Study overview BSc Advanced Technology

In your first semester, you will get a solid introduction to what engineering is all about. You will explore fundamental engineering principles through core subjects such as Calculus, Mechanics, and Electronics. But it is not just theory — you will also get hands-on experience! You will take the first steps in research, design, and group work in the Mechanics Laboratory sessions, and undertake a practical project centred on Accelerometers, developing experimental skills and applying your knowledge to real-world situations. In the first semester, the learning line System Dynamics and Scientific Computing complements the set of courses. Here, you will gain analytical tools essential for understanding complex systems and ensuring precision in measurements. Programming skills are also integrated, enhancing your problem-solving capabilities and preparing you for advanced coursework in engineering and technology.

In your second semester, you will explore the relationship between the atomic structures of materials and their physical properties, such as electrical conductivity, optical transparency, and mechanical strength. When materials become very small, quantum effects become important, which can also be harnessed to create new devices. In Thermodynamics, you will learn about the concept of energy and how it can be used in thermodynamic cycles such as engines, refrigerators, and heat pumps. Your analytical skills will also be strengthened through Linear Algebra.

Practical experience is enhanced through Laboratory sessions in System Dynamics, focusing on energy transport, and the diffraction experiment, which determines the periodic arrangement of atoms. The Project on Energy Transition encourages innovative thinking towards sustainable solutions. The project also serves as a scaffold for essential academic skills, such as finding and evaluating information. Additionally, you will explore how science and engineering are constantly evolving (Challenges in Science & Engineering), and examine the challenges of tomorrow.

In this semester, you will learn more about the principles of modelling and analysing dynamic systems. Using basic principles, such as conservation laws and continuity relations, you will learn how to make a realistic mathematical description of a system, or part of a system. You will also predict the behaviour of these systems using advanced mathematics and simulation techniques. Additionally, you will analyse signals and models in the field of frequency and discover how signal response is used to study system dynamics. In the team project, you will design, build, and test a measuring device, applying your knowledge of modelling and signal processing. An elective is also part of the curriculum, helping you to get a sense of which specialisation you might prefer.

To explore which field you would like to specialise in, you can choose from four options: Materials, Science and Engineering, Transport Phenomena, Systems and Control, or Software Systems.

In your elective space, you have several options:

- Take subjects from other programmes that align with the master’s you want to pursue. For example, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Science & Engineering, Robotics or Nanotechnology.
- Spend half a year studying at another university in the Netherlands or abroad. Considering your master’s choice, you can follow two modules or subjects at a university of your choice.
- Join one of our multidisciplinary student teams.

In Semester 6, you will take on the exciting challenge of the Project Bachelor’s Assignment (PBA) and your BSc thesis — integral components of your engineering journey alongside electives. The PBA is designed to push your boundaries, demonstrating your ability to engage in research and innovative design on unfamiliar topics. The PBA not only tests your technical skills but also emphasises teamwork and collaboration, preparing you for real-world engineering projects.