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Minors

World in Transition WiT

Code:

ARTS3096

Extent:

18–25 ECTS

Curriculum:

2026–2028
2024–2026
2022–2024
Previous curricula

Level:

Advanced studies

Language of learning:

English

Target group:

All Aalto students

Teacher in charge:

Olli Varis (ENG)
Saija Hollmén (ARTS)

Administrative contact:

Hanna Nyemba, studentservices@aalto.fi

Organising department:

Department of Architecture

Organiser:

School of Arts, Design and Architecture

Prerequisites:

Bachelor's degree.


Quotas and restrictions:

-

Application process:

Open for all master's students at Aalto University. Application procedures and/or prerequisites apply to some individual courses. Included studio courses have additional selection criteria, identified in their respective course descriptions. The used criteria varies from course to course. The course descriptions indicate to whom and how the applications will be submitted. 

The focus of WiT Minor is in long-term sustainable global development issues, such as UN’s SDGs, good governance, human rights, social sustainability, climate change and innovations. It explores the dilemma of development from different perspectives. It deals with cross-cultural communication, participatory practices and community engagement in vulnerable settings, and promotes culturally sensitive professional practices in architecture, design, engineering and business. WiT Minor exploits Problem Based Learning (PBL) and Human-Centered Design (HCD) methodologies with links to industry, civil society and academia. The WiT Minor emphasizes interdisciplinarity and mutual and reciprocal peer learning.

Learning outcomes 

fter completing WiT Minor, student will have holistic understanding of the global development related issues, regardless of their own disciplinary background. They are prepared for advanced studies in the thematic area and for further work life opportunities on the field. 

Transferable skills – such as teamwork, critical thinking, judgement and decision making, communication project design, research methods, adaptability – are core learning objectives, preparing the students’ expertise and knowledge to move from situated (context related) to transferable, scalable and applicable in complex professional situations. 

In addition to disciplinary and context related learning outcomes, the minor aims at providing the students with an understanding in the diverse linkages and relations from technology, innovations, design and entrepreneurship to socioculturally, economically and environmentally sustainable development. The Minor educates professionals capable of strategic spatial problem solving, planning design-led solutions for longer-term recovery, adapting to cultural variations, and coordinating and managing projects in vulnerable communities, using participatory planning methods

Structure of the minor

WiT Minor consists of prerequisite courses on global development issues, followed by studio courses (see admission process) including a field trip, provided by Aalto School of Arts, Design and Architecture and School of Engineering. The core courses are Interplay of Cultures (IoC) Studio and Sustainable Global Technologies (SGT) Studio, with a selection of theme related electives. In previous years, the field trips have taken Aalto students to countries such as Senegal, Benin, South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Lebanon, Greece, Nepal, Cambodia, Taiwan, Philippines and Mexico. The field trip costs are (usually) on the students’ responsibility. The minor also offers courses that do not require attending a field trip. Students are also free to compose the minor from additional and optional courses only.

Code Course name ECTS credits Teaching
Prerequisite and compulsory courses      
WAT-E3020 State of the World and Development L 2 2026-2027 Autumn I:English 
2027-2028 Autumn I:English
WAT-E2006 *Sustainable Built Environment L 6 2026-2027 Autumn II:English 
2027-2028 Autumn II:English
Alternative Studio courses      
WAT-E2007 *Sustainable Global Technologies
  (SGT) Studio L
12 2026-2027 Spring III - V:English 
2027-2028 Spring III - V:English
ARK-E1021 *Studio Spring: Interplay of Cultures Studio (Humanitarian Architecture Studio)  18 2026-2027 Spring III - V:English 
2027-2028 Spring III - V:English
Additional and optional courses      
ARK-E1022 *Sustainability Tools for the Built Environment 6 2026-2027 Spring III - V:English 
2027-2028 Spring III - V:English
WAT-E2080 *Water and Governance L 5 2026-2027 Spring III:English
2027-2028 Spring III:English
ARK-E2021 *Interplay of Cultures, Research and Theory 6 2026-2027 Spring III - V:English 
2027-2028 Spring III - V:English
21E1000 *How to Change the World – Innovating toward Sustainability 6 2026-2027 Spring IV:English 
2027-2028 Spring IV:English
21E16001 Sustainability in Business 6 2026-2027 Autumn I:English 
2026-2027 Spring V:English 
2027-2028 Autumn I:English 
2027-2028 Spring V:English
MNGT-E3004 Sustainable Entrepreneurship, Markets, and Systems Change 6 2026-2027 Spring IV:English 
2027-2028 Spring IV:English
MNGT-E2005 *Sustainability in global value chains 6  
22E29100 *Accounting for Sustainability 6 2026-2027 Autumn II:English 
2027-2028 Autumn II:English
REC-E3500 Urban Economics 6 2026-2027 Spring III:English
2027-2028 Spring III:English
REC-E4500 *Land Management   6 2026-2027 No teaching 
2027-2028 No teaching
REC-E4700 Environmental Law   6 2026-2027 Autumn I - Spring V:Finnish 
2027-2028 Autumn I - Spring V:Finnish
MNGT-E1002 **Market-based Development in the Global South 6 2026-2027 Autumn I:English 
2027-2028 Autumn I:English
MEC-E6005 Engineering Materials Seminar D 5 2026-2027 Spring V:English 
2027-2028 Spring V:English
 all   (organized min. 3 years in a row: check availability), for example:      
  Concepts of Sustainability 5  
  Contemporary Environmental Conflicts 5  
  Migration, Development and Human Rights 5  
  Decolonising Sustainable Development? Introductory lessons from the Global South 5  
  Other UniPID virtual course, according to availability 5  

*Selection criteria applies. Students from the responsible / organizing master program have priority.
**Preference given to students in (1) Creative Sustainability, (2) Management and International Business,  (3) Entrepreneurship

(Check the minimum scope of the minor studies in your own program.)

Previous curricula

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