Students from Dutch HBO-universities

Premaster’s programme for Dutch HBO students (not available anymore from 2023)

For students with a suitable HBO degree (Dutch university of professional education) a fixed premaster’s programme has been formulated. The admission committee may also offer this programme to international students if the programme is suitable for them. In the setup for the Dutch premaster’s programme also the master’s programme has been adapted somewhat. The setup of the programme is as follows:

Starting date

The premaster’s programme for HBO-students is only available in the autumn semester, starting at September 1^st.

Premaster’s courses

The main learning objective of the programme is to lay a sound theoretical foundation under the practical knowledge that you already obtained during your bachelor’s programme:

• Topics from calculus, linear algebra and probability should bring your understanding of these mathematical subjects to the same level that students with an academic bachelor’s degree have.
• The Linear Systems course introduces the mathematical concepts of signals and systems, the different ways they can be described and how a system transforms an input signal into an output signal. The course prepares for more advance courses in electronics, mechanics, signal processing, system modelling and control. As such it is indispensable for students in the master’s programme.
• The course Engineering System Dynamics will give you an introduction in modelling the behaviour of multidisciplinary (e.g. electromechanical) systems. Courses during the master’s programme will learn you later how to control them.

A second learning objective of the transfer minor is that you make a start learning to carry out scientific research in a systematic way. The course Introduction to Technological Research contains the following topics:

• How to formulate a research question
• Literature search
• How to formulate a research plan
• Ethical topics (fraud and plagiarism)
• Carrying out research
• Oral and written communication.

The contents of the premaster’s programme is the same for all students regardless of the specialisation they choose later during the Systems & Control master’s programme. After the start of the master’s programme students still will have to take some advanced bachelor’s courses to acquire specific knowledge for the chosen specialisation. These courses will belong to the master’s programme.
The premaster’s programme is taught during the first semester of the academic year (autumn) and consists of the following courses:

*) Part of the Electrical Engineering Bachelor module Systems & Control.

Note that the courses Linear Systems and Academic Research Skills are taught during the whole semester. Linear Systems starts in week 5 of the first quarter.

For the pre-master's programme, the University of Twente assumes that students possess sufficient prior knowledge in mathematics (preferably Wiskunde B on so-called VWO-level) and that they are sufficiently proficient in English (benchmark score in this regard: IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80). Students are supposed to assess themselves whether their competencies in this respect match with the recommended levels.

Language of instruction

All master’s and premaster’s courses are taught in English.

Admission to the master’s programme

The premaster’s programme has been separated formally from the master’s programme. The student will only be admitted to the master’s programme, if all courses of the premaster’s programme have been finished with a sufficient examination result. The full premaster’s programme must have been finished successfully within a year after the start of the programme. If not, the student will be rejected for admission to the master’s programme. Note that you can only start with the master’s programme after you have completed the premaster’s programme and you have been admitted to the master’s programme. This is according to Dutch legislation (“harde knip”).

Starting the master’s programme

The master’s programme can be started in the beginning of Quarter 2A (February). However this assumes that all examinations of the premaster’s courses have been passed successfully. If one or more examinations have been failed, a resit will be offered in quarter 2A. This will delay the start of the master’s programme.

Adaptations of the master’s programme for students from HBO-universities

Homologation courses (after the premaster’s programme)

Homologation courses (bridging courses) are advanced bachelor courses that you follow after your premaster’s programme. Formally they are part of the master’s programme and as such they are included in the 120 EC study load of the programme. The courses depend on the chosen specialization and will be selected by the programme mentor of your master specialisation. Some homologation courses are taught in Dutch although more and more courses are taught in English now. In case of a Dutch course, the international student will have to cover the theory in self-study but will receive support from the lecturer regarding exercises and practical work. As an international student, please consult the coordinator international students.

Individual project

The Individual project (10EC) replaces the internship. It serves as a preparation for the master’s thesis. During the project attention is given to the following aspects:

• Describing the assignment, the problem(s) and the framework of the project
• Looking for theoretical support for solutions, opinions and statements.
• Motivating choices, while solving a problem
• Distinguishing main and side issues
• Planning your work
• Reporting orally and in written form about your work.

You can choose a chair which participates in the Systems & Control program for your Individual Project. All chairs will have a list of available projects, to choose from. The project is placed in the second year.

HBO-minor students

During the third or fourth year of most HBO-programmes, the possibility is offered for a minor-programme that can be chosen by the student. For students, following a suitable HBO-programme it is possible to spend this period to take the Systems & Control premaster programme. After successful completion of the premaster programme they will return to the HBO-university to finish their HBO-programme with a final project. After having finished their HBO-programme, including our Systems & Control premaster’s programme, these students can be admitted directly to our Systems & Control master’s programme.

If you carry out our premaster’s programme within an HBO minor-programme, the same conditions will apply for admission to the master’s programme. Of course an additional condition for admission to the master’s programme is that you will have received your HBO-degree.

You can register yourself for an HBO-minor at the Kiesopmaat website.

Coordinator premaster’s programme