International Design Business Management, Master of Science (Economics and Business Administration)
Espoo, Finland
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2027
TUITION FEES
EUR 17,000 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* international fee only; EU/EEA/Swiss citizens do not pay
Key Summary
About: Aalto University's International Design Business Management (IDBM) is a two-year (120 ECTS) Master's programme integrating design, technology and business. It combines IDBM Major courses with six-month industry project and a second-year exchange, minor studies or electives. Curriculum: Major (40 ECTS), minors (24), electives (24), thesis (30) and seminar (2).
Career Outcomes: The programme prepares graduates for careers in creative industries and multinationals. Typical roles include service design, design strategy and innovation management, product management, UX design, design leadership, business development and entrepreneurship. Aalto’s career services support employment in Finland and abroad; the degree enables eligibility for doctoral studies globally.
International Design Business Management (IDBM) is a pioneering two-year (120 ECTS) Master’s programme organised by Aalto University’s School of Business that integrates design, technology and business. The programme combines IDBM Major compulsory courses and a six-month industry project (typically in the first year) with opportunities in the second year to complete an exchange semester, minor studies or additional electives according to students’ interests. The curriculum includes IDBM Major (40 ECTS), minor studies (24 ECTS), electives (24 ECTS), a Master’s thesis (30 ECTS) and a thesis seminar (2 ECTS). IDBM is multidisciplinary and run across Aalto’s six schools; graduates may earn a Master’s degree in business, design or technology depending on their prior background and track. The programme uses collaborative, project-based learning with real-life challenges provided by industry partners.
The programme totals 120 ECTS. Typical structure: Year 1 focuses on core IDBM Major compulsory modules and a six-month industry project (core examples include Business Model Design, Strategic Design, IDBM Industry Project, Networked Partnering and Product Innovation). Year 2 is used for minor studies, electives or an exchange semester and concludes with the Master’s thesis and thesis seminar.
The programme prepares graduates for careers in creative industries and organisations that leverage design, technology and business for competitive advantage. Graduates work in startups and large multinationals in roles including service design, design strategy and innovation management. Aalto’s career services support employment in Finland and abroad; an active entrepreneurship community supports founding companies; the degree also provides eligibility for doctoral studies.