The Master’s Programme in Strategic Management in a Changing World combines business, sustainability, and entrepreneurship in a truly unique way. Students learn how to make sense of an increasingly complex world so that they can continuously update their organisation’s strategy, keeping it geared towards success. The programme provides students with invaluable insights on strategic, data-driven business decision-making.
This programme structure is backed by teaching methods – such as the use of cases, industry partnerships, and accessible faculty – that empower students get the most out of their studies. The programme is run by Aalto University’s School of Business, which ranks 1st in Finland, 3rd in the Nordic countries, and 37th in Europe in Financial Times’ European Business Schools 2020 ranking. Both teaching and research are state-of-the-art, ensuring that graduates from Strategic Management in a Changing World programme will have:
A holistic understanding of business strategy. Graduates will have the knowledge and skills needed for effective strategic management based on understanding global economic megatrends, analyzing opportunities, and avoiding risks.
In-depth knowledge about sustainable business today and in the future. Sustainability is a pragmatic consideration for any business that key stakeholders increasingly value. Regardless of one’s own values,sustainability is an important part of the business environment.
Essential skills for effective management and decision-making. Graduates have excellent quantitative skills, and are innovative problem solvers, analytical thinkers, great communicators, as well as experienced team workers.
Leadership skills. Graduates feel at home in diverse organisations and know how to manage teams effectively and inclusively.
The language of instruction is English.
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.
Overall, the Strategic Management in a Changing World comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits. The two-year programme consists of:
Ryoko Yamada, studentIn addition to gaining an academic understanding of organisational functions, you will be challenged to develop your tangible skills.
In their first year of studies, students develop a solid foundation of skills needed for strategic management and decision-making as experts. In their second year, students focus on thesis writing, elective courses, business projects and assignments. To further develop their competencies, students can take electives on various themes, such as:
Some examples of our broad selection of interesting courses:
Aalto University is international by nature, welcoming thousands of degree and exchange students from abroad every year. These students join the diverse Aalto community not only through studies but also via multiple free time events, activities, and celebrations around the campus. Programme administrators, active student tutors and student support services work rigorously to help international students integrate into Nordic culture and welcome them at home in Finland.
In this programme students also have the opportunity to apply to the prestigious CEMS Masters in Management to be completed in parallel with their degree (https://www.aalto.fi/cems).
The degree grants eligibility for doctoral studies.
Graduates will have diverse career opportunities in consulting, large corporations, and smaller companies. The strong analytical skills students learn position them for roles such as:
Aalto University has well-established career services through which you can get employed in Finland and elsewhere. Aalto students tend to find fulfilling positions with ease after graduation. Aalto also has an active entrepreneurship community, which can serve as a springboard for founding student startups. If you are interested in a career as a researcher, Master's Programme in Strategic Management in a Changing World gives you a good foundation for doctoral studies and work as a post-doc researcher.
The research in this programme is linked to several focus areas in the School of Business. Additional information about research related to this programme can be found at the Department of Management Studies website: https://www.aalto.fi/en/department-of-management-studies
Aalto University and the departments involved in the programme collaborate with many high-quality universities worldwide.
The student can take advantage of the studies within other Aalto University Schools, studies under the flexible study right agreement (JOO) within other universities as well as the major's international connections and student exchange possibilities.
Aalto University is well-known for bridging disciplines of business, arts, technology, and science. The lively campus and freedom to choose elective courses across the University bring students from different fields under one roof. This spontaneous multidisciplinary environment sparks new ideas, generates enthusiasm, and creates lifelong friendships, powerful networks, and every so often, innovative startups.
Want to hear more about Master's Programme in Strategic Management in a Changing World? Watch the webinar recording where programme representatives tell more about the programme structure, career opportunities, studying at Aalto and answer the participants' questions.
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.
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 Strategic Management in a Changing World are evaluated based on the following criteria.
| Relevance of previous studies | |
| What is evaluated? | Content and quantity in relation to the applied study-option-specific requirements |
| Admission requirements |
To be considered for admission the applicant must have completed at least 60 ECTS of courses covering the domains of business and economics, management, industrial engineering, or related fields of study (e.g. social sciences, law, information sciences, communication sciences, or behavioral sciences). Internships can be included in the credits. The previous studies are assessed by a representative of the programme. Applicants who fulfill the above requirement of previous studies are ranked according to the following criteria. |
| Evaluated documents | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
| Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
Please note! Remember to submit course descriptions for the required previous studies.
If your previous studies were evaluated in other scale than the ECTS then you need to attach an informal description regarding the evaluation scale to the application.
| Academic performance | |
| What is evaluated? | Grades of the previous degree(s) |
| Admission requirements | Weighted GPA of previous degree and overall evaluation of study success. Applicants with a weighted GPA of previous degree lower than 3.50 are not eligible for admission. |
| Evaluated documents | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
| Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
| Suitability | |
| What is evaluated? | Motivation letter, CV |
| Admission requirements |
The needed documents are 1) a motivation letter and 2) the applicant’s CV. There are four questions for the motivation letter; yet, the applicants are encouraged to not feel constrained by these guiding questions:
The motivation letter will be a maximum of 1200 words, including a 200 word summary and a 1000 word ‘main’ section. CVs will be a maximum of two pages, highlighting most relevant experiences and skills. Applicants selected to the interview phase will receive further information of the format and schedule of the interviews after the initial evaluation. |
| Evaluated documents | Motivation letter and CV |
| Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
Phase 2
| Suitability | |
| What is evaluated? | Interview |
| Admission requirements | Interviews will be carried out online. The interview panel will assess the applicant’s suitability to the study option based on general cognitive ability, critical thinking skills, learning orientation, pro-social orientation and communication skills. |
| Evaluated documents | Interview |
| Criticality | Critical (0 = rejection) |
| Relevance of previous studies | |
| What is evaluated? | Content and quantity in relation to the applied study-option-specific requirements |
| Admission requirements |
To be considered for admission the applicant must have completed at least 60 ECTS of courses covering the domains of business and economics, management, industrial engineering, or related fields of study (e.g. social sciences, law, information sciences, communication sciences, or behavioral sciences). Internships can be included in the credits. The previous studies are assessed by a representative of the programme. Applicants who fulfill the above requirement of previous studies are ranked according to the following criteria. |
| Evaluated documents | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
| Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
Please note! Remember to submit course descriptions for the required previous studies.
If your previous studies were evaluated in other scale than the ECTS then you need to attach an informal description regarding the evaluation scale to the application.
| Academic performance | |
| What is evaluated? | Grades of the previous degree(s) |
| Admission requirements | Weighted GPA of previous degree and overall evaluation of study success. Applicants with a weighted GPA of previous degree lower than 3.50 are not eligible for admission. |
| Evaluated documents | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
| Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
| Standardized tests | |
| What is evaluated? | Analytical and quantitative skills |
| Admission requirements | GMAT or GRE is obligatory in admission group 2 (minimum score 550 in GMAT, 515 in GMAT Focus edition or GRE score of 154 verbal reasoning - 155 quantitative reasoning). |
| Evaluated documents | GMAT/ GRE test results |
| Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
| Suitability | |
| What is evaluated? | Motivation letter, CV |
| Admission requirements |
The needed documents are 1) a motivation letter and 2) the applicant’s CV. There are four questions for the motivation letter; yet, the applicants are encouraged to not feel constrained by these guiding questions:
The motivation letter will be a maximum of 1200 words, including a 200 word summary and a 1000 word ‘main’ section. CVs will be a maximum of two pages, highlighting most relevant experiences and skills. Applicants selected to the interview phase will receive further information of the format and schedule of the interviews after the initial evaluation. |
| Evaluated documents | Motivation letter, CV |
| Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
Phase 2
| Suitability | |
| What is evaluated? | Interview |
| Admission requirements | Interviews will be carried out online. The interview panel will assess the applicant’s suitability to the study option based on general cognitive ability, critical thinking skills, learning orientation, pro-social orientation and communication skills. |
| Evaluated documents | Interview |
| Criticality | Critical (0 = rejection) |
The academic evaluation for the Master’s Programme in Strategic Management in a Changing World is done based on the following programme-specific documents:
Please also remember to check the general document requirements for all master’s applicants.
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