate a systems-based view of the planet and the ability to work with professionals from different fields and cultures. Sustainability challenges require critical insight and multi-level collaboration that involve a wide range of stakeholders with often competing interests and values. The CS programme prepares students to respond to these challenges through engagement in its international, inclusive and diverse learning environment.

The CS programme brings together students who are devoted to developing systemic solutions, working in multidisciplinary teams and challenging themselves with practical learning tasks. Creativity in the programme denotes a focus on fresh, holistic and emerging innovations and far-reaching alternative, regenerative futures. The studies include state-of-the-art knowledge about the interlinked environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of sustainability coupled with learning in practical projects conducted together with partner organizations.

• Systems thinking: Students are able to use systems thinking to create new holistic and critical understandings of complex sustainability challenges and socio-ecological relations.
• Multidisciplinary competences: Students are able to work in diverse teams with experts and stakeholders; to combine knowledge, skills and values from different disciplines and domains in society; and to co-create innovative solutions for real-life challenges.
• Change-making: Students develop a change-maker mindset, and are able to generate action-oriented strategies, make interventions and promote transformations towards ecologically, economically and socially sustainable futures.
• Sustainability in materials use: Students understand the constraints on the use of natural resources, the principles and limits of resource-efficiency, circular economy and innovation for new sustainable materials, and are able to use analytical tools for sustainable materials use and sustainable consumption.
• Design thinking: Students recognise tools and methods to support creativity and imagination, and are able to facilitate dialogue, empathy and collaboration in creative processes.
• Sustainability management: Students are able to develop, speak for and manage sustainability initiatives in businesses and other organizations, are able to work proactively to promote sustainable development through responsible business, and recognise the capacities of public policy in promoting sustainability.

Director of the Master's Programme: Professor İdil Gaziulusoy 

Creative Sustainability, ARTS

Description

The Master’s Programme in Creative Sustainability (CS) provides a multidisciplinary learning platform in the fields of design, business, and materials and chemical engineering. Sustainability is an increasingly relevant design perspective as designers are expected to critically examine different framings of sustainability concerns and to contribute to novel solutions. For students in design, the Creative Sustainability Master’s Programme provides skills and knowledge to promote sustainable development through critical analytical skills, collaboration and creative design practice.

Complex sustainability challenges, such as climate crisis, the loss of biodiversity, and poverty and inequality, call for new mindsets and skills. These mindsets should incorporate a systems-based view of the planet and the ability to work with professionals from different fields and cultures. Sustainability challenges require critical insight and multi-level collaboration that involve a wide range of stakeholders with often competing interests and values. The CS programme prepares students to respond to these challenges through engagement in its international, inclusive and diverse learning environment.

The CS programme brings together students who are devoted to developing systemic solutions, working in multidisciplinary teams and challenging themselves with practical learning tasks. Creativity in the programme denotes a focus on fresh, holistic and emerging innovations and far-reaching alternative, regenerative futures. The studies include state-of-the-art knowledge about the interlinked environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of sustainability coupled with learning in practical projects conducted together with partner organizations.

The CS programme is organized jointly by the School of Business, the School of Arts, Design and Architecture, and the School of Chemical Engineering. Students who enter the programme via the School of Arts, Design and Architecture graduate with a degree of Master of Arts.

After completing the degree in CS in the department of Design students are able to

• Practice transparent, responsible and critical design in different political, societal and business contexts
• Participate in and lead debates on design and sustainability

• Carry out design research to support their practical work

Content of the studies

The Creative Sustainability programme is organized jointly by the School of Arts, Design and Architecture, School of Business, and the School of Chemical Engineering. The two-year CS programme comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits, divided between compulsory joint Creative Sustainability studies, compulsory studies in design, elective studies, and a master’s thesis. The pedagogical approach is based on integrating teaching and research, problem-based learning, and strong connection to practical outcomes. The curriculum is based on personal study plans, in which the students can also include studies completed at other universities or other modules from Aalto University. More information about the course offerings is available on the programme website.

Career opportunities

Creative Sustainability studies prepare the students to work as sustainability experts in a wide range of organizations also including those with a strategic view on transformation towards sustainability. The student can develop expertise in different professional profiles which vary from research skills to the practical skills of management, leadership, design and engineering in different environments.

Design confronts new challenges in innovating for sustainable development. The CS programme teaches skills to meet these challenges through specialization and interdisciplinary work. Graduates from CS programme are attractive targets for progressive local and international employers as well as prepared for academic careers and independent entrepreneurial activity.

Creative Sustainability programme 

Code: ARTS215.M
Credits: 90 ECTS of major studies (60 ECTS courses + 30 ECTS master's thesis)

For the exact dates of each period, please check: Academic calendar

Major Studies 90 ECTS (60 ECTS courses + 30 ECTS master's thesis)

Aims of the master's thesis

To graduate, students must meet the aims set for the thesis. The aim of the master's thesis is that:

- Students demonstrate command of the field of the master's programme and ability to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the programme independently;

- Students demonstrate ability for research-oriented work on an artistic, theoretical or applied research topic and demonstrate ability to use data and source material for research purposes;

- Students demonstrate good communication skills for work in the field of study.

The thesis may be a piece of theoretical, artistic or applied research, a work of art or a combination of these; it may also include a production component. The production component may be, depending on the field, for instance, a design, a work of art, an exhibition, or project. Theses always include a written component. If the thesis consists of a design or other production component and a written component, the student must specify the emphasis to be given to the different components in the evaluation. However, the thesis is always evalu-ated as a whole, with all the components of the thesis included in the evaluation.

The recommended extent of the written component of the thesis is 25–70 pages (approx. 50 000–140 000 characters) depending on the extent of the possible production component.

Master's thesis is written during the 2. academic year.

For more information on completing your thesis see:Completing your master's thesis

Code: ARTSa.E
Credits: 30 ECTS of elective studies

Students choose 30 ECTS of elective studies. As elective studies, students can complete minor studies and/or take individual courses from other programmes at Aalto University or other Finnish universities, participate in an international student exchange programme, do an internship in Finland or abroad, or take courses from the Creative Sustainability electives list. Students are also recommended to take courses from the Department of Design, such as MUO-E3052 Designing for Services.

Elective studies are completed during the 1. year and 2. year.

Creative Sustainability electives list:

Other elective studies: 

See more information of other elective studies for CS Design students.

Language study requirements for CS Design students

Your master's degree may include compulsory language studies, which will be included in elective studies. If you are unsure whether you need to demonstrate your language skills in the master's degree, contact your programme coordinator for more information. 

The required language studies depend on the language of education and whether you have completed language studies in a Bachelor's degree.

More information of the language study requirements

Programme description

The Master’s Programme in Creative Sustainability (CS) provides a multidisciplinary learning platform
in the fields of business, design, and materials and chemical engineering. For students in business,
the CS programme builds the skills and knowledge to promote sustainable development through
business. The linkages between business and sustainability are highly important in contemporary
organizations, whether one wishes to be a sustainability specialist in business, or a management
professional operating in some other field.

Complex sustainability challenges, such as climate crisis, the loss of biodiversity, and poverty and
inequality, call for new mindsets and skills. These mindsets should incorporate a systems-based view
of the planet and the ability to work with professionals from different fields and cultures.
Sustainability challenges require critical insight and multi-level collaboration that involve a wide
range of stakeholders with often competing interests and values. The CS programme prepares
students to respond to these challenges through engagement in its international, inclusive, and
diverse learning environment.

The CS programme brings together students who are devoted to developing systemic solutions,
working in multidisciplinary teams, and challenging themselves with practical learning tasks. Creativity in the programme denotes a focus on fresh, holistic, and emerging innovations and farreaching alternative, regenerative futures. The studies include state-of-the-art knowledge about the interlinked environmental, economic, and socio-cultural aspects of sustainability coupled with learning in practical projects conducted together with partner organizations.

Learning outcomes

• Systems thinking: Students are able to use systems thinking to create new holistic and critical
understandings of complex sustainability challenges and socio-ecological relations.

• Multidisciplinary competences: Students are able to work in diverse teams with experts and
stakeholders; to combine knowledge, skills and values from different disciplines and domains in
society; and to co-create innovative solutions for real-life challenges.

• Change-making: Students develop a change-maker mindset, and are able to generate actionoriented
strategies, make interventions and promote transformations towards ecologically,
economically and socially sustainable futures.

• Sustainability in materials use: Students understand the constraints on the use of natural
resources, the principles and limits of resource-efficiency, circular economy and innovation for
new sustainable materials, and are able to use analytical tools for sustainable materials use and
sustainable consumption.

• Design thinking: Students recognise tools and methods to support creativity and imagination,
and are able to facilitate dialogue, empathy and collaboration in creative processes.

• Sustainability management: Students are able to develop, speak for and manage sustainability
initiatives in businesses and other organizations, are able to work proactively to promote
sustainable development through responsible business, and recognise the capacities of public
policy in promoting sustainability.

Career prospects

Creative Sustainability studies prepare the students to work as sustainability experts in a wide range
of organizations, including those with a strategic view on transformation towards sustainability. The
student can develop expertise in different professional profiles which vary from research skills to the
practical skills of management, leadership, design, and engineering in different environments.

Sustainability considerations arise in every organization and thus there are several possible career
options for someone with expertise on sustainability in business. You get to work in a fast-growing
job sector, while making a difference in social and environmental issues. Depending on your
personal interests, you may orient yourself towards different professional profiles. Sustainability
specialists can work in multinational companies and other large organizations, as consultants, in
start-ups and as entrepreneurs, or they may deal with sustainability issues in business from positions
in NGOs or the public sector. They are also prepared for academic careers.

Figure 1. Possible professional identities and corresponding potential employment types of CS students

Programme directors

Professor İdil Gaziulusoy, Director of the Creative Sustainability Programme (ARTS)

Senior University Lecturer Leena Lankoski, Creative Sustainability Programme Director at the School of Business

Programme Planning Officer

Johanna Rametta (johanna.rametta@aalto.fi, book a meeting via MyStudies)

Additional information

Creative Sustainability programme 

Core programme studies 89 cr

Compulsory joint Creative Sustainability studies 33 cr

^{1 Replaces MUO-E8029 Systems Thinking
2 Replaces MUO-E8030 Design Approaches to Sustainable Consumption}

Other compulsory studies 38 cr

^{3 Replaces 26E02900 Doing Quantitative Research
4 Replaces 21E00011 Doing Qualitative Research
5 Replaces MNGT-E1008 Master's Thesis Seminar in Creative Sustainability (Business)}

Elective studies 18 cr

Choose 18 cr from the list.

^{5 Replaces 25E18000 Sustainable Entrepreneurship
6 Replaces MUO-E8018 Sustainability Politics} 

The programme study module includes a Master's thesis. The thesis must demonstrate readiness for scientific thinking, command of research methods, conversance with the topic of the thesis, and ability for scientific communication.

In many programmes, the students also take part in a thesis seminar, which is designed to help the students to prepare their thesis work. The seminar commonly consists of meetings, completing thesis, presenting the research topic to the seminar group and acting as an opponent for a fellow student’s thesis. Seminar lasts usually the whole semester, and it is organised during both autumn and spring semesters.

Master's degree includes 31 credits of freely chosen electives. The elective studies may include a minor if the student so chooses. A list of potentially interesting electives is provided below but students can also choose courses that are not on the list.

Instructions for choosing elective studies

You can choose elective studies to your Master's degree so that the scope of the degree (120 credits) is fulfilled. You can exceed the scope of the degree by one course maximum.

Elective studies can include basic, intermediate or advanced level courses. You can use the module e.g.

• To complete a minor
• To broaden your skills and knowledge via multidisciplinary studies:
  • select courses in the field of technology or art
  • select courses in other universities via JOO study right NB! Aalto has resigned from the JOO agreement as of January 1, 2026.
  • select courses in the European 
  • Select gender studies via Hilma network or other Aalto networks
• To gain entrepreneurial skills
• To deepen your language and communication skills
  • by selecting language and communication courses offerd by Aalto language center ()
  • by selecting courses from the 
• To deepen or broaden your skills and knowledge in the field of business
  • select additional courses in your degree programme or major
  • select courses from other degree progarmmes or majors in the School of Business
  • select additional courses in your minor
  • complete the Customized Student Business project BIZ-E0100 (read more here)
• To gain work experience and working life skills via an internship (read more at During your studies > Other studies)
• To gain skills in self leadership, finding meaningfulness, and improving study wellbeing via Personal Impact courses

Elective studies completed outside of Aalto University

Elective studies must be on higher education level, primarily part of the degree studies of the organising institution and meet the intended learning goals of the degree completed at the Aalto University School of Business. Higher education institutions also offer studies outside degree education aimed at a wide audience, and the suitability of such studies is assessed by evaluating the correspondence to the learning outcomes of the degree. 

Starting from 1 August 2025, the credit transfer process to the electives studies of the degree has changed. Read more about this change in the news article. 

Are you planning to take studies outside of Aalto University and include them in the elective studies? 

If the course you are taking is worth 1–3 credits and can be completed flexibly online, apply for a permission to include the course in your degree in advance. For other courses, follow the normal credit transfer process. 

How to apply for the approval

1. In Sisu, add a study draft of the course you wish to take in your study plan
2. Write an informal application in which you justify why you want to include said course in your degree. In your justifications, consider the entity of the degree and the skills and knowledge you would acquire.
3. Send the application to the Planning Officer of your major or programme. You can find the contact information of the Planning Officers in the Student Guide on your programme’s pages in the section Contact.
4. The decision is made by the School of Business’s Vice Dean for Education. The applications are processed approximately once a month.
5. If the course is approved, complete it and afterwards, apply for a credit transfer (inclusion) in Sisu via the study draft as per usual. 

This procedure is applied only to 1-3 credit courses that can be completed flexibly online outside of Aalto University. 

Elective studies cannot overlap with other courses included in the degree.

Minor

The scope of the minor varies depending on the minor. Please check each minor's requirements. For a list of all the minors at Aalto University, see Aalto Minors hub.

Please also check your programme's curriculum to see if there are any requirements for the minor in your programme.

A minor included in the Master's degree can be one of the following:

1. a module confirmed in the curriculum (a minor study entity offered at the School of Business)
2. a module completed in an official exchange programme partner of the School of Business or in another programme meeting the requirements set in the official exchange programme policy of the School of Business
3. a module earned at another Aalto University school
4. a module earned at another Finnish university e.g. under the agreement on flexible study rights (JOO agreement). NB! Aalto has resigned from the JOO agreement as of January 1, 2026.

Exchange studies is a very popular minor among the students of the School of Business. If you are interested in completing exchange studies as your minor, .

Creative Sustainability electives list:

Courses from ARTS

Courses from BIZ

Courses from CHEM

Courses from ENG

Courses from SCI

If you have mandatory language studies in your master's degree, they are included in the elective studies module. You have received information about these in the beginning of your studies, if this applies to you. If you are uncertain of whether you need to demonstrate language proficiency in the master's degree, please contact your programme's planning officer to get further information about the matter. 

• If you have completed your bachelor's degree in Finland (in Aalto or in another higher education institute), you have fulfilled the compulsory language requirements in the respective degree or received the exemption. You do not need to complete language studies in the master's degree.
• If your language of education is Finnish or Swedish and you have completed your bachelor’s degree outside of Finland, you must demonstrate proficiency in national languages by writing the maturity test in your language of education (Finnish or Swedish) and complete the language proficiency tests in the other national language. Read more about the language of education here. You may also apply for an exemption of demonstrating proficiency in national languages. See also the following bullet.
• If you have completed your bachelor’s degree outside of Finland, you must complete minimum of 3 ECTS in English. You can choose any course on B2 level or higher. Students, whose language of education is not Finnish or Swedish, may alternatively complete an elementary course in Finnish or in Swedish. The courses in national languages can be at any level on CEFR scale.

Language studies are included in students’ elective studies and are agreed in the personal study plan (HOPS). Language center offers the language studies.

Creative Sustainability in Materials and Chemical Engineering

Code: CHEM3056
Professor in charge: Mark Hughes

The Creative Sustainability Master’s Programme (CS) provides students with the skills and knowledge to promote sustainable development through engineering and material science. Sustainability is pertaining to all fields of engineering. Engineers are increasingly expected to develop solutions for managing critical material flows, production processes and infrastructures but also to participate in multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder innovation processes for enhancing sustainability.

Programme description

Complex sustainability challenges, such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, or poverty and inequality, call for new mindsets and skills. These mindsets should incorporate a systems-based view of the planet and the ability to work with professionals from different fields and cultures. Sustainability challenges require multi-level solutions that involve a wide range of stakeholders with often competing interests. The CS programme prepares students to respond to these challenges through its international and multidisciplinary learning platform in the fields business, design and chemical engineering and material science.

The CS programme brings together students who are devoted to developing systemic solutions, working in multidisciplinary teams and challenging themselves with practical learning tasks. Creativity in the programme denotes a focus on fresh, holistic and emerging innovations and far-reaching alternative solutions. The studies include state-of-the-art knowledge about the interlinked environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of sustainability coupled with learning in practical projects conducted together with partner organizations.

The CS programme is organized jointly by the School of Business, the School of Arts, Design and Architecture and the School of Chemical Engineering. CS students who enter the programme via the School of Chemical Engineering graduate with a degree of Master of Science in Technology.

The two-year CS programme comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits, divided between compulsory joint Creative Sustainability studies, compulsory studies in chemical engineering, elective studies, and a Master’s thesis. Students can also include in their degree studies conducted elsewhere at Aalto University or at other universities in Finland or abroad. More information about the course offerings is available on the programme website.

Learning Outcomes of the Master`s Programme in Creative Sustainability

• Multidisciplinary approach: Students learn to combine knowledge and skills from different disciplines to co-create innovative solutions for real-life challenges and to promote transformations towards ecologically, economically and socially sustainable futures.
• Systems thinking: Students learn to use systems thinking to create new holistic understandings of complex situations and to problem-solve.
• Sustainable use of materials: Students understand basic scientific principles and processes of bioeconomy and circular economy, and are able to use analytical tools and develop solutions for sustainable resource use.
• Design thinking: Students learn to use tools and methods to support creativity and imagination and to facilitate dialogue and collaboration in design processes.
• Sustainability management: Students learn to develop, support and manage sustainability initiatives in businesses and other organizations and to work proactively to promote sustainable development through business.

Career prospects

Sustainability considerations arise in all business and industrial context and thus there are several possible career options for someone with expertise on sustainability and material science. Graduates of Creative Sustainability from Chemical Engineering can work as sustainability and business development managers in industries facing and dealing with major ecological challenges (e.g. bioproducts) as well as in the development of new material solutions for sustainability and circular economy.  The studies provide a good basis for managing stakeholder relations in different business and social contexts.

Table 1. Compulsory joint studies in CS (33 ECTS) 

Table 2. Compulsory for all students in CS CHEM (10 ECTS)

Table 3. Choose at least 17 ECTS from the following

Table 4. Master's thesis and elective studies

Table 5. Creative Sustainability electives, choose 10 ECTS from the electives from ARTS/BIZ/CHEM 

^{ARTS = School of Arts, Design and Architecture, BIZ = School of Business.}

What is a master's thesis?

The master's thesis is a study attainment which the student carries out during the final stages of her/his studies. For clarity, in this document the terms master’s thesis project and master’s thesis report are used, the former referring to all the work the student does during this study attainment, and the latter referring to the written report on the project.

During the master’s thesis project the student typically aims at solving a problem relevant to the field of study. The work is based on existing scientific knowledge, and it is conducted according to the principles of scientific research, following good engineering and scientific practices and ethical guidelines. This work is documented in a scientific thesis report, which on one hand summarizes the relevant existing knowledge on the thesis project’s topic area, and on the other hand, describes the research the student performed during the thesis project.

The master's thesis shall be written on a topic related to the advanced studies of the degree programme, agreed upon between the student and a professor who is either in charge of the research field linked with the topic or sufficiently specialised in the topic of the thesis.

The extent of the master’s thesis as a study attainment is 30 credits (ECTS), equaling to 800 working hours. The period of time spent working on the Master’s thesis may in reality be longer if the student is at the same time carrying out other studies or duties.

The master’s thesis includes not only the thesis but also the maturity essay and seminar presentation or a corresponding presentation.

Learning outcomes of the Master's thesis

These learning outcomes describe the student’s skills and competences, which should develop during the whole time span of the master’s thesis project. The evaluation of the thesis measures this development. The learning outcomes are divided in four groups, describing the student’s development in the areas of problem solving, knowledge in applying theories and methods in science and engineering, project management skills, as well as communication skills.

Problem-solving skills

After completing the master’s thesis project, the student

• together with the cooperation partners, can define a clear scope for a research project, is able to formulate relevant and clear research questions, as well as describe logically the objectives of the project.
• can choose appropriate engineering or/and research methods and is able to apply the chosen methods in a logical way that fits the problem and the research questions.
• can work independently but is also able to seek for guidance and take advantage of the received advice.

Skills in applying scientific and engineering theories and methods in the topic area

After completing the master’s thesis project, the student

• demonstrates understanding of the relevant technological and scientific concepts and theoretical frameworks in the topic area.
• displays ability of conducting work according to good engineering and scientific practices, following ethical guidelines.
• shows ability of discussing the results in the context of the topic area and the research questions, and is able to draw justified conclusions from the results.
• shows command of data acquisition, and can refer correctly to appropriate, up-to-date scientific literature and other relevant sources of information.

Project management skills

After completing the master’s thesis project, the student

• displays ability of making a feasible and logical plan for an engineering or scientific project, and can implement the plan in an efficient manner, which does not significantly exceed the set deadlines.
• can manage the acquired information in an organized manner, and is able to follow the given guidelines for documenting and presenting the work.

Skills in scientific and professional communication

After completing the master’s thesis project, the student

• can present results of an engineering or/and research process clearly and discuss critically their significance to the cooperation partners, and possibly to the scientific and engineering community.
• shows skill in formal writing and can write a report, which is easy to read and which forms a well-organised, coherent whole.
• has practiced oral communication in varying work-life situation: from day-to-day discussion with colleagues to presentation of the results in personal discussions as well as in project meetings with the cooperation partners

The Creative Sustainability in Materials and Chemical Engineering contains 30 (10 + 20) credits of elective studies:

• 10 cr need to be completed from the electives from ARTS/BIZ/CHEM (Creative Sustainability electives list below).
• 20 cr: as elective studies, students can complete minor studies and/or take individual courses from other programmes at Aalto University or other Finnish universities, participate in an international student exchange programme, or take more courses from the Creative Sustainability electives list.

Language studies

Language studies are mandatory according ���ʵ��� degree regulation. If you have taken equivalent language studies in your bachelor’s degree, you do not have to take them in your master’s degree. This means 3 credits including both oral and written part. You can select courses that have letters O (for oral) and W (for written) in their name. Also basic Finnish and Swedish courses can be applied here.

Minor

Students can also include a minor in their studies as part of the elective studies. All minors offered in Aalto can be found here.

You can browse all currently offered courses on .

Creative Sustainability electives list: