Sustainable Design Business educates contemporary designers for a sustainable future
In the Bachelor's Degree Programme in Sustainable Design Business (SDB), you will become a creative professional who combines design thinking with an understanding of business contexts to drive sustainable change. You will learn to approach challenges with human-centered and responsible methods and tools. This means taking on the role of a contemporary designer, moving beyond traditional formgiving.
The programme combines theory and practice and equips you with design, prototyping and futures-oriented skills, together with an understanding of sustainable business models such as the circular economy. It enables you to pursue a career in sustainable organisations and also offers a pathway to master’s level studies.
World of possibilities
A lot of emphasis is based on learning together. The interaction between students, and between students and teachers, is at the core of the pedagogical approach. Students take on different roles within various teamwork assignments during their studies. This way the students gain experience-based knowledge and can find and develop their personal interests within the design profession.
Sustainable design business offers a world of possibilities. Graduates work as designers of products, product related services and user interfaces, and in specialist roles in various types of businesses and organisations and the manufacturing industry. They can be also employed at design and engineering companies.
Higher education institutions in Finland charge tuition fees for students from outside the EU/EEA area. Be sure to check the details ontuition fees, available scholarships, and the early bird discount.
Sustainable Design Business educates contemporary designers for a sustainable future
In the Bachelor's Degree Programme in Sustainable Design Business (SDB), you will become a creative professional who combines design thinking with an understanding of business contexts to drive sustainable change. You will learn to approach challenges with human-centered and responsible methods and tools. This means taking on the role of a contemporary designer, moving beyond traditional formgiving.
The programme combines theory and practice and equips you with design, prototyping and futures-oriented skills, together with an understanding of sustainable business models such as the circular economy. It enables you to pursue a career in sustainable organisations and also offers a pathway to master’s level studies.
LAB Institute of Design and Fine Arts – nicknamed Muotsikka in Finnish – is one of the oldest design schools in the Nordic countries. You will study in a creative, communal and modern environment where facilities and equipment enable multidisciplinary work and future-making. Sustainability and responsibility are central to the studies, with attention to emerging trends and phenomena shaping the field. You will develop professional skills such as creativity and visualisation, teamwork, communication and cultural awareness – often in real-world projects and company collaborations. You can also broaden your expertise through international student exchange.
State-of-the-art facilities, real-life assignments, and projects
State-of-the-art facilities at the Lahti campus ensure that students can utilise a multitude of methods and modern equipment in their design work.
A lot of emphasis is based on learning together. The interaction between students, and between students and teachers, is at the core of the pedagogical approach. Students take on different roles within various teamwork assignments during their studies. This way the students gain experience-based knowledge and can find and develop their personal interests within the design profession.
As studies advance, more and more of the learning will take place in real-life assignments and projects. Cooperation with local and international businesses ensures that the contents of the studies are up to date and the professional networking possibilities are outstanding. This has proven to be a valuable tool towards a running start to a successful career.
Tuition fees
Non-EU/EEA students are subject to tuition fees. As of 1st of August 2026, the tuition fee for new students from non-EU/EEA countries is 11,000€ per academic year for bachelor’s degree programmes.
Scholarships offered by LAB University of Applied Sciences are available from the second year onwards for bachelor's degree students. The scholarship provides a 3000€ reduction on the annual tuition fee. The student must complete 60 ECTS credits per academic year to be eligible for a scholarship. This policy will be applied until the end of the normative duration of studies.
The programme is divided into common core competence and complementary competence studies. The core competence studies equip you for a range of professional roles. The complementary competence studies consist of four thematic studio study modules. The studio studies allow you to extend your skills and specialise in an area of your interest. The studio studies involve students in real-world projects for real-world clients, which builds up-to-date knowledge and skills. Your personal tutor will support and assist you throughout your studies.
Duration and scope of studies: 4 years, 240 ECTS credits, including 30 credits of work placement in Finland or abroad.
The earned qualification is an undergraduate degree (a bachelor’s degree). After earning the degree, you can apply for work in private sector businesses as well as public sector organisations that require an applicable university degree.
The bachelor’s degree programme includes a 15-ECTS thesis. This can either be a research-based project or a so-called functional thesis project. The thesis project aims to broaden and deepen your professional expertise and knowledge, and provide you with the expertise needed to operate in development tasks in your field. The thesis project improves your information retrieval and problem-solving skills.
The thesis can be conducted as a project commissioned by an external organisation, or as part of a development project. The thesis project can be carried out individually, in pairs or in a group, including a written report. At its best, the thesis project can serve as a pathway to your future career.
We offer you excellent opportunities to gain valuable international expertise and language skills for your future career. Future workplaces and positions require multicultural skills, language skills and international understanding. Learning takes place in an international, multicultural environment, as our degree students come from all over the world.
Go international!
You can complete part of your studies at our partner institutions in different countries around the world or do your practical training abroad. Every year, we welcome a large number of students from different countries, so the programme is genuinely international.
Your studies will be closely connected with the development of working-life practices, together with businesses and work communities. Multidisciplinary working-life projects and different learning environments, such as student cooperatives, will strengthen your connections with authentic working-life interactions throughout the programme.
At LAB University of Applied Sciences, our goal is to renew the working life and ways of working. Together with our partners, we test new innovations and ways of doing things.
We focus on supporting responsible, regenerative growth through intangible value creation, multipurpose materials, and human well-being.
The Sustainable Design Business programme will prepare the students to become a design thinker, a strategic ambassador for design and a facilitator between business and design for sustainable development. The programme offers a wide range of opportunities for future employment, depending on the student's professional interests.
After earning a bachelor’s degree and having two years of professional work experience, you are eligible to apply to the university of applied sciences (UAS) master’s degree programmes. You are also eligible to apply to master’s degree programmes offered by universities.
lab [dot] fi
