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Every student completing the programme understands the principles and methods of mechanics in engineering, and their practical applications. Our graduates know how to solve engineering problems in their chosen area of specialization, and they correctly apply a combination of creativity, systematic analysis, computational tools, and critical judgement to such tasks. As students in an international environment, they learned to justify their choices and methods, communicate clearly and collaborate effectively. They can articulate how their own unique professional profile equips them to contribute productively in any setting. Our students also appreciate the economic, environmental, and societal context in which their work is important.

Society looks to mechanical engineering for effective and safe solutions in energy production, traffic and transportation, environmental protection, durable natural resource management, production technology, and all kinds of machinery in housing, wellness, recreation, and even medical technology. These fields will continue to bring challenges and widespread opportunities for innovation. To excel at the resulting jobs will require both creativity and a rigorously analytical mindset. We aim to educate such excellent professionals.

In Mechanical Engineering studies at Aalto University, students specialize in arctic technology, engineering materials, marine technology, mechatronics, product development, production engineering, solid mechanics, or a combination of these. Specializing provides the student with detailed knowledge of the current methods and applications in the field, as well as some knowledge of recent research and developments, and with skills to further advance the state of the art. Aalto University is an international environment, and students may complete part of their studies abroad.

Completing the programme in different languages

Programme is a multilingual programme. Mechatronic major as well as the four common courses for all majors offer courses which have supplementary teaching language or language of study attainment available in Finnish and Swedish. All majors can be completed in English. 

If you want to complete the programme primarily in Finnish and Swedish, see the instructions (LINK to curriculum design page) on the choices you need to make while completing the programme. It is not necessary to complete the programme in a single language. Instead, you can select courses in accordance with the curriculum rules.

The languages used in studying

The table shows the language of instruction and possible supplementary languages of instruction of the study unit implementation. The language of instruction is the language in which the teaching is provided, while the supplementary language of instruction is a language used alongside the language of instruction. The teaching offered in the supplementary language of instruction depends on the course: for a detailed description of the languages used in a given course, see the course’s MyCourses page. 

You can complete study attainments, such as examinations or course assignments, using either the language of instruction or the supplementary language of instruction. In some courses, the language of study attainments may also be a language that is not used in teaching. The languages of study attainments offered are specified in Sisu under each study unit implementation.

Content: Arctic Marine Technology studies give you insights into the engineering design of sustainable and innovative ice breaking ships and offshore structures. You will gain general understanding of the mechanical behaviour of sea ice and how ice interacts with ships and structures. In addition, depending on the orientation of the studies, you will gain a solid foundation in engineering mechanics, in marine technology or fluid dynamics that can be applied in Arctic Marine Technology related problems

Work environment: Professionals often find employment in consulting and design firms focusing on ice breaking ships and/or offshore structures for cold conditions. Other common employers include classification societies, governmental bodies, universities, and research institutes. Depending on the orientation and elective studies, the studies give you preparedness for careers in shipyards and design offices of ice-going ships, or design offices specialized in numerical modeling of fluid flow or structural response.

Suitable minors: Marine technology, Solid Mechanics

Arctic Marine Technology major gives students the ability to:

• Describe sea ice as a material, including the mechanical response of sea ice to loading and detailed mechanics of sea ice failure and deformation processes.
• Estimate sea ice induced loads on ice going ships and off shore structures under various ice conditions. 
• Estimate ice resistance of and requirements for a ship in various ice conditions, and to perform a transit analysis.
• Conduct model-scale experiments on sea ice behavior, ice loading on structure and ice resistance on ships, while accounting for the limitations related to experimentation. 
• Depending on your orientation, perform in-depth ice engineering analysis based on solid mechanics, marine technology or fluid dynamics, using numerical modeling, commonly used analytical and statistical models, and standards. 

Code: ENG3101
Extent: 60 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Mikko Suominen 
Name of the major in Finnish: Arktinen meritekniikka 
Name of the major in Swedish: Arktisk marinteknik 

The master’s thesis is written on a topic related to the advanced studies of the programme, agreed upon by the student and the supervisor, who is specialized in the thesis topic. Professors from the programme provide master's thesis topics, which are connected to their current research activities. Alternatively, students can propose their own topics to their chosen supervisor. The recommended time for the thesis project is the second-year spring semester. Students are advised to start searching for a thesis topic well before this period.

At Aalto School of Engineering, the master’s thesis supervisor may be a Professor (any rank), Adjunct Professor, Professor of Practice, Senior University Lecturer, or Principal University Lecturer. The thesis advisor must hold at least a master’s degree.

The master's thesis includes a seminar presentation and a maturity test.

Detailed instructions for the master's thesis at the School of Engineering are available in the Master’s Thesis Guide on the . 

For your free elective studies, you can study courses off ered by Aalto University or by other universities as it is possible by Aalto internal and inter institutional agreements and procedures and course specific prerequisites. 

Elective studies must be university level studies that fulfill the degree requirements and, in general, studies that are offered as degree studies at the university in question. Universities also offer courses that are targeted for a larger audience. The suitability of these studies is evaluated taking into consideration the learning outcomes of the degree that the courses are planned to be included in. 

Alternatively, you can deepen your expertise by taking more of our advanced courses as elective expertise by choosing courses from Aalto’s other programmes or from different universities. 

Completing a minor is not compulsory in your programme. If you want to include a minor (20-25 ECTS) into your degree, please note that it needs to be an advanced level minor or one of the following minors: List of the new minors offered by language center, for example, “S2 – Finnish as a second language”. Please see the list of all advanced level minors offered by Aalto University under Minors. (Päivitä LINKKI kun sivuaineet julkaistu)

You can also include max 5 ECTS of practical training (ENG-E1010 Practical training) in your elective studies. You can find information on practical training on  (MyCourses).(Päivitä LINKKI)

The choice for elective studies is yours: the most important thing is that your elective studies complement your major studies and provide you with expertise that you personally feel important and inspiring for your career.​

Suitable minors: Marine technology, Solid Mechanics

Students majoring in Engineering Materials in the Mechanical Engineering Master’s Programme at Aalto University build upon their prior knowledge of Materials Science and Materials Engineering to develop their competences in the characterization of the microstructure and mechanical properties of materials and in applying their understanding of the relationships between microstructure, processing, and properties of materials to the judicious and effective use of materials in engineering. 

Code: ENG3102
Extent: 60 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Sampsa Laakso
Name of the major in Finnish: Materiaalitekniikka
Name of the major in Swedish: Materialteknik

The master’s thesis is written on a topic related to the advanced studies of the programme, agreed upon by the student and the supervisor, who is specialized in the thesis topic. Professors from the programme provide master's thesis topics, which are connected to their current research activities. Alternatively, students can propose their own topics to their chosen supervisor. The recommended time for the thesis project is the second-year spring semester. Students are advised to start searching for a thesis topic well before this period.

At Aalto School of Engineering, the master’s thesis supervisor may be a Professor (any rank), Adjunct Professor, Professor of Practice, Senior University Lecturer, or Principal University Lecturer. The thesis advisor must hold at least a master’s degree.

The master's thesis includes a seminar presentation and a maturity test.

Detailed instructions for the master's thesis at the School of Engineering are available in the Master’s Thesis Guide on the . 

For your free elective studies, you can study courses off ered by Aalto University or by other universities as it is possible by Aalto internal and inter institutional agreements and procedures and course specific prerequisites. 

Elective studies must be university level studies that fulfill the degree requirements and, in general, studies that are offered as degree studies at the university in question. Universities also offer courses that are targeted for a larger audience. The suitability of these studies is evaluated taking into consideration the learning outcomes of the degree that the courses are planned to be included in. 

Alternatively, you can deepen your expertise by taking more of our advanced courses as elective expertise by choosing courses from Aalto’s other programmes or from different universities. 

Completing a minor is not compulsory in your programme. If you want to include a minor (20-25 ECTS) into your degree, please note that it needs to be an advanced level minor or one of the following minors: List of the new minors offered by language center, for example, “S2 – Finnish as a second language”. Please see the list of all advanced level minors offered by Aalto University under Minors. (Päivitä LINKKI kun sivuaineet julkaistu)

You can also include max 5 ECTS of practical training (ENG-E1010 Practical training) in your elective studies. You can find information on practical training on  (MyCourses).(Päivitä LINKKI)

The choice for elective studies is yours: the most important thing is that your elective studies complement your major studies and provide you with expertise that you personally feel important and inspiring for your career.​

Suitable minors: Production Engineering, Solid Mechanics

The Marine Technology major equips students with the skills needed to address emerging technical, safety, and environmental challenges in both global and local maritime ecosystems. A unique aspect of our program is its emphasis on preparing students to manage the design and operations of marine applications in both open waters and ice-covered regions. This major blends rigorous mechanical engineering foundations with specialized knowledge in marine systems, sustainable development and responsibility, and the latest technological innovations. Students gain hands-on experience through the utilization of cutting-edge research results in their projects related to marine technology, renewable energy, and resilience in system-level design for climate change. Under the guidance of renowned academic and industry experts, this major deepens technical proficiency and fosters a commitment to sustainable and ethical engineering solutions in marine environments.

• Integrate Engineering and Marine Technology: Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in mechanical and systems engineering, with a specialized ability to apply this expertise to solve complex problems in marine technology, emphasizing sustainability, creativity, and innovation.
• Develop Solutions for Marine Technology Challenges: Employ modern engineering tools and sustainable practices to design and optimize solutions that address the challenges of marine environments, including the impact of climate change and ways to mitigate the effects of climate change.
• Collaborate Across Disciplines: Excel in multidisciplinary teams, leveraging a blend of technical engineering skills and specialized marine knowledge to lead projects and communicate effectively with stakeholders in the field of marine technology.
• Ethical Leadership in Engineering: Uphold ethical standards and professional responsibility, making informed decisions that consider the environmental, societal, and global impacts of marine engineering projects.

This enhanced curriculum not only prepares students for the complex technical demands of the marine sector but also instills a solid ethical framework for addressing global environmental challenges. With a focus on naval architecture, fluid-structure interaction, structural analyses, and the design and operation of specialized ships, offshore structures, and novel marine technological systems,  graduates are well-equipped for a marine technology career in industry and academia. Internationally highly apricated Finnish Marine Industry () and Aalto University’s research excellence in Ocean and Marine Engineering (Marine and Arctic Technology | Aalto University) provides various excellent career possibilities after graduation.

Code: ENG3103
Extent: 60 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Mikko Suominen
Name of the major in Finnish: Meritekniikka
Name of the major in Swedish: Marin teknik

The master’s thesis is written on a topic related to the advanced studies of the programme, agreed upon by the student and the supervisor, who is specialized in the thesis topic. Professors from the programme provide master's thesis topics, which are connected to their current research activities. Alternatively, students can propose their own topics to their chosen supervisor. The recommended time for the thesis project is the second-year spring semester. Students are advised to start searching for a thesis topic well before this period.

At Aalto School of Engineering, the master’s thesis supervisor may be a Professor (any rank), Adjunct Professor, Professor of Practice, Senior University Lecturer, or Principal University Lecturer. The thesis advisor must hold at least a master’s degree.

The master's thesis includes a seminar presentation and a maturity test.

Detailed instructions for the master's thesis at the School of Engineering are available in the Master’s Thesis Guide on the . 

For your free elective studies, you can study courses off ered by Aalto University or by other universities as it is possible by Aalto internal and inter institutional agreements and procedures and course specific prerequisites. 

Elective studies must be university level studies that fulfill the degree requirements and, in general, studies that are offered as degree studies at the university in question. Universities also offer courses that are targeted for a larger audience. The suitability of these studies is evaluated taking into consideration the learning outcomes of the degree that the courses are planned to be included in. 

Alternatively, you can deepen your expertise by taking more of our advanced courses as elective expertise by choosing courses from Aalto’s other programmes or from different universities. 

Completing a minor is not compulsory in your programme. If you want to include a minor (20-25 ECTS) into your degree, please note that it needs to be an advanced level minor or one of the following minors: List of the new minors offered by language center, for example, “S2 – Finnish as a second language”. Please see the list of all advanced level minors offered by Aalto University under Minors. (Päivitä LINKKI kun sivuaineet julkaistu)

You can also include max 5 ECTS of practical training (ENG-E1010 Practical training) in your elective studies. You can find information on practical training on  (MyCourses).(Päivitä LINKKI)

The choice for elective studies is yours: the most important thing is that your elective studies complement your major studies and provide you with expertise that you personally feel important and inspiring for your career.​

Mechatronics major provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the design, development, and application of mechatronic systems. The program combines mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science to create a unique and highly sought-after skillset. 

The major offers a balanced mix of compulsory and elective courses, giving students the flexibility to tailor their education to their interests and career goals. The compulsory courses cover the fundamentals of mechatronic machine design, dynamics, and control systems. The elective courses allow students to specialize in areas such as fluid power systems, vehicle mechatronics, robotic manipulation, and machine learning.

The major emphasizes hands-on learning, with students working on a mechatronics project. This project gives students the opportunity to apply their knowledge to a real-world problem and develop their problem-solving and teamwork skills.

Students will have a comprehensive understanding of mechatronic systems, including their fundamental functions (sensing, actuation, and control) and the prevailing physics in common mechatronic machines (rigid-body mechanical systems, basic electrical systems, power transmission, and control).

After completing the mechatronics major, students will be

• proficient in designing and implementing control systems for mechatronic machines, ensuring their functionality and optimal performance.
• able to design and construct new mechatronic products or test equipment based on given specifications.
• able to collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary teams to analyze and evaluate alternative solutions for mechatronic designs. They will also be able to make informed decisions based on their analyses.
• able to evaluate and produce scientific publications on mechatronic systems and effectively communicate the functionalities and design considerations of these systems in both written and oral presentations.

Students can tailor their education to their specific mechatronics interests by choosing courses from a range of specialization fields.

Code: ENG3104
Extent: 60 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Panu Kiviluoma
Name of the major in Finnish: Mekatroniikka
Name of the major in Swedish: Mekatronik

The master’s thesis is written on a topic related to the advanced studies of the programme, agreed upon by the student and the supervisor, who is specialized in the thesis topic. Professors from the programme provide master's thesis topics, which are connected to their current research activities. Alternatively, students can propose their own topics to their chosen supervisor. The recommended time for the thesis project is the second-year spring semester. Students are advised to start searching for a thesis topic well before this period.

At Aalto School of Engineering, the master’s thesis supervisor may be a Professor (any rank), Adjunct Professor, Professor of Practice, Senior University Lecturer, or Principal University Lecturer. The thesis advisor must hold at least a master’s degree.

The master's thesis includes a seminar presentation and a maturity test.

Detailed instructions for the master's thesis at the School of Engineering are available in the Master’s Thesis Guide on the 

For your free elective studies, you can study courses off ered by Aalto University or by other universities as it is possible by Aalto internal and inter institutional agreements and procedures and course specific prerequisites. 

Elective studies must be university level studies that fulfill the degree requirements and, in general, studies that are offered as degree studies at the university in question. Universities also offer courses that are targeted for a larger audience. The suitability of these studies is evaluated taking into consideration the learning outcomes of the degree that the courses are planned to be included in. 

Alternatively, you can deepen your expertise by taking more of our advanced courses as elective expertise by choosing courses from Aalto’s other programmes or from different universities. 

Completing a minor is not compulsory in your programme. If you want to include a minor (20-25 ECTS) into your degree, please note that it needs to be an advanced level minor or one of the following minors: List of the new minors offered by language center, for example, “S2 – Finnish as a second language”. Please see the list of all advanced level minors offered by Aalto University under Minors. (Päivitä LINKKI kun sivuaineet julkaistu)

You can also include max 5 ECTS of practical training (ENG-E1010 Practical training) in your elective studies. You can find information on practical training on  (MyCourses).(Päivitä LINKKI)

The choice for elective studies is yours: the most important thing is that your elective studies complement your major studies and provide you with expertise that you personally feel important and inspiring for your career.​

Creative problem-solving is one of the most sought-after skills in creating sustainable futures and a core skill for engineers. Product development offers students of mechanical engineering the opportunity to apply knowledge gained from focused engineering courses to the whole process of building products, from ideas to functional prototypes. The major covers different processes and practices needed in engineering innovation, preparing students for industry and research positions in product development, product management, research centers, and a wide variety of positions where research, development, and innovation skills are needed.

Product development courses offer theory and industry cases hand-in-hand. In this major, students will learn skills and methodologies that experts use during the complex process of developing new solutions. Our courses are hosted at Aalto Design Factory (www.adf.fi), a space that offers students 24/7 access to working spaces, materials and prototyping facilities, from machining and 3D printing to electronics workshops and woodwork. 

Not sure this major is for you? We believe all engineers benefit from understanding product development processes, and you are warmly welcome to take any of the courses, even if you do not intend to specialize in the topic. There is also the opportunity to complete a minor in product development.

After completing the product development major, students will be able to recognize, scope, and solve both incremental and complex development needs, opportunities, and problems by utilizing a wide array of creative product design and innovation skills and process knowledge. They will be able to plan, take part in, and lead product development projects, while bringing along core skills and perspectives of mechanical engineering. Students will have a good understanding of international industry scale projects, developing knowledge, services and products for and with varying stakeholders to engineer a sustainable future in collaboration with other professionals.

The product development major consists of major-specific courses, and complementary courses chosen by the student from either 

• any of the other courses in the Mechanical Engineering program to deepen technical understanding of selected domains (such as production, materials, or mechatronic applications), or
• development-related courses from other Aalto schools to extend understanding of interdisciplinary product development practices.

We recommend taking the mandatory product development courses during your first year of master’s studies. 

Code: ENG3105
Extent: 60 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Tua Björklund
Name of the major in Finnish: Tuotekehitys
Name of the major in Swedish: Produktutveckling

¹ Note that you can only include MEC-E3007 in your degree if you have not completed the previous AAN-C2007 Product Sustainability course.

² The course has a quota for 10 product development students.

³ 10 credits of product development studies accepted as the required prerequisites for the course

⁵ Requires fluent skills in coding, basic knowledge of machine learning and human-computer interaction will be helpful. As such, we recommend this course mainly to students with a background or minor in computer science or mechatronics.

The master’s thesis is written on a topic related to the advanced studies of the programme, agreed upon by the student and the supervisor, who is specialized in the thesis topic. Professors from the programme provide master's thesis topics, which are connected to their current research activities. Alternatively, students can propose their own topics to their chosen supervisor. The recommended time for the thesis project is the second-year spring semester. Students are advised to start searching for a thesis topic well before this period.

At Aalto School of Engineering, the master’s thesis supervisor may be a Professor (any rank), Adjunct Professor, Professor of Practice, Senior University Lecturer, or Principal University Lecturer. The thesis advisor must hold at least a master’s degree.

The master's thesis includes a seminar presentation and a maturity test.

Detailed instructions for the master's thesis at the School of Engineering are available in the Master’s Thesis Guide on the 

For your free elective studies, you can study courses off ered by Aalto University or by other universities as it is possible by Aalto internal and inter institutional agreements and procedures and course specific prerequisites. 

Elective studies must be university level studies that fulfill the degree requirements and, in general, studies that are offered as degree studies at the university in question. Universities also offer courses that are targeted for a larger audience. The suitability of these studies is evaluated taking into consideration the learning outcomes of the degree that the courses are planned to be included in. 

Alternatively, you can deepen your expertise by taking more of our advanced courses as elective expertise by choosing courses from Aalto’s other programmes or from different universities. 

Completing a minor is not compulsory in your programme. If you want to include a minor (20-25 ECTS) into your degree, please note that it needs to be an advanced level minor or one of the following minors: List of the new minors offered by language center, for example, “S2 – Finnish as a second language”. Please see the list of all advanced level minors offered by Aalto University under Minors. (Päivitä LINKKI kun sivuaineet julkaistu)

You can also include max 5 ECTS of practical training (ENG-E1010 Practical training) in your elective studies. You can find information on practical training on  (MyCourses).(Päivitä LINKKI)

The choice for elective studies is yours: the most important thing is that your elective studies complement your major studies and provide you with expertise that you personally feel important and inspiring for your career.​

Major and a minor in the field of production engineering give you an understanding of the production, processing, manufacturability, automation, system and process modelling, and quality of products to make the process and the product better and to increase productivity. The courses contained in the Production engineering major and minor provide a wide set of skills necessary in industrial production management and academic research in the area. Studying production engineering is practical involving laboratory exercises, project works and individual assignments. Close cooperation with the industry is common. Typical jobs for a manufacturing engineer deal with production management, production system design, production development, investments, purchasing, EDP systems, customer project management, quality, and others. The focus of the studies can be widened by including courses from other majors within the Mechanical Engineering master’s program and others at the university. Common choices are courses from the Engineering materials, Mechatronics, and Product development areas or those offered by the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management or Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation.

Code: ENG3106
Extent: 60 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Sampsa Laakso
Name of the major in Finnish: Tuotantotekniikka
Name of the major in Swedish: Produktionsteknik

The master’s thesis is written on a topic related to the advanced studies of the programme, agreed upon by the student and the supervisor, who is specialized in the thesis topic. Professors from the programme provide master's thesis topics, which are connected to their current research activities. Alternatively, students can propose their own topics to their chosen supervisor. The recommended time for the thesis project is the second-year spring semester. Students are advised to start searching for a thesis topic well before this period.

At Aalto School of Engineering, the master’s thesis supervisor may be a Professor (any rank), Adjunct Professor, Professor of Practice, Senior University Lecturer, or Principal University Lecturer. The thesis advisor must hold at least a master’s degree.

The master's thesis includes a seminar presentation and a maturity test.

Detailed instructions for the master's thesis at the School of Engineering are available in the Master’s Thesis Guide on the 

For your free elective studies, you can study courses off ered by Aalto University or by other universities as it is possible by Aalto internal and inter institutional agreements and procedures and course specific prerequisites. 

Elective studies must be university level studies that fulfill the degree requirements and, in general, studies that are offered as degree studies at the university in question. Universities also offer courses that are targeted for a larger audience. The suitability of these studies is evaluated taking into consideration the learning outcomes of the degree that the courses are planned to be included in. 

Alternatively, you can deepen your expertise by taking more of our advanced courses as elective expertise by choosing courses from Aalto’s other programmes or from different universities. 

Completing a minor is not compulsory in your programme. If you want to include a minor (20-25 ECTS) into your degree, please note that it needs to be an advanced level minor or one of the following minors: List of the new minors offered by language center, for example, “S2 – Finnish as a second language”. Please see the list of all advanced level minors offered by Aalto University under Minors. (Päivitä LINKKI kun sivuaineet julkaistu)

You can also include max 5 ECTS of practical training (ENG-E1010 Practical training) in your elective studies. You can find information on practical training on  (MyCourses).(Päivitä LINKKI)

The choice for elective studies is yours: the most important thing is that your elective studies complement your major studies and provide you with expertise that you personally feel important and inspiring for your career.​

The Solid Mechanics major combines theoretical, numerical, and practical knowledge in structural mechanics and material modelling. Graduates from this major typically work as structural engineers in companies, where they are responsible for the safety and durability of new products such as wind turbines, medical devices, elevators, marine propellers, wooden structures, or large-scale steel constructions.  The major is also suitable for students who want to pursue a research career either at governmental institutes or universities.

After completing the solid mechanics major, students will be able to:

• use advanced modelling techniques to conduct a wide range of structural analyses, including static, vibratory, ultimate strength, and fatigue calculations.
• describe the theoretical concepts behind the finite element method and understand how to use this technique effectively.
• evaluate the limitations and accuracy of analytical and numerical models when predicting the deformation and failure of structural components. 

Students can tailor their education to match their interests by choosing from a wide range of elective courses.

Code: ENG3107
Extent: 60 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Sampsa Laakso

Name of the major in Finnish: Lujuusoppi
Name of the major in Swedish: ��å�����ڲ����ٳ��ٲ���ä��

The master’s thesis is written on a topic related to the advanced studies of the programme, agreed upon by the student and the supervisor, who is specialized in the thesis topic. Professors from the programme provide master's thesis topics, which are connected to their current research activities. Alternatively, students can propose their own topics to their chosen supervisor. The recommended time for the thesis project is the second-year spring semester. Students are advised to start searching for a thesis topic well before this period.

At Aalto School of Engineering, the master’s thesis supervisor may be a Professor (any rank), Adjunct Professor, Professor of Practice, Senior University Lecturer, or Principal University Lecturer. The thesis advisor must hold at least a master’s degree.

The master's thesis includes a seminar presentation and a maturity test.

Detailed instructions for the master's thesis at the School of Engineering are available in the Master’s Thesis Guide on the 

For your free elective studies, you can study courses off ered by Aalto University or by other universities as it is possible by Aalto internal and inter institutional agreements and procedures and course specific prerequisites. 

Elective studies must be university level studies that fulfill the degree requirements and, in general, studies that are offered as degree studies at the university in question. Universities also offer courses that are targeted for a larger audience. The suitability of these studies is evaluated taking into consideration the learning outcomes of the degree that the courses are planned to be included in. 

Alternatively, you can deepen your expertise by taking more of our advanced courses as elective expertise by choosing courses from Aalto’s other programmes or from different universities. 

Completing a minor is not compulsory in your programme. If you want to include a minor (20-25 ECTS) into your degree, please note that it needs to be an advanced level minor or one of the following minors: List of the new minors offered by language center, for example, “S2 – Finnish as a second language”. Please see the list of all advanced level minors offered by Aalto University under Minors. (Päivitä LINKKI kun sivuaineet julkaistu)

You can also include max 5 ECTS of practical training (ENG-E1010 Practical training) in your elective studies. You can find information on practical training on  (MyCourses).(Päivitä LINKKI)

The choice for elective studies is yours: the most important thing is that your elective studies complement your major studies and provide you with expertise that you personally feel important and inspiring for your career.​

Language requirements According to , student shall demonstrate proficiency in Finnish and Swedish language that is required of central government staff in bilingual public organisations under subsection 1 of section 6 of the Act on the Knowledge of Languages Required of Personnel in Public Bodies (424/2003) and hat is necessary for their own field; and proficiency in at least one foreign language that enables students to monitor progress in their own field and operate in an international setting.

Student's bachelor's degree completed in Finland

Compulsory language studies are included as part of the Finnish Bachelor’s degree.

Student's bachelor's degree not completed in Finland

Students are required to complete 3 ECTS in one foreign language, including both oral and written proficiency. Relevant courses (marked with ‘o’ and ‘w’) are offered by the Aalto University Language Center.

Students who already have excellent command of English (for example, English as their first language) may choose 3 ECTS of Finnish or Swedish (basic level) courses instead, hence not covering the requirement of oral/written proficiency but meeting the language requirement of the degree.

In cases where student have received their pre-university education in a language of Finnish or Swedish, the language requirements are following: the student must take 2 ECTS in the second national language and 3 ECTS in one foreign language, including both oral and written proficiency. In these cases contact Learning Services.

Language studies are included in students’ elective studies and are agreed in the personal study plan. 

Please find more information about language courses and information about learning languages from the Language Centre of Aalto University.

If you can't find course substitutions in Sisu, do contact your programmes staff (coordinator/planning officer).