The master's programme in Creative Sustainability can lead to four different degrees. Master of Arts, Master of Science Degree in Architecture, Master of Science Degree in Technology and Master of Science Degree in Economics and Business Administration. All the different degrees have a specialized study path but also a common compulsory courses.

Common Learning Outcomes

Multidisciplinary approach: Students learn to adapt knowledge, skills and new approaches to reach collaborative solutions based on ecological, economic and socio-cultural sustainability.

Systems approach: Students learn to use systemic thinking to problem-solve and create new holistic understandings of complex situations and the critical infrastructures of society. The emphasis is on global awareness within the context of local communities and having a combined influence on different aspects of sustainability simultaneously.

Design thinking: Students learn to apply creative problem-solving tools and methods to facilitate dialogue, define problems, generate ideas and attain solutions.

Sustainability management: Students learn to develop, support and manage sustainability initiatives for society at large, for business purposes and the needs of other organisations. Students also gain an understanding of the way different organisational forms and work practices can support the pursuit of sustainability.

Project management: Students learn to manage multidisciplinary teamwork, and to promote sustainability in culturally diverse organisational environments.

Director of the Master's Programme: Professor Mikko Jalas

Aims of the Master of Arts (Art and Design) degree

The aim of the degree is to provide students with:

1. good theoretical and general knowledge of as well as artistic and practical expertise in their field of study as well as a general knowledge of the field of arts;
2. knowledge and skills needed for independent and demanding artistic work and for multidisciplinary collaboration as well as knowledge and skills needed to apply scientific knowledge and scientific methods;
3. knowledge and skills to perform, both independently and collaboratively, demanding expert, development and management duties of the field, and to cooperate internationally;
4. knowledge and skills needed for education leading to a Doctor of Arts (Art and Design) degree and for lifelong learning;
5. good language and communication skills for work in the field of arts and for international operations and cooperation.

The education shall be based on scientific research and artistic activity and professional practices in the field.

Learning Outcomes

The International Master’s Programme in Creative Sustainability (CS) is a joint master’s degree programme of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture, the School of Business and the School of Engineering. The global and local challenges and the complexity of future scenarios increasingly require a multidisciplinary approach as well as education that can address the linkages between the environmental, the economic and the socio-cultural. The CS programme provides a multidisciplinary learning platform in the fields of architecture, business, design, built environment and real estate for dealing with the significant challenges of sustainability which background is in climate change, global poverty, social and economic inequality, demographic changes and rapid global economic changes. The CS programme offers students opportunities to collaborate with research projects, companies, organisations and students from other disciplines. The students will graduate with degrees of Master of Arts. The CS Programme is also offered as minor subject studies for students of the Aalto University study programmes.

The Master ‘s Programme in Creative Sustainability brings together students from different fields to study in multidisciplinary teams, increasing their understanding of different disciplines and enabling holistic approaches. This activates students to create new sustainable solutions for the human, urban, industrial and business environments.

Learning Outcomes of the Master`s Programme in Creative Sustainability:

Multidisciplinary approach: Students learn to adapt knowledge, skills and new approaches to reach collaborative solutions based on ecological, economic and socio-cultural sustainability.

Systems approach: Students learn to use systemic thinking to problem-solve and create new holistic understandings of complex situations and the critical infrastructures of society. The emphasis is on global awareness within the context of local communities and having a combined influence on different aspects of sustainability simultaneously.

Design thinking: Students learn to apply creative problem-solving tools and methods to facilitate dialogue, define problems, generate ideas and attain solutions.

Sustainability management: Students learn to develop, support and manage sustainability initiatives for society at large, for business purposes and the needs of other organisations. Students also gain an understanding of the way different organisational forms and work practices can support the pursuit of sustainability.

Project management: Students learn to manage multidisciplinary teamwork, and to promote sustainability in culturally diverse organisational environments.

Skills outcomes of the CS in the Department of Design:

• Students learn to analyse sustainability problems and engage with them in a systemic, holistic and creative way
• Students are able to use design thinking and participatory approaches as problem solving tools
• Students are able to implement sustainable design methods and tools in concept, service and product design processes
• Students understand values and responsibilities of design discipline related to political, societal and business contexts
• Students learn how to participate in and lead design debate and evaluate and critique design
• Students understand the role of different disciplines in a multidisciplinary team

Academic skills:

• Students are able to engage in both theory- and practice-based research processes
• Students master the basics of academic writing, and are able to effectively utilize existing design research

Code: ARTS215.M
Credits: 90 ECTS cr of advanced studies (60 ECTS courses + 30 ECTS master's thesis)
Director of the Master's Programme: Professor Mikko Jalas

Education Content

The Creative Sustainability programme comprises theoretical lessons, workshops, practical projects, excursions and a thesis. Courses deepen the basis for professional skills in methods and responsibilities of sustainable product and service design. Contents of the projects can vary from material innovation to enhancement of social sustainability in challenging contexts. Courses and projects are carried out within topics of interest for partner organizations that can be e.g. private companies, non-governmental organizations or other associations or public organizations. Projects are launched to solve a real and practical problem of a partner in Finland or abroad.

The two-year programme consists of 120 ECTS, composed of joint Creative Sustainability compulsorystudies, compulsory studies in the Department of Design, elective studies and master's thesis. 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. The pedagogical approach is based on integrating teaching and research, problem- based learning and strong connection to practical outcomes.

Creative Sustainability studies at the Department of Design empower and encourage students to create new roles for designers in the professional fields and prepare students to start own companies or work as sustainability experts in organizations that have a strategic view on transformation towards sustainability. These include the private and public sectors as well as a wide range of NGO´s.

Graduates of Creative Sustainability programme (MA) will work as designers, experts, educators, researchers managers and directors in the organizations that have a strategic view on transformation towards sustainability.

Further information about the programme: acs.aalto.fi

For the exact dates of each period, please check Academic calendar 2018-2020

Courses

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

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 Alternative CS course list. Students are also recommended to take courses from the Department of Design, such as MUO-E3008 Designing for Services.

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

You can choose courses from the links below.

• Elective courses, Aalto cross-school courses:
  https://into.aalto.fi/display/enopinnot/Elective+courses
  (all the courses except the courses by ARTS)
• UWAS-courses:
  http://uwas.aalto.fi/
• Courses according to Schools:
  https://courses.aalto.fi/

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: ARTS21.M
Credits: 60 ECTS cr
Programme Director: Professor Mikko Jalas
Teacher in Charge of Major: Executive in Residence Matti Kuittinen

Education Content

Creative Sustainability programme (CS) provides a multidisciplinary learning platform in the fields of architecture, built environment, business and design. It allows students to study and develop solutions to global sustainability concerns such as climate change, resource scarcity, global poverty as well as social and economic inequality.

Global and local challenges call for multidisciplinary approaches and the inter-linkage of environmental, economic, socio-cultural aspects in education. CS programme brings together students who are devoted to develop systemic solutions, work in multidisciplinary teams and challenge themselves with practical learning tasks. The studies offer students opportunities to collaborate with research projects, companies, organisations and students from other disciplines.

The International Master’s Programme in Creative Sustainability is a joint master’s degree programme at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture, School of Business and School of Engineering. CS students who entre the program via department of Architecture will graduate with degrees of Master of Science in Architecture.

Students who enter the CS program through the Department of Architecture learn to integrate sustainability and life cycle approach into architectural design process. They are expected to question conventional design approaches and challenge others into systems thinking in the built environment. See also the programme's own pages (website works better with Google Chrome and Firefox).

Degree structure of the programme

Courses

Compulsory and alternative courses in the Major Subject (Architecture)

Code: ARTStSP.E 
Credits: 30 ECTS cr

Compulsory joint studies of the programme, 30 cr 

• Major studies (60 cr)
• Master's thesis (30 cr)
• Elective studies (30 cr)

Creative Sustainability in Real Estate and Water Management

Code: ENG3079
Professor in charge: Saija Toivonen

Creative Sustainability is a cross-disciplinary programme (120 cr) offered in English. The programme is organized jointly by different schools of Aalto University and it is coordinated by the School of Arts, Design and Architecture. The programme offers expertise in urban and industrial sustainability along with corporate responsibility. Students will be encouraged to rethink design, architecture, business management, industrial management, and real estate economics and water management, and to create new sustainable solutions for our various environments. The programme brings together students from different fields to work in multidisciplinary teams, increasing their holistic understanding of different fields and how they interconnect. It is built on a number of fundamental disciplines: real estate economics, water management, urban planning, landscaping, design, construction planning and architecture, responsible business operations, and industrial design in general.

Creative Sustainability in Real Estate and Water Management

Extent: 60 cr
Professor in charge: Saija Toivonen

Major studies (60 cr)

Common studies (compulsory courses, 30 cr)

Advanced studies (compulsory courses, 30 cr)

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

Master’s thesis (30 cr)

Elective studies (30 cr)

For free elective studies you can study courses offered by Aalto University or by other universities as it is possible by Aalto internal and inter institutional agreements and procedures and course specific prerequisites. Kindly note that your elective studies do not have to form a minor, but can include different types of courses totaling 30 credits.
The choice for elective studies is thus entirely 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.

Foreign language studies (minimum 3 cr in the same language) are required for the completion of the MSc (Tech) degree in some cases. Please see more information about language requirements for the master's degree students:

Please find language courses and other information about learning languages from here: Language and communication studies
Finnish or Swedish language courses are strongly recommended for elective studies for international students.

Courses below are available for the students of CS programme (these courses are not compulsory):

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

The master’s thesis is written on a topic related to the advanced studies of the major studies.
You can apply for a topic for your thesis when a minimum of 60 credits counted towards the master’s degree has completed.

Before getting started, read our school’s instructions on theses here (Completing your master's thesis, Real Estate Economics) or here (Completing your master's thesis Water and Environmental Engineering)

Master´s thesis - starting and topic 

Start defining your topic. When doing it is suggested to consider the following aspects

• What am I interested in? What would I like to learn about more?
• What kind of research methods would I like to use (qualitative, quantitative etc)? What kind of limitations does this set for the topic (e.g. in terms of availability of data).
• Am I doing the thesis independently or am I doing it for a company? If you are doing your thesis for a company, discuss the topic and timetable with your employer.

After these contemplations, you should already have some broad idea of your prospective thesis topic.
After this, read a bit of academic literature (journal articles) to find and confirm that there is a research gap.
Also check that the exact same topic has not been addresses in a Master’s thesis recently. If it has, check the thesis and confirm that your planned contribution is different from the earlier work.

Contact your supervising professor to discuss your thesis and topic. The professors at the department will help you find the right supervisor. Here you find also information about research fields of the Department of Built Environment.

You have to apply for the topic of your thesis. Please find instructions here (REC) or here (WAT).

If needed, check if there is any additional support offered by Language Center for master’s students writing their thesis in English. For example course LC-1320Thesis Writing for MSc students.

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

• Programme studies 84 cr
• Master's thesis 30 cr
• Minor 24 cr
• Electives 12 cr

The Creative Sustainability Master’s Programme (CS) provides students with 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.

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 world 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 of business, design, architecture, and built 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. 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 business enterprises and other partner organizations. These projects often involve field project opportunities e.g. in Africa and Asia for students interested in sustainability solutions in developing countries. The CS studies cover sustainability issues in large organizations as well as small, local initiatives and innovative start-ups.

The CS programme is organized jointly by the School of Business, the School of Arts, Design and Architecture and the School of Engineering. CS students who enter the programme via the School of Business graduate with a degree of Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration. The CS programme has been awarded the EIT Climate-KIC programme label and those students who want to specialize in issues relating to climate innovation and receive an additional certificate of this can apply for Climate-KIC studies once accepted in the CS programme.

The two-year CS programme comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits, divided between compulsory joint Creative Sustainability studies, compulsory Management studies, elective studies which include a freely chosen minor subject, 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

Upon graduation from the CS programme students have a unique and competitive professional profile which combines focused knowledge on sustainability with widely applicable general skills in management, design, and communications.

To achieve this learning outcome, the pedagogical approach in the CS programme emphasizes challenge-based learning, the integration of teaching and research, and a strong connection to practical outcomes. Teaching methods range from interactive classroom lessons to group assignments and practical projects carried out for partner organizations that can be e.g. business enterprises, NGOs or other associations, or public organizations.

In particular, the CS programme develops the following competences as applied to sustainability:

• Multidisciplinarity: Students learn to adapt knowledge, skills and new approaches to reach collaborative solutions based on ecological, economic and socio-cultural sustainability.
• Systems thinking: Students learn to use systemic thinking to problem-solve and create new holistic understandings of complex situations and the critical infrastructures of society. The emphasis is on global awareness within the context of local communities and having a combined influence on different aspects of sustainability simultaneously. 
• Design thinking: Students learn to apply creative problem-solving tools and methods to facilitate dialogue, define problems, generate ideas and attain solutions.
• Sustainability management: Students learn to develop, support and manage sustainability initiatives for society at large, for business purposes and the needs of other organisations. Students also gain an understanding of the way different organisational forms and work practices can support the pursuit of sustainability.
• Project management: Students learn to manage multidisciplinary teamwork, and to promote sustainability in culturally diverse organisational environments.
• Business management: Students learn to create sustainable business models and to work proactively in organizations to develop responsible business practices.

Graduating students can leverage these competences to effectively address global and local sustainability challenges as they relate to business.

Career prospects

Sustainability considerations arise in every organization and thus there are several possible career options for someone with expertise on sustainability in business. 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. Figure 1 illustrates the range of possible professional identities of CS students together with corresponding potential employment types.

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

Programme directors

Professor Mikko Jalas, Director of the Creative Sustainability Programme (ARTS)

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

Programme coordinator

Berit Söderholm, [email protected]

Johanna.Haarala, [email protected]

Additional information

Creative Sustainability programme website

Programme studies 84 cr

Compulsory joint studies of CS 18 cr

Compulsory research methods in BIZ 6 cr 

Choose 3 courses from the following CS-course list from BIZ 18 ECTS:

^{1) This course is strongly recommended for those with little or no background in sustainability in business.
2) Replaces course 21E16000 Sustainable Business and Consumption}

Compulsory CS-Capstone course from BIZ 6 ECTS:

Master's thesis 36 ECTS

The minor study module of the Master’s degree is 24 credits and 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, or
3. a module earned at another Aalto University school or at another Finnish university under the agreement on flexible study rights (JOO agreement).

For a list of all the minors at Aalto University, see Minors 2018-2020

Master's degree includes 12 ECTS credits of Electives. This can consist of for example

• additional studies in the degree programme,
• additional studies in the minor study module,
• courses from other programmes
• language and communication studies,
• studies at another Aalto University School,
• studies at another university through the flexible study right agreement (JOO studies), or
• internship (6 cr)

More information is provided under the titles Language and communication studies and Internship.

Elective studies can include basic, intermediate or advanced level courses.

Master’s thesis and thesis seminar

The programme study module includes a 30-credit thesis with a 6-credit seminar. The thesis must demonstrate readiness for scientific thinking, command of research methods, conversance with the topic of the thesis, and ability for scientific communication.

The student takes also 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.

Seminar practices vary depending on the degree programme: please see the instructions for each programme in Sisu or MyCourses. For instructions on writing and handing in the thesis please see the page Completing your master's thesis.