Study options

Marketing, Master of Science (Economics and Business Administration)

For marketers, our digitalising world increasingly requires creativity and analytical thinking that considers how globalisation and sustainability influence how organisations function – and impact the lives of customers. The Master’s Programme in Marketing at Aalto University takes a holistic approach to marketing, with a creative, analytical and customer-centric perspective that gives students the skills to succeed in a changing world.
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Degree:

Master of Science (Economics and Business Administration)

Application period:

28 Nov 2024 – 27 Dec 2024

Language of instruction:

English

Duration:

2 years, full-time

Eligibility:

Relevant Bachelor's degree

Field of study:

Business and Economics

Credits:

120 ECTS

Organising school:

School of Business

Tuition fees:

For non-EU/EEA citizens, €15000/y (Master’s studies) Read more

Applying to master’s programmes

Description

Digitalisation and globalisation are changing the way businesses and customers function, and the role of marketers is changing. Combining customer-centric, strategic thinking with strong technical skills is becoming even more important.

The students of the Master’s Programme in Marketing will become strategic thinkers who have an ability to thrive in an increasingly digitalising world. They understand the strengths and possibilities of digitalisation and how it can change the way we think – and also how society and the world function. They understand the limits of current technology and their role in pushing past those limits.

The programme will provide you with a deep, holistic and consumer-centric understanding of marketing and business. You’ll gain a key combination of creative and analytical skills that are highly valued marketing assets in a digitalising world! 

Marketing graduates:

  • Have a customer-centric view of business. Graduates understand what it means to be a customer and a citizen in the digitalising world. They have gained a deep understanding of customer behaviour and consumer culture at large. 
  • Observe trends strategically and analytically from different point of views. Graduates understand '“the big picture”' of the world and business. They can connect customer and market insights with strategic decision-making. 
  • Have creative problem-solving skills. Graduates approach business and societal challenges from a human perspective and can present innovative ideas to address them. 
  • Understand how to succeed in a technological world. Graduates possess a strong analytical skill set and understanding of how technology can help identify customer needs and improve marketing-related business processes. They have learned to apply a variety of methods and data to analyse the potential success of marketing activities. 
  • Have gained a strong research skill set. Graduates understand the importance of research in decision-making and can skilfully use methodological tools and apply academic research literature in marketing. 
  • Have excellent career opportunities. Graduates are highly sought-after employees with the ability to manage, develop and lead the strategic marketing efforts of local and global organisations. 

Language of instruction

The language of instruction is English.

Tuition fees and scholarships

The tuition fee for this programme is 15 000 euros per academic year. Citizens of European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland do not pay tuition fees. Citizens of other countries must pay tuition fees.

Aalto University offers a small number of scholarships in the form of tuition fee waivers to fee-paying students. Scholarships can be awarded to the highest-achieving applicants based on the programme's evaluation criteria. Applicants are ranked according to the criteria outlined on the programme's webpage.

More information on tuition fees and scholarships at Aalto University is available at the Scholarships and Tuition Fees webpage.

Structure of studies

Marketing is organised by the School of Business and comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits. The two-year programme consists of: 

  • Programme studies (85 ECTS), which includes Master’s Thesis (30 ECTS) 
  • Elective studies (35 ECTS) 

Students have the opportunity to complete the minor studies (24 ECTS) at Aalto, at another university in Finland, or at an official exchange programme partner of the School of Business abroad. 

The programme emphasises the process of applying theory to real-world problems. It combines analytical rigor with a creative mind-set, while also maintaining a humanistic, consumer-centric and practical perspective. Furthermore, it develops problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills. These skills are acquired through a diverse set of study methods that include interactive lectures, group and independent work, and real-life case studies. 

The curriculum spans topics including global trends like digitalisation, globalisation and the circular economy. The courses consider these topics from a broad marketing perspective that includes consumer culture, creativity, analytics and strategic management. 

For students interested in a career as a researcher, the academic rigour of the programme ensures our graduates are well-positioned to apply to leading doctoral training programmes across the world. 

Students define their Personal Study Plans (PSP) at the beginning of their studies and have the opportunity to discuss their study choices with their academic advisor. The primary purpose of PSP is to ensure that the studies support the student’s interests and are completed in a logical order. 

See the curriculum and all courses.

Master's Programme in Marketing

Specialisations

The programme focuses on three central domains in marketing that make up the essential creative and analytical mindset of marketers. This three-domain way structure forms the core of your degree and is compulsory for all, with each domain comprising several specialisation courses that you can choose according to your interests. At a minimum, you will end up completing one course from each domain. 

Customers: 

Courses that cover theories and methods for developing insights about customers and markets.  

Strategy: 

Courses that cover theories and frameworks that merge marketing with strategic management. 

Technology: 

Courses that deal with the intersection of digital technologies, data analytics and marketing. 

Course examples: 

  • Technology-driven Service Strategy (6 ECTS) 
  • Consumer Psychology (6 ECTS) 
  • Consumer Culture (6 ECTS) 
  • Marketing Analytics (6 ECTS) 
  • Digital Marketing (6 ECTS) 
  • Brand Management (6 ECTS) 
  • Fashion Marketing (6 ECTS) 
  • Driving Creativity and Innovation in Marketing (6 ECTS) 

See all courses.

Being active is one of the key factors

Alumni Ambassador Arto Hiltunen

Internationalisation

The programme prepares students to pursue careers in international companies through a multicultural study environment, world-class professors, and universal learning outcomes. Over 20% of our Marketing graduates move abroad for their new jobs.  

As part of their studies, the Marketing students have an opportunity to complete an exchange semester at one of Aalto University’s many top-tier partner universities worldwide. 

Aalto University is international by nature, welcoming thousands of degree and exchange students from abroad each year. These students join the diverse Aalto community not only through studies, but also in multiple free-time events, activities and celebrations around campus. Programme administrators, student tutors and student support services work vigorously to help international students integrate into Nordic culture and welcome them at home in Finland. 

Further study opportunities

The degree provides excellent preparation for Aalto’s distinguished doctoral programme and the world’s leading PhD programmes.

Career opportunities

The job market is seeking talent that views marketing as a holistic and central element to business success. This understanding includes recognising the impact of global trends, such as digitalisation, which are transforming not only the way businesses operate but also how we function as a society. 

The Master's Programme in Marketing prepares you for a wide range of career opportunities, from marketing-related specialist roles to more general positions, as well as for leadership and management positions. Graduates typically find employment in B2B or B2C businesses, media and communications, marketing analytics, or in strategic or consulting roles. 

Aalto University has well-established career services which can help you to find employment in Finland or abroad. Aalto students tend to find good positions with ease upon their graduation. Aalto has an active entrepreneurial community, which can help as a springboard for founding your company. 

Research focus

The Department of Marketing takes a holistic approach that covers all areas of marketing, with four primary research areas: consumer behaviour, strategic marketing, services marketing, retail and sales. The department’s research output is regularly featured on the pages of leading journals within these fields. Moreover, Aalto University has one of Europe’s leading departments in consumer culture theory research.  

Additional information about research related to the marketing is programme can be found at the Department of Marketing website.

Co-operation with other parties

The programme is well-connected to working life and potential employers through real-life case studies and visiting lectures from different organisations. The programme’s representatives also sit down with businesses regularly to discuss the skills future marketing talents should be taught. 

Aalto University and the departments involved in the programme collaborate with many high-quality universities worldwide. The student can take advantage of the studies in other Aalto University Schools, studies offered by other universities under the flexible study right agreement (JOO) as well as studies through the major's international connections and student exchange possibilities. 

Multidisciplinary opportunities 

Aalto University is well-known for bridging the disciplines of business, arts, technology and science. The Marketing programme also works side by side with various study fields, ranging from accounting to industrial engineering, or management to media and communications. 

Our lively and multidisciplinary campus – with the freedom to choose elective courses across the university – brings students from different fields under one roof. This spontaneous multidisciplinary environment sparks new ideas, gathers enthusiasts around them, and gives birth to friendships, networks, and every so often, start-ups. 

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Are you wondering what it is like to study at Aalto? Come chat with our students and alumni about all things Aalto on Unibuddy chat platform.

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Webinar | Marketing

Our professor and alumna introduce the programme and answer questions about studies, course content, career opportunities and more! Come learn more about the Master's Programme in Marketing!

Watch the recording
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Evaluation Criteria 2025 

Applicants meeting Aalto’s general eligibility criteria for master's studies are evaluated and ranked according to the evaluation criteria decided in advance for each study option.

The applications to Master’s Programme in Marketing are evaluated based on the following criteria.

Admission group 1

Bachelor’s degree from a university in Finland

Admission group 2

Bachelor’s degree from a university of applied science in Finland or from a higher education institution abroad

Application documents required by the study option

The academic evaluation for the Master’s Programme in Marketing is done based on the following programme-specific documents:

  • Official transcript(s) of records for additional university studies which are not included in the mandatory part of the application
  • Course descriptions of relevant courses
  • Motivation video
  • In Admission Group 2: GMAT/GRE test result 
  • If your previous studies were evaluated in other scale than the ECTS: an informal description regarding the evaluation scale of previous studies

In addition, these additional documents add value to your application:

  • CV
  • Letter of references
  • Proof of employment
  • Publications

Please also remember to check the general document requirements for all master’s applicants.

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Contact information

School of Business

In case of programme-specific questions and inquiries, please contact the School of Business.

[email protected]

Aalto University Admission Services

If you have any questions regarding the application process, application documents or language tests, please contact Aalto University Admission Services.

[email protected]

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