Studying in Aalto BIZ Studying in a university is quite different from your past studies: no strict curriculum exists, unless you’ve created one for yourself. Now you have the freedom to choose which courses to attend and how to build your individual timetable! This freedom comes with great responsibility – you have to make sure that you complete all the courses needed for your degree. The time it takes to finish your degree doesn’t depend only on your studying methods and planning, but also on your situation in life. The normative target time for finishing both your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees is five years altogether, but changing life situations may swing it either way. Working, taking off on an international exchange or starting a family, for instance, may slow down your studies – on the other hand, clear scheduling and goal-oriented attitude could speed up your graduation.
Studying in the School of Business You study in Aalto BIZ (Aalto University School of Business), which is a part of Aalto University. Aalto University was formed in 2010 when three self-governing universities – Helsinki School of Economics, Helsinki University of Technology and the University of Art and Design Helsinki – merged into one. Today, the university consists of six relatively autonomous schools. You’re free to attend courses, or even complete your minor studies, in any of the schools of the university. To make it easier, there are several multidisciplinary programmes available. In addition, Aalto University is continuously striving to improve collaboration between the schools. It is also possible to include an internship in both the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, for 6 ECTS each. This is a great way to get to know working life! Studying methods used and required during your studies vary between courses and teachers. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the teachers won’t give you readymade answers, but rather the tools to solve problems. University studies aim at teaching you how to think and how to use the skills you’ve attained – not always at giving exact facts. In addition to lectures, most courses include assignments, teaching in small groups or exercise sessions. Teamwork and case presentations are both very common ways to learn and work, and they will accustom you to working methods needed also later on in your career. Most courses end in an exam, but in many courses the exam isn’t the only point of evaluation – cases and assignments may have a huge weight on your final grade as well.
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