Basic information of the minor

Code: ARTS3060; SCI3072

Extent: 20-25 ECTS

Language: English

Teachers in charge: Professor Marko Nieminen, Aalto School of Science; Professor Virpi Roto, Aalto School of Arts, Design and Architecture;  University Lecturer Otto Lappi, University of Helsinki, Cognitive Science

Target group: Master's students in CCIS and Information Networks master´s programmes at the School of Science, master's students in Collaboration and Industrial Design or New Media at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture, and master's students in Cognitive Science at the University of Helsinki.

Application procedure:

Students apply for the minor via eAge.

Application period is in Spring: Application instructions for Aalto University students

Please attach all the required application documents when you fill in the eAge application form.

For more information:
Anu Kuusela anu.kuusela@aalto.fi (SCI students)
Meri Arnala meri.arnala@aalto.fi or Virpi Roto virpi.roto@aalto.fi (ARTS students) 

The teachers in charge of the minor select the students. The criteria used to assess the applications are: academic performance and an interest in and possible familiarity with the topic area and any earlier relevant studies. A copy of such records must be attached to the application.

Quotas and restrictions: Five students from each partner school are selected for the Usability School each year.

Prerequisites: Please see Application procedure and Quotas and restrictions.

Name of the minor in other languages: Käytettävyyskoulu, användbarhetsskola

Content and structure of the minor

USchool is a joint minor organised by Aalto University School of Science (SCI) and School of Art, Design and Architecture (ARTS) and University of Helsinki. The minor provides students with specialist skills in User-centred design, Usability, User experience, and User interface design (thus the U in USchool).

The minor consists of studies from three disciplines: Computer Science, Design, and Cognitive Science. The USchool studies familiarise the student with working and collaborating in an interdisciplinary product design environment. The artistic and technical design competence learned at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture is supplemented by information technology and cognitive science studies at the partner schools. For Aalto students the minor is between 20-25 ECTS.

USchool homepage http://uschool.aalto.fi

Uschool Courses

University of Helsinki, Cognitive sciences:

Course list 1:

Aalto SCI:

Course list 2

Aalto ARTS:

Course list 3

Uschool Study Paths

ARTS students:

Compulsory 2 ECTS or 7 ECTS

This course is compulsory to all Uschool students:

One of these courses is compulsory for Uschool students under the condition that he/she has not studied either one as part of his/her major. If the course is part of his/her major, it cannot be part of the minor, and therefore is not compulsory in Uschool. This means that a student, who has studied one of the courses below as part of the major, will only have 2 ECTS compulsory studies.

Select min. 5 ECTS from course list 1:

Select min. 5 ECTS from course list 2

Choose max 8 ECTS from course list 3 ONLY if they are NOT a part of your major:

If the courses above are a part of your major, you may not study them as part of your minor. In this case, you must choose the remaining credits from course lists 1 or 2.

SCI students:

Compulsory 2 ECTS or 7 ECTS

This course is compulsory to all Uschool students:

One of these courses is compulsory for Uschool students under the condition that he/she has not studied either one as part of his/her major. If the course is part of his/her major, it cannot be part of the minor, and therefore is not compulsory in Uschool. This means that a student, who has studied one of the courses below as part of the major, will only have 2 ECTS compulsory studies.

Select min. 5 ECTS from course list 1:

Select min. 5 ECTS from course list 3:

Choose max 8 ECTS from course list 2 ONLY if they are NOT a part of your major:

If the courses above are a part of your major, you may not study them as part of your minor. In this case, you must choose the remaining credits from course lists 1 or 3.

Students from the University of Helsinki

Compulsory 7 ECTS

And one of the following:

Select min. 5 ECTS from course list 2:

Select min. 5 ECTS from course list 3:

Choose max 8 ECTS from course list 1 ONLY if they are NOT a part of your major:

If the courses above are a part of your major, you may not study them as part of your minor. In this case, you must choose the remaining credits from course lists 2 or 3.

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