Aaltonaut (minor)

The Product Development minor equips students with the skills to address complex, real-world product design challenges through problem-based learning in multidisciplinary teams. Blending design, business, and engineering principles, the program prepares students to innovate and shape the future of products across various industries. Encouraging a hands-on approach to solving open-ended problems, the minor fosters a practical, inventive mindset, ready to tackle future challenges in product design.

Further information is available from program director Anders Häggman ([email protected]) and https://www.aalto.fi/en/minors/aaltonaut-minor

After completing the Aaltonaut minor, students are able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of various user-centric product development processes and their stages.​

• (demonstrate an ability to) identify solutions to open-ended challenges and critically evaluate opportunities for new products or product improvements.​

•  use design thinking principles to ideate, prototype, test and iterate product concepts and solutions to problems.​

•  communicate and collaborate with multidisciplinary stakeholders, including team members, users, and potential investors or clients.​

•  understand and apply principles of sustainable product design.​

• design and build prototypes that effectively communicate and test assumptions, ideas and concepts.​

• apply user research methods to effectively gather and analyze user data to inform the design of products that meet user needs.​

• understand and apply various constraints, such as cost, manufacturing, functionality and quality requirements in product design.

Code: ENG3049

Extent: 20–25 ECTS

Curriculum: 2022–2024

Level: Bachelor

Language of learning: English

Theme: Global business dynamics

Teacher in charge: Anders Häggman

Administrative contact: Minna Marin

Organising department: Department of Mechanical Engineering

Target group: All Aalto students

Prerequisites: No

Quotas and restrictions: No restrictions, number of participants at courses may be limited

Application process: No separate application process

Content and structure of the minor

Product development minor: Aaltonaut

Product development minor students learn how to tackle complex, real-life problems connected to product development in multidisciplinary teams.

The Product development minor curriculum integrates design, business and engineering to enable students to develop the products of the future. Graduates of the program gain extensive teamwork experience that enables them to work in a variety of fields.

Each course in the Aaltonaut minor is built around a development problem. Students work in multidisciplinary teams to tackle these problems from the perspectives of business, engineering and design. Students learn to solve open-ended problems in a hands-on, project-based setting that encourages an entrepreneurial mindset. Company collaboration is part of the Aaltonaut minor, including company visits, guest lectures and program development to ensure that Aaltonaut students learn the skills they need to succeed in their future careers. Teamwork and communication are facilitated through specific tasks as well as through online materials throughout the Aaltonaut minor.

Further information is available from Program director Elina Kähkönen ([email protected]) and http://aaltonaut.fi

^{Other courses with relevant learning objectives and content related to open ended problem solving in a teamwork setting and / or product development are accepted in the minor. These alternatives should be agreed with the teacher in charge of the minor.} 

^{Please note that MEC-E3007 and MEC-E3005 are also part of elective courses of Master's Programme in Mechanical Engineering & Mechanical Engineering minor. You cannot include the courses both in Aaltonaut minor and Mechanical Engineering major/minor.} 

Basic information

Code: ENG3049

Extent: 20-25 ECTS

Language: English

Organizing department: Department of Mechanical Engineering (Design Factory)

Teacher in charge: Elina Kähkönen

Administrative contact: Saara Kanerva

Target Group: All Aalto’s students

Application procedure: No separate application process

Quotas and restrictions: No restrictions, number of participants at courses may be limited

Prerequisites: no

Content and structure of the minor

Product development minor: Aaltonaut

Product development minor students learn how to tackle complex, real-life problems connected to product development in multidisciplinary teams.

The Product development minor curriculum integrates design, business and engineering to enable students to develop the products of the future. Graduates of the program gain extensive teamwork experience that enables them to work in a variety of fields.

Each course in the Aaltonaut minor is built around a development problem. Students work in multidisciplinary teams to tackle these problems from the perspectives of business, engineering and design. Students learn to solve open-ended problems in a hands-on, project-based setting that encourages an entrepreneurial mindset. Company collaboration is part of the Aaltonaut minor, including company visits, guest lectures and program development to ensure that Aaltonaut students learn the skills they need to succeed in their future careers.

Teamwork and communication are facilitated through specific tasks as well as through online materials throughout the Aaltonaut minor. Language course not available 21-22. 

Further information is available from Program director Elina Kähkönen ([email protected]) and http://aaltonaut.fi

Basic information

Code: ENG3049

Extent: 25 ECTS

Language: English

Teacher in charge: Elina Kähkönen

Target Group: All Aalto’s students

Application procedure: No separate application process

Quotas and restrictions: No restrictions, number of participants at courses may be limited

Prerequisites: no

Content and structure of the minor

Aaltonaut minor: Learn how to develop the products of the future

Aaltonaut students learn how to tackle complex, real-life problems connected to product development in multidisciplinary teams.

The Aaltonaut curriculum integrates design, business and engineering to enable students to develop the products of the future. Graduates of the program gain extensive teamwork experience that enables them to work in a variety of fields.

Each course in the Aaltonaut minor is built around a real-life product development problem. Students work in multidisciplinary teams to tackle these problems from the perspectives of business, engineering and design. Students learn to solve open-ended problems in a hands-on, project-based setting that encourages an entrepreneurial mindset. Company collaboration is an essential part of the Aaltonaut minor, including company visits, guest lectures and program development to ensure that Aaltonaut students learn the skills they need to succeed in their future careers.

Teamwork is facilitated by integrated communication skills modules, which, when taken in sequence across the courses in the program, can be used to replace one of the compulsory language studies courses included in the Aalto University’s Bachelor degree program. All Aaltonaut courses are taught in English.

^{*Designing an electronic device for business and production}

Further information is available from Program director Elina Kähkönen (elina.kahkonen@aalto.fi) and http://aaltonaut.fi

Basic information of the minor

Code: ENG3049

Extent: 25 cr

Language: English

Teacher in charge: Elina Kähkönen

Target Group: All Aalto’s Bachelor students

Application procedure: The selection process is primarily based on a motivation letter. However, possible interviews may be held amongst students with equally competent motivation letters.

Quotas and restrictions: 35 students

Prerequisites: no

Content and structure of the minor

Aaltonaut is an interdisciplinary minor subject aimed at Bachelor’s level students. The studies will be taught partly in English.  Although the minor subject 25 credits can be made up of Aaltonaut courses, the study plan also allows for some flexibility and course options to supplement the offering. In addition to the Aaltonaut minor subject, Aaltonaut students are offered integrated language and communications studies, internship possibilities, exchange studies and an interdisciplinary Bachelor’s seminar (up to 50 credits).

Realisation of Aaltonaut courses is based on inquiry- and problem-based learning as well as group work in interdisciplinary groups. The program includes mentoring for professional development. Students who have completed the minor subject will have a command of the basics of product development from business, design and engineering points of view. The general learning goals of the minor subject are reinforcing an entrepreneurial attitude and refining teamwork and communication skills.

We believe that completing the Aaltonaut minor subject will make the graduating Bachelors more attractive when competing for positions in Master’s degree programmes and entering working life. 35 bachelor's degree students of Aalto University will be selected to start their Aaltonaut studies every fall (see http://aaltonaut.fi/apply/). The student selection process is based on a motivation letter, preferably written in English. Interviews will be organized within students with the same competence, and this should be taken into account during the selection process. All accepted students will be invited to the Bootcamp, which is a launch-off weekend session in the end of November.

Further information is available from Program director Elina Kähkönen ([email protected]) (and [email protected]). 

Structure of the minor