Program Overview

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Aalto Doctoral Programme in Business, Economics and Finance

The Aalto Doctoral Programme in Business, Economics and Finance provides doctoral students with comprehensive research training in a unique multidisciplinary environment. The programme is designed for highly motivated and ambitious aspiring business, economics, and finance scholars.

Programme Description

The programme equips its graduates for successful international careers in the world of higher education and academic research. It prepares graduates for thriving international careers, primarily within the realms of higher education and academic research, while also opening doors to opportunities beyond academia.

Intended Learning Outcomes

The graduates of the doctoral programme will demonstrate:

1. Competence to carry out independent and original academic research
2. Deep and broad discipline-specific knowledge of their field of research
3. Mastery of the scientific research methods in their respective fields of research
4. Deep understanding of research ethics
5. Good project management skills
6. Enhanced pedagogical and academic leadership skills
7. Strong communication and interpersonal skills

Curriculum

The curriculum applies to students who have started their studies on or after August 1, 2026.

General Research Studies

General research studies equip students with the necessary skills for conducting research, applying research findings, and understanding the principles of responsible research conduct.

Research Field Studies

Research field studies help students gain comprehensive and in-depth knowledge of their chosen field of research and develop their skills in effectively communicating and disseminating their research findings.

Degree Structure

Business

• Total credits: 60 ECTS
• General research studies: 18-24 ECTS
• Research field studies: 36-42 ECTS
• Doctoral thesis: No credits granted

Economics and Finance

• Total credits: 60 ECTS
• General research studies: 48 ECTS
• Research field studies: 12 ECTS
• Doctoral thesis: No credits granted

Degree Requirements

Students can find course descriptions in Sisu. Learning environments are found in MyCourses through search or after registration in "My own courses".

Majors

The programme offers several majors, including:

• Accounting
• Business Law
• Economics
• Finance
• Entrepreneurship
• International Business
• Information Systems Science
• Logistics
• Marketing
• Management Science
• Organisational Communication
• Organisation and Management

Accounting

General Research Studies

• Compulsory course: Research Ethics for Doctoral Students (2 ECTS)
• Choose at least one of the following courses: Qualitative Research in Management Studies (6 ECTS) or Statistical Research Methods (5-8 ECTS)

Research Field Studies

• Compulsory course: Research Seminar in Accounting I (3 ECTS)
• Elective courses: To be agreed with the supervising professor

Business Law

General Research Studies

• Compulsory courses: Research Ethics for Doctoral Students (2 ECTS) and Principles of Legal Research for Doctoral Students (6 ECTS)
• Choose one of the following courses: Asiantuntijaesittämisen valmennus tohtoriopiskelijoille (3 ECTS) or Presenting Doctoral Research (3 ECTS)

Research Field Studies

• Compulsory course: Yritysjuridiikan tohtoriseminaari (3 ECTS)
• Elective courses: To be agreed with the Head of Doctoral Studies

Economics

General Research Studies

• Compulsory course: Research Ethics for Doctoral Students (2 ECTS)
• Choose at least 46 ECTS from the following courses: Advanced Microeconomics, Advanced Macroeconomics, Advanced Econometrics

Research Field Studies

• Elective courses: To be agreed with the Head of Doctoral Studies

Finance

General Research Studies

• Compulsory courses: Research Ethics for Doctoral Students (2 ECTS) and Academic Writing and Paper Presentation Clinic (2 ECTS)
• Choose 2 of the following courses: Theoretical Asset Pricing, Empirical Asset Pricing, Theoretical Corporate Finance, Empirical Corporate Finance

Research Field Studies

• Elective courses: To be agreed with the Head of Doctoral Studies

Entrepreneurship

General Research Studies

• Compulsory courses: Research Ethics for Doctoral Students (2 ECTS) and Philosophy of Social Science (6 ECTS)
• Choose at least one of the following courses: Qualitative Research in Management Studies (6 ECTS) or Statistical Research Methods (5-8 ECTS)

Research Field Studies

• Compulsory courses: Foundations of Doctoral Research in Management Studies (3 ECTS) and Entrepreneurship Perspectives (6 ECTS)
• Elective courses: To be agreed with the supervising professor

International Business

General Research Studies

• Compulsory courses: Research Ethics for Doctoral Students (2 ECTS) and Philosophy of Social Science (6 ECTS)
• Choose at least one of the following courses: Qualitative Research in Management Studies (6 ECTS) or Statistical Research Methods (5-8 ECTS)

Research Field Studies

• Compulsory courses: Foundations of Doctoral Research in Management Studies (3 ECTS) and Research Progress Seminar in International Business (2 ECTS)
• Elective courses: To be agreed with the supervising professor

Information Systems Science

General Research Studies

• Compulsory courses: Research Ethics for Doctoral Students (2 ECTS) and Philosophy of Social Science (6 ECTS)
• Choose at least one of the following courses: Qualitative Research in Management Studies (6 ECTS) or Statistical Research Methods (5-8 ECTS)

Research Field Studies

• Compulsory courses: Research Seminar in Information Systems Science I (2 ECTS) and Scientific Reading and Writing in ISS (6 ECTS)
• Elective courses: To be agreed with the supervising professor

Logistics

General Research Studies

• Compulsory course: Research Ethics for Doctoral Students (2 ECTS)
• Elective courses: To be agreed with the supervising professor

Research Field Studies

• Compulsory course: Research Seminar in Logistics (1 ECTS)
• Elective courses: To be agreed with the Head of Doctoral Studies

Marketing

General Research Studies

• Compulsory course: Research Ethics for Doctoral Students (2 ECTS)
• Elective courses: To be agreed with the supervising professor

Research Field Studies

• Compulsory courses: Research Traditions in Marketing (6 ECTS) and Philosophical Underpinnings in Marketing and Consumer Research (6 ECTS)
• Elective courses: To be agreed with the Head of Doctoral Studies

Management Science

General Research Studies

• Compulsory courses: Research Ethics for Doctoral Students (2 ECTS) and Management Science Brown Bag Seminar (1 ECTS)
• Choose one of the following courses: Writing Doctoral Research for Business & Management (3 ECTS) or Tieteellinen kirjoittaminen tohtoriopiskelijoille V (3 ECTS)

Research Field Studies

• Compulsory courses: Mathematical Optimization, Statistics and Stochastics, Decision Theory and Analysis, Machine Learning
• Elective courses: To be agreed with the Head of Doctoral Studies

Organisational Communication

General Research Studies

• Compulsory courses: Research Ethics for Doctoral Students (2 ECTS) and Philosophy of Social Science (6 ECTS)
• Choose at least one of the following courses: Qualitative Research in Management Studies (6 ECTS) or Statistical Research Methods (5-8 ECTS)

Research Field Studies

• Compulsory courses: Foundations of Doctoral Research in Management Studies (3 ECTS) and Research Progress Seminar in Organizational Communication (2 ECTS)
• Elective courses: To be agreed with the supervising professor

Organisation and Management

General Research Studies

• Compulsory courses: Research Ethics for Doctoral Students (2 ECTS) and Philosophy of Social Science (6 ECTS)
• Choose at least one of the following courses: Qualitative Research in Management Studies (6 ECTS) or Statistical Research Methods (5-8 ECTS)

Research Field Studies

• Compulsory courses: Foundations of Doctoral Research in Management Studies (3 ECTS) and Research Progress Seminar in Organization and Management (1 ECTS)
• Elective courses: To be agreed with the supervising professor

More Information

For more information on doctoral courses and curriculum, please visit the Aalto University website.

Contact

For further information, please contact the respective department or major coordinator.

Updated

The information on this page was last updated on September 24, 2025.