Smart and Sustainable Design
Field of studies
- Design
- Design Programmes
Degree title
- Bachelor of Culture and Arts (BCA)
Registration periods
- Direct Application 2024, Bachelor's
- Finnish Joint Application 2024
Teaching language
- English
Type of education
- Bachelor’s Degree
Academic level
- Bachelor Level Studies - EQF 6
Campus
- Hämeenlinna
Teaching format
- Contact Lessons
Become a creative changemaker! Change the world with sustainable fashion design or glass and ceramics design.
Sustainable future needs innovative designers. In Smart and Sustainable Design degree programme you get to have an impact on what the future world looks like and how we design sustainable products.
You can study fashion design, footwear design, glass design or ceramics design. You will use new techniques like digital modelling, textile printing and 3D printing from clay to decal. We are the only higher education provider in the Nordics where you can study footwear design and the only one in Finland where you can study glass and ceramics design.
Objectives
You learn to design products that take into consideration the future’s challenges and possibilities. You learn to use different materials and manufacturing methods that utilise traditional and modern technologies.
Qualification provided by education
You will become a professional designer. You can create environmentally conscious products for example as a fashion designer, product developer or entrepreneur.
Structure of studies
In our Smart and Sustainable Design degree programme you learn to take into consideration the challenges of sustainability in modern design. You learn to use different production techniques and materials in practise so you can design more sustainable products and services that fit to our future’s needs.
In your designs you research the users’ needs, create solutions and utilize digital sketching tools side by side with traditional ones. You familiarise yourself with different materials and manufacturing products in real studio environments. Our students have for example printed shoes with a 3D printer and created new fashion from leftover fabric scraps.
During your studies you develop as a designer in real working life projects. You often work in teams and will get skills that you can apply in working life.
As a designer you will specialise in fashion, glass or ceramics. In your chosen studies you will deepen your knowledge based on your interests. You can complement your design skills for example by choosing studies from international fashion business or sustainable business.
Specialization options
Profiling studies in fashion design allow you to first explore both clothing and footwear design before you choose which one to specialise in. As a fashion student you design and manufacture outfits, footwear and whole collections during your studies. In practical projects you solve the fashion industry’s sustainability challenges with your designs and utilize digitisation like 3D modelling. Our 3rd year students’ 2023 collection was showcased in a fashion photoshoot and premiere. See the video of their collection here!
In our glass and ceramic design studies you get to work in real studio environments for example with clay. You learn to use recycled materials and develop your own glazes. You learn to design and manufacture lasting and practical items using different techniques. You can use for example 3D modelling and 3D printing as part of your product development. Our students’ designs in our unique programme have previously been displayed in Finland’s glass museum and in our traditional Design Market.
Your studies include work placement and a thesis. In your work placement you have an opportunity to practise in real-life working environments in companies. In your thesis you research a subject that interests you in analytical and solution-oriented way, often for a company in your own field. Check out for example our fashion student’s thesis, where she created a prototype utilising sustainable upcycling-method to design new fashion.
Apply to Study!
Direct Application to HAMK – March 31, 2024 at 3pm (UTC +3)
- Application begins: Nov. 1, 2023 at 08:00 AM UTC+2
- Application ends: Mar. 31, 2024 at 03:00 PM UTC+3
- Studies Begin: Autumn 2024
- Places of Studies: 25
Other Admission Methods
- Studies Begin: Autumn 2024
- Places of Studies: 2
- Application Begins: Dec. 1, 2023 at 08:00 AM UTC+2
- Application ends: May. 31, 2024 at 03:00 PM UTC+3
- Prior education: Studies at the Open university of applied sciences
- Studies Begin: Autumn 2024
- Places of Studies: 2
- Application Begins: Nov. 1, 2023 at 08:00 AM UTC+2
- Application ends: Nov. 15, 2023 at 03:00 PM UTC+2
- Prior education: University of applied sciences Bachelor’s degree
- Studies Begin: Autumn 2024
- Places of Studies: 2
- Application Begins: Dec. 1, 2023 at 08:00 AM UTC+2
- Application ends: May. 31, 2024 at 03:00 PM UTC+3
- Prior education: Discretionary admissions or dispensation
For Students living in Finland
Study Paths – Open Studies Leading to a Degree
In our Study Paths, you will complete studies that are part of a degree program as a student of the Open University of Applied Sciences, alongside degree students. Once you have completed the required amount of studies with the necessary grades, you can apply to become a degree student and continue your studies to completion as usual. Check more information:
Students outside of Finland: As Open University Studies are not leading to a degree it is not possible to get a residence permit only for that purpose.
3 reasons to study in Smart and Sustainable Design!
You learn to create sustainable products that respect the environment.
You get to have a positive effect on the future.
You learn by doing and get to participate in interesting workshops and projects.
Studying Smart and Sustainable Design
Check videos about how we learn!
Sanguine is a promotional video by our 3rd year fashion students. Besides the fashion collection the students also designed and produced the video!
Follow us on Social Media!
See how is it like to study with us and get to know our every day life:
Studying in Finland
Finland is a great place to study! Here are some information for international applicants:
Study Methods
Full-time Studies, Contact Lessons
Campus
As a student of Smart and Sustainable Design programme, your home campus is Hämeenlinna Campus Centre.
Hämeenlinna University Centre
Our evolving, growing, and modern main campus, Hämeenlinna University Centre, brings together thousands of students and hundreds of employees. Across the expansive campus area, there are versatile facilities and services for studies across various fields as well as for research work.
The Hämeenlinna campus offers around 30 degree programs and serves as the home campus for all of HAMK’s research units. Additionally, the university center provides excellent facilities for organizing various events for both internal and external participants, resulting in frequent activity and bustling events on campus.
Studies tailored to you
Your degree consists of 240 credits and includes four core elements:
The core competence studies, or core competence modules as we call those, form the foundation of your degree and professional skills. These studies are designed to support your development as a professional in your field and provide a solid groundwork for future elective studies
Your core competence studies includes either fashion and footwear design or glass and ceramics design based on your choice.
Part of your degree consists of profiling competence modules, enabling you to build expertise in your chosen direction according to your own goals. These studies offer opportunities to broaden, deepen, and enhance professional skills and personal development.
Profiling studies include moduls like Design and Collaboration, Sustainable Design Business and Applied Design.
In your work placement you have an opportunity to practise in real-life working environments in companies. In this programme you complete two 15 credit workplacements.
Your thesis is a development or research project you work on towards the end of your studies. It helps you get better at what you’ve learned and shows how you can use that knowledge. It’s worth 15 credits, and you get to pick a topic that interests you and fits your career plans. It aims at solving problems emerging from the workplace. We encourage you to choose a real problem to solve from a company, to put your skills into practice and create new solutions for your industy.
As a student at HAMK, you can tailor your degree to suit you. You have the option to choose various studies from us and around the world, and complete the required studies in different ways.
Explore more about the content of the program and learn about planning your studies at HAMK:
Innovative study options that we offer
At HAMK, we develop new, innovative ways of study. Our goal is to provide you with versatile expertise that you can develop in various directions. We hope to inspire you to try something completely new!
Entrepreneurial university
Entrepreneurship is about recognizing opportunities, innovation capability, and the ability to create something new. In an entrepreneurial university, learning happens through collaboration and experimentation!
Design Factory
Design Factory is an operational and learning environment that brings together businesses, students, teachers, and researchers. Join projects where you develop new solutions together with students from various fields!
RUN EU -studies
HAMK is part of the RUN-Europe University, comprised of nine European universities. You can leverage the fantastic opportunities provided by RUN Europe University for accumulating international study experiences!
Exchange Studies
Exchange studies are a unique opportunity to explore the world. We encourage all our students to seize the chance and go abroad for an exchange. Will you go too?
HAMK’s Study Selection
We offer you a wide range of studies that you can choose as part of your degree. You can also select modules from other degrees at HAMK. Or why not utilize the expertise you’ve gained previously, for example, from scouting!
Cross-Institutional Studies
As a student at HAMK, you have the opportunity to take courses at other universities as well! It’s called cross-institutional studying, aiming to allow you to study comprehensive units that support your own goals.
Frequently asked questions
From here you can find answers to frequently asked questions about Smart and Sustainable Design programme!
Smart design uses technology, digitisation and innovative manufacturing and designing methods. In smart design studies you get to know the basis of designing human and technology interaction and try integrating technology into wearable products for example. In smart design studies you do projects with our research units and different degree programmes.us
In Smart and Sustainable Design’s entrance exam you do different design-related tasks that test your creativity, problem solving skills and visual presentation skills. The information about the tasks and the tools you need in them will be told in the exam invite and in the exam. You don’t need to be perfect. The test evaluates your suitability to study in the design programme.
You don´t! There is no requirement to any prior knowledge in the programme. You will learn everything you need during your studies. Prior knowledge can be useful but more important is positive attitude towards learning new things.
Want to ask more?
If you want to ask more about the content of the programme, please contact:
If you need more information about applying to this programme, please visit here:
Graduate faster?
Are you already familiar with the field by previous higher education studies and have gained expertise through work? For students who are intepended learnerns and have great studying skills, we offer opportunities alongside traditional degree studies that allow you to accelerate your degree progress.
24 / 7 – Fast tract for studies
Read more about HAMK’s 24/7 -study mode:
Looking for something else?
Choosing the right education for yourself can sometimes be challenging, especially when there are plenty of good options available! We’ve gathered a few more alternatives in the same field for you, in case you’re interested in exploring our other programs as well. You can find our entire range through the search tool: