Aalto University is one of the leading universities in Europe in the area of management, ranking 8th in the 2021 Academic Ranking of World Universities. The objective of the Master’s Programme in People Management and Organizational Development is to educate responsible professionals and future leaders who can successfully manage human resources (HR) and develop business operations in a fast-changing world. The programme is characterized by a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on management and leadership theories, psychology, social psychology, communication studies, and sociology to understand people management and organisational development processes. The theoretical knowledge is combined with a strong practical orientation. The aim is to learn to create agile, effective and sustainable organizations through HR and organizational development practices.
The participants in the People Management and Organizational Development programme will develop
Expert knowledge and skills. Graduates have state-of-the-art knowledge of people management and organisational development practices, tools, theories and trends.
A strategic mindset. Graduates can strategically develop people management practices and operations of organizations to secure the overall success and survival of the organization.
Leadership potential. Graduates know how to motivate people and take responsibility of leading self, teams and projects as well as how to plan and contribute to larger organisational changes in an effective and ethical manner.
An analytical orientation. Graduates have a data-oriented attitude and can collect and analyse both quantitative and qualitative data as well us understand big data related analysis to produce evidence-based solutions to managing people and developing organizations.
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 People Management and Organizational Development programme comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits. The two-year programme consists of:
In the first year of studies, students will develop a solid foundation through specialization courses related to people management and organizational development. The second year of the studies consists of electives / minor courses / exchange, and the master’s thesis project.
During their studies students critically examine how companies and other organisations are developed and led today. Students learn to re-think organisations, leadership and the future of work. Studies are built around challenge- and project-based learning and include real-life cases, guest lectures, consultancy-type projects for organisations, and internships. The programme is highly interactive and the participants learn to use both theory and practical tools to develop evidence-based solutions to organizational challenges.
Courses cover important themes, such as:
Linh Tran, studentWhen people have the right environment and a chance to do what they truly enjoy the positive outcomes are significant.
The programme offers students possibilities to do an international exchange at leading business schools around the world. There’s also a possibility to do a double degree at the University of Queensland (AU) or the University of South Carolina (US). Note: doing the ‘Data Analytics’ minor while in University of South Carolina will grant you a two-year work visa to the United States. In the People Management and Organizational Development Programme students also have the opportunity to apply to the prestigious CEMS Masters in Management to be completed in parallel with their degree (/cems). Students need to have at least 60 ECTS of studies in business and economics prior to enrolling in the CEMS programme.
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 the Nordic culture and welcome them at home in Finland.
The degree grants eligibility for doctoral studies.
The strong demand for people management and organisational development experts with business studies background will only grow in the future. The programme prepares graduates for careers in people management (HR), organisational development, and consultancy in these fields. While the focus is on businesses, the programme also prepares students for careers in public organisations and NGOs. Possible career trajectories for students are:
Entry-level positions in:
In 10-15 years, senior positions in:
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 your company. If you are interested in a career as a researcher, Master's Programme in People Management and Organizational Development 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: /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.
Check out students' stories on YouTube, or watch a webinar where teaching staff talks more about the programme and answer participants' questions.
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 People Management and Organizational Development are evaluated based on the following criteria.
| Relevance of previous studies | |
| What is evaluated? | Content and quantity of previous studies |
| 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, industrial engineering and management, law and social 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? | Motivational letter and CV |
| Admission requirements |
The applicant must show his/her motivation for studying in the programme by providing a motivation letter. The letter is written in English and the maximum length of the letter is 4000 characters (including space characters).
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 points = rejection) |
| Relevance of previous studies | |
| What is evaluated? | Content and quantity of previous studies |
| 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, industrial engineering and management, law and social 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, 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) |
| Recognition of academic institution | |
| What is evaluated? | Quality of the academic institution |
| Admission requirements | Recognition of the BSc institution |
| Evaluated documents | Degree certificate |
| Criticality | not critical |
| Suitability | |
| What is evaluated? | Motivational letter and CV |
| Admission requirements |
The applicant must show his/her motivation for studying in the programme by providing a motivation letter. The letter is written in English and the maximum length of the letter is 4000 characters (including space characters).
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 points = rejection) |
The academic evaluation for the Master’s Programme in People Management and Organizational Development is done based on the following programme-specific documents:
Please also remember to check the general document requirements for all master’s applicants.
Curious about life at Aalto University? Our student ambassadors are here to share their firsthand experiences and insights on student life, academics, and campus culture. Join us for interactive sessions, casual chats over coffee, and engaging discussions with current students and alumni.
Here you can find School of Business alumni stories. Our alumni share their professional journeys and give advice and tips regarding working life. The stories have been sorted based on the alumni's majors.
Learn about future opportunities, discover alumni stories and explore services that help you to plan your dream career.
School of Business
In case of programme-specific questions and inquiries, please contact the School of Business.
programmes-biz@aalto.fi
Aalto University Admission Services
If you have any questions regarding the application process, application documents or language tests, please contact Aalto University Admission Services.
admissions@aalto.fi
