Department of Design

Department of Design

The Department of Design is a diverse community of competent, creative and responsible individuals. In design, we appreciate technical skill, social significance and artistic expression.

We educate front-line design professionals and visionaries for established, changing and emerging fields of design. We renew our expertise through high level research in continuous collaboration with our stakeholders. We strive towards a sustainable and just society and environment.

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Studies at Department of Design

You can choose the Bachelor's degree major between Design, Fashion or Aalto Bachelor Prorgamme in Design. Master's studies can be conducted either in Collaborative and Industrial Design; Fashion, Clothing and Textile Design; or Contemporary Design programme. In addition, the Department provides two Aalto-level Master's programmes: International Design Business Management and Creative Sustainability.

A student focuses either in the Master's degree major or the field of the programme, and may take advantage of Aalto University’s wide range of multidisciplinary courses for the minors and freely selectable studies.

Aalto University student putting post-it notes on a glass wall.

Studies leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts

Studies leading to the degree of Master of Arts

Majors of the Master’s Programme in Design

Prof. Maarit Mäkelä and her work

Research

Our research is at the international forefront in sustainable design, practice-based design research, human-centered design and co-design. Our research environment enables and our culture encourages goal-oriented research, imaginative experiments, critical discussion, and transdisciplinary collaboration.

Go to Aalto Design Research Site

Research Groups

ENCORE - Engaging Co-design Research Group

The ENCORE research group explores constantly application fields for co-design through hands-on exploration and ambitious research. The visionary competence stems mostly from industrial design spiced with engineering, architecture and anthropology.

Encore

Empirica – Research on art, design and culture (external link)

Group approaches research with an attitude, where making, acting and engaging play important roles.

Empirica tutkimusryhmän työtä

Fashion/Textile Futures

The Fashion/Textile Futures research group explores new perspectives on human-centered design research. The group approaches research in the field of fashion, clothing and textiles in multi-faceted ways.

Sofia Ilmonen Biocolour

INUSE - The Users and Innovation Research Group

Researches designer-user relations in sociotechnical change.

INUSE transition arena workshop - panorama of indoor space with groups discussing around whiteboards

NODUS – Sustainable Design Research Group

NODUS Sustainable Design Research Group undertakes transdisciplinary design research for sustainable futures.

Nodus tutkimusryhmäläisiä keskustelemassa

Design Culture Research Group

Exploring the significance of design in contemporary society.

Väre_Artworks_LUMEN

Collaborate with us

We offer our partners the opportunity to collaborate with international level designers and design researchers.

Read more
Design for Government 2018 photo by Heidi Konttinen

Gallery

The gallery of the Department of Design.

Browse the gallery!
Emma Saarnio ja Helmi Liikanen

News

Aalto Open Science Award 2024. A light blue podium hovering over a blue-pink gradient background with the help of squishy-looking balloons with colored lights inside.
Awards and Recognition, Research & Art Published:

Last chance to nominate for 2024 Aalto University Open Science Award

The deadline for submissions is 3 Dec, 2024.
Two people outdoors with one holding a yellow frisbee-like object. One wears a white coat, the other a blue shirt.
Press releases Published:

'We cannot solve today’s complex challenges with traditional approaches' –– dozens of Finnish organisations support Aalto's radical creativity initiative

Aalto University launches a free online course to make the basics of radical creativity accessible to all
A man Diving into radical creativity online course. photo Lina Jelanski
Studies Published:

Boost your skills: learn the basics of radical creativity

Creative thinking and related ability to change are core competencies of the future in all fields. Aalto University launched a free online introductory course on radical creativity in Finnish and English on November 14, 2024.
Tiny plant with text aside Unite! Seed Fund 2024
Awards and Recognition, Cooperation Published:

Unite! Seed Fund 2024 awards funding to three collaborative teaching projects involving Aalto

The Unite! Seed Fund aims to stimulate and support bottom-up proposals by teachers, researchers and students for collaborative activities.

Events

Unsupervised learning - Making Waves event flyer
Academic events, Lectures and seminars, Languages and multiculturality

Unsupervised Learning - Making Waves Thu 28/11/2024

How can we create an environment where diverse team members, with different backgrounds and perspectives, can thrive and collaborate effectively?
Hands-on data protection workshop
Lectures and seminars, Staff trainings, Support for teams, Training to support research

Hands-on Data Protection, Dec 3 & 5, 2024

Learn about data protection in this two-day workshop with Data Agents Dr. Enrico Glerean, Dr. Essi Viitanen, and Legal Counsel Anniina Harju.

Department management

Mikko Jalas

Head of Department, Associate Professor
 Kirsi Niinimäki

Kirsi Niinimäki

Vice Head of Department, Professor
 Pirjo Kääriäinen

Pirjo Kääriäinen

Head of Education, Associate Professor
Department of Design - Personnel

Aalto ARTS' Communications Guide

Easy access communication tools and help for everyone! This guide is updated according to the needs of ARTS members. Login (top right) to view all content. Some pages are internal, so they are only visible to logged-in ARTS members.

Aalto ARTS Handbook

Aalto ARTS Handbook/ communication guide

Drupal image for Comms use only. Abstract image, yellow.

Visit the School of Arts, Design and Architecture

Information for guests

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Visit the School of Arts, Design and Architecture

Information for visitors and guests

Aalto ARTS Handbook

Where to find us

School of Arts, Design and Architecture by Sari Dhima

Väre

Otaniementie 14
School of Arts, Design and Architecture

Locations
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