Student Guide

Master's Programme in Water and Environmental Engineering

Curriculum 2020–2022

Degree structure

The master’s degree (120 cr) consists of

Major studies 60 cr
Master's thesis 30 cr
Elective studies 30 cr

Programme director: Marko Keskinen

Faced with limited natural resources and an increasing demand for water, food and energy, we look for practical ways of developing our society in a sustainable manner. The Master's Programme in Water and Environmental Engineering combines a strong technical basis with a sound understanding of the broader societal context to educate game changers who are able to achieve this ambitious goal. The emphasis in the programme is on water-related aspects, including their relation to the environment.

Programme is student-centered, making use of our students’ varied backgrounds. Our field is diverse and you have several possibilities to pursue your career. To ensure that you will study things that you are thrilled about, you can design your own study path. Our personal portfolio process helps you to recognise your strengths and interests together with your mentor and peers.

Master’s Programme in Water and Environmental Engineering is based at the Aalto University School of Engineering, and it focuses on what engineers do: applying theory to practice to solve critical challenges of our society. Programme provides you with competences in three complementary fields: Knowledge, Skills and Professional Identity. Our Knowledge competences include e.g. sustainability, hydrological cycle, water and environmental services as well as resource use and management systems, while Skills competences relate e.g. to technical methods, data analysis and measurement, analysis and impact assessment as well as project work skills. Professional Identity competences particularly relevant in our programme include desire for problem-solving, comprehensive and critical thinking, multidisciplinary and -sectoral view, interaction and team work skills as well as promotion of sustainable and functioning society.

The studies in the Master's Programme in Water and Environmental Engineering are divided into four components: common studies, advanced studies, elective studies, and the Master's thesis.

The structure of the programme is designed so that you are able to complete your common and advanced studies during the first year. This leaves your second year for elective courses and the master’s thesis. It also makes it easy for you to go for student exchange during the second year. Alternatively, you can further build your expertise by taking more of our advanced courses or other Aalto courses as elective courses.

The final component, the Master's thesis, is written during the spring term of the 2nd year of studies. However, students are encouraged to start planning their thesis and its topic starting from the beginning of their studies.

Major studies 60 cr

Code: ENG29
Extent: 60 cr
Programme director: Marko Keskinen

Common studies (compulsory course)

Code	Course name	ECTS credits	Period
WAT-E1100	Water and Environment Engineering	15	I (Autumn term)

WAT course descriptionsfor the academic years 2020-2021, 2021-2022 (pdf)

Advanced studies (select 45 cr from courses below)

Code	Course name	ECTS credits	Period
WAT-E3020	State of the World and Development	2	I (Autumn term)
WAT-E2010	Groundwater Hydrology	5	II (Autumn term)
WAT-E2060	Sustainable Built Environment	5	II (Autumn term)
WAT-E2100	Urban Water Systems	5	II (Autumn term)
WAT-E2140	Sustainability in Environmental Engineering	5	II (Autumn term)
WAT-E2030	Hydrological Modelling	5	III (Spring term)
WAT-E2070	Sustainable Global Technologies (SGT) Studio	10	III-V (Spring term)
WAT-E2080	Water and Governance	5	III (Spring term)
WAT-E2120	Physical and Chemical Treatment of Water and Waste	5	III (Spring term)
WAT-E2020	Environmental Hydraulics	5	IV (Spring term)
WAT-E2110	Design and Management of Water and Wastewater Networks	5	IV (Spring term)
WAT-E2180	Biological Treatment of Water and Waste	5	IV (Spring term)
WAT-E2040	Surface Water Resources	5	V (Spring term)
WAT-E2090	Water and People in a Changing World	5	V (Spring term)
WAT-E2130	Modelling and Control of Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes	5	V (Spring term)
WAT-E3010	Special Course on Water & Environmental Engineering	5	Upon notice (Autumn or Spring term)

WAT course descriptionsfor the academic years 2020-2021, 2021-2022 (pdf)

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 structure of our Master’s Programme is designed so that you are able to study your major studies i.e. common and advanced courses during the first year. This leaves the second year for elective courses and Master’s thesis. It also makes it easy for you to go for student exchange during the second year. Alternatively, you can deepen your expertise by taking more of our advanced courses as elective courses, or broaden your expertise by choosing courses from Aalto’s other programmes or from different universities. 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.

You can choose also courses from the otser schools of Aalto University.

Programme has been planned so that it enables you to leave for exchange studies during your second year. You can find more information about exchange studies (incl. application deadlines) from hereExchange studiesfor Aalto students.

According to Government Decree on University Degrees (794/2004), 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) andt hat is necessary for their own field; and proficiency in at least one foreign language that enablesstudents to monitor progress in their own field and operate in an international setting.

Students with Finnish Bachelor's degree

Compulsory language studies are included as part of the Finnish Bachelor’s degree for students who have studied in Finland and whose language of education is Finnish or Swedish. If the language studies have not been completed in the student’s Bachelor’s degree, the student must take 2 ECTS in the second national language and 3 ECTS in one foreign language, including both oral and written proficiency.

All other students

Students who have received their pre-university education in a language other than Finnish or Swedish, or received their education abroad, are required to complete only 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. There students who have received their education abroad and who already have excellent command of English (e.g. English as their first language) may choose 3 credits of Finnish or Swedish courses instead, hence not covering the requirement of oral/written proficiency but meeting the language requirement of the degree. If this applies to you, please contact your school’s Learning Services for further advice, as different schools have different procedures for validating this exemption.

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

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

Master’s thesis 30 cr

The master’s thesis is written on a topic related to the advanced studies of the degree programme.

The topic and the language of the master’s thesis are approved by the school upon application by the student; the school also appoints a thesis supervisor and one or two thesis advisors for it. The master’s thesis supervisor shall be one of the professors of Aalto University.
The topic of the master’s thesis remains valid for one year.

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

Further instructions on the master’s thesis and the related process from Completing master's thesis.

Code	Course name	ECTS credits
BE.thes	Master's thesis	30 cr
ENG.matr	Maturity test	0 cr

Published: 20.5.2022
Updated: 9.9.2024

Student Guide

Master's Programme in Water and Environmental Engineering

Curriculum 2020–2022

Degree structure

Learning outcomes

Degree structure

Major studies 60 cr

Common studies 15 cr

Common studies (compulsory course)

Advanced studies 45 cr

Advanced studies (select 45 cr from courses below)

Elective studies 30 cr

Elective studies

Language requirements

Students with Finnish Bachelor's degree

All other students

Master’s thesis 30 cr

Master’s thesis

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